Media language

Question 1

Barthes semiology:

Answer 1

Semiology is the study of signs and Barthes argues that all signs
consist of a signifier (denotation) and signified (connotation).
Connotations can be organised into ‘myths’ through the process of
naturalisation and therefore ‘universal truths’.

Question 2

Neale Genre:

Answer 2

Neale argues that genres are instances of repetition and
difference. He adds that the ‘difference’ is absolutely essential
to the economy of the genre as mere repetition would not attract
its audience.

Question 3

Levi-Strauss Structuralism:

Answer 3

Struss argued that meaning is communicated through binary oppositions – the idea that opposites attract. These binary oppositions help to develop meaning and understanding of a media text.

Question 4

Todorov Narratology:

Answer 4

Todorov’s theory argues that all narratives share a basic structure
that involves movement from one state of equilibrium to another. Newspapers front pages generally set in the ‘disequilibrium’ as they
encourage audiences to read the rest of the newspaper to find out more about the front page story.

Question 5

Baudrillard Postmodernism:

Answer 5

Baudrillard argued that the boundaries between what is ‘real’
and ‘fake’ are no longer distinguishable. Everything is a copy of something leading to hyperreality – a state where
constructed images are more real than the reality.