Postmodernism Flashcards
What do postmodernists believe about postmodern societies?
They are saturated
Underpinned by globalisation, so there is more choice.
What can no longer be argued?
That owners, editors and journalists influence audiences by sharing a particular world view.
What is the implication of there being no absolute truth in postmodernism?
People become cynical
Who introduced the concept of ‘hyper reality’?
Baudrillard
What is ‘hyper reality’?
Audiences find it difficult to distinguish between real life and the media version of reality
What has hyper reality undermined?
Truth and objectivity
What does Trowler say about media messages in the postmodern world?
They are ‘polysemic’
What does it mean that media messages are polysemic?
Each message can be interpreted in a variety of different ways
Meaning one message cannot be more powerful than another.
How has the distinction between media producers and consumers changed?
Less clear cut; shift towards individual engagement in media production
What role do consumers play in media production now?
They reinvent and subvert existing media products
What does the concept of multiple interpretations of media messages suggest?
Spreading of knowledge is more fluid
What advantage do members of society have in accessing media?
Greater choice and diversity of media
What does Levene suggest about society’s access to media?
Easier to reject or challenge meta-narratives proposed by the powerful
What is a criticism of postmodernist ideas according to the evaluation section?
Not often based on research
What does the evaluation suggest about consumer engagement?
More choice may just mean more of the same, leading to passive participation
What do postmodernists ignore?
Overwhelming evidence of structural inequalities in wealth and power relations
