Media Theories and Concepts

A comprehensive set of flashcards reviewing key media theories and concepts from the lecture notes.

What does Clay Shirky's concept of 'End of Audience' refer to?

In the digital age, audiences are no longer passive; they now create, comment on, and distribute content themselves.

What key idea is associated with Albert Bandura's Media Effects theory?

Audiences may imitate behaviors seen in media, especially if they are rewarded, as shown in his Bobo Doll experiment.

According to George Gerbner's Cultivation theory, what effect does repeated exposure to media have?

It can shape and distort people's perceptions of reality over time.

What is Henry Jenkins' view on Fandom?

Fans are active participants who engage, remix, and co-create media content, not just passive consumers.

Define Semiotics as proposed by Roland Barthes.

Media texts communicate meaning through signs, which include a literal (denotative) meaning and an ideological (connotative) one.

What is Steve Neale's contribution to genre theory?

Genres are defined by the repetition of familiar elements and the difference that keeps them dynamic and engaging.

How does Stuart Hall define Representation in media?

Media does not reflect reality but constructs it through stereotypes, codes, and ideologies shaped by culture and power.

What does David Gauntlett say about Identity and media usage?

Audiences use media as a toolkit to construct and express their identities in a more fluid, personalized way.

What does Liesbet van Zoonen argue about Gender representation in media?

Gender is constructed through media representation, often reinforcing patriarchal ideas where men are powerful and women are objectified.

Summarize Curran and Seaton's viewpoint on Power & Media Industries.

Media industries are dominated by a small number of conglomerates that prioritize profit over creativity, limiting diversity.

According to Livingstone and Lunt, what is a challenge in media Regulation?

The struggle to balance protecting audiences from harm with allowing freedom of expression in an evolving digital age.

What does David Hesmondhalgh suggest about Cultural Industries?

Big media companies reduce risk and maximize profit by repeating successful formats and controlling distribution.

What are the types of media audience interpretations according to Stuart Hall?

Audiences actively interpret media in different ways: dominant, negotiated, or oppositional.

Explain the Two-Step Flow theory.

Media influences audiences indirectly through opinion leaders who interpret messages and spread them within social groups.

What is the Hypodermic Needle model in media studies?

It suggests that media injects messages directly into passive audiences, who accept and absorb them without question.

Define Subcultures in the context of media audiences as per Henry Jenkins.

Media audiences form subcultures with shared interests, values, and interpretations, often creating meaning outside mainstream readings.

What is the concept of Postmodernism by Jean Baudrillard?

A theory that challenges traditional storytelling by blending styles, genres, and realities, using parody, intertextuality, and self-awareness.

Define Hyperreality according to Jean Baudrillard.

A state where simulations and representations become more real than the actual reality, blurring the lines between real and simulated.

What does Judith Butler say about Gender Performativity?

Gender is not innate or fixed but is performed through repeated behaviors and cultural expectations.

What does the Mean World Syndrome describe?

A cognitive bias where heavy exposure to violent media makes people perceive the world as more dangerous, hostile, and untrustworthy.

What is the Male Gaze concept introduced by Laura Mulvey?

Visual arts and media are created from a masculine perspective, objectifying women for male pleasure and satisfaction.

What are the five reasons people engage with media according to Blumer and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory?

Information/Education, Entertainment, Personal Identity, Interaction, Escapism.

What is the Propaganda Model as stated by Chomsky and Herman?

Media often represents the interests of powerful elites.

Describe Henry Jenkins' idea about Participatory culture.

A culture where consumers are actively invited to participate in the creation and circulation of content, moving beyond passive consumption.

What does Neil Postman mean by Technological Determinism?

A society's culture, history, and future are shaped and driven by its technology.

Explain the phrase 'The medium is the massage.'

The medium in which a message is presented affects people more than the content of the message itself.

What is the Network Society according to the notes?

Modern social structure is organized around networks powered by digital information and communication technologies, rather than traditional hierarchies.

Define Surveillance Capitalism as described by Shoshana Zuboff.

An economic system in which personal data is extracted, commodified, and used to predict and influence behavior for profit.

What does Richard Dyer's Star theory suggest about celebrities?

Celebrities are not authentic individuals, but constructed, artificial commodities manufactured by media institutions to generate profit.