Media theorists Flashcards
Gilroy’s theories around ethnicity and post-colonial theory?
-believes the effects of colonialism can still be seen in media products today
-believes ethnic minorities are often portrayed as weak/powerless while western white people are often shown as powerful/more important
-minorities portrayed as “other”
Levi-Strauss’ theory of structuralism? (media)
-idea texts are better understood when we decode their underlying structure
-the idea that the way binary oppositions are resolved can have and show a particular ideological significance; narrative endings often help us diagnose which opposition the producers favor
Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity?
-Gender is constructed through performance such as putting on makeup or dresses
-However these performances must be performed as rituals to make you feel like your gender
Hesmondhalgh’s theory of cultural industries?
-the idea that cultural industry companies try to minimise risk and maximize audiences, through vertical and horizontal integration and formatting their cultural products (eg. star appeal and genres)
-the idea that the largest companies and conglomerates now operate across a number of different cultural industries
-the idea that the radical potential of the internet has been contained to some extent by its partial incorporation into a large profit-oriented set of cultural industries
Stuart hall’s theories of representation?
-the idea stereotyping occurs when there are inequalities in power, this means dominant, hegemonic groups with control of a certain media industries, can represent minorities as ‘other’
-stereotypes come from repeated media language use resulting in people being reduced to a few characteristics and traits
Van Zoonen’s theory of feminism?
-genders constructed through discourse therefore genders meaning varies according to cultural and historical contexts - we get our ideas about gender from Media
-believes women are objectified immediate because of all patriarchal culture
-believes women are confined to the domestic sphere, while men are individual
-believes men bodies are seen as spectacle, to be admired, while women are lusted over, and objectified
Gauntlett’s theories of identity?
-media around us affects how we build our identity, our identity is built around the media we consume
-representations in the past were more simple as there was less media to consume, however modern representations are more complex and flexible
bell hooks feminist theory?
-the extent of oppression depends on many factors (such as race, gender, disability, affluence)
-the idea of feminism is the fight to end patriarchal oppression
-the idea that feminism isn’t a lifestyle, you must be politically active to be a feminist
Stuart Hall’s reception theory?
-the idea communication is a process involving encoding by producers and decoding by audiences
-the idea there are three hypothetical standpoints when decoding a product
-dominant hegemonic position - the intended meaning is accepted
-negotiated position - legitimacy of encoders message is acknowledged in general terms but meaning is negotiated to better fit decoders own individual experiences or context
-oppositional position - encoder’s message is understood but decoder disagrees with it, reading it in a contrary way
Neale’s genre theory?
-the idea genres have instances of repetition and difference, the repetitions form conventions of genre and the differences form hybrid and sub genres
-believes differences are essential to entertaining audiences, meaning it’s essential for economic success
-beliefs genres change of a time so audiences don’t get bored, and because of cultural changes
Curran and Seaton’s theory of power and media industries?
-the idea Media industries are controlled by small number of companies primarily driven by making profit and power
-the idea media concentration generally limits and inhibits variety, creativity and quality
-the idea having more socially diverse patterns of ownership helps create conditions for more varied and adventurous Media productions
Livingstone and Lunt’s theory of regulation?
-idea there is an underlying struggle and difficulty and recent UK regulation policy between furthering the interests of consumers (ensuring choice, value for money and market competition) and interests of citizens (protection from harmful and a sense of material)
-the idea of a cause of increasing power of global media corporations, the internet and converging media tech means that traditional media regulation is at risk, becoming almost impossible
Bandura’s theory of media effects?
-the idea Media can implant ideas in the mind of audiences directly
-the ideal audiences acquire attitudes, emotional responses and new styles of conduct through modelling
-the idea that media representations of aggressive behaviour such as violence or physical aggression can lead audience members to imitate those forms of behaviour
Henry Jenkins’ fandom theory?
-the idea of fans are active participants in the construction and circulation of textual meanings
-the idea that fans appropriate texts and read them in ways that are not fully authorised by Media producers (‘textual poachers’)
-the idea fans constructs their social and cultural identities through borrowing and inflecting mass culture images, and a part of a participatory culture that has vital social dimension
Gerbner’s cultivation theory?
-the idea exposure to repeat if patterns of representation over long periods of time can shape and influence the way in which people perceive the world around them (cultivating particular views and opinions)
-the idea that cultivation reinforces mainstream values (dominant ideologies)
