Media A-Level

Denotation vs. Connotation

Denotation = dictionary definition; connotation = context (the way we use a word). For example, the denotation of red is the colour red, but the connotation is love, passion, lust, danger.

Roland Barthes (1957)

Believed that everything around us could be read as a text (Using denotations, connotations, signs, and symbols) and there for is open to interpretation

Bell Hooks (1981)

an American feminist and social activist who writes on the interrelationship between race, class, and gender in relation to structures of oppression and domination. Also states that lighter skinned women are considered to be more desirable, and fit better into the western ideology of beauty

Gauntlett (2002)

Suggests that the media provides us with the 'tools' or resources that we can use to construct our identity

Gerbner's Cultivation Theory (1976)

Suggests that exposure to repeated patterns of representation over long periods of time can shape and influence the way we see the world around us

Levi-Strauss (1958)

Believed that all narratives have to be driven forward by conflict caused by a series of opposing forces

Stuart Hall

Believed that stereotyping occurs when there is inequalities of power because dominant members of society exclude groups as different or "others"

Representation

The way in which key groups are presented by the media. either a re-presentation or constructed version of reality.

Print Advert

Physically printed media to reach customers on a mass scale

Convention

What the audience expects to see in a particular media text

Persuasion Techniques

Ways in which advertisers try to attract consumers to their product

The 7 main persuasion techniques are celebrity endorsement, facts and statistics, humour, irritation, ongoing characters, real life testimonial, and shock value.

Cult of Domesticity

Running a good home, keeping your husband happy, all whilst looking good doing it

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Self-Actualization - Morality, Creativity, Spontaneity

Esteem - Self-Esteem, Confidence, Achievement

Love/Belonging - Friendship, Family, Intimacy

Safety - Security of Body, Of Employment, Of Resources

Phsiological - Breathing, Food, Water

Phychographic Profiling Table

(Character Type) --- (Characterisation)

Reformer - Enlightenment

Explorer - Discovery

Succeeder - Control

Aspirer - Status

Mainstream - Security

Struggler - Escape

Resigned - Survival

AIDA

Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action

Altman (1999)

Suggested that different genres offer viewers different pleasures including: -Emotional Pleasure, -Visceral Pleasure, -Intellectual Pleasure

Iconography

Props, Characters, Settings, Costumes, Narratives, Etc... What we expect to see in certain genre

Neale (1980)

Suggested that although genres need repetition to establish recognisable conventions, they also need difference, variation and change to keep audiences interested

Mise-En-Scene

-Translates to 'placed in the scene'

-It was first used in theatre

-In media it is used to describe everything that can be seen in a single shot

Mise-en-scene analysis

-Colour

-Costume

-Props

-Set/Location

-Blocking/Performance

-Lighting

Costume

-Creates an identity and personality for the characters

-They are Deliberate

Props

-Objects used within frame

-May have symbolic significance

-Could generate the whole film/narrative

Lighting

- High-key lighting ensures even light across the frame

- Low-key lighting allows for high contrast between light and dark

Verisimilitude

Authenticity of the enviroment

Editing

Editing is both a creative and technical part of post production process of film making

Continuity editing

When scenes happen in a linear, chronological order

Discontinuity editing

When scenes happen in a confusing, non-linear order

Transition

The way a scene begins or ends

Camera Image Composition

The creative way that a scene or image is set

up. It includes techniques such as framing, the

rule of thirds, deep depth of field, shallow

depth of field and pull focus

Framing

Positioning of actors and objects within a frame

Rule of Thirds

States that images should be separated into nine equal parts, divided twice vertically and twice horizontally

Camera Movement

A deliberate shift in view, frame, or perspective caused by the movement of the filming equipment to add meaning to a scene or moving image product. Camera movement includes...

Pan, tilt down/up, tracking shot, zoom in and zoom out, and crabbing

Synchronous Sound

Synced sound with the images on screen

Asynchronous Sound

Sound that isnt synced with the images on screen

Foley

Supplying the subtle sounds that production mics often miss out

Micro Elements

Technical elements

Macro Elements

Genre

Non-diegetic Sound

The source of the sound is only available to the audience not the characters

e.g - voice overs, soundtracks, sound effects

Diegetic Sound

Sounds that are coming from the film world

Parallel Sound

Sound that compliments what is on screen

Contrapuntal Sound

Sound that goes against what is on screen

Sound Bridge

Sound carries over scenes but slightly changes.. Connects/ transitions scenes

Audio-visual ads

Advertising in the form of a short video clip often distributed via TV commercials

Hybrid Genre

A literary, film, or television genre that blends themes and elements from two or more different genres

Jenkins (1992)

Fandom Theory - Suggests that fans actively help construct and circulate meaning in relation to the media products they love.

Also suggests that fans 'read' their favourite texts or products in ways not intended by the producers.

Shirky (2003)

End of Audience Theory - Suggests that the idea of audience members as passive consumers of mass media no longer works. The internet allows us to be 'Prosumers' who 'speak back' to the media as well as creating and sharing our own content.

Social Media Regulation

Social Media does not have a regulatory body.

In 2023 the Online Safety Bill was passed which meant Social Media platforms will be expected to remove and take down any harmful content.

Post-Colonialism

A theoretical approach that is concerned with the lasting impact of colonisation.

Hesmondhalgh (2002)

argued that media industries repeatedly use audience

pleasing stars, genres, franchises, etc, in order to generate

a guaranteed profit.

Capitalism

Ideological economic system in which people are driven to produce goods and services for profit.

Marxism

Marxists believe the opposite of Capitalists but think that the dominant ideology of the social elite is transmitted through the Media.

Video Games

A game played electronically manipulating images produced by a computer program on a monitor or other displays.

Mobile Games

A video game that is typically played on a mobile device or micro console. The term refers to all games that are played on any portable device.

Ludology

The study of games and those who play them.

Action Role-Playing Games

A subgenre of Video Games that combines core elements from both the action genre and the role-playing genre.

Conventions: - Challenging Combat

- High Speed Movement

- Problem Solving

- Exploration

Postmodernism

The idea that everything has been done before so they have to be repeated and that the boundaries between reality and fantasy have become blurred.

Baudrillard (1985)

Argued that Postmodernism blurs the boundaries of reality and a simulation of reality (Hyperreality).

Reality

State of things as they actually exist.

Hyper-Reality

An over exaggerated version of reality/real life that has become more 'Real' in people's minds.

The Media Effects Debate

The academic and social debate as to whether media has a negative impact on audience members.

Active Audience Theory

Audiences are actively involved, often unconsciously.

Passive Audience Theory

Audiences don't actively engage with media products but passively consume.

Desensitisation

The idea that prolonged exposure to violent images numbs the effect of them.

Bandura (1977)

Social Learning Theory - The idea that the media can directly implant ideas into the mid of the audience.

Video Game Regulators

The BBFC regulated video games up until 2012, however now largely governed by the VSC (Video Standards Council) within the lines of the PEGI rating system as well.

Synergy

When a media product or brand is promoted across a range of media formats/platforms.

Technological Convergence

The coming together of information and communication technologies in order to create new ways of producing and distributing products and services to media audiences.

Convergence

Traditional media industries, products, and/or applications come together on a digital platform.

Influencer

Someone who has a significant online following so has the opportunity to shape and influence the opinions and behaviour of their followers.

Vlog

A Video Blog: A record of someone's thoughts, opinions, or experiences that are filmed and published on the internet.

Audio

Recorded, Transmitted, or Reproduced Sound

The History of Radio Broadcasting

The radio broadcasting of music and talk intended to reach a dispersed audience started experimentally around 1905-1906, and commercially around 1920 to 1923. The BBC played an instrumental role in bringing the radio industry to life; in 1922, they became the world's first radio broadcast network.

When did experimental radio broadcasting of music and talk start?

Around 1905-1906

When did commercial radio broadcasting begin?

Around 1920 to 1923

What organization became the world's first radio broadcast network?

The BBC

In what year did the BBC become the world's first radio broadcast network?

1922

Podcast

A digital audio file made available on the internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device. These are typically available as a series, new instalments of which can be received by subscribers automatically.

Podcast Conventions

Speech, Sound, Narrative, Music, Sound Design, Point of View.

Public Service Broadcasting

In the UK, the term refers to media products intended to benefit the public rather than to purely make a profit.

BBC must 'Inform, Educate, and Entertain' which is part of their mission statement.

BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation)

The BBC is a British Public Service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London. They are funded by the TV licence; a monthly or annual fee that any household capable of receiving broadcast television must pay.

Stereotyping

A standardised, usually oversimplified, mental picture or attitude that is held in common by members of a group

Criteria Media use in Stereotyping

Appearance

Behaviour

Best Fit for the Medium

Comparison with 'normal' behaviour

Newspaper

A regularly published collection of fairly brief articles that provide updates on current events and interests - They are most commonly printed and distributed daily or weekly.

Purpose of Newspapers

- Inform

- Examine/Explore

- Investigate

- Describe/Report

- Entertain

- Persuade/Instruct

Newspaper-related Issues

- Media Censorship

- Citizen Journalism

- Privacy

- Rise of Social Media/Decline in Newspaper sales

Types of Newspapers

Tabloid, Mid-Market, and Broadsheets

Tabloids/Red Tops

For audiences who want their current events to be entertaining.

Mid-Market

For audiences who want both entertainment and in-depth coverage of current events.

Broadsheets

For audiences who want in-depth coverage of current events - Normally physically bigger that both Tabloids and Mid-Market newspapers but now have a compact version.

News Values

Determines how much prominence a news story is given by a media outlet, and the attention it is given by the audience.

Newsworthy

An important, interesting, topical, notable, momentous, historical, significant. bizarre or odd story.

Newspapers, Postmodernism, Representation

They seem 'real', however newspapers are constructed versions of reality designed to reflect the ideology of each particular publication.

The Daily Mirror

Type - Daily Newspaper

Format - Tabloid/Red Top

Owners - Reach PLC

Founder - Alfred Harmsworth

Founded - 2nd November 1903

Publisher - Mirror Group Newspapers

Current Editor - Caroline Waterston

Circulation - 210,900

Political Alignment - Left Wing

The Times

Type - Daily Newspaper

Format - Compact Broadsheet

Owner - News UK

Founder - John Walter

Founded - 1st January 1785

Publisher - Times Media

Current Editor - Tony Gallagher

Circulation - 365,880

Political Alignment - Centre Right

Ideology

A set of ideas that compose one's goals, expectations, and actions.

Ideology can apply to any number of things including individuals, groups, organisations, media products, and political parties - Usually links to their political alignment.

Dominant Ideology

The attitudes, beliefs, values and morals shared by the majority of people within a given society. (Often reinforced through Mainstream Media and given to us by the Social Elite)

Hegemony

The dominance of one group over another (eg the Rich being socially dominant over the Poor or Men being socially dominant over Women).

Political Alignment

Individual people's political ideologies are often referred to as left wing and right wing.

- Used all over the word now but originated during the French Revolution, in the National Assembly, those who wanted change stood on the left and those who wanted tradition stood on the right

Mediation

The construction of media text in order to represent a version of reality (through selection, organisation and focus).

Owen James (Journalist for The Guardian)

States " The Newspaper Industry is largely run by a very small group of very right wing media moguls who defend the status quo of which they are a part. If you are on the left and want to change society, the media will always come and get you."