MEDIATHEORYBOOKLETTWO
***THE18THEORISTS
requiredfortheOCRA-LevelMediaStudiesexam
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OCRTHEORISTSANDHOWTHEYFITINTOTHE‘THEORETICALFRAMEWORK’(4KEYMEDIACONCEPTS:“LIAR”:LANGUAGE,INDUSTRIES,AUDIENCES,REPRESENTATIONS)
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UsefulYouTubevideos
TheMediaInsider
MrsFisher–clear.TalksalotaboutotherA-Levelexamspecssodon’tpanic.
TomNicholas(WTF)–Goodforgeneralculturalandcommunicationstudies.Presentscomplexideasclearly.
Checkout:GrantAbbitt______________________don’tforgetwww.themediastop.co.uk
Thissiteisalsovuseful:https://guilsboroughschoolmedia.wordpress.com/
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MediaLanguage
TODOROVp4LEVI-STRAUSSp4NEALEp6BARTHESp8BAUDRILLARDp10
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Remember:infilm,medialanguagecoversaspectssuchasMiseenscene,camerawork,editing,sound,specialeffectsInprint,medialanguagecoversareassuchlayout,composition,colourpalette,positioning,sizing,typography,textualcodes(e.g.alliteration),modeofaddress
NARRATIVETHEORY
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TodorovandLevi-Strauss
Todorovidentifiedthattraditionalnarrativestructureismadeupof3stages:EQUILIBRIUM‘thecalmbeforethestorm’DISRUPTIONconflict,drama,disturbance,argument,instabilityThemostinterestingandmajorpartofastory.RESOLUTIONalsocalled‘restoredequilibrium’.Returntostability.Inmodernstorylines,thereisoftenaquestionmarkhangingoverthis.Thisopensthewayforthenextepisodeorseries.
NarrativeTheory
a) ThinkofaDisneyfilmyousawasachild.Howwelldothesenarrativemodelsfit?-Whataboutmorerecentfilms/series-dothesemodelsstillapply?
b) Canyouapplythesemodelstoafilmposter,newspaper/magazinecover?c) Whatarethemainbinaryoppositionsinafilmorseriesyouhavewatchedrecently?
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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.
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
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RolandBARTHES1)SYMBOLIC/SEMANTICCODES
Remember:signsarepolysemic(=havingmultiplemeanings);theycanbereadindifferentways
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Barthessheet2
Barthesalsobelievedthatproducersusecertainacceptedcodesandconventionstohelpaudiencestointerpretatextinacertainway.Sofilmnarrativescontainactioncodes(e.g.fast-cutting,carchases,guns,tension,cliffhangers).Narrativesalsocontainenigmacodes–elementsthatkeeptheaudienceguessingandwantingtofindoutmore.Healsoidentifiedculturalcodes(intertextual,sharedreferences,’in’-jokes)Barthesbelievedthatculturalproducts(texts)areacomplexsymbolicwebofsignsandsignifiers.
Theactofinterpretingthesesignsisatwo-wayprocess:Audiences(readers)workinpartnershipwithproducers(authors)tocreatemeaning.Theauthorisnotagodlikefigurewhocontrolseverything.Textsarepolysemic(=theyhavemultiplemeanings).
Connotationoftendependsontheviewer’sownexperiences.Becausemediaisacomplexmassofrepresentations,Barthesarguedthatthereisnosuchthingasthesimplepresentmoment(inaphoto,forexample).Hecallsthistheabsenceofthepresent.
LinkstoStuartHall’sReceptiontheory(3Readings)Baudrillard
MediaInsiderhttps://youtu.be/SlpOaY-_HMkMrsFisherhttps://youtu.be/bow0Y9QUlBUTomNicholashttps://youtu.be/B9iMgtfp484
5typesofcodes:usetheword“CASES”torecallthemsymbolicsemanticculturalactionenigma
1)Watchanopeningtitlesequencetoacrimeseriesanddescribehowitbuildsamoodusingsymboliccodes.e.g.Bond,Dexter2)Chooseyourfavouritefilm/TVgenreanddescribehowituses(andsometimesrejects)expectedcodesandconventions.
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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.Theintertextualassociationisoftenatribute‘homage’toanearlierwork.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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Blankpage
Audience
BANDURAp14GERBNERHALLJENKINSSHIRKY
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BANDURA&MEDIAEFFECTSTHEORY
Bandurawasapsychologistwho,inthe1960sand70s,carriedoutexperimentsontheeffectsofmediaviolenceonchildren.Childrenwereshownadoll(calledBobo)beingtreatedviolentlyandwerethenobservedtreatingthedollinasimilarway.Supposedlythisshowedalinkbetweenobservedviolenceandaudiences'imitativebehaviour.
Intermsofmediaeffects,theresultsoftheBoboDollexperimentsarenotconclusive.Thechildrenmaysimplyhavebeenbehavinginawaywhichtheythoughttheywereexpectedtobehave.Theymayalsohavejustneededto'letoffsteam'.
However,therehavebeenanumberofincidentswherethemediahasbeenblamedforinfluencingextremebehaviourinyoungpeople.(HighSchoolmassacrese.g.Columbine;TheJamieBulgercaseintheUKin1993).‘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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GEORGEGERBNER’SMEANWORLDSYNDROME
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GEORGEGERBNER’SCULTIVATIONTHEORY
GabbittMediahttps://youtu.be/7hKaIeAi7OI
MrsFisherhttps://youtu.be/7JhbgHIVdnE
MrSinnMediahttps://youtu.be/07xlZDLQi9A
RelatestoothermediaeffectstheoriesliketheHypodermicNeedleTheoryBandura
1) Givesomeexamplesofhowmediacangraduallyaffectourattitudesovertime–MrSinn’svideoabovewillhelpyou.
2) Whydoyouthinksomesectionsofthemediawantustohaveanegativeviewoftheworld?PossibleconnectionswithStanleyCohen’sMoralPanics?
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STUARTHALL-RECEPTIONTHEORY
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Encoding,decodingmodelHallisinterestedinthewayaudiencesreceiveunderstandandinterpretmediamessages.Heisalsointerestedinthewayproducersensurethataudiencesreceivetheirintendedmessages.
AccordingtoHall,producersencodemeaningbyusingcertainacceptedcodesandconventionsandaudiencesdecodemeaningbyunderstandingthecodesandconventionsused.
ForHall,mediarepresentationsarealwaysdeliberatelyconstructedinordertoconveyamessage,idea,mood,emotionoratmosphere.Mediarepresentationsareencodedinordertocommunicatemeaning.
Lookattheclearuseofrepresentationsonthisfrontpage.Tabloidnewspaperstendtoavoidpolysemy(multiplemeanings)byencodingclearmessagesusingfamiliarcodesandconventions:LargesensationalheadlinesEmotivemainimageanchoredbyacaptionwhichmakestheconstructedrepresentationscleartothereader
Intermsofreadings(seenextpage),theproducersensureaclearhegemonicreadingbyusingcertainwords(textualcodes)andvisualconventions.Headlines,imageandlayoutensuretheintendedreadingiscommunicated.
StuartHall
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ThreeReadingsModelHallarguesthatweinterpretor‘read’mediaproductsinthreedifferentways:
1)Wecanfollowapreferred,dominantreadingwhichistheoneintendedbytheproducer.(Alsocalledtheintendedorhegemonicreading)2)Wecantakethecompletelyopposedviewtotheoneintendedbytheproducer–'theoppositionalreading’.3)Wecancometosomeformofcompromise–thenegotiatedreading'whereourinterpretationofthemeaningpartlymatchestheoriginalintentionoftheproducerbutalsobringssomethingmoretoourunderstanding,shapedbyourownexperiences,circumstancesandpersonalities.
Here’sagoodslidesharesummaryofbasicmediatheories.Slides20-26coverHall.https://www.slideshare.net/robertclackmedia/audience-theory-powerpoint
1)Whattermdoessheuseforthedominant/intended/hegemonicreading?2)Whymightaudiencesrejecttheintendedreadingencodedbytheproducers?
MrsFisherhttps://youtu.be/U7RO60SkDbw
MediaInsider1https://youtu.be/6xh9FjcQTWEMediaInsider2https://youtu.be/yJr0gO_-w_QAbbitthttps://youtu.be/gJd1rkDoURA
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HENRYJENKINS(Fandom)HenryJenkinsisinterestedinfandomandtheideaofparticipatoryculture.LikeShirky,Jenkinsbelievesthataudiencearenowpartoftheproduction,distributionandexhibitionofmedia.HisviewsonFandomcanbesummarisedinthephrase:“Ifitdoesn’tspreadit’sdead”Filmshavebeenhugelyinfluentialinstimulatingfanstointeractwiththeproductandtoproducetheirownrelatedcontent.Thesocialmediabuzzaroundaproducthelpsitssuccessandfansparticipateinaconstantdialogueswiththeshowsproducersandactorstoensurethatitcirculatesandgainsaudience‘reach’.(=influenceamongaudiences).Jenkinscallsfans‘textualpoachers’–theysteal&remixbitsoforiginalproducts.ThisisallmadepossiblebysocialmediaplatformssuchasYouTubewhichserveaglobalaudience.Cosplayandfanconventionsarepartofthisparticipatoryexperience.Mediahasalwaysinvolvedinteractionsbetweenproducts,starsandaudiences.Onlinecommunitiesformacollectiveintelligence.Thishelpstoextendthelifeofamediaproduct.(YoumaybeinterestedinlookingatAnderson’sLongTailtheory–theideathatplatformssuchasAmazon,fedbysocialmedia,helptosustaininterestinaproductlongafteritsrelease,ensuringsalescontinueoveralongerperiodoftime.)
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HenryJenkins(Fandom)Moregenerally,Jenkinsbelievesthatmediainvolvesabasichumanneedforsocialinteraction.Fansareactiveandmediaisparticipatory.Fanscreateonlinecommunities.
ConvergenceMediaisalsodigitallyconvergent–i.e.differentmediaplatformsandformsaremerging;fansandproducerscreaterelatedproductsacrossarangeofplatforms–sofilmsareconvertedintogames,gamesintofilms,Minecraftisusedtorecreateothernarratives,comicsbecomefilms.Jenkinscallsprocessofmediaproductsexistingacrossmultipleplatforms‘transmedia’–immersive,cross-mediaexperiences
Fandomhttps://youtu.be/EmuuOJms62sJenkinshimself–TheNewAudiencehttps://youtu.be/AjkyvlBCqmU
CloseconnectionswithClayShirky’sideasonaudienceasproducers
Inwhatwaysmightgamerse.g.Minecraftfansbetextualpoachers?
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CLAYSHIRKY‘endofaudience’
Intraditionalmediaproduction,gatekeepersselect,filterendeditmaterialbeforepublishing.Intoday’smedia,materialisoftenpublishedandthenaudiencesfilter,edit,remixandshareitlater.
“Mediaisglobal,social,ubiquitousandcheap”
“Everyonehasavoice;everyonecantalkback”
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ClayShirky
LinkstoHenryJenkins’ideasonFandom.ContradictstheorieswhichclaimthatMediacorporationsstillhaveallthepower(Hesmondhalgh,Curran&Seaton)
MrsFisherhttps://youtu.be/u8rFe2Z60HgTRCMediaStudieshttps://youtu.be/0988fJ6yhpM
The power of
social media
Howimportantareaudiencesinre-creating,promotingordistributingamediatextyouhavestudied?Whataboutothermediatextsyouhaveconsumed?
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INDUSTRIES
HESMONDHALGHCURRAN&SEATONLIVINGSTONE&LUNT
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DAVIDHESMONDHALGH
Mediaproductioniscontrolledbyafewconglomerateswhoseaimistomaximiseprofitsandreducecosts.Theydobyplayingsafeandavoidingriskthrough-Verticalintegration(buyingupcompaniesfurtherdownthesupplydistributionandexhibitionchain).-Stickingtofamiliarformatsandgenres.-Stickingtorecognisedstarsandrepeatednarratives.
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HESMONDHALGHInacapitalistsystem,mediacompaniesminimiseriskbymaximisingtheircontrolofproductionanddistribution.Thisconcentrationofmediaownershipleadstolessfreedomandlessplurality.
Here'sagoodYouTubeintrotoJamesCurran,JeanSeaton&DavidHesmondhalgh(duration25mins)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcoZZCSdXl8___________________________________________________MrsFisherhttps://youtu.be/xD4LDiDAmIMLewisParkerhttps://youtu.be/Pm-ySGsoHj8
LinkstootherpoliticaleconomymodelssuchastheideasofCurran&Seaton.ItiscontradictedbytheideasofHenryJenkins(Fandom)andClayShirky.
ThinkaboutlongrunningTVandfilmfranchisese.g.StrangerThings,StarWars,Bond,HungerGames,Friends,TheSimpsons.DoyouthinktheydemonstrateHesmondhalgh’sviewsaboutthewaylargemediacorporationsbehave?
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CURRAN&SEATON ConcentrationofownershipMediaconcentrationMonopoliesHegemonyofelites
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CURRAN&SEATON
MrsFisherhttps://youtu.be/KUteUbVS5DAMediaownershiphttps://youtu.be/xj8iGsEbbtg
Here'sagoodYouTubeintrotoJamesCurran,JeanSeaton&DavidHesmondhalgh(duration25mins)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcoZZCSdXl8
CloselinkstoDavidHesmondhalghandsimilarpoliticaleconomymodelsofmediaownership.
OCRslideshareonapplyingindustrytheorytoDeutschland83andStrangerThingshttps://www.slideshare.net/LouiseDownie/applying-theory-media-industries
UseDisneyorNetflixasacasestudyanddiscusshowfarCurran&Seaton’sideasarerelevantcomparedtoaudiencetheoriessuchasClayShirkyandHenryJenkins.
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LIVINGSTONE&LUNTMediaregulation
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LIVINGSTONE&LUNT
MrsFisherhttps://youtu.be/hanh0Lwl8UI
Mediaregulationislinkedtoquestionsofaudiencefragmentation(Fiske).Whodoestheregulating?Reasonsforregulation:protectsocialnormsandvalues?protectingtheinterestsoftheestablishment?(moralpanics)
TRCMediaStudies28minhttps://youtu.be/N9x_B1-lLSkOCRslideshareonapplyingindustrytheorytoDeutschland83andStrangerThings
https://www.slideshare.net/LouiseDownie/applying-theory-media-industries
1) LookattheBBFCwebsiteandsummariseoneoftheircasestudies-whatreasonsdotheygiveforgivingafilmacertainratingcertificate?
2) ResearchabannedYouTubeclip,musicvideooradvert.Whywasthereacontroversy?Whatdoesittellusaboutthechangingvaluesinsocietyandaudiences?Howeffectiveismediaregulationnowadays?
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REPRESENTATIONS
HALLGAUNTLETTGILROY
Feministtheorists:VANZOONENBUTLERHOOKSp44
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STUARTHALL-REPRESENTATIONTHEORY
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ForHall,mediarepresentationsarealwaysdeliberatelyconstructedinordertoconveyamessage,idea,mood,emotionoratmosphere.Mediarepresentationsareencodedinordertocommunicatemeaning.
Lookattheclearuseofrepresentationsonthisfrontpage.Tabloidnewspaperstendtoavoidpolysemy(multiplemeanings)byencodingclearmessagesusingfamiliarcodesandconventions:LargesensationalheadlinesEmotivemainimageanchoredbyacaptionwhichmakestheconstructedrepresentationscleartothereader
Intermsofreadings(seenextpage),theproducersensureaclearhegemonicreadingbyusingcertainwords(textualcodes)andvisualconventions.Headlines,imageandlayoutensuretheintendedreadingiscommunicated.
Theinterpretationofrepresentationsisstilldependentontheaudience’sownexperienceandpersonalityaswellassocial,culturalandeconomiccontexts.Thisiswherethe3readingstheorycomesin–seenextpage..
StuartHall
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ThreeReadingsHallarguesthatweinterpretor‘read’mediaproductsinthreedifferentways:
1)Wecanfollowapreferred,dominantreadingwhichistheoneintendedbytheproducer.(Alsocalledtheintendedorhegemonicreading)2)Wecantakethecompletelyopposedviewtotheoneintendedbytheproducer–'theoppositionalreading’.3)Wecancometosomeformofcompromise–thenegotiatedreading'whereourinterpretationofthemeaningpartlymatchestheoriginalintentionoftheproducerbutalsobringssomethingmoretoourunderstanding,shapedbyourownexperiences,circumstancesandpersonalities.
Here’sagoodslidesharesummaryofbasicmediatheories.Slides20-26coverHall.https://www.slideshare.net/robertclackmedia/audience-theory-powerpoint
MediaInsiderhttps://youtu.be/yJr0gO_-w_Q
MrsFisherhttps://youtu.be/HxK5CXfKSCI
Thinkaboutamediaproductyouhaveengagedwithrecently.Howdotheproducersconstructtherepresentationofcertaingroupsorcharacterstomakeusthinkabouttheminacertainway?(Lookatmedialanguage)
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DAVIDGAUNTLETT
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Gauntlett
Blumler&KatzintheirUses&Gratificationsmodelwaybackinthe1970swereawarethatweusemediaasawayofexploringanddefiningourpersonalidentity.Thisalsolinkstotheever-usefulMaslow’sHierarchyofNeeds.Mediaoftenseemstopromiseadreamofself-actualisation–forexampleincelebrityculture,fashionandlifestylefeatures,YouTubeinfluencersandadvertising.Manymusicvideosprovideexamplesofartistsexperimentingwithandexploringidentity.SeeforexampleChildishGambino’s‘ThisisAmerica’
MrsFisherhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTRk3Y6BnqA&t=1s
TRCMediahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0bfJVBodnM
1) Doyouthinksocialmediaencouragesuserstoexperimentwithdifferentpersona,totryonidentitieslikeclothes?Whataboutgaming?Fandom?
2) Findexamplesofhowmediaencourageslessfixedideasaboutidentity,genderetc,promotingrepresentationsofmorefluid,multipleidentities.
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PAULGILROY
Conceptsof‘otherness’,‘theother’oftenstemfrommedia-ledideasaboutacceptednormsandconformity
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Gilroy
UKgangcrimeseriessuchasTopBoyreflectapost-colonialbacklash–blackcommunitiesarenotstereotypedorglamorised.Instead,theirproblemsandbehavioursarerepresentedintermsoftheconsequencesofmarginalisation,neglectandsocialdeprivation.Findotherexamplesofhowcountertypesareusedtoshowproblematicsocialconditionsandshiftingpowerrelations.
Westernmediahastraditionallyrepresentedminoritiesinawaythatreflectsapost-coloniallegacy,perpetuatingtheideaofwhitesuperiority.TabloidnewspaperssuchastheMail,TheSunandTheExpressstilltendtodemonise(=representasimmoral)immigrantsandforeigners.The‘other’isapowerfulthemeinmedianarratives.IdealisedrepresentationsofIndiaandAfricaarepartofthisprocess.Morerecentlyhowever,representationsofthisnaturehavebecomerareanditismoreusualtoseerepresentations‘flipped’togiveanalternativeview.Bothoftheseviewpointsareaspectsofpost-colonialismastheyshowanawareness,consciousorotherwise,ofacolonialpast.
LookatscapegoatinginMoralPanicsTheory.Thinkabouthowbinaryoppositesworkin‘heroandvillain’narratives.Istherestillapost-colonial,ethnocentric(=white-dominated)
elementtothewayheroesandvillainsarerepresentedinmodernmediaproducts?Hastherepresentationgonetheotherway?
MrsFishervideohttps://youtu.be/GzAJCoU9dLk&supportworksheethttps://www.scribd.com/document/392193515/Postcolonialism
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LIESBETVANZOONEN
VanZoonen=Butler+Patriarchy
Mediaobjectificationofmalebodiesinvolves‘spectacle’.Itisdifferentfromfemaleobjectificationasitisassociatedwithpower,strengthanddominance.
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VanZoonenGenderisperformative–ourideasoffemininityandmasculinityareconstructedinourperformancesoftheseroles.Genderis‘whatwedo’ratherthan‘whatweare’.Moreover,genderiscontextual–i.e.itsmeaningchangeswithculturalandhistoricalcontexts.e.g.1950sideasaboutmasculinitycomparedtonow.
VanZoonenbelievesthemediareflectpatriarchalvalues–asocietyrunbymenformen.Ourideasaboutgendercomefrommedia.Themediatendtoportrayimagesofstereotypicalwomenandthisbehaviourreinforcessocietalviews.Themediadoesthisbecauseitreflectsdominantsocialvalues(whatpeoplebelievein)andmaleproducersareinfluencedbythis.Oursocietyisapatriarchy(asocietyrunbymenformen)whichdominatesandoppresseswomen.
LookattheonlineversionsofTheGuardianandTheMail.Findadepictionofawomanandlookatthemedialanguage(andactuallanguage–textualcodes)usedtorepresentthem.
Linkstotraditionalfeministtheorybutalsoimpliesthatamale-dominatedmediastillhasthepowertoshapethewaywethinkandbehave(HypodermicModel,Banduraetc).Mediabothaffectsandreflectssociety’sattitudes.ForOCR,objectification,gazetheoryandgeneralfeminismareallsummedupinVanZoonen’stheory.
MrsFisherhttps://youtu.be/73GzwfKFqXc
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JUDITHBUTLER
‘Performativity’–theideaofgenderasaperformance;somethingimposed,conditionedbysociety’sexpectations.
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JudithButler
Giveexamplesofmediatextsthatexploretheideaofgenderasaformofconditioned(=imposedbysociety’svalues,normsandexpectations)performance.Lotsofmusicvideosforexampleplaywithnotionsofgenderasfluid.
LinkstoDavidGauntlett’sideasaboutthemediapromotingmoreflexibleviewsofidentityassomethingmultipleandfluid.Butlerisstillatraditionalfeministinthewaysheseeswomenbeingconditionedintocertainroles,behavioursandattitudes.ObviouslytherearestrongconnectionswithGazeTheory(Berger,Mulvey)andtheideathatwomen’sidentitiesareshapedbytheirawarenessofamalejudge-observer.(MailOnline–SidebarofShame).SeealsoVanZoonenandPatriarchy.SeealsoQueerTheory.
MrsFisherhttps://youtu.be/stFSvVYJ_tkhttps://youtu.be/dEIvFDOdVTs
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belhooks Feminismfromablackperspective.Intersectionality.
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belhooks
Lookatrepresentationsofblackfemalesinfilm,TVandmusicvideo.e.g.OrangeistheNewBlack.Doyouthinkthesetextschallengeorconfirmconventionalstereotypesofprisoners/males/females/minorities?
MrsFisherhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cywJ3GHCrukTRCMediavideoonbellhooks&VanZoonenhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2nQm0tHgRs
hookstakestraditionalfeministtheoryintothewidercontextofmultiplediscriminationsandsocialinjustice.Linksalsotomoremoderateideasabout‘thecrisisofmasculinity’–sympathyformaleswhohaveseentheirtraditionalrolesundermined(-themaleasstrongprotector,manualworker,mainfinancialprovider).AlsoconnectstoGerbnerideaof‘symbolicannihilation’–thetraditionalpersistentabsenceofpositivecountertypesinmediatextse.g.femalesurgeons,femalesoldiersetc