Terminology

Question 1

What does connotation mean?

Answer 1

The meaning underneath the image/implications/your own knowledge and ideas

Question 2

What does denotation mean?

Answer 2

What you can see/what is there/no personal or inferences

Question 3

The key concepts in media (F.A.I.R.)

Answer 3

Form / media language
Audience
Institution
Representation

Question 4

What does demographic mean?

Answer 4

Categorising people based on things they can’t change

eg. colour, eye colour, hair colour, race, age, personality

Question 5

What does psychographic mean?

Answer 5

Things that people have control over

eg. manners, subjects, attitude, clothing, hobbies, possessions

Question 6

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (bottom to top)

Answer 6

Physiological/basic needs: food. water, shelter, pain free, sleep

Safety needs: secure, free from danger, order, protection

Love & belonging: friendship, companionship, family, community

Esteem needs: respected, good opinions, admiration, self worth

Self actualisation, apparitional, luxury goods

Question 7

What are high brow channels?

Answer 7

Highly cultured
Intellectual shows
eg. history, ballet

Question 8

What are low brow channels?

Answer 8

Little interest in intellect or culture

eg. reality tv

Question 9

What is public service broadcasting?

Answer 9

TV programmes that benefit the public rather than commercial purposes
eg. local news coverage, arts programmes, religious broadcasts

Question 10

What is different about Channel 4?

Answer 10

They show more ‘risky’ shows because they aren’t funded by the government

Question 11

What is the Hypodermic Syringe theory?

Answer 11

Developed in the 1920’s & 1930’s
Linear communication theory
Passive audience
No individual difference

Question 12

What is the Two Step Flow theory?

Answer 12

Media –> Opinion Leaders –> Individuals

Question 13

What is a preferred reading?

Answer 13

When audiences respond to the product the way media producers want/expect them to

Question 14

What is a oppositional reading?

Answer 14

When audiences are in complete disagreement with the product’s message or setting

Question 15

What is a negotiated reading?

Answer 15

When a member of the audience partly agrees with the product

Question 16

Where does the BBFC get its funding?

Answer 16

The film industry

Question 17

What types of texts do the BBFC classify?

Answer 17

Films, media products and trailers

Question 18

What are the problems/issues that the BBFC must deal with when classifying material?

Answer 18

They don’t get any information before viewing the product

They watch and rate things that have never been seen before

Question 19

What is a linear narrative pattern?

Answer 19

Progresses forward towards a resolution

Beginning
Middle
End

Question 20

What is a non-linear narrative pattern?

Answer 20

Less usual but provides intrigue and create mystery.
May use flashbacks
eg. memento

Question 21

What is a multi-stand narrative?

Answer 21

Popular in broadcast TV and film e.g. soaps

Involves more than one narrative running parallel involving different characters and locations

Question 22

What is a documentary narrative?

Answer 22

May revolve around a central theme

e.g. trouble-some neighbours or group of people

Question 23

What did Roland Barthes suggest?

Answer 23

That stories have certain codes that audiences understand and respond to
(Enigma and Action Codes)

Question 24

What are enigma codes?

Answer 24

Control how much we know and help hold our interest. It creates mystery during the narrative.

Question 25

What are action codes?

Answer 25

Events or actions in the story that are important in developing the narrative e.g. the gun being cocked signifies that a violent scene will follow

Question 26

Who suggested equilibrium?

Answer 26

Todorov

Question 27

What is equilibrium?

Answer 27

An existing state of harmony | e.g. starting state/world in film

Question 28

What is disequilibrium?

Answer 28

When equilibrium is disrupted by an unfortunate event or evil character which leads to a chain of events involving conflict

Question 29

What is new equilibrium?

Answer 29

The evil forces are defeated, the conflict is resolved and harmony exists once more

Question 30

Who suggested character theory?

Answer 30

Propp

Question 31

What are the 7 character theories?

Answer 31

``` The Villain The Donor The Helper The Princess The Dispatcher The Hero The False Hero ```

Question 32

What is the villain?

Answer 32

Creates a complication in the narrative

Question 33

What is the donor?

Answer 33

Gives the hero something that will help in the resolution

Question 34

What is the helper?

Answer 34

Helps the hero in restoring the resolution

Question 35

What is the princess?

Answer 35

Has to be saved by the hero

Question 36

What is the dispatcher?

Answer 36

Sends the hero on a task

Question 37

What is the hero?

Answer 37

Central protagonist, saves the day and restores equilibrium

Question 38

What is the false hero?

Answer 38

Rare character that appears to be good but is revealed to have been bad all along

Question 39

What is dystopia?

Answer 39

World that is in turmoil/chaos

Question 40

What is utopia?

Answer 40

Perfect world (Eden)

Question 41

What is an ideology?

Answer 41

The values, beliefs and ideas that guide our lives ( the study of ideas )

Question 42

What are personal ideologies?

Answer 42

Religion/political beliefs

Question 43

What are dominant ideologies?

Answer 43

The ideas that the majority of people follow/believe in within a society - Not fixed & can change over time e. g. gender roles

Question 44

Who suggested binary opposites?

Answer 44

Claude Levi-Strauss

Question 45

What are binary opposites?

Answer 45

``` Texts are made up of binary opposites which enable audiences to make sense of the world. This can create or reinforce ideologies. e.g. Men - Women Night - Day Good - Evil Polygamy - Monogamy ```