media theory Flashcards
<p>Marxism general view</p>
<p>General views - The Media is part of the superstructure (institutions of society) which is influenced and controlled by capitalism (the infrastructure - the economic base of society).</p>
Marxism studies
<p><strong>IDEA 1 - THE MEDIA IS SEEN AS CREATING A FALSE CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS AMONGST THE WORKING CLASS</strong></p>
<p><strong><u>Milliband</u></strong> - In his book ‘The State in a Capitalist Society’ argued that the ruling class use the media to control society by creating a f<strong>alse picture of reality that presents capitalism</strong> in a <strong>POSITIVE way.</strong> He suggests inequalities are presented as inevitable, justifiable and effective for society and therefore the proletariat accept the values of the ruling class, despite not being in their best interests. Milliband was concerned about about the impact of the media and stated that it was ‘<strong>the new opium of the people</strong>.’</p>
<p><span><strong>IDEA 2 - MEDIA OWNERSHIP AND RULING CLASS CONTROL</strong></span></p>
<p><span><strong><u>Bagdikian</u></strong><strong>-</strong> Notes that in 1983<strong>50 corporations</strong>controlled the vast majority of all news media in the USA, but by 2004 media ownership was concentrated in<strong> 7 corporations.</strong></span></p>
<p></p>
<p>neo marxism general view</p>
<p><span><strong>General views -</strong></span><span>Continued to look at the important role of the media in maintaining ruling class interests and hegemony (dominance).</span></p>
<p><br></br></p>
<p>neo marxist studies</p>
<p><span><strong><u>The Sutton Trust</u> -</strong></span><span><strong></strong></span><span>Found that journalists and broadcasters tend to be white, middle class and male and more than 50% attended private schools. <strong>Neo-Marxists</strong> are incredibly critical of this over-representation (reminder that only 7% of the UK population attend private schools). Therefore it is clear that when reflecting on the<strong>role of the media</strong> within the contemporary UK, media professionals aim to produce content that is popular in the media marketplace, but due to their backgrounds and personal values, they unconsciously produce content that<strong>promotes ruling-class norms, values and ideologies.</strong> <strong>Neo-Marxists</strong>would be highly critical of the content that we as the audience is exposed to.</span></p>
<p><span><strong><u>Gilroy</u> -</strong>Argues that black crime, particularly in the 1970s, was a form of political resistance against the repressive, racist state (capitalist state). He denies that there was greater criminality amongst black people that white people and stated that<strong>the media created a folk devil</strong>surrounding black people which generated<strong>deviancy amplification</strong>(as based on the work of<strong>Cohen</strong>).</span></p>
<p><br></br></p>
<p>Pluralism - general view</p>
<p><span><strong>General views -</strong></span><span>Pluralists claim that media representations are</span><span></span><span>problematic because they reflect society and what people want to see. For example<strong>pluralists</strong>are<strong>positive</strong> when discussing the presentation of different social class groups.</span></p>
<p><br></br></p>
<p>plualism studies</p>
<p><span><strong><u>Whale</u> -</strong>States that<strong>what we see in the press / news is determined by its readers / audiences. Pluralism</strong>suggests that if social groups were represented unfairly, audiences would not continue to use media products being sold. They argue that audiences can recognise stereotypes and can see when they are being manipulated suggesting that this is not an issue created by the media.</span></p>
<p><span><strong><u>The Two-Step flow model</u> -</strong>Can be seen to support<strong>Pluralist</strong>views of media representations. The key argument being that people<strong>decide whether they choose to accept media representations of social groups.</strong></span></p>
<p></p>
<p>feminist general view</p>
<p><span><strong>General views -</strong></span><span>Traditionally patriarchal ideology (e.g. women seen in housewife roles) can be seen in media representations although. Traditionally men have been portrayed as breadwinners and women as the homemaker…</span></p>
<p>feminist studies</p>
<p><span><strong>Liberal feminist - Mulvey</strong>- Introduced the concept of the<strong>‘male gaze’</strong>to characterise cinema as an instrument of male spectatorship. She carried out a<strong>semiology</strong> (A research method which involves the study of communication - both linguistic & non linguistic. It is the analysis of language & signs)<strong></strong>to research the representation of<strong>women within films.</strong></span></p>
<p><span>Examples include -<strong>Rear Window</strong>the film -<strong>Mulvey</strong> argues that the female main character, Lisa Fremont, is constantly asked to be looked at through Hitchcocks close-ups and choice of costumes - She is often shown in flattering soft light. Also<strong>Mulvey</strong> discusses the voyeuristic gaze of ‘Jefferies’ who watches her.</span></p>
<p><span><strong>Radical feminist- Tunstall -</strong>Media emphasises women’s domestic, sexual, consumer and marital activities.<strong>Ignores the fact that a majority of British women work</strong>. Men are hardly ever presented nude or defined by their marital/family status</span></p>
<p><span><strong>MARXIST</strong></span><span><strong>FEMINISM</strong></span></p>
<p><span><strong>General views -</strong></span><span><strong>Marxist Feminists</strong>state that the media industry within<strong>capitalist</strong> societies is<strong>patriarchal</strong> due to the<strong>male owners of corporations</strong> and<strong>dominance of male media professionals</strong>. Marxist Feminists state that this will not change until the capitalist and patriarchal system we live in are<strong>overthrown</strong>.</span></p>
<p><br></br><span><strong>Beechey</strong><strong>-</strong> Claims that due to gaps in work and lower status,<strong>women are part of the reserve army of labour</strong> - They are available to work when<strong>capitalism</strong> needs additional workers</span></p>
<p></p>
<p>postmodernism general views</p>
<p><span><strong>POSTMODERNISM</strong></span></p>
<p><span><strong>General views -</strong></span><span>Postmodernists discuss diversity and choice in media images which people can pick and choose from.</span></p>
<p><br></br></p>
<p>postmodernism - studies</p>
<p><span><strong>IDEA 1 - GLOBALISATION</strong></span></p>
<p><span><strong>McLuhan -</strong>Discusses the notion of the ‘<strong>global village’ –</strong> He<strong></strong>coined the term “<strong>global village</strong>” to suggest that information would eventually be passed on electronically due to it “moving at the speed of light”. <strong>McLuhan</strong> predicted that the<strong>Postmodern</strong> world would create a<strong>new pattern of communication and social interactions</strong>. Postmodernists, such as<strong>McLuhan</strong> therefore state that<strong>globalisation</strong> has had a direct impact on<strong>media</strong><strong>representations</strong> as it provides access to a broader range of lifestyles and identities that offers people<strong>choice</strong>- For example there has been the emergence of<strong>hybrid ethnic identities</strong> which have emerged due to the presentations of a range of cultural practices and lifestyles.</span></p>
<p><span><strong>IDEA 2 - MEDIA SATURATION</strong></span></p>
<p><span><strong>Baudrillard -</strong>Was influenced by the work of McLuhan, and claims that<strong>media saturation has altered reality</strong> and acknowledges that this can have<strong>negative impacts on society</strong>. He takes a slightly<strong>Postmodern</strong>-<strong>Marxist</strong> stance when claiming that<strong>media saturation has made it incredibly difficult for people to distinguish what is reality and what is fiction</strong>. He states that people are so ‘<strong>engulfed’</strong>(consumed)<strong>by</strong><strong>communication</strong> and devices that this has lead to a state of ‘<strong>hyper</strong>-<strong>reality’</strong> meaning that our physical reality has become blended with our virtual realities and our human intelligence is merging with artificial intelligenc</span></p>
