Theories and a glossary to help with your exam

 You'll all be getting a copy of this in the lesson on Monday but I'm also putting it on the blog as a reference point for those of you who 'misplace' things. We have looked at these theories and key words over the last two years but it seems that some of you still need a hand remembering them and being able to apply them to your representation case studies.  

It is important to be following the news and current issues and debates at the same time as learning these theories. The nature of media is that it is always changing - a new issue about your case study could come up at any time! The examiners love to see you mention contemporary issues which shows that you truly do study the media and have given your case study some real thought.

Your section B answer should be a 'sophisticated and comprehensive discussion and evaluation' of your case study. It is impossible to do that if you have only looked at two or three media products!

Theories you need to know!

FUNCTIONALISTS

Believe that the media has a useful and important purpose in people’s lives and that we NEED it. For example:

They believe that it is important to feel as though you belong to a community and to have a national identity. Durkheim believes it is very important to feel a sense of national identity to keep a community going.

Blumler & Katz were functionalists that came up with the “Uses & Gratifications Theory” which states that the media has different functions and uses for audiences.  They think that audiences need different types of media for information, entertainment, escape, identification and social interaction

Richard Dyer’s Utopian solutions theory

He believes that an audience will enjoy a text if it offers them a glimpse of a “utopian” perfect life and if it offers them solutions to particular problems they have.  For example audiences suffering from boredom will need products offering entertainment.  Audiences suffering from isolation will seek out a text that offers them a sense of community

MARXISTS Believe that the media is used to deliberately manipulate an audience into believing specific things.  They think it is a BAD thing because they think we are being duped.  Believe that audiences are passive, and that we are manipulated and the media affects our behaviour and our beliefs about what it is to be British. Karl Marx believed that the ruling class dominates the working class.  And they believe that as the majority of film production companies are large, commercial and run by ruling classes, they tend to perpetuate the dominant ideology to exert hegemonic control over the working classes to create a “false consciousness” where working class people are convinced that society is good and their lives are fine the way they are.  The Marxist group the FRANKFURT SCHOOL came up with the idea of the “HYPODERMIC SYRINGE MODEL” often also known as the “MEDIA EFFECTS THEORY”.  This is a theory which states that the media is like a needle injecting its message into the audience and that all audiences get the same message.  The audience is powerless to resist this message and they are directly influenced by it.

NEO MARXISTS Stuart Hall is a “neo Marxist” who believes that although the media TRIES to manipulate and control audiences, audiences might NOT automatically believe or accept what they see.  He believes that audiences take either a preferred, oppositional or negotiated reading of a text.  He says the way people interpret the media depends on their cultural background and personality He believes that the more a specific representation is repeated in the media, the more it becomes “naturalised” and it can lead to politically constructed representations seeming like “a common sense”. He also believes that the media tends to construct society rather than reflect it.

DANIEL CHANDLER’S CAGE THEORY He believes that our sense of identity is made up of 4 main aspects which he nicknames the “CAGE THEORY”.  This consists of Class, Age, Gender and Ethnicity.  He believes the media’s portrayal of these 4 aspects affects how we feel about our own identity. Also agrees with Stuart Hall and thinks that representations which become familiar through constant re-use come to feel 'natural' and unmediated

PLURALISTS Believe that media only reflects what audiences want and that if it didn’t do this, film companies would go out of business. They admit that some representations  are more common, but that this is just because those beliefs already exist in society so films have to reflect them

POSTMODERNISTS Believe that culture is so diverse now that class, gender, ethnicity and age don’t really define who we are.  They don’t think there is a big class divide (or any other divide for that matter) and they believe that audiences are diverse and varied. They don’t believe that having a “National Identity” is possible anymore because Britain is such a diverse place and we are now all so different.  Some postmodernists think that globalisation has led to us being “Americanised” and not having any real sense of national identity.  They think that all around the world people are losing their sense of national identity because of this and that we live in a state of “cultural homogeneity” where all the cultures are virtually the same. Baudrillard also thinks that in this day and age where we are bombarded with media, we often start to accept media as reality without looking at the real world.  He thinks that we prefer the “created” version of reality as it is often more glamourous and entertaining.  He calls this a “hyper-reality”.

SOCIAL IDENTITY THEORISTS (Tajfel and Turner) They believe that there is “intergroup discrimination” where audiences enjoy seeing representations of others, that make them feel that they as an audience are better and of a higher status.  They think that audience strive to see themselves as successful and positive and actively seek out products that make them feel assured of their own status.

STANLEY COHEN – MORAL PANICS He believed that occasionally in society there would be panics where the majority of people would be utterly convinced that certain groups in society were going to disrupt society and cause problems.  For example he believes that after 9/11 there was a moral panic involving muslims where ALL muslims were seen as terrorists.  He believes that the media often starts these moral panics and makes them worse.

DAVID GAUNTLETT Thinks the idea that the media affects the way we behave is rubbish.  He studies the Frankfurt schools Media Effects theory and contradicts all of its ideas.  He thinks we: Shouldn’t blame the media for issues that already exist in society Shouldn’t assume the audience is passive and naive Shouldn’t believe the Frankfurt School’s research as it was conducted in an artificial way and there’s no real way we  could ever find out the real effect media has on society Shouldn’t assume that there will only be negative results from consuming a media text.  Sometimes a media text that contains negative issues has a positive repercussion on the audience Believes that we use the “media as navigation points for developing our own identities”. Believes that the media “disseminates a huge number of messages about identity and acceptable forms of self-expression, gender, sexuality and lifestyle.”

JACQUES LACAN – MIRROR STAGE THEORY Lacan carried out research with children and animals using mirrors and discovered that humans reach an age where they are able to recognise their own reflection and that people were able to develop a sense of their own self by examining their reflections

Samantha Lay She thinks that “Film is by and large a commercial medium rather than an educational tool”

Marshall McLuhan “All media exists to invest our lives with artificial perceptions and arbitrary values.”

Walt Disney “Movies can and do have tremendous influence in shaping young lives in the realm of entertainment towards the ideals and objectives of normal adulthood.”

Kathryn Woodward ‘Identities are produced, consumed and regulated within culture – creating meanings through symbolic systems of representation about the identity positions which we might adopt’

www.newinfluencer.com Mass media plays a significant role in the transmission and maintenance of cultural identity, through a repetitive display of cultural norms and values which eventually become seen as simple ‘truths’

Gary Giddens Believes that “mediated experiences make us reflect upon and rethink our own self-narrative in relation to others.”

GLOSSARY OF KEY WORDS

TERMINOLOGY

Higher levels (all of the below, PLUS these ones) Hegemony – The dominance of the ruling class over the working classes Marginalisation – when a group of people are made to seem less important than another Cultural Homogenisation – the process by which culture becomes less unique and becomes more like other cultures Verisimilitude – the “realness” of something, how truthful it is Iconography – images that “mean” something or represent something.  Eg films show British cultural iconography such as black taxis, red buses etc

B/C words (all of the below, PLUS these ones) Dominant Ideology – The commonly held belief within a society about something.  Mediation – an exchange of ideas between the film makers and the audiences Selective Construction – a representation that has been chosen specifically to communicate something, deliberately choosing some aspects and leaving out others. Propaganda – a representation that has been designed to specifically influence an audience, normally to communicate a political message to an audience False Consciousness – A state of mind that audiences sometimes are in where they are not in touch with reality. Demographic – specific section of audience eg young, british male working class audiences Polarised nation – a country that has two extreme opposites of society that do not mix, and often clash Binary Opposites – two very opposite things eg black / white or upper class / working class Social Gulf – A large gap between groups in society Americanisation – the increasing influence of American culture on other cultures Globalisation – the increased global connections between cultures around the world leading to less individual cultures and instead having one large culture across the globe Aspirational – Something that makes people “aspire” or “want” to be better or different than they are.  For example, escapist films are seen as aspirational as audiences want to live like the main characters

Words you should all be able to use Identity – the elements that make up who we are Culture – shared identities, values and beliefs between members of the same community National Identity – shared feelings of identity between people from the same country Representation – the way something is shown Social Realism – a style of film marking which is designed to be “realistic” and gritty, often centred around the working classes Mainstream – something that is considered to be popular Mass-market – something that is considered to be popular Niche – something that is considered to be popular only to a small number of people or a certain type of person Commercial – something that is popular, and makes profit Target Audience – the type of people who the programme or film is made for Working class – people who work for a living, who earn a limited amount of money, often in manual labour jobs Middle Class – people who may or may not work for a living, who earn what is generally considered to be enough money to be comfortable, often in more senior jobs such as doctors or teachers Upper class – people who may not need to work for a living, who earn a high amount of money, who have senior positions in society eg MP’s, lords, ladies, kings etc Underclass – people who are considered lower than working class, may be unemployed, students, pensioners, on benefits Escape – to leave reality and be in a fantasy world Entertainment – something designed to entertain, amuse and interest people Identification – the ability for people to recognise their own lives in a text Film Industry – everything that is part of the businesses that make films eg film companies, audiences, directors, cinemas etc..  The film industry revolves around making money Film Institutions – Companies that make films Realistic – something that is truthful or “real” Unrealistic – something that is not truthful or “real” Fictional – something that is made up, not based on reality

What makes a good case study?

1. A range of different media products from a range of media platforms

2. Detailed examples from particular media products.

3. Evidence of research into media debates and issues and relevant wider contexts.

4. Theory used to explain and support answers

5. A real interest in the case study chosen, evidenced by engagement with the products and issues and own opinions.

 
 

Mise-En-Scene

For those of you who have forgotten what mise-en-scene is...

Mise-en-scene analysis from s25mchristensen

Digital Media Case Study Ideas

So far we've looked at some general examples of the impact of digital media: the problems it creates for media regulation with cases like Natasha McBride or Ryan Giggs' superinjunction; the ways in which it can meet the 'needs' humans have (Maslow) by making us feel secure and enabling creativity,  and finally the way social media is viewed (often by the media itself) from a dystopian or utopian perspective, either as a powerful force which will create a nightmare world or as a global village with no barriers to participation or freedom of speech.

You need to keep up to date with any developments in how digital media is impacting on society and changing the way we consume media products. This case study is wide ranging and it will also help you to answer Section A if you have as much knowledge as possible.

However you should also narrow your research down into a couple of areas which you should look at in more detail. This will make your case study independent and specific.

I've put together a list of 21 ideas and would suggest that you choose one or two. Remember that the headings you've put on your website are question topics for section B so you need to make sure you could answer a question on any of those topics with the two digital media case studies you've done.

Everyone in the class should choose something slightly different so try to decide by the end of this week so we can fight it out in a lesson.

Click on the link: https://drive.google.com/?hl=en&pli=1#my-drive

The Music Industry and the Broadcast Platform

You need to be able to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using each media platform to promote or listen to music.

Remember that in your case study answer you MUST refer to all three platforms. You don't have to refer to them equally, but each one must be explored at some level with examples.

We've looked at how the internet is fast becoming the preferred way for audiences to listen to music, watch music videos and find out about artists. It has many advantages for audiences, including the option of listening to music for free whenever you want, and also the advantage of allowing for interaction and UGC. However, some fans claim it has caused a decline in quality music, with anyone able to gain fame. For producers the internet provides a range of ways to promote music, often at a very low cost. However issues to do with piracy and copyright have lead to many record companies blaming the internet for destroying the industry. You have notes on this from class which you should learn.

The print platform is in decline and the music press has been one of the biggest casualties. The internet offers unlimited, free information on bands and solo artists so fewer people are willing to pay for it in printed form. The print platform offers little opportunity to interact or create UGC, so young, internet-savvy music fans may find it boring and object to being a passive audience member. However, print brands like NME have expanded into the digital platform, with a website which is densely packed full of information and more exciting content like videos. Some magazines are making use of increased opportunities for UGC, with readers contributing to output rather than just journalists. Augmented reality is another way print can be more exciting.

Finally, the broadcast platform offers opportunities to promote music. However these are becoming increasingly limited with the demise of Top of the Pops, T4 and Saturday morning music shows. Live performances are limited to festival coverage or at the end of chat shows. TV and radio exposure will reach a mass audience but the exposure can be hard to get - acts need to have a proven following and success record to be invited on a show. TV adverts are expensive to broadcast. The radio 1 playlist is difficult to get onto. The new 'Vevo TV' was therefore met with a positive response by artists looking for ways to promote themselves.

However, there is one genre of show which claims to give unsigned 'nobodies' a chance to perform on TV and become recording artists. It is the TV talent show. The X Factor and The Voice claim to provide a platform for new talent to reach mass audiences. You should consider how far this is true.

Make sure you can write about The Voice or the X Factor in detail.

Notes from class on The Voice

Audience - get to contribute to the show by appearing on it. However, only features contestants who can sing, the BBC scouted for talent so not truly open to 'anyone'. Some contestants had previous record contracts or celebrity family members - the content of the show is restricted and shaped by producers.
The contestants, if selected, have 'power' to choose a coach and the home audience get to vote later in live shows and play along online, they can compare their decisions to those made by the coaches and therefore experience personal identity. Sob stories also make up the show's narrative structure to get the audience to identify. The prime time Saturday slot suggests that the BBC are targeting families and young people.


Ideology - image is not important, only judged on 'voice' due to blind audition format. A serious search for talent, no novelty acts, no laughing at bad singers, though still humiliating if nobody turns round. There are 'Coaches' not 'judges' to emphasise the fact that nobody is being judged or laughed at. More positive ideology than X Factor.


Representation - wide range of groups - age, ethnicity, gender - blind contestant in episode 1. Coaches represent different genres and ages. 


Genre - TV singing contest - same genre as X Factor - different format. Contestants sing range of genres from rock to pop, but generally mainstream for target audience. Older songs covered compared to X Factor.

Institutions - BBC changed scheduling next week so it won't clash with BGT. It'a their flagship Saturday night show, rumoured to cost £22 million, heavily advertised. Suffered poor viewing figures for series 1. Voting lines can't be too expensive and BBC will have to justify where money goes unlike ITV. BBC expected to take moral high ground  - known as 'Auntie' - so no risqué acts or cruel comments from coaches.

Narrative - no advert breaks so 1.5 hours is all 'content.' Longer spent on each act whereas on X Factor tends to be more fragmented. Holly Willoughby/ Reggie Yates serve to fill in 'gaps' between performances so we see contestants' stories - their backgrounds, the reactions of the friends and family backstage, and reactions after auditions.

MEST1 Documentary: Life is but a dream

As you watch the trailer, consider how the codes and conventions of documentary are used to present Beyonce. Remember that Beyonce is the executive producer, co-director and co-writer of this and so the final product is what she wants us to see. Do you think everyone receives this text in the same way? How does the narrative follow Todorov's theory of disequilibrium and equilibrium? Does Beyonce do this intentionally to captivate the audience?

Here's an interview with Beyonce about the documentary - remember that by doing this interview for the HBO website she is promoting her moving image documentary by using e-media to connect with potential viewers. Beyonce also discusses the creation of the documentary and the editing process- she is very aware of how various things could affect the way she is represented and her particular 'brand'.

Another example of Beyonce's media savvy ways is the tumblr account which was set up on the arrival of her daughter, Blue Ivy. This allows her fans a sneak peek into her life but the information and pictures they are shown is selected. The same is true with her Instagram account which Beyonce has used to promote her fashion house and her recent appearance at the Superbowl.

Time to watch the documentary itself and see what you make of it. Compare it to Rihanna and Cheryl Cole's documentaries - Are they constructed differently? Do they promote the same messages or ideals?

Watch it here on I Player

Now for some reading!  There are various articles about the documentary, some of them not so complimentary. Have a read to gather some information and see if they affect what you thought of the documentary on your first viewing.

The New Yorker
The Independent (ignore the final paragraph about James May!)
The Guardian

Print platform: You should be able to analyse print products confidently using MIGRAIN now. 

Basic notes would look like this:

Colours: Grey and white suggesting a serious or honest tone.

Simplistic font with a short tag-line 'In her own words' again suggesting that this is Beyonce's chance to 'speak' to her fans and get her side of the story across.

Beyonce (the subject) is positioned to the right of the poster which creates enigma codes as she glances at the title and the audience cannot tell what the documentary might reveal. She is pictured with minimal make-up and natural hair which again signifies that Beyonce is someone the audience can relate to personally but perhaps also aspire to.

It could be suggested that the gold chain is a nod to her r'n'b 'roots' and also suggestive of her link to rapper Jay-Z.

Make sure you are collating all of your documentary notes over Easter and that you will be able to refer to all three platforms in an extended exam answer. Mock exam time soon!