media theories

Representation - Stuart hall

• representation theory

• media uses stereotypes often, reducing groups to minor characteristics

• Ethnic minorities are have very negative stereotypes

• Stereotypes result from power inequality

• Minority’s underrepresented in industry so don’t get accurate representation (Hammer productions KOTV)

• Stereotypes reinforced by people who make product using them repeatedly

Identity - Gauntlett

• representation theory

• audiences get a sense of their own identities from products they consume

• Audiences can learn about their own identity when consuming content/products

• Old media products had very simple representations of identity (men strong, women housewives)

• New media products are more diverse and complex in terms of identity’s represented

Feminist theory - hooks (does not use caps)

• representation theory

• Feminism is a struggle to end patriarchal hegemony and the domination of women

• Feminism is a political commitment, must be active in the beliefs

• ‘Feminism is for everyone’ not just people that identify as women

• Women not discriminated against in the same way, race and class can have big effect on discrimination

Feminist theory - Van Zoonen

• representation theory

• gender is constructed through codes and conventions of media products

• Idea of what is male and female changes over time

• Women’s bodies used in media as spectacle for heterosexual men, reinforcing patriarchal hegemony

Gender performativity - Butler

• representation theory

• Gender is a social construct, difference between sex and gender

• Gender is constructed through performances

• Preforming certain activities make you feel more masculine/feminine

• Performances are like rituals - reinforcing idea of masculine and feminine

Postcolonial theory - Gilroy

• representation theory

• colonialism = taking over other counties to run and exploit it

• Gilroy believes this has had a knock on effect and still impacts media today

• Media products still show people of ethnic minorities as powerless, weak, dehumanised or ‘other’

• Believes white western people shown as more powerful and successful

Semiotics - Barthes

• Media language theory

• Products communicate meaning through visual and technical codes

• Using connotations and denotations to create meaning.

• Symbolic codes - meanings from symbols e.g. bats repeated code that are now a symbol for vampires

• Semantic codes - media code we understand have hidden meaning (connotations) e.g. red are semantic codes from horror movies

• Action codes - something will happen (checkoffs gun) e.g. hinting to narrative in poster

• Enigma codes - mystery, engages audiences, e.g. taglines

• Cultural codes - will only understand if part of that culture e.g. references to black history in Formation

Narratology - Todorov

• Media language theory

• narrative follow 3 part structure

• Start w/ equilibrium → Some kind of disruption → new equilibrium restored

• Common in adverts and film

• KOTV hints to lots of disruption w/ the vampires and attacking bats

• Some challenge narrative for a hook at start or incentive to continue

Genre - Neale

• Media language theory

• genres made up of repetition and difference

• Generic fluidity - over time genres change

• Audiences like familiarity as they know what they like but also seeing something new and not to repetitive

• Allow precise and specific targeting of audiences

Binary opposition - levi-strauss

• Media language theory

• media products have underlying structures

• 2 things being represented as complete opposite to each other

• Can create conflict and interest but also meaning

• Tide in binary opposition to other products (conclusion tide is better)

Postmodernism - Baudrillard

• Media language theory

• features of postmodern product:

  • Irony - opposite to what should happen, happens

  • Parody/homage - homage out of respect, parody to make fun of/silly

  • Bricolage - sampling old media products to make new ones

  • Intertextual reference - making reference to other products (e.g. tide headband - Rosie the riveter) (zoella)

  • Fragmented narrative - flash forwards, flash backs

  • Self reflexivity - braking the 4th wall (zoella)

• Loss of reality as media products advance

• Simulacrum - artificial copy of reality, hard to tell difference between real and manufactured

media effects - Bandura

• audience theory

• Bobo doll experiment

• children would copy adults behaviour

• believed watching violent content would result in violent behaviour

• FLAW: children just doing what they thought adults wanted them to do

• FLAW: doll not a real person

cultivation theory - Gerbner

• audience theory

• media tends to repeat representations so it becomes belief for real life

• mean world syndrome

• can change the dominate ideologies of society

reception theory - Stuart Hall

• audience theory

• media products are encoded with ideas from producers

• done through characters, stories, representations

• hope audiences can decode that message and take away preferred reading

• audiences not all the same, some may take oppositional reading (not taking preferred reading on board)

• or negotiated reading (accept some of the preferred reading but not all of it)

Fandom theory - Jenkins

• audience theory

• audiences play key role in production of products

• textual poaching - audiences taking a media product and remaking or reworking it to create their own meaning

• fans are important weather it messaging content creators with video ideas, telling others about your fav show to spread word, conventions, cosplay, fanfiction🤨

'end of audience’ theory - Shirky

• audience theory

• no long a thing as passive audiences, now more active audiences

• due to technology allowing us to be more interactive

• audiences like to ‘speak back’ to producers, now with twitter, tik tok people are more able to give input

uses and gratifications

• audience theory

• tries to explain why audiences might choose a media product

  • relatability - audiences can identify with product making them like it more

  • entertainment - want something to get away from boring everyday life/ escape

  • education - something we can learn from the product, movie with a message or new

  • social interaction - building personal relationships with other fans or games meeting new people or vlogger

• media product can offer more that one aspect to audiences, making it more popular

Power and media industries - curran and seaton

• media industries theory

• believe most media industries dominated by small number of large companies (e.g. universal and Disney in film)

• Media companies are all about profit and power

• Some companies can challenge this if they are independent or focus on what they create/ a massage instead of turning a profit

• Due to focus on profit, products made are quite reparative and don’t offer much diversity or creativity.

Regulations - Livingston and Lunt

• media industries theory

• regulations = rules/controle

• Believe regulation of media industries is very difficult

• Rules are often to do with protecting audiences from harm (particularly children and young people)

• Regulators have to balance protecting people with offering them choice

• Technology has made regulating much harder

• Downloading, streaming and piracy means people can bypass control like age certifictaes

• Vast nature of internet makes it impossible to control

• Believes powerful companies can avoid regulations

Cultural industries - Hesmondhalgh

• media industries theory

• believes media industries need to minimise risk and maximise profit to be successful

• Ways companies can maximise profit and minimise risk:

  • Being vertically or horizontally integrated

  • Working across variety of media platforms and technologies

  • Focus on popular genres/ formats/ stars

  • Control release schedule of products (release on same day to stop piracy or hold back to make it feel more limited)

  • Detailed marketing campaign