Language and the Media Flashcards
Why is the concept of “perception of reality” important?
Because without language there could be no thought, therefore our knowledge of the world is shaped by language
Make an example of a Discursive construction
From “adolescent” to “teenager”, a marketing term.
“During 1944, Americans started to use the word ‘teenager’ to describe the place of youth in their society. From the very beginning, it was a marketing term that recognised the spending power of adolescents. …. Puberty had long been recognised as a physical state, but those undergoing its rigours were routinely called ‘children’ well into the 20th century. ….
The invention of the Teenager coincided with the victory in WWII, and indeed the definition of youth as a consumer offered a new ideal within a devastated Europe.
Language constructs reproduces reality, why is that?
Through language reality is produced another time: the speaker encodes the event they are narrating in their words.
Any texts represent reality for the producer and recreates reality for the recipient
Make an example of conflicting constructions of reality
Cellulite is a sickness.
Worry and do something about it.
Cellulite is an imperfection of the skin.
Maybe buy a cream??
Terrorist or killer?
Addiction: moral vice or a sickness?
Why is news socially constructed?
News is a representation of the world in language; because language is a semiotic code, it imposes a structure of values, social and economic in origin, on whatever is represented; and so inevitably news, like every discourse, constructively patterns that of which it speaks. News is a representation in this sense of construction; it is not a value-free reflection of ‘facts’
What is “news”?
It is the end-product of a complex process which begins with a systematic sorting and selecting of events and topics according to a socially constructed set of categories
What are the news values? (12)
- Timely
- Negative
- Novel
- Related to celebrities
- Geographically close
- Culturally close
- Attributable to an authoritative source (with quotes)
- Factual: include supporting evidence
- Numerical: the bigger, the more newsworthy
- Personal: focused on individual experiences
- Relevant
- Continuous: similar events already in the news
Which are the News Genres?
● NEWS REPORTS
● Features
● Portraits
● Reportages
● Interviews
● EDITORIALS (Op-Eds)
● Columns
● Reviews
● Essays
What’s the relationship between government and media in a democracy?
▪ Free press lies at the heart of democracy, but what does it mean to be free?
▪ Newspaper ownership may directly exercise control on the news, editorial points of view and political stance
▪ Newspapers/ TVs owned by conglomerates: limited competition, conflicting interest
What are the implications of gatekeeping?
Editorial decisions: “implications of gatekeeping are editorial decisions are being made on behalf of the reader, who has no opportunity to comment on these decisions.
Information may be excluded if it is felt necessary to conceal it from the readership in order to protect newspaper interests. On the other hand, may be selectively included if it is seen to be beneficial to the readership as well as the ownership, advertisers and political parties.”
What i grassroots journalism?
It is journalistic content created partially by public citizens outside of traditional journalism and mainstream media
What does the word “spin” mean?
The tailoring of news and information on its release to the public to cast a favourable light on the institution of authority.
Who are the so called spin doctors?
Press officers responsible for maintaining relations with and communicating the party’s or company’s message to the media
Often accused of manipulating / hiding the truth (hence “doctors”, from the verb “to doctor” = to tamper with, to interfere with something – slang)
Case study?
Private Jessica Lynch
