Critical Perspectives in Media

Unit overview – all the stuff we’ve done

AS A2

1a Media Language Both Both

1a Research and Planning Both Both

1a Use of digital technology Both Both

1a Post-production Both Both

1b Genre Either Or

1b Narrative Either Or

1b Representation 1b Media Language

EitherEither

OrOr

SECTION A

Question 1a

About progress and development over 2 years (synoptic).

Must write about several production experiences (preliminary, main task, A2 outcomes + extra-curricular if relevant).

Fundamentally about making creative decisions in theoretical contexts.

Question (b)

A different concept will ‘come up’ each time, from the list in the specification.

Candidates will need to choose ONE production that you can most effectively evaluate and analyse with this concept.

Question (a) is more about what you did, question (b) is more about the resulting media product as a text for analysis.

1a Example: Post Production

The editing stage, where material is manipulated (often using software) and transformed into a finished media product.

(The Media Teacher’s Book, p185)

Write about how you have developed over the course in your post-production techniques.

1b Examples

Genre

Narrative

Representation

Apply whichever one comes up to ONE of your coursework productions.

Section B

Plato’s Republic

App 375bc.

Society is ‘naturally’ divided into 3 classes of citizens, who each “know their place”:

Philosopher-Kings

Guardians

Workers

Best to keep the workers distracted – the cave (early media).

Mill’s Utilitarianism

1859 – On Liberty.

Centres on notion of liberty.

Individual freedom = collective freedom.

Rights crucial.

Everyone free to do what they want, as long as they don’t harm anyone else.

So no need for surveillance etc.

Interactive / Democratic?

Or Demotic?

Turner - there is no clear connection between the exposure given to ‘everyday people’ by reality TV and any kind of progressive or emancipatory shifts.

Thus the ‘demotic turn’ equates merely to the increase in exposure of / to the public with no necessary democratic outcomes.

Rather, the rise of celebrity culture – and with it the clamour for us to seek the prize of commodifying ourselves as celebrities - has had the effect of charging the contemporary media with the power to ‘translate’ cultural identity.

http://www.petesmediablog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/a-level-media-students-guide-to-leveson.html

Media 2.0

Lots of DIFFERENT IDEAS on this. Very much a CONTESTED view.

Participation Culture

Internet Democracy Often seen in terms of ideals – eg JP Barlow’s Declaration of

Independence of Cyberspace (1996) had 3 central characteristics:

Information democracy – unfettered information construction and dissemination, free from the stranglehold of MSM

Democratization of decision making power – e-democracy, direct participation

More engaged citizens

Has any of this really happened?

The Realities? However, use of the web can be used by specific

groups for: Visibility and publicity Organisation and mobilisation Coordination and collaboration

(Rheingold – smart mobs)

Can often be short term issues

Or is online activism merely “slacktivism”? (Morozov)

Lievrouw shows how Global Justice Movement use the internet for: Co-ordination Platform Engagement (limited)

Morozov

MYTH of Twitter Revolution in Arab countries

The Iranian Government is still in power!

What are people REALLY using the web for? Uses research in Eastern Europe and

Middle East Sex, shopping and entertainment This is the REAL American Dream Authoritarian Governments happy for this

to continue

Morozov

View that the web is emancipatory is a “mis-reading of history”

Part of the technologically deterministic, cyber-utopian “Google Doctrine” or “Twitter Agenda” – an exaggeration

Governments are actually using the web for propaganda, control, surveillance, censorship and suppression

Media 2.0 – 3 more ‘for’

Imagine

OK, but

Charles Leadbeater

Clay Shirky

Tapscott & Williams

Peering

Free Creativity

Democracy

Global Thinking

Perfect Storm – technology, digital natives, economics.

Bart’s research

Douglas Rushkoff

The right answer = Yes and No

A case study for us today

Always back to this ..

… to ask if this has happened

Use the blogRead the stuff

Use Pete’s media blogUse Media Magazine

Combine theory with YOUR examples

Tribute