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 style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>IDEA 2 - MEDIA OWNERSHIP AND RULING CLASS CONTROL</strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#000000;"><strong> Curran - Found evidence of owners directly manipulating media content. In the middle of the 20th Century, “press barons” were quite open about their propagandist role, and also that there have always been a lot more Conservative-supporting newspapers than those critical of that party, which reflects them serving the interests of their wealthy owners. Curran argues that in the later 20th Century and today owners are, if anything, even more interventionist, with Rupert Murdoch being the obvious example. Furthermore, politicians clearly believe media moguls to have a great deal of control over media content because they try to get on the right side of them! Tony Blair famously flew to Australia to meet with Rupert Murdoch and was rewarded with the support of The Sun. Several years later, David Cameron repeated this with the same outcome. The content of commercial terrestrial television is mainly controlled by one company, ITV plc, whilst access to satellite, cable and digital television in Britain is generally controlled by two companies – News Corp, (owned by Rupert Murdoch) which owns BSkyB, and Virgin Media (owned by Richard Branson).</strong></span></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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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Curran and Gurevitch - States that audiences are therefore capable of conforming and accepting these representations, or rejecting them.
<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>
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interactionists general view
Interactionists closely examine the process of labelling – They state that certain labels can lead to some social groups becoming victimised as criminals and deviants. For example if claims are made about certain social groups being more likely to be deviant the police are more likely to target these groups. They are also more likely to be more harshly sentenced during convictions. This refers to the idea that self-fulfilling prophecies can occur.
interactionist studies
Waiton (2010) - Argues contemporary societies generate a range of fears and associated panics that are of a different order to the classic “Mods and Rockers” moral panic originally described by Cohen (1972). Waiton argues moral panics are less likely to occur because societies no-longer have a strong central moral code shared by most of the population – Meaning we have no morals to threaten!
