A-Level Media - The Responder & Lupin (TV Shows)

What is hybridity? Give an example from TV CSPs

The process of mixing genres within a culture and across cultures

Eg. The Responder could be seen as a police drama, which is usually a fusion of social realism, crime and drama

Eg. Lupin is a heist show, which includes crime, action, and comedy

Define Roland Barthes' theory of Myth

A myth is a second-order semiological system (meaning it's about the meanings hidden beneath the literal representations) that transforms a sign into a signifier of a broader and more abstract concept.

Myths are often created by the dominant culture and are imposed upon other cultures by the media

Define Neale's Genre Theory

Neale's genre theory emphasises the importance of repetition and variation within genres. It allows us to understand how genres like police dramas and heist narratives maintain a balance between repetition and innovation, providing both familiarity and fresh elements for audiences.

What are social, political and cultural contexts?

Social, cultural and political contexts refers to the ways that society, culture and politics affect the ways that media products are constructed or understood - e.g. If we looked at an advert from the 1960s, we could tell a lot about what was valued at that time, or what kind of beliefs people held.

Give some social, political and cultural contexts in Lupin

A more progressive approach to French media due to the swapping of race of the protagonist

The family at the centre reflects struggles of mixed race families

Lupin also highlights the inequalities in France (insecure work, treatment of immigrants and the dominance of an elite)

Streaming services have proliferated in the current media landscape (Netflix global audience)

Give some social, political and cultural contexts in The Responder

Focuses on the character of the morally corrupt police officer (subverts the myth of the police force doing good)

Discusses racism and misogyny in the police force

Blurs the line between 'good' and 'corrupt' police officers

Reflects an openness of mental health in society

The family reflects blended structures, older parents in care homes

Economic contexts shown through ownership

What is an icon?

Something that looks very much like what it represents

What is an index?

Something that gives a clue pointing to something else (eg. a footprint in the sand indicates that there is someone walking)

What is a symbol?

A thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract.

Eg. a heart represents love even though a real heart does not look like the created symbol

What is a symbolic code?

Symbolic codes involve the use of symbols, signs, or metaphors to represent abstract concepts, themes, or ideas within a narrative or visual media.

Examples could include colour (such as red meaning danger), objects (like MacGuffins), metaphorical language, character actions (looking in a mirror could reflect inner turmoil), or recurring motifs

What are the three types of reading in Reception theory?

Preferred reading

Oppositional reading

Negotiated reading

What is Paul Gilroy's theory of Postcolonialism?

A framework that analyses the destructive impact colonialism has on both the colonizer and the colonized

It believes that the dominant culture controls both language and attitudes

What is audience positioning? Give an example from your TV show CSPs

Positioning is the relationships between the audience and the text, how an audience receives, reads and responds to a text. Audience positioning is the way that we root for certain characters and oppose others.

According to The Responder, crime is a slippery slope that leads to addiction, violence and corruption.

According to Lupin, crime can be ethical, for example as a chance for revenge for Assane, who steals from the wealthy as an archetypal Robin Hood.

What are fandoms?

Communities of fans who are devoted followers of media texts who actively engage with the products to construct their own meanings and interpretations beyond the original message. Fandom recognises an interactive relationship between the producer and audience

What is a public service broadcaster (PSB)?

A public service broadcaster (PSB) is a media organisation, typically funded by public money through taxes or license fees, that operates with a primary mandate (authority) to serve the public interest.

How is the BBC funded?

Mandatory TV licence fee, commercial activity (like merchandising, international sales of programs or partnerships), and commercial subsidiaries (like BBC studios)

Who did the BBC commission The Responder from?

Dancing Ledge Productions

Give some pros of Netflix

Netflix is able to release its shows globally instantaneously. They also do not need to wait for translations, subtitles or audio dubbing to be added.

Netflix is also not limited by TV scheduling or time slots, so they can produce multiple, big budget hits

Netflix can produce shows with a niche audience (however this means that a lot of Netflix shows are cancelled after one season)

What is Edward Said's idea about Cultural Imperialism?

Theorist Edward Said stated that when colonial powers take over an area, they do not just do so by physical force, but also by cultural imperialism, which allows them to change things such as language, clothing, traditions and food. Thanks to globalisation, this can also occur purely though media products

What is Hesmondalgh's idea about Cultural Industries?

Sectors of the economy that are involved in the creation, production, distribution, and consumption of cultural goods and services. Cultural products and services often have both cultural and economic value - meaning that creative works like TV shows and films are created in an environment where money and profit are a factor in what is produced and how it is consumed.

Essentially, companies want to minimize risk and maximize profit

How can cultural industries minimize risk and maximize profit? Define what each of these solutions are

Vertical integration -when a company extends its control over different stages of the production and distribution process within the same industry

Horizontal integration- when a company acquires or merges with other companies that operate at the same stage of the production process

What is synergy?

This is when two companies work together to both mutually profit. An example of this might be the use of product placement in films and TV.

Who regulates TV in the UK? How is this done?

Ofcom. They sets rules regarding issues such as offensive language, harmful content, advertising, and program scheduling. The goal is to balance freedom of expression with the need to protect audiences

What percentage of complains to Ofcom are upheld?

0.05%

What is discussed in Livingstone and Lunt's media regulation theory?

It highlight the need for regulation to protect audiences (as citizens) from harm, but to simultaneously also to give audiences (as media consumers/customers) the right amount of freedom and choice.

Why is regulation difficult today? (L&L)

Due to technology- we can stream, pirate or watch on phones via technological convergence. Age limits can be bypassed

Global conglomerates have money and therefore power can avoid regulation