theory booklet one · News values- Gatekeeping Galtung & Ruge, Chomsky 30-34 Postmodernism &...
Transcript of theory booklet one · News values- Gatekeeping Galtung & Ruge, Chomsky 30-34 Postmodernism &...
A-LEVELMEDIATHEORY
REVISION&SELF-STUDYBOOKLET1
MainMediaTheories
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Index(itemsinboldareessentialbasictheoriesforA-LevelMediaStudies)
Audiencecategorisation34,35BanduraOCR14BaudrillardOCR28Bechdel25Berger24BinaryOppositesOCR21Cohen-MoralPanicsTheory16CultivationTheory(GeorgeGerbner)12Dyer’sUtopianSolutions/PleasuresModel10Fiske35GenreTheory-NealeOCR18GerbnerOCR12Globalisation,MarshallMcLuhan:GlobalVillage22HypodermicNeedleTheory4Levi-Strauss:BinaryOppositesOCR21
Maslow’sHierarchyofNeeds8MeanWorldSyndrome(GeorgeGerbner)12MoralPanics(StanleyCohen)16Mulvey26Neale18Newsvalues-GatekeepingGaltung&Ruge,Chomsky30-34Postmodernism&BaudrillardOCR28Propp20TodorovOCR20Two-StepFlowTheory36UsesandGratificationsTheory6UtopianSolutionsModel10Y&R“4Cs”model34
THEORYBOOKLETONE–GENERALMEDIATHEORYTheitemsinboldarethemostimportantintermsofbackgroundtoMediaStudies
www.mediaattic.cothengotoTheoryZoneYoucanalsogodirectlytowww.themediastop.co.uk
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Someothersitesworthlookingat
Youtube:MrsFisherMediaGrantAbbitt(AbbittMedia)MediaInsiderTRCMedia
GOTOBOOKLETTWOFORTHE18THEORISTSREQUIREDSTUDYFORTHEOCREXAMINATION(indepthstudy:OCRcallstheory‘academicideas,argumentsanddebatesVanZoonenHooksButlerGauntlettHallx2GilroyBarthesJenkinsShirkyHesmondhalghCurran&SeatonLivingstone&Lunt
HYPODERMICNEEDLETHEORYHeadlinesummary:Mediainfluencesaudiences’behaviourandattitudes.
Thisviewimpliesthataudiencesarepassiveandbehaveinamass,conformistmanner.Itwasmorerelevantintheearlydaysofmediawhentherewaslesschoiceandaudiencescouldperhapsbemoreeasilyinfluenced.
Itappliestoadvertisingandpropaganda.Bothaimtopersuade,manipulateorseduceaudiences.Theaimofadvertisingistopersuadeustobuyproductsandtobeawareofcertainbrandsandwhatthesebrandsrepresent.(Producerscreateabrandimageorbrandidentity).
Propaganda(governmentcontrolledinformation)alsoaimstoshapeorinfluencethewayaudiencesthink.Ittriestoinfluenceourattitudesandopinions.
Itiseasytodismissthistheoryasold-fashionedorirrelevant.Butitisstillveryimportant,especiallyintermsofadvertising.
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HypodermicNeedleTheory
WarofTheWorlds1938RadioDramaGerbner’sCultivationtheory,MeanWorldSyndromeBandura’sMediaEffectsTheory
1)Thinkaboutagameyouhaveplayedorfilm/seriesyouhavewatchedrecently–coulditinfluencebehaviourorthewaypeoplethinkabouttheworld?2)GiveexamplesofhowyouthinktheHypodermicNeedleTheoryworkstoday.Isitstillrelevant?Thinkaboutadverts,socialmedia,governmentmessages.
TheoriginsofthismediaeffectsmodelarewiththeFrankfurtSchool,agroupofacademicswhosawthewaythemediawasusedforpropagandainNaziGermany.TheylatersawsimilaritieswiththeUSentertainmentindustriesandconcludedthatcapitalismalsousedthemediapersuadeaudiencestofollowtrends,toconformandtoconsume.Thetheoryisstronglylinkedtobehaviouristpsychology–theideathatpeoplecanbetriggeredintocertaintypesofbehaviourasaresultofgivingthemacertainstimulus.Linksalsototheideaofindoctrination–forcingpeopleintobelievingacertainideabyceaselessrepetitionoveraperiodoftime.TheothersidetothistheoryistheUsesandGratificationsTheory(Blumler&Katz)
https://youtu.be/a-toj0weAEM
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USES&GRATIFICATIONSTHEORY(UGT)Audiencesareactiveandchoosemediaproductstosuittheirownneedsandpleasures(gratifications).
DevelopedbyacademicsBlumler&Katzinthe1970s.Thistheorystatesthataudiencesactivelychoosemediaproductsfor4mainreasons:
Todefineourpersonalidentity“Iwatchthisshow,Ireadthatmagazine,listentothismusic,lookatthiswebsite.”Togetinformation(e.g.news,schoolwork,business,sportsresults,weather)Forentertainment&escapism(gaming,sport,celebritygossip,videoclips,streamingTVandmusic,lifestyle-health&fashiontips)Forsocialinteraction(socialmedia,postingcomments,texting,communicating)
ThesefourusescanberememberedbythewordPIES.Weusemediatosatisfycertainneedsandgratifications(=pleasures).
Someversionsofthetheorywillcalltheneedforinformation‘surveillance’.Thisisnotaveryhelpfulterm.Itseemstomeanthatweobservetheworldaroundusforinformationweneed.Entertainmentissometimesreferredtoas‘diversion’;thisisbecauseitalsocoversdistraction,escape,fantasy.Itdoesn’tneedtobefunnyorlight-hearted.
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Uses&GratificationsTheory
TheoppositetheorytothisoneistheHypodermicNeedleTheory(HNT)
UGTcanalsoberelatedto:Maslow’sHierarchyofNeedsDyer’sUtopianSolutionsModelFiske–variedaudiencesHall-3readings
Activities1) Thinkaboutthewayyouengagewithmedia–whatmediaproductshaveyou
usedorencounteredsofartoday?WhichofthePIESneedsorgratificationsdidtheymeet?
2) WhichofthetwotheoriesUGTorHNTdoyouthinkaremorerelevantintoday’smedialandscape?
https://youtu.be/Vn9_0mTfT3Y
MediaInsiderhttps://youtu.be/aopqPs7rb_Q
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MASLOW’SHIERARCHYOFNEEDSMainlyusedinPsychology,thismodelexplainshowhumanbehaviourismotivatedbycertainneeds,rangingfromthemostbasicatthebottomofthepyramidtothemorespiritualandabstractatthetop.Inmedia,wecanseehowcertainmediaproductsmaysatisfycertainneeds.
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Maslow’sHierarchyofNeedsrelatestoUses&GratificationsTheoryDyer’sUtopianPleasuresModel
1) Lookatcertainadvertsandnoticehowtheydon’tjustsellaproductorabrand.Theyalsopromiseacertainlifestyle,adream.Theyappealtoouraspiration–ourdesiretoachieveself-actualisation:astateoftruehappiness,unattainableperfection.Findexamplesofprintandmovingimageadvertsandhowtheycanberelatedtothismodel.e.g.M&S/JohnLewisxmasads
2) AccordingtotheFrankfurtSchoolacademics,advertisingandrepresentationsofcelebritylifestylescreateasenseoffalsehopes&needs.Whataretheeffectsofgeneratingthesefeelingsofunfulfilledaspirationamongaudiences?(Thinkaboutconsumerism,materialism-theworshipofmoneyandacquisitionofgoods.Anotherwordforthisprocessiscommodification–theideathateverythingcanbeturnedintoacommodity,i.e.somethingthatcanbeboughtandsold)
Maslow’sHierarchyofNeeds2
https://youtu.be/L0PKWTta7lU
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DYER’SUTOPIANSOLUTIONSMODEL
AlsocalledUtopianPleasuresModel.DevelopedbyRichardDyer.ThisisbasicallyanextensionofUses&GratificationsTheory.Itdevelopstheideaofmediaasaformofentertainmentandescape.
Utopia=aperfect,idealworldDystopia=anightmare,chaoticworld
Mediaoffers4basic‘utopiansolutions’tothe‘socialtensions’ofeverydaylife.
Everydaylifevsmedia’sutopiansolution:
ExhaustionisreplacedbyENERGYScarcityisreplacedbyABUNDANCEDreariness(dullboredom)isreplacedbyINTENSITYFragmentationisreplacedbyCOMMUNITY
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Mediaprovidesaudienceswithadiversion,distraction,escapefromthedullroutineandhardshipoftheireverydaylives.
Dyer’sUtopianSolutionsModel
1) Giveexamplesoffeelgood,excitingmediayouhavecomeacrossWhatformsofescapismordistractiontotheyprovide?
2)Doyouthinkpeoplerepresentthemselvesonsocialmediainatruewayordotheypresentamoreidealisedidentity?Explainyouranswerandgiveexamples.
3)WhatdoyouthinkaboutDYSTOPIANPLEASURES?Manymediaproductspresentadystopianviewoftheworld.Canyougivesomeexamplese.g.avideogame,aTVseries.Whateffecttothesedystopiantextshaveonaudiences?
RelatestoUses&GratificationsTheory
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GEORGEGERBNER’SMEANWORLDSYNDROME
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GEORGEGERBNER’SCULTIVATIONTHEORY
GabbittMediahttps://youtu.be/7hKaIeAi7OI
MrsFisherhttps://youtu.be/7JhbgHIVdnE
MrSinnMediahttps://youtu.be/07xlZDLQi9A
RelatestoothermediaeffectstheoriesliketheHypodermicNeedleTheoryBandura
1) Givesomeexamplesofhowmediacangraduallyaffectourattitudesovertime–MrSinnChannelvideoabovewillhelpyou.
2) Whydoyouthinksomesectionsofthemediawantustohaveanegativeviewoftheworld?ArethereconnectionswithStanleyCohen’sMoralPanics
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BANDURA&MEDIAEFFECTSTHEORY
Bandurawasapsychologistwho,inthe1960sand70s,carriedoutexperimentsontheeffectsofmediaonchildren.Childrenwereshownadoll(calledBobo)beingtreatedviolentlyandwerethenobservedtreatingthedollinasimilarway.Supposedlythisshowedalinkbetweenobservedviolenceandaudiences'imitativebehaviour.
Intermsofmediaeffects,theresultsoftheBoboDollexperimentsarenotconclusive.Thechildrenmaysimplyhavebeenbehavinginawaywhichtheythoughttheywereexpectedtobehave.Theymayalsohavejustneededto'letoffsteam'.
However,therehavebeenanumberofincidentswherethemediahasbeenblamedforinfluencingextremebehaviourinyoungpeople.‘Copy-cat’crimesor‘imitative’behaviourareaconcernandtheBBFCwhoclassifyUKfilmsisawareofpossibleconnections.
‘BoboDoll’
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Peopleoftenimitatebehaviourstheyseeinmedia.
BanduraandMediaEffectsTheory
1) WhatreasonsdoesMrsFisher’svideogivefordistrustingBandura’sBoboDollconclusions?Doyouthinkviolentcomputergamescaninfluencethebehaviourandattitudesofyoungeraudiences?
2) Whatdoyouthinkaboutthedesensitisingeffectsofconstantexposuretoviolenceandabusivebehaviourtowardswomen.Wheredosexistattitudescomefrom?Howfaristhemediaresponsible?(Violenceandpornography)
3) Whyistherecontroversyovershowslike’13ReasonsWhy’.Whatdoyouthink?4) WhatistheMediaInsider’sconclusionaboutmediaeffects?
MrsFisherhttps://youtu.be/_YBK4LoGBJQ
MediaInsiderhttps://youtu.be/TBy1-Fkiqk0
Gerbner’sCultivationTheory
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STANLEYCOHEN’SMORALPANICSTHEORY
Stage1Popularmediasuchastabloidnewspapersstirup‘moralpanic’-feelingsofpanic,resentmentandhysteria,creatingtheimpressionthatsocietyisinastateofmoraldecline(increasedcrime,pollution,pressureonpublicservicessuchasschoolsandhospitals,pressureonhousing,violentcomputergames,sexualexcessetc).Stage2Thesesectionsofthemediablamecertainsocialgroupsforthissituation.Theycreatescapegoats–‘folkdevils’whotheysayaretoblameforthisdecline.Targetsareoftenminorityorvulnerablegroupse.g.immigrants,muslims,Jews,foreigners,refugees,youngpeople,LGBT,unemployedpeople,singlemothers.Stage3Dividingsocietydistractsaudiencesfromtherealcausesofsocialproblemssuchaspoverty,socialinjustice,greedybosseswhoexploitthosewhoareatthebottomofthesocialladder.Thisalsostrengthensandprotectsthepositionofthosewhoalreadyhavepowerandwealth(elites,the‘establishment’,the‘rulingclasses’).Insecurity,angerandresentmentbecomesdirectedatthe‘wrong’targets.Sometimesmoralpanicsleadtotheauthoritiesclampingdownondissentandopposition.Thisalsohelpstoprotectthestatusquo(=keepingthings‘thewaytheyare’):Thosewhohavepowerkeepthatpower.
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Somemediaproducersstirupresentmentandangeragainstcertaingroups.Thiscaninfluencepublicopinionanddeflectblameawayfromothercausesofsocialproblems.
Moralpanics
1) DiscussthemeaningoftheKarlMarxquotationwithfriends/family.Howdoesitrelatetomedia?Thinkaboutwhoownsthemediaandwhosevoicesinfluenceustoday.Whoweretheinfluentialvoicesinthepast?Hassocialmediamadeadifference?
2) HavealookforexamplesofscapegoatingintabloidnewssitesliketheSunortheMailOnline.Whichgroupsaretargeted?Howaretherepresentationsconstructed?–itmaybequitehardtospotnegativitybutlookcarefullyatimages,headlinesandmodeofaddress(textualcodes–thewordsused).
3) Thinkofavulnerable,minorityorunderrepresentedgroup(e.g.teenagers)inmainstreammedia.Lookforexamplesofhowthesegroupsarerepresentedinmediayouhaveencountered.
RelatestotheoriesofmediaownershipsuchasDavidHesmondhalgh.Thenewsmediaareoftenownedbylargeconglomeratesandtheyhavenewsagendaswhichreflecttheirpoliticalaffiliationsandsocialloyalties.ConnectstoconceptssuchHegemony(domination,usuallyofapowerfuleliteoveramassmajority.)
KarlMarx(1818-1883)
“Ineveryage,theideasoftherulingclassesaretherulingideas.”
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GENRETHEORY:STEVENEALE,NICKLACEY
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ForSteveNeale,moderngenreis‘instancesofrepetitionanddifference’.Theword‘instances’heremeans‘examples’.Inotherwords,mediaproductsobeycertaingenericconventionsbutalsoaddvariationtoensurethattheyremainfresh,modernandappealingtonewaudiences.Mixedgenresarealsocalledhybridgenre.
NickLaceycallsthegenericfeaturesthathelpustoquicklyidentifyaparticulargenrea‘repertoireofelements’.–basicallyalistofcommontechniques,objects(codesandconventions)associatedwithaparticulargenre.Forexamplehorrorfilmstypicallyincludevisualsignifierssuchas
• Alargeisolatedoldhouse• Creakingdoors• Cobwebs,blood,masks,knives• Darkdimlylitcorridors• Agraveyard• Perhapsavulnerableyounggirloratraveller• Astrangesinisteroldoccupant(typicallyaservantormaid)
Themiseenscenewouldbedark,perhapswithstorms,wind,rainraginginthebackground.Themusicwouldconsistoflowrumblingchords,perhapsplayedonstringsororgan.
Wecancalltheseobjectspartoftheiconographyofthehorrorgenre.
GenreTheory
1) Chooseagenreapartfromhorrorandlistthecommonsignifiers,techniquesandconventionsthatarecommonlyassociatedwiththatgenree.g.romcom,Bondmovies,SpiderMan/superheromovies.Youcouldalsothinkaboutsub-genreslikezombiefilms,zom-coms(zombiecomedies),vampiremovies,ghoststories,crimeinvestigation,murdermystery
2) Howdomodernmediaproductsreinventgenrebyaddingnewhybridelements?–thinkaboutNetflix,BBCorITVproductionslikeStrangerThings,Sherlock,
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Thehybridity(diversity)ofmoderngenreisoftenlinkedtopostmodernaspectssuchasimitation,parody(makingfunofcertainstyles).
MrsFisherhttps://youtu.be/hNaDStRuPdI
MediaInsiderhttps://youtu.be/7uiNqtfWvGw
NARRATIVETHEORY
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Propp,TodorovandLevi-StraussVladimirProppanalysedtraditionalfolk(‘fairy’)talesandidentified8maincharactertypes:
ThinkofaDisneyfilmyousawasachild.Howwelldoesthismodelfit?-somerolesmayoverlap.Whataboutmorerecentfilms/series?
Todorovidentifiedthattraditionalnarrativestructureismadeupof3stages:EQUILIBRIUM‘thecalmbeforethestorm’DISRUPTIONconflict,drama,disturbance,argument,instabilityThemostinterestingandmajorpartofastory.RESOLUTIONalsocalled‘restoredequilibrium’.Returntostability.Inmodernstorylines,thereisoftenaquestionmarkhangingoverthis.Thisopensthewayforthenextepisodeorseries.
TODOROV
NarrativeTheory
a) ThinkofaDisneyfilmyousawasachild.Howwelldothese3narrativemodelsfit?-Whataboutmorerecentfilms/series-dothesemodelsstillapply?
b) Canyouapplythesemodelstoafilmposter,newspaper/magazinecover?c) Whatarethemainbinaryoppositionsinafilmorseriesyouhavewatchedrecently? 21
GabbittMediahttps://youtu.be/YYGZgPuIyGwMediaInsider(Todorov)https://youtu.be/f7AfnJd55PIMrsFisher(Todorov)https://youtu.be/CuEdncp5XfMMrsFisher(BinaryOpps)https://youtu.be/xJJRyPIsD9QTRCMedia(moredetailthanyouneed)https://youtu.be/MC7x9ECK2-QBinaryOppshttps://youtu.be/KQV5e8FM31E
Narrativeandgenrearecloselyconnectedinmediaanalysis.Itisagoodideatolookatthetwotogether.
‘GLOBALVILLAGE’–GLOBALISATION
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Mediaisbecomingincreasinglyglobal.Thisprocessofglobalisationcouldbeassociatedwiththedominanceofwesternvalues.“THEWESTvsTHEREST”Inotherwords,Americanculture,industries,products,brands,films,TVseriesarefoundallovertheworld.Thismeansthat,inaninterconnectedworld,Westernvalues,beliefsandattitudes(‘ideologies’)havebecometheacceptednormalstandard:capitalism&consumerismarethedominantideologies.
“THEWESTvsTHEREST”
COCA-COLONIZATIONAtermwhichrepresentstheglobalisationofAmericanculture.Anothertermforthisprocessis
CULTURALHEGEMONY
HEGEMONY=power,dominance;oftenofaprivilegedgroupoverapoorermajority
1) WhatpopularUSmediaproductsdoyouenjoy?(Simpsons,SouthPark,Friends,StrangerThings).CanyouaccesstheminothercountriesapartformtheUS&UK?HowpositivelydoesyourfavouriteUSculturalproductrepresenttheUS,itspeopleanditsvalues?
2) Doyouthinktherehasbeenabacklash(areactionagainst)USculturaldominance?3) Istheculturalexchangeaone-wayflowfromWesttoEastordoesitalsoflowtheother
way?–seethequestionbelowforsomeideas.4) DoyouthinkUSandUKmediaisdominantorisitjustpartofthewidermedialandscape
ofothercountries’products?Areyouawareforexample,ofManga,Anime,Pokemon,BruceLee;Japanese/Korean/Israeli/French/Scandinavian/Germancinema/TV.
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‘GlobalVillage’–Globalisation1)Thisareaofmediahasstronglinkstopost-colonialism,anexaminationoftheroleplayedbylargecolonialpowersliketheUK,Russia,Spain,FranceandtheUSintheiroccupationofsmallercountries.2)Anydiscussionofmediaindustriesandaudiencesshouldalsoreflecttheglobalnatureoftoday’smediaownersandtheiraudiences.3)ItalsolinkstoHegemony–ifyoucontrolthemediayoucontroltheflowofideas,opinionsandattitudes.Thismeansyoucaninfluenceorshapethewaypeoplethink.
https://youtu.be/uIc0KcVEX7ghttps://youtu.be/amzcVwKE3Oc
GAZETHEORY(Berger,Mulvey)
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ArtcriticJohnBergerdiscussedsimilarideastoLAURAMULVEYinhis1972book‘WaysofSeeing’.
In art ….. “men act, women appear.”
“A woman must continually watch herself. She is almost continually accompanied by her own image of herself.”
“Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at.”
Bergeralsostatesthatapieceofartisbasicallyanobject.Itisapossession,acommoditythatcanbeboughtandsold;ithascommercialvalueandreflectsthestatusoftheproducer/owner.Imagesoftenshowunequalpowerrelationsbetweenmenandwomen.
THEBECHDELTEST
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Note:thisdoessay‘named’andnot‘naked’
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Thetermthe‘malegaze’isusuallyattributedtofilmcriticLauraMulveywhowaswritinginthe1970s.Themalegazeistheactofdepictingwomen,fromamasculineperspectivethatrepresentswomenassexualobjectsforthepleasureofthemaleviewer.
Traditionalmediarepresentationsofwomenshowtheminanobjectified,glamorisedway,reflectingthegazeofmaleobserver.Often,infilmandprintmedia,thecamerashowsthepointofviewofamalespectator.THECAMERAISASSOCIATEDWITHAMALEOBSERVER.Theclosesexualisedscrutinyofafemaleiscalledvoyeurism.
LAURAMULVEY–MALEGAZE
JohnBerger,LauraMulvey
1) Doyouthinkthe‘male’gaze’isstillrelevantintoday’smedia?Giveexamplestosupportyourviewfromanyareaofmedia.
2) Whataboutthe‘femalegaze’-Aremenobjectifiedbymediarepresentations?Isthereevidenceofstereotyping,showingthecool,brave,strongmale.Oristhemalerepresentationmoreplayful,more‘nuanced’(subtle,complex,lessobvious).Videogames?Comics?Actionmovies?–anythingaimedatayoungermaleaudience.
3) Doyouthinkoursocietyisstilldominatedbypatriarchalvalues–theideathatmenaresuperior?Whyisfemalesexualobjectificationamoreseriousissuethanmaleobjectification?Acluetoansweringthiswouldbetoconsiderwhohasthemostpowerintoday’ssociety,malesorfemales?Dominationbymalesiscalledpatriarchy.
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-Discussionof‘gazetheory’ispartofthedebateaboutfeminismandpost-feminism.LinkstotheBechdeltest+theoristslikeJudithButler,LisbetVanZoonenandbellhooks.-ThinkaboutGerbner’scultivationtheory:longtermeffectsofcertainmediadepictions.Youcouldalsoconsidertabloidnewspapers,onlinewebsitesandtheroleofmediacorporationsinattractingaudiencesandadvertisers.
MediaInsider(malegaze)https://youtu.be/yl2Eh8swrEsMediaInsider(femalegaze)https://youtu.be/lapZQysjAMI
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POSTMODERNISM&JEANBAUDRILLARD
Postmodernismrecognisesthatnothingisoriginal.Creativeoriginalityisimpossiblebecauseithasallbeendonebefore.So,everyartistic,culturalandmediacreationinvolvessomeformofimitation,simulation,fake,replicaorreinvention.
JeffKoons–BalloonDogSculpture
Baudrillardtakestheextremeviewthatthereisnosuchthingasrealityasourviewoftheworldisshapedbyscreen-based,artificial,second-handmediaormediated(filtered)images.Ourperceptionofrealityisactuallybasedonhyperreality–theartificialrealityoftechnology.Everythingisfake,replica,simulation.Thepretendrealitythatweexperienceismorerealthanactualauthenticreality.
INTERTEXTUALITYisoneareawhereBaudrillard’sideascouldapply.Intertextualityiswhereonemediaproductreferstoanother,earlierproduct,ofteninateasing,playfulorflatteringway.Theintertextualassociationisoftenatributeorhomagetoanearlierwork.Notallaudienceswillspottheintertextualassociation.Butwhenwedogetthe‘in’joke,itaddstoourgratification.
Postmodernism&JeanBaudrillard
1) InwhatwaysistheJeffKoonsBalloonDogimageanexampleofpostmodernism?2) Describeanyintertextualreferencesinamediaproductyouhaveencountered.
‘StrangerThings’forexampleisfullofreferencesto1980sfilms.Manyadvertsrefertofilmsoreventootheradverts.
3) Manymusicvideosarealsopostmodern.Theyarehighlyplayful,intertextuallyreferentialorassociative–referringtothemselvesasanartificialcreation(self-referencing=“thisisamusicvideoperformance”)ortootherfilmsandvideos.GiveexamplesofPostmodernisminmusicvideos.
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7elementsofpostmodernism:(if2or3ofthesearepresent,thentheproductispostmodern)1) Lackoforiginality2) Playfulness,pasticheorparody(mixingstylesormakingfunofacertainstyle)3) Hybridity(mixingstylesandgenres)&bricolage(stickingrandombitstogether)4) Mixinghighandlowculturee.g.asongthatmixesoperaandhip-hop5) Intertextuality(referringtoothercreativeproducts)6) Formovercontent(‘packaging’,style,aestheticsaremoreimportantthanactualcontents)7) Self-reflective,self-awareness(aworkthatstatesitsownidentityasaworkofcreatione.g.
musicvideosthatshowlotsofstudioequipment,camerasandphotolights)
TRCMediaStudieshttps://youtu.be/ay4IzlXLXBEMrsFisherpart1https://youtu.be/1glttxEEVuIMrsFisherpart2https://youtu.be/KNd-qSF698A
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NEWS,NEWSAGENDAS&NEWSVALUES1
Newsisnotjustwhatabouthappensinacertainplace,itisaboutselectingandrepresentingeventsinacertainwaytoreflectcertainmessagesandvaluesinordertoattractaudiences.Mostmediaorganisationsareprivatelyowned,commercial.Theyarefinancedmainlythroughadvertisingrevenue.Thisinfluencesthewaytheyselectnewsandconstructtheirnewsstories.Differentorganisationswillhighlightdifferenttypesofnews–theyhavedifferentnewsprioritiesorNEWSAGENDAS.Ontheotherhand,theBBCisa(PSB)PublicServiceBroadcaster-anindependent,non-commercialorganisation.Ithasadutytobeimpartial(=nottakesides,beobjective,factual,unbiased.)Intheoryitsreportingwillbefactual,reliableandindependent.Thismeansitisfreeoftheinfluenceofgovernment,ownersandcommercialinterestssuchasadvertisers.TheBBCisoneofthelargestandmostrespectedmediaorganisationsintheworld.Arguablyitistoolargeandhasanunfairadvantageovercommercialrivalsasitreceivesmuchofitsincomeasadirectgrantfromgeneralpublic’spaymentofalicencefee.
Whenwelookatexamplesofmedianews,itbecomesclearthattheselectionofnewseventsdependsona)theorganisationthatispublishing/broadcastingthenewsreportsandb)theorganisation’sintendedtargetaudience.
ThisappliestoTV,radio,print&onlinenewspapersaswellassocialmedia.
News,newsagendasandnewsvalues2
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Representationofnewsevents,likeeveryotherareaofmedia,involvesacarefulprocessselectionandconstructioninordertocommunicatemessages,attitudesandbrandvaluesaimedatparticularaudiences.Thewaynewsisrepresented,shapesinfluencesandmanipulatesourviewofevents.
Galtung&Rugedevelopedatraditionalmodelofnewsvaluesin1965.Accordingtotheseresearchers,thefollowingcriteriacanbeappliedtodecideifaneventisnewsworthy:
1) Inyourstudiesofonlinenewsandnewspapers,findevidenceofnewsstoriesthatillustratethesenewsvalues.
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NEWS,NEWSAGENDAS&NEWSVALUES3Amorerecentandmorecontroversialmodelofthefactorsthatinfluencenewsagendaswasdevelopedin1988bylinguistandcriticNoamChomsky.Thisisverymuchbasedontheideaofnewsbeingcontrolledbylargepowerfulmediacorporations.Themodelissometimescalled‘ThePropagandaModel’.ChomskyseespropagandaasstillbeingverymuchaliveinWesterncapitalistsociety.Thisviewbelongstothepoliticaleconomymodelwhichlooksatsocietyfromthepointofviewofcapitalistcorporatehegemonywhereeverythingisaimedatmakingprofit.Chomskysawhowthemediaindustrysecuredthe‘consent’ofmajoritiesallowingthemtobedistractedfromtheexploitationandinjusticethatharmstheirwellbeing.
NOAMCHOMSKY’S5NEWSFILTERS
News,newsagendasandnewsvalues4
2) WatchMrSinn’svideoaboveandexplainthemeaningof‘framing’.HowdoesitlinktoGerbner’scultivationtheory?Canyoufindotherexamplesofhowmediaframesissuestoaffectourattitudes.
3) MrSinn’svideo-Whatismeantbygatekeeping?Whoaretoday’sgatekeepers?Whoweretheyinthepast?Howhasgatekeepingchangedinanageofsocialmedia?
4) Inyourstudiesofonlinenewsandnewspapers,canyoufindevidenceofthevariousnewsvaluesoutlinedonthesepages. 33
TheideaofconsentislinkedtoGramsci’sneo-Marxistconceptofculturalhegemony.Thisistheideathatthemassescanbemadecompliant(=subservient,accepting)notthroughviolentmilitary-styleoppressionbutbywinningthemoverthroughcultural,mediaandentertainmentproducts.Chomsky’snewsfilterscanbelinkedtotheideasofDavidHesmondhalghaboutcorporatedominationofthemediaindustries.
AlsoconnectedtosimilartheoriesoutlinedbyCurranandSeaton.StanleyCohen’smoralpanicstheorycanalsobeassociatedwiththeseconcepts.
Chomskyhttps://youtu.be/34LGPIXvU5MignorethedistractinggraphicsChomskyhttps://youtu.be/rG7zODQRKZw(Worthalookbutwarning:thecontentisfromAlJazeera;sothinkaboutorigin-alsoknownas‘provenance’+bias&intention)Newsvalueshttps://youtu.be/wiGAXiWgILQMrSinn:agenda-setting&mediamanipulationhttps://youtu.be/12xwHhCntHA
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AUDIENCECATEGORIZATIONMODELS
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AudienceCategorisationModels
AudiencescanbedividedaccordingtotheacronymGEARS:GENDER–male/female/gay/straightETHNICITY–race,religionAGE–older,youngerREGION–nationality,locationSOCIO-ECONOMIC-class
Here’sanothercommonwaytocategoriseUkdemographics
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TWO-STEPFLOWTHEORY
DevelopedbyLazersfeldandKatz.Thistheorystatesthatthereisatwo-stepflowofinformationfrommediaproducerstoaudiencesviainfluencersknownas‘opinionleaders’
Opinionleadersinfluenceourattitudes,ideasandalsoourbehaviourandbuyingpatterns.Theyactasintermediariesorfiltersbetweenmediaproducersandaudiences.
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TwoStepFlowTheory
1) IntheBrettLambvideoabove,whatarethelimitationsofthistheory?2) Whoarethemostinfluentialpeopleforyouintermsofyourvaluesandbeliefs?
Doesthischangeasyougetolder?3) Giveexamplesofhowcelebritiesareusedbythemediatopromoteproducts
andideas.4) Howfardoyouagreewiththisstatement:“Withsocialmedia,opinionleaders
areincreasinglytheproducersthemselvesofmediamessages,sothereisnointermediaryorgatekeeper“
5) Howinfluentialareordinaryaudiencesnowadaysininfluencingtheopinionsofothers?
DevelopstheHypodermicNeedleTheorybutalsoacknowledgesthataudiencesareactiveandcanmakechoicesindecidingwhoseideastofollow.
BrettLambhttps://youtu.be/csGHExeP3uAGrantAbbitthttps://youtu.be/hFpBLeOHfxs