Media Terminology

Question 1

Hyper-reality Theory

Answer 1

Some media texts are presented with a sense of hyper-realism, that is slightly more than just realistic.

Question 2

Marxist

Answer 2

Marxist believe that certain texts are made in order to dupe the audience into believing a certain thing, for example to convince the working classes that their lives are okay.

Question 3

Representations

Answer 3

The way a media text is presented to the audience.

Question 4

Mediation

Answer 4

Communication; how something is made affects its purpose; the reconciliation of two opposing forces by a mediating object.

Question 5

Uses and Gratifications Theory

Answer 5

The way in which the audience uses the media.
Diversion - escapism
Personal relationships - using the media for emotional and substituting everyday life (such as Soap Opera)
Personal Identity - finding yourself reflected in texts, learning behaviour from texts
Surveillance - information that could be useful for living (such as weather reports, financial news)

Question 6

Dehumanisation

Answer 6

The act of degrading a certain group by presenting them as inferior.

Question 7

Cage theory

Answer 7

Daniel Chandler believes that our sense of identity is made up of four parts: class, age, gender and ethnicity.

Question 8

Postmodernist

Answer 8

Postmodernists believe that there is no cultural identity anymore as Britain has become so diverse.

Question 9

Propaganda

Answer 9

A piece of media with the aim to make the receiver believe what the media institution wants them to.

Question 10

Americanisation

Answer 10

The belief that everything in our culture has started to become very influenced by America.

Question 11

Cultural Homogenisation

Answer 11

Postmodernists believe that there is non cultural diversity or national identity in Britain.

Question 12

Passive audience

Answer 12

An audience that merely observes an event.

Question 13

Active audience

Answer 13

Observes the event and responds to it.

Question 14

Realism

Answer 14

Realistic texts that engage an audience.

Question 15

Deviance

Answer 15

Failure to conform to norms.

Question 16

Marginalisation

Answer 16

Making people believe that they are inferior than they actually are.

Question 17

Mirror Stage Theory

Answer 17

Those who can relate to certain representations in the media are more likely to be influenced by it.

Question 18

Globalisation

Answer 18

The belief that the media and its targeting methods have grown to a worldwide scale.

Question 19

Pluralists

Answer 19

Pluralists believe that the media only reflects what the audiences want to see as if they didn’t then they’d go out of business.

Question 20

Demographic

Answer 20

A particular section of the audience.

Question 21

Ideology

Answer 21

Ideas and ideals of groups and individuals.

Question 22

Binary Opposites

Answer 22

The way opposites are used to create interest in media texts such as good and evil.

Question 23

Hypodermic Syringe Theory

Answer 23

The message of the media is directly received and accepted by the receiver.

Question 24

Moral Panic

Answer 24

A belief that the media starts moral panics and makes them worse after a significant event.