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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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