Media Studies theorists: Language, Audience,Industry and Representation & other key terms

Genre Theory

Steve Neal examined that genres are formed through repetition and recognition, leading to anticipation and expectation.

Semiotics Theory

Barthes' theory suggests that visual elements carry meanings through 5 codes:Hermeneutic, Proairetic, Semantic, Symbolic, and Referential.

Structuralism Theory

Levi Strauss proposed that the human mind categorizes through binary opposition, creating clear differences in media products.

Narratology Theory

Todorov's theory outlines the stages of equilibrium, disruption, recognition, repair, and new equilibrium in storytelling.

Character Types

Propp identified 7 character types in narratives:hero, villain, donor, princess, helper, princess' father, and false hero.

Postmodernism Theory

Baudrillard's theory of hyperreality blurs the lines between reality and simulation in media.

Power in Media

Curran and Seaton discuss how media concentration limits variety, creativity, and quality due to profit and power motives.

Cultural Industries Theory

Hesmondhalgh's theory emphasizes maximizing profit by creating generic media products for different industries.

Regulation Theory

Livingstone and Lunt highlight the conflict between citizen needs and consumer interests in media regulation.

Audience Identity

Gauntlett's theory states that audiences use media content to construct identities and share content.

Media Effects Theory

Bandura's theory suggests that media can influence attitudes and behaviors in audiences.

Fandom Theory

Jenkins describes how fans engage with media texts to create personal meanings beyond the original message.

Cultivation Theory

Gerbner's theory explains how repeated media exposure shapes perceptions and reinforces dominant values.

End of Audience Theory

Shirky discusses how new media technologies have transformed audience engagement with media content.

Reception Theory

Hall's theory proposes that audiences interpret texts differently, contributing to the meaning of the text.

Representation Theory

Hall's theory explains how media representations reflect producer ideologies and are constructed through codes.

Feminist Theory

Hooks and VanZoonen discuss how media industries are controlled by certain groups, leading to misrepresentation and discrimination.

Male Gaze Theory

Mulvey's theory explains how women are often portrayed in relation to men in media, reinforcing patriarchal norms.

Identity Theory

Gauntlett and Butler emphasize that audiences construct their identities through media content and performances.

Postmodernism and Ethnicity Theory

Gilroy discusses how postcolonial attitudes influence racial hierarchies in media representations.

Theory of gender preformativity

placed emphasis on gender as a social construction of behaviours determined by culture rather than by biological differences between sexes