Topic 3 - Society and Culture in Change (POP CULTURE) Flashcards
1
Q
what is pop culture
A
- linked to cultural products such as music, art, literature, fashion, dance, film… that are consumed by the majority of a society’s population
- how society affected by radio, advertising
- anything popular
- societal norms
- if you weren’t involved in pop culture people would question why not
- it has mass accessibility and appeal and was traditionally linked to ‘ordinary minded’ people and generally did not apply to those from the educated elite
2
Q
what was the political impact of pop culture
A
- as more people became influenced by it and Media its political usefulness became apparent
- presidents started using it to their advantage
- politic and popular culture have over time become intertwined
- have to be up to date with it as pres to relate to your voters and society
- Reagan key example
- hit target audience
- celebrity endorsers, saying and wearing right stuff can be massive advantage and success of a pres campaign e.g. Nixon v Kennedy
- media makes or breaks a presidency
- voters flock to the candidates they resonate with and having a pop culture image can be a big part of that
3
Q
why did pop culture spread
A
- as technology and innovation progressed the USA became more and more connected and it spread faster and to wider audiences
- after SWW particularly
- as suburbia evolved in 1950s and households had TV’s with advertising, commercials and product placement etc…
4
Q
discuss the impact of the radio
A
- before 1920s USA connected by small scale movie theatres and emergence of records and music
radio. …
- brought families together
- gave presidents a ticket into every household
- spread mass messages
- key source of entertainment of the day
- bring society together
5
Q
discuss the impact of the radio on the presidency
A
- used it to communicate to the masses
- FDR maximised potential with fireside chats
- spreads mass messages which play on people’s heads, people began to converse about what they heard on radio and talk about which shows and music they liked
- spread important political information
- connect with voting public
- in the 20s republicans used it heavily to push stock market trading and spending money to push the economy
- Harding gives them to disadvantaged families for free
- Coolidge does 1927 Radio Licensing Act
6
Q
discuss the expansion of the radio
A
- emergence of radio broadcasting in 1920s led to local and national radio networks
- for first time everyone listen to same thing at same time
- 1920s and 30s more households buying them, more money circulating round radio industry, more stations
- first commercial station was KDKA in Nov 1920 from Pittsburgh
- mass produced radios became cheaper to buy
- Fordism and Tailorism meant price went down and money easier to come by in 20s for most
- NBC began broadcasting, news, entertainment and sport attracting millions of nationwide listeners
7
Q
what was the homogenisation brought by the radio
A
- for the first time in history, the public could listen to the same music and news at the same time
- attitudes becoming the same
- example of this is the music charts across different countries
- music is a homogenised industry
- people sang the same songs and whistled the same jingles
- created a sense of mass culture
8
Q
discuss Coolidge’s Radio Licensing Act of 1927
A
- radio boomed too much and became dodgy
- the unregulated radio networks became so popular that the airwaves jammed under the sheer volume of stations
- gov had to act
- it shared out the frequencies and started to censor what could be aired
- even illegal radio stations about communism or slandering economy/pres so had to be filtered
- don’t want communism - 1st red scare
- only hear what gov want you to hear
9
Q
why was the radio so crucial for FDR
A
- 30 fireside chats to reassure the nation in a stressful time of the GD
- huge due to personal circumstance of his polio
- he was unable to conduct mass tours of country so this was huge asset
- talk without been there
- father of the nation
10
Q
how did radio impact on the vinyl industry
A
- it played the same songs for free and during periods of financial crisis buying music was an unaffordable luxury
- invention of tape recorders hit the music industry hard in 1840s and 50s
- dictated buying habits
- there are (-) aspects to radio
- why buy a record when can listen on radio esp now tape recorders
11
Q
discuss the social impact of the Cinema
A
- immigration in early 1900s meant USA mixed
- communities tended to group by nationality and there was very little social integration but cinema helped to change this
- silent until 1920s but accompanied by music
- during roaring 20s the number of cinema goers boomed
- estimates of around 50 mil tickets per week
- rose to 80 mil in 1930s - unexpected as GD but offered something to smile about in darkness
- nights out or dates
- TV not around yet
- only choice of 2 or 3 film so if big film guarantee people will watch it and your message will be heard
12
Q
what was the KKK film in 1915
A
- Birth of a Nation
- endorsed by Wilson
- showed a black man raping a white women who then committed suicide
13
Q
what was The Jazz Singer
A
- first talky film
- famous although did feature ‘blackened up’ actors but still seen as ground-breaking
- smashed box office records and was one of most significant films of all time
14
Q
what was Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
A
- released 1967 year after the Hay’s Codes were abandoned
- a young liberal minded woman who starts dating an AA man
- invites him to dinner with her parents who have more conservative views
- about the difficulty of interracial coupling
- huge impact as basically everyone saw it
15
Q
what were the Hays Code
A
- a set of rules and regulations that Hollywood had to abide by
- dictates what pop culture can and can’t be
- regulation not by federal government but by a 1930 moral code devised by William Hays the President of the Motion Picture Association of America
- restricted what should be shown in films
- violent crime, drugs, the slave trade, swearing, and nudity all prohibited as was any notion of interracial relationships
- indoctrinated people in a way - if damn couldn’t be said in films it became taboo in society e.g.
- abolished in 1966
- movies free to be more controversial, violent and risqué
16
Q
what did movies and the cinema give people
A
- a sense of release and escapism
- allowed them to indulge in their fantasies
- for the price of between 5-20 cents people could have an evening out and escape their busy lives
- reflect what people are thinking about
- Disney - morals people were subliminally pushed into accepting
- give messages and people began to change their behaviour and attitudes without even realising it
17
Q
what was Casablanca
A
- a film that came out during the SWW
- worrying time for people but it was a love story that brought hope - uplifting
18
Q
who was Clara Bow
A
- movie star
- embodied the flapper era and inspired many young women to break free from societal expectations
- did tons of films and things women weren’t expected to do at this time like be part of the military, work for the police, drink, smoke
- became an icon and idol for young women
19
Q
who was Clarke Gable
A
- inspiration
- one of the first Hollywood hunks
- big money spinner
- he was contractually obliged to stay single due to fear that if he was married women wouldn’t go to see his films
- cut throat industry
- he was told to stay in character in real life too
- product as much as he was a person
20
Q
discuss advertising and regulation
A
- advertising became big business
- corporate firms like coca cola/Kellogg’s employed film celebs to promote their products
- movies could portray a way of life that would shape America into a uniform society whilst also making a profit
- billboard poster advertisement
- if you have Bow presenting a product people would go buy it
- huge product placement in films
21
Q
what is an issue with the Hays Code
A
- films without violence or action won’t be interesting to watch
- it was a missed opportunity to push for change in certain areas
- people started to watch European films without the restrictions
22
Q
how can radio be threatening and (-) for Presidents as well as (+)
A
- Religious Priest Father Coughlin
- radio station with up to 40 mil listeners
- initially supported FDR which helped him win votes but when he became Pres he turned on him
- said he wasn’t doing enough for the elderly or banks
- could have been major issue
- if you can turn 40 mil people against FDR with their vote he could have lost election
- luckily for FDR Coughlin went mad and became a Nazi supported during SWW and his radio station quickly lost popularity
- but shows the influence radio can have but also the danger it poses
23
Q
discuss the evolution and impact of music in the USA
A
- before FWW music did not have mass cultural impact
- changed in 20s era of Jazz and Rhythm & Blues
- Jazz and R&B had racial undertones but it brought people together
- defined eras
- technological advances significantly enhanced the impact of music
- radios, gramophones, record players, jukeboxes, TV
- key part of life and society
- 20s bars not open due to prohibition but speakeasys would play music
- and in dark times
- radio homogenising, listen to same stuff
- suburbia record players
- diners jukeboxes
24
Q
how was music hypocritical
A
- R&B and Jazz had racial undertones
- CR - people racist and segregationist but support R&B and Jazz
25
music of 40s, 50s 60s
- 40s defined by war - the Big Band
- 50s - teenage culture and economic boom (happy) Grease film - rock n roll
- 60s - liberal - music with a message - Woodstock - anti-vietnam, CR, anti-establishment - music fun and a past time but can also have deep profound meaning - soul and hippies
26
discuss the teenage boom
- during post war economic boom in 50s many white middle class teens had more free time and income than ever before
- created previously untapped markets and most industries cashed in
- advertising targeted youths
- music industry gave birth to rock n roll era
- been a teen in 50s was sick
- set trends and fashion of future
- teenagers could to target as spend money more freely less likely to care about LT investments like parents as not been through GD
27
give two examples of idols created by the teenage boom
- Chuck Berry
- Rock n Roll legend who mixed Blues and Swing
- Elvis Presley
- king of rock n roll
- redefined music and was a heart throb for many teenage girls
- 18 number ones and starred in 33 dedicated movies
- people wanna be like him for best part of 2 decades
28
discuss the social impact of commercial TV
- opportunity to visually display products in action was revolutionary
- TV adverts tapped into the social culture of time, did not feature blacks e.g. and targeted teens/children
- offers programmes with messages like the films and advertising directly in people's homes
- create clear female stereotypes with advertisements of domestic products dictating how people should act
- dictate societal culture - not going to watch something that doesn't fit key events or popular interests
- e.g. 50s no pro CR things
- most programmes aimed at teens and children in household
29
when did TV come about
- first became available in 1939 but not widely sold until the 50s
- commercial advertising soon followed
- suburbia white flight
- post SWW economic boom
30
what are the two parts to tv
- commercial and news/media/non-commercial
| - commercial is funded by the revenue from broadcast advertisements
31
what was I love Lucy
- a famous sit com that championed the perfect American family
- people expected to aspire to be like the couple in the programme
32
discuss the impact of the Television on Politics
- Ike used it successfully in 50s but it was JFK who set the template for presidential TV presence
- Truman did not get on well with media - McCarthyism and Korean War
- presidential style on the TV had a serious influence on voting
- campaigns bought TV slots so they could 'air' their candidate
- a well delivered speech on TV could be difference between winning and losing - JFK v Nixon e.g.
- template for sucess
33
discuss the 1960 presidential debate between Nixon and JFK
- four live debates
- JFK looked and sounded the part, Nixon seemed uncomfortable in the spotlight
- polls confirmed Kennedy as viewers fave
- tho radio preferred Nixon so appearance clearly mattered
- only first mattered - mind made after 30 mins
- 1960 most own tv so pretty much all watched
- JFK good at speech writing, he coined buzz phrases and memorable one liners
- tailored, calm, professional
- Nixon fidgeted
- JFK looked like a leader
- Republicans hadn't really done anything wrong in 50s but TV swayed it
34
discuss Johnson and the media
- difficult time
- nothing good can come out V war
- media continuously pressed on it, nothing (+) to say
- torrid time
- GS been cancelled led to backlash
- difficult position but beginning (+) with CR
35
discuss Nixon and the media
- shit in 1960 debate with JFK
| - watergate - media broadcast it leading to his resignation
36
discuss Carter and the media
- fared well against Ford in TV Presidential debate 1976 but badly against Reagan in 1980
- TV footage of Carter collapsing during a marathon showed him as weak - not that he was running it for charity
- footage of him attacking a rabbit on a fishing trip made him look ridiculous
- personal life exposed and he was tarnished for the life choices his brother had made as a tax evader during financial crisis of 70s
- Carter promised to never tell a lie and said the right things
37
discuss the impact of the media on the presidency in the late 60s early 70s
- becoming quite critical towards the pres
- it was vital to get them on side - why Regan so successful
- TV became crucial to becoming a popular president
38
discuss how Tv developed and how this created the trusted news anchor
- over time TV companies didn't limit themselves to presenting news but added opinion
- 50s - 70s people cling on news anchors every word not realising it was opinionated or could have a political agenda
- broadcasts on McCarthyism, the Cuban Missile Crisis and Watergate all generated huge public response
- 'anchors' became trusted teachers of news e.g. Cronkite
- fountains of knowledge, an oracle
- people been influenced and dictated to by the news
39
who was Walter Cronkite and what did he do
- to 1968/9 Americans told everything (+) with V war and people happy to support it to a certain extent - seen as just another bit of counter culture
- Cronkite produced an expose on the war and changed people's personas forever
- his hard-hitting report on V war in 1968 led public to believe that it had a trustworthy source that revealed the true horrors of the war
- travelled to war and realised (+) was not the case - morale low with tet offensive e.g.
- could keep facade or expose it
- watershed moment which many TV companies copied
- SWW money drying out
- one moment where positivity across nation shattered
- bubble burst
40
what did Cronkite famously say in his 1968 documentary
'oh I thought we were winning'
| - sent a collective shock wave through the nation
41
why was 1968 a turning point for America
- unbeatable
- infallible persona is checked
- cronkite's documentary really revealed the horrors of the V war
- have to re-assess position of global powerhouse
- take stock
42
what was non-commercial TV
- pioneered in 60s by PBS with aim of promoting education and restoring standards
- documentaries on key issues were aired to inform the public on the war and on contemporary issued like civil rights
- educational TV for children also pioneered by PBS with first airing of Sesame Street Nov 1969
- 1969 survey found that 95% of all American pre-schoolers had watched the show by the time they were 3
43
what was PBS
public broadcasting service
- channel about changing societal attitudes and reinforcing what is right and wrong
- aired a lot of CR campaigns and MLK
- pushing perceptions
- Sesame Street was educational mass viewing
- whatever it says people would grow up and act like - not to be neglected that TV can have a good impact
