Media theories Flashcards
Barthes -semiology
semiology is the study of signs
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.
news:
uses
- draws attention to the naturalisation effect of ideology in text
- applies to news as headlines typically assume a shared view of the world with readers to be understood
limitations
- does not tell specific to news
- does not tell about the ownerships control and the audiences interpretations
LFTVD
uses
- applied to any sign
useful for micro anaylsis
limitations
- not specific to LFTVD
- to specific to micro media anyalsis
Neale - Genre
argues that genres are instances of repetition and difference.
the difference is essential to the economy of the genre as mere repetition would not attract its audience.
news
usefulness
- applied to any media product that has genre
- the concept of genre as a shared code explains how genres can change and hybriaise
limitations
- primarily in relation to film products where genre is an important marketing tool unlike newspapers which appeal to audience loyalty
Lftvd
use
- to explain film genre applied as most iconic output requiring TV output relay of pre publicity and reviews to generate audience.
- draws attention to processes of difference within perpition and hybridity
- the theory of the shared code can be applied to the long form TV drama itself as a form
limitations
- many LFTVDs have the resources to rely on elements such as high production values the star system tone and exoticism rather than genre to market emphasizing individual difference rather than generic similarity.
Levi-strauss- structuralism
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
news
usefulness
- be applied to any culture product
- particularly applies to newspapers stories that set up us and them opposition in which the audience is invited to think of themselves
limitations
- not specific to newspapers
- high level of theory culture
- nothing about ownership, cultural or the audience interpret newspapers and meaning
LFTVD
use
- applied to any cultural product
- used to analyse narratives by analysing how they set up an inside and outside opposition asking audience to identify themselves in some cases play around with this opposition to disorientate the audience.
- used to analyse the representations and their ideological effect
limitations
- does not explain everything specific to LFTVD
-high level theory of cultural
- nothing about ownership and control of television and process of mediation
- does not tell use about how audiences interpret television and give meaning
Todorov - narratology
argues that all narratives share a basic structure that involved movement from one state of equilibrium to another.
newspapers front pages generally set in the disequilibrium as they encourage audience to find out more about the front page story.
news
use
- enables us to think of new stories as series of distribute each implying an initial equilibrium and a possible resolution
limitations
- was not desgined to explain news stories but narratives withbresoultuiosn, so does not fit most news stories that die out without resolution
lftvd
use
- it is possible to identify the key elements, equilibrium and distributed in long form TV dramas
- useful in teasing out the messages and values underlying a narrative in pointing to the significance of the transitional between initial equilibrium and new equilibrium.
limitations
- not designed to explain long narratives
- not explain complex narratives where climax and resolution are necessarily delayed
- programmes that are designed to last many series
- not understand narrative strands that do not add narrative drive towards resolution bur establish characterisation, spiral out from the main linear narrative or create cliffhangers.
Baudrillard- postmodernism
argued that the boundaries between what is real and what is fake is no longer distinguishable
everything is a copy of something leading to hyperreality a state where constructed images are more real than the reality.
news
use
- applied to any cultural product
- particularly applies to news or celebs where no clear sense of a real lying behind the hyperreality
limitations
- does not explain anything specific to news as is extremely high level theory of the post modern world
LFTVD
use
- applied to any media product
- theory may celebrate in LFTVD that refuse any simple identification of real in the fictional world
limitations
- does not explain anything specific to LFTVDS as its is a general theory of extremely high of the postmodern world.
Hall- representation
argues that producers are part of the hegemonic elite. fix the prefered meaning into media products.
over time these representation can become stereotype through naturalisation which might lead to a lack of diversity in the representations.
news
use
- applied to any media product
- particularly news headline try to fic the meaning both the copy and photograph
- draws attention to the role of power in representations.
limitations
- does not explain anything specific to newspapers as it is a general theory
LFTVD
use
- applied to any product
- draws attention to the role of power in representations both the general distribution of power in society and the power of the television industry
- also the power of the audeince to decode representations in different ways
limitations
- not specific to LFTVD as it a general theory of representations
Gauntlett - Identity
argues that identity is complicated
audience pick and mix which aspects of the media they want to construct their identity, while leaving other bits out.
news
use
- apply to any product
- applies to the sense of identity that a news paper can offer its readers
- different sections of news offer a diverse and contradictory media messages to audiences.
limitations
- young people will not gain a sense of identity through newspapers but through self expression online
- assumes audiences are powerful active agents and so underestimate the power of media conglomerates.
LFTVD
use
- applied to any media LFTVD product
- offer a diverse and contradictory representations that audiences can use to think through their identity.
- attempt to reach and engage an international audience by offering local representations with international response
lim
- assumes audiences as powerful active agents and so many underestimate the power of media conglomerates to shape popular culture tastes and identities.
van zoonen- feminism
agrues that sterotypical gender representations are constructed in the media.
the female body is objectified for male pleasure reinforcing western patriarcahl attitudes
sterotypical gender representations might lead to women being oppressed.
news
use
- applied to any media product including newspapers and news
- concept of patriarchy maybe applied to the ownership and control to the ownership and control of newspapers the recruitment and ethos of newspapers and representation of gender.
lim
- not specific to news
- not aid analyze of other forms of inequality in representations
- stressing the influence of social conflict and representations underestimate the influence of social censo on representations
LFTVD
use
- applied to any media product especially representations of gender
- concept of patriarchy maybe applied to the ownership and the control of television professionals and the representations of gender in LFTVD especially the representation of women’s bodies
limitations
- not explain specifics
- prioritising gender inequalities may not aid analysis for other forms
- stressing influence of social conflict on representations may underestimate the influence of social consensus.
Butler- Gender performativity
argues that gender is a construct and therefore performative; constructed through a number of rituals and acts which become normalised over time. representation of heteronormative femininity or masculinity can lead to gender trouble for those audiences who do not fit within those identities.
news
use
- applied to any media product
- applied to lifestyle sections of news gender demonstrated through fashion and make up
limitations
- does not explain specific in relation to newspapers a it a very high anylisis theory
LFTVD
USE
- applied to any media theory
- where the performance of gender is foregrounded e.g. through representations of women preparing to present their bodies for display
Limitations
- does not explain anything specifc as it is a high level theory of gender
Bandura- media effects
that audiences are passive and the media is very powerful in influencing audiences.
representations of negative behaviour can lead to copycat behaviour as the media can directly influence an audience’s values and attitudes
Gerbner- cultivation theory
argues that long term exposure to media representations can lead to audiences becoming desensitised to those representations.
due to the inherent negative in the media as well as its profitability, the media can influence audiences values and attitudes leading to a mean world syndrome
Hall- reception theory
argues that producers encode the preferred meaning into media products.
this biased perspective relative to the organisations ideological positioning.
audiences will then decode the meaning differently and will either take a oppositional, negotiated or the preferred meaning.
Jenkins- culture participatory
argues that fan who enjoy media texts will construct online communities around them which has been enabled through the internet and digital convergence.
fans can act as textual poachers taking elements from real media texts to create their own.
Shirky- end of audience
audience behaviour has changed due to the internet and digital convergence.
new audience are prosumers. Also adds that user generated content created an emotional connection which can lead to cognitive surplus.
Curran and Seaton- Power and media industries
argue that media industries increase the concentration of their ownership by conglomerating or buying out other companies.
this means that ownership is help in fewer and fewer hands which may lead to narrowing of opinions in the pursuit of wielding political power and profit.
they add that this does not offer a level playing field for diverse voices to be heard
