ABSTRACT
This chapter examines communication processes for both traditional (industrial) media and internet (social) media and ways the journeys may be biased in favor of violent stories. It includes an examination of algorithmic “gatekeeping” on the web and the systematic distortion of bots and viral violence. At the end of this chapter students should be able to recognize and debate semantic problems in media stories. Sequential Art: “Cinder the Cat” is the story of a woman who rescues a tortured kitten. It provides a point of discussion for media agenda-setting, framing, and gatekeeping. Key Concepts: communication model, encoding, decoding, interposed devices, communication contexts, general semantics, traditional/industrial media, internet and social media, gatekeeping, agenda-setting, random and systematic distortion, viral and spreadable narrative, bots, priming, framing, attention economy, technological determination.
