Monday, 24 April 2017
MEST 3 Tips
Click here for some hints and tips for Section A and Section B for MEST 3.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B48B9fdwC0C9Q2NqbjVhYTRpbWM?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B48B9fdwC0C9Q2NqbjVhYTRpbWM?usp=sharing
Monday, 6 February 2017
Richard Dyer - Celebrity and media culture
Richard Dyer- Star Theory
Richard Dyer - Star Theory
Richard Dyers star theory is the idea that icons and celebrities are manufactured by institutions for financial gain. He believes that stars are constructed to represent 'real people' experiencing real emotions. Stars are manufactured by the music industry to serve a purpose; to make money out of audience, who respond to various elements of a star’s personality by buying records and becoming fans.
His theory is spilt into three sections:
1. Audiences and Institutions
2. Constitutions
3. Hegemony
Audience and Institutions
Stars are made for money purposes alone. Increasing the brand identity benefits the institution as they become a household name increasing sales in all of the media platforms they are in. The institution then models the artist around the target audience they choose. For example Lady GaGa, according to Dyer, was modeled around fashion forward people so the audience can relate to her as a person and also her music.
Constitutions
This is more or less the same as the audience and institution part of his theory.
Hegemony
This is also know as 'culture'. It is the idea that the audience relates to the star because they have a feature they the share or admire with the star. Some fans may attempt to replicate the star in their behavior, what they and what they do. But this could also be a negative impact as some stars often are heavy drinkers and drug abusers. For example in the 60's and 70's there was an increase of illegal sales of cannabis due to The Beatles being open about using it. Stars represent shared cultural values and attitudes, and promote a certain ideology. Audience interest in these values enhances their 'star quality', and it is through conveying beliefs, ideas and opinions outside music that performers help create their star character to their fans. A star may start a fashion trend, with masses of fans copying their hairstyle and clothing. Stars benefit from cultural discourse for example, via their Twitter feed. Now more than ever before, social networks give pop stars the opportunity to establish their own values outside their music. Lady Gaga tweets frequently about issues, and expects her “Little Monsters” (The name of which Lady Gaga calls her fans) to engage with that discourse just as much as she expects them to listen to her music.
Quizlet - Theories
Use the Quizlet below to test your knowledge of media theorists...
Link:
https://quizlet.com/_34wztf
Link:
https://quizlet.com/_34wztf
Friday, 3 February 2017
Post Colonialism
POST-COLONIALISM
Colonialism refers to the period of history in which Britain controlled vast regions of the world, and profited largely through the use of slavery and the exploitation of natural resources.
As, theoretically, no colonial empires remain in existence, the present era is known as a post-colonial era. However, this term is problematic. Britain and the USA, for example, diplomatically, economically and militarily, still hold power in many parts of the world.
Post-colonial theory links to theories surrounding globalisation and cultural imperialism in that it suggests the dominance of the white culture (just think of the absence of non-white images in the media).
Edward Said introduced the concept of Orientalism and suggested that:
1. Firstly, that the West tries to speak for the Middle East in texts, as if it has authority over it
2. Secondly, that the West often uses the Middle East in texts to contrast itself against “the Other”
In a post-colonial world, many families have been forced to migrate due to force or economic reasons and have experienced racism and developed a sense of ‘otherness’, which has been termed Diaspora identity. This is not always negative, as can be seen by the Asian music scene in Britain or the influence of Bollywood in films such as Bride and Prejudice and, arguably, Slumdog Millionaire.
However, it can be argued that many representations of race that have evolved in the media, are founded upon negative historical myths from the colonial past. Alvarado (1987) has suggested that there are four types of representations for members of the black community.
1. The humorous – e.g. Eddie Murphy
2. The exotic – models such as Naomi Campbell
3. The pitied – representations of needy black communities through charity advertising or films such as Blood Diamond
4. The dangerous – portrayed in news and documentary reports of black inner-city gangs or gun crime.
In fact such representations are usually constructed in terms of binary oppositions, for example the battle between good and evil is the battle between white and Middle-Eastern people in The Kingdom.
Colonialism refers to the period of history in which Britain controlled vast regions of the world, and profited largely through the use of slavery and the exploitation of natural resources.
As, theoretically, no colonial empires remain in existence, the present era is known as a post-colonial era. However, this term is problematic. Britain and the USA, for example, diplomatically, economically and militarily, still hold power in many parts of the world.
Post-colonial theory links to theories surrounding globalisation and cultural imperialism in that it suggests the dominance of the white culture (just think of the absence of non-white images in the media).
Edward Said introduced the concept of Orientalism and suggested that:
1. Firstly, that the West tries to speak for the Middle East in texts, as if it has authority over it
2. Secondly, that the West often uses the Middle East in texts to contrast itself against “the Other”
In a post-colonial world, many families have been forced to migrate due to force or economic reasons and have experienced racism and developed a sense of ‘otherness’, which has been termed Diaspora identity. This is not always negative, as can be seen by the Asian music scene in Britain or the influence of Bollywood in films such as Bride and Prejudice and, arguably, Slumdog Millionaire.
However, it can be argued that many representations of race that have evolved in the media, are founded upon negative historical myths from the colonial past. Alvarado (1987) has suggested that there are four types of representations for members of the black community.
1. The humorous – e.g. Eddie Murphy
2. The exotic – models such as Naomi Campbell
3. The pitied – representations of needy black communities through charity advertising or films such as Blood Diamond
4. The dangerous – portrayed in news and documentary reports of black inner-city gangs or gun crime.
In fact such representations are usually constructed in terms of binary oppositions, for example the battle between good and evil is the battle between white and Middle-Eastern people in The Kingdom.
Shelley Turkle - The Cyber Optimist
Sherry Turkle, the cyber optimist, argues that new technologies gives us the opportunity to move beyond the physical world, That social media and online platforms such as second life allow audiences to move beyond their physical selves and to craft multiple personalities and online personas.
These personas allow their creators to experiment with their identity and to explore who they are in a manner that the user's physical world might not allow. New media allows us to transcend narrow or restrictive cultural boundaries and facilitates identity play and experimentation.
Sherry Turkle - the cyber dystopian
Sherry Turkle has changed her mind, she now argues that new media technologies are detrimental to our identities and that they restrict and inhibit rather. Continual connection, for Turkle, means constant communication – or the need to connect rather than think. As such, we are addicted to our technologies and that new technology gives an illusion of being together but that togetherness experience is void of meaningful contact –we engage in fake connectivity.
She argues the idea social media requires us to present ideal or mediated versions of ourself to the world - that these mediated versions aren't the products of identity play and that our real selves fall short of the selves we present to the world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtLVCpZIiNs
Globalisation
Globalisation
Globalisation refers to the way in which, in contemporary society, distant countries are inter-related and connected together by trade, communication and cultural experiences.
According to Giddens we live in a ‘runaway world’ where cultures, economies and politics appear to merge across national boundaries. For instance, TV programmes such as The Simpsons are watched all over the world.
A political economy perspective argues that the homogenisation of culture and communication leads to shared values and ideologies. The USA dominates the world’s media with 85% of the global film market, thanks to: a large home market, dominance of the English language and technical advantages.
Some may argue that the above is an example of cultural imperialism, a process by which one country dominates other countries’ media consumption and consequently dominates their values and ideologies.
Putnam suggests that the US government prioritised media for support as an important export industry that promotes both US values and US goods. However, this view is not straightforward for instance some texts tailor themselves to their local values and ideologies, e.g. Sesame Street.
Anthropologist Danny Miller has a different take to the cultural-imperialist perspective in that other cultures use western texts as a method of empowerment, to explore social issues in their own societies.
The media does, undoubtedly, hold an enormous amount of power, but audiences still have the power to:
→ Select the media texts they wish to watch
→ Influence the media producer to produce texts that appeal to local audiences by incorporating the local culture
→ Interpret the media texts according to their own lives and to create a range of meanings.
According to Giddens we live in a ‘runaway world’ where cultures, economies and politics appear to merge across national boundaries. For instance, TV programmes such as The Simpsons are watched all over the world.
A political economy perspective argues that the homogenisation of culture and communication leads to shared values and ideologies. The USA dominates the world’s media with 85% of the global film market, thanks to: a large home market, dominance of the English language and technical advantages.
Some may argue that the above is an example of cultural imperialism, a process by which one country dominates other countries’ media consumption and consequently dominates their values and ideologies.
Putnam suggests that the US government prioritised media for support as an important export industry that promotes both US values and US goods. However, this view is not straightforward for instance some texts tailor themselves to their local values and ideologies, e.g. Sesame Street.
Anthropologist Danny Miller has a different take to the cultural-imperialist perspective in that other cultures use western texts as a method of empowerment, to explore social issues in their own societies.
The media does, undoubtedly, hold an enormous amount of power, but audiences still have the power to:
→ Select the media texts they wish to watch
→ Influence the media producer to produce texts that appeal to local audiences by incorporating the local culture
→ Interpret the media texts according to their own lives and to create a range of meanings.
Celebrity Culture
Celebrity Culture
Gamson argues that ‘celebrity is produced, and constructed by concerted, co-operative action of media industries for profit’.
Stacey argued that the meaning audiences place on celebrities is linked to the pleasure gained through fantasising about escaping from the confines of their own lives. The fantasy involves being part of the lifestyle that celebrities are perceived as living. For example, this includes owning luxury homes and clothes, travel, staying in hotels, eating in expensive restaurants and being the focus of lots of attention.
An alternative critical perspective is put forward by media theorist Richard Dyer who suggests that a celebrity must resonate with the ideas, values and spirit of the time – even the moment.
Stacey argued that the meaning audiences place on celebrities is linked to the pleasure gained through fantasising about escaping from the confines of their own lives. The fantasy involves being part of the lifestyle that celebrities are perceived as living. For example, this includes owning luxury homes and clothes, travel, staying in hotels, eating in expensive restaurants and being the focus of lots of attention.
An alternative critical perspective is put forward by media theorist Richard Dyer who suggests that a celebrity must resonate with the ideas, values and spirit of the time – even the moment.
Feminist Theories
Judith Butler
Judith Butler suggests that gender is not the result of nature but is socially constructed. That is to say, male and female behaviour and roles are not the result of biology but are constructed and reinforced by society through media and culture. Butler argues that there are a number of disruptive representations of masculinity and femininity, which cause, what she refers to as gender trouble.
Butler’s theories of gender trouble have also been linked to queer theory, which explores and challenges the way in which heterosexuality is constructed as normal and the media has limited the representations of gay men and women, often representing them in terms of sin and sickness.
Queer theory also challenges the traditionally held assumption that there is a binary divide between being gay and heterosexual, and suggests that sexual identity can be more fluid, e.g. Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
Queer theory also suggests there are different ways of interpreting contemporary media texts, for instance by looking at texts that were broadcast before homosexuality was decriminalised in 1967. For example, queer theory offers alternative interpretations of Batman and Robin’s relationship in the 1960s TV show.
Butler’s theories of gender trouble have also been linked to queer theory, which explores and challenges the way in which heterosexuality is constructed as normal and the media has limited the representations of gay men and women, often representing them in terms of sin and sickness.
Queer theory also challenges the traditionally held assumption that there is a binary divide between being gay and heterosexual, and suggests that sexual identity can be more fluid, e.g. Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
Queer theory also suggests there are different ways of interpreting contemporary media texts, for instance by looking at texts that were broadcast before homosexuality was decriminalised in 1967. For example, queer theory offers alternative interpretations of Batman and Robin’s relationship in the 1960s TV show.
Marxist Theorists
Marxists
Marxist views of the media tend to suggest that media makes us more passive than active. Depending on which theorists you look at they forward a number of arguments:
1. That the media injects ideas into us in a manner that resembles the hypodermic syringe model and that audiences are passive.
2. That those ideas create dominant ideologies. Dominant ideologies might provide models of behaviour or thinking.
3. Dominant ideologies can make us cut negatively towards certain groups in society. Women, different ethnicities, different sexualities, class based groups.
4. Marxists also believe that the media serves the interests of others, that dominant ideologies legitimise inequalities in society.
According to Marxist theorists, our identities are shaped by the mass media and that we are powerless to resist.
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Noam Chomsky
Noam Chomsky is most noted for his five filters that enable the media to "manufacture consent". According to Chomsky the media is able channel our believes because of the the following:
1. Ownership: ownership of the media is concentrated in the hands of a tiny number of media conglomerates. As a result, the media is incapable of diversity. At a more sinister level, one could argue that the media is directly controlled by those who own these conglomerates.
2. Advertising: Chomsky suggests that advertising determines content, that advertising revenues and the reliance of companies on advertising revenues creates bias within their editorial decisions.
3. Official sources: most news, Chomsky argues, relies, on official sources (government departments, corporate press releases and so on) in order to write their editorial content. This reliance compromises the editorial neutrality of the news and means that news agendas are beyond the control of the media
4. Flak: perhaps the most sinister filter in that Chomsky suggests that the media can be purposefully fed disinformation by those in power in order to mislead or distract.
5. The enemy: Chomsky argues that the media are distracted by the creation of enemies: terrorists, jihadis and religious fundamentalists in todays world. This enemy, Chomsky argues, distracts us from real news.
1. Ownership: ownership of the media is concentrated in the hands of a tiny number of media conglomerates. As a result, the media is incapable of diversity. At a more sinister level, one could argue that the media is directly controlled by those who own these conglomerates.
2. Advertising: Chomsky suggests that advertising determines content, that advertising revenues and the reliance of companies on advertising revenues creates bias within their editorial decisions.
3. Official sources: most news, Chomsky argues, relies, on official sources (government departments, corporate press releases and so on) in order to write their editorial content. This reliance compromises the editorial neutrality of the news and means that news agendas are beyond the control of the media
4. Flak: perhaps the most sinister filter in that Chomsky suggests that the media can be purposefully fed disinformation by those in power in order to mislead or distract.
5. The enemy: Chomsky argues that the media are distracted by the creation of enemies: terrorists, jihadis and religious fundamentalists in todays world. This enemy, Chomsky argues, distracts us from real news.
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Roland Barthes
Roland Barthes theory of 'naturalisation' suggests that media's power lies in its ability to convince us that certain ideas or behaviours are 'natural' to us. Advertising in particular uses messages that convince us that it is unquestionably natural for us to consume the products or services that they are selling.
Similarly, Barthes talks about how products or ideas are positioned with 'mythic' qualities, qualities that are so deeply ingrained within the fabric of our culture that we never question their correctness or validity. Adverts, for example, tell us that products are inherently British generating 'myth' like narratives to sell to us.
Similarly, Barthes talks about how products or ideas are positioned with 'mythic' qualities, qualities that are so deeply ingrained within the fabric of our culture that we never question their correctness or validity. Adverts, for example, tell us that products are inherently British generating 'myth' like narratives to sell to us.
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Owen Jones
Jones draws our attention to the treatment of the working class. He firstly draws attention to lack of media products that deal with working class issues or are created by media producers who are from working class backgrounds.
To Jones, the media is saturated with representatives from middle class backgrounds. This is partially explained by the reliance that media products have upon advertising, advertising for products that only ABC1 audiences can afford. As a result, the media serves middle class audiences in a bid to create affluent audiences for whom such advertising is designed.
Jones also argues that working class values and communities are vilified by the media, partially due to the lack of self representing texts, but also for ideological reasons, because the lower classes represent an 'other' to the values of an urban and highly educated middle class.
To Jones, the media is saturated with representatives from middle class backgrounds. This is partially explained by the reliance that media products have upon advertising, advertising for products that only ABC1 audiences can afford. As a result, the media serves middle class audiences in a bid to create affluent audiences for whom such advertising is designed.
Jones also argues that working class values and communities are vilified by the media, partially due to the lack of self representing texts, but also for ideological reasons, because the lower classes represent an 'other' to the values of an urban and highly educated middle class.
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Antonio Gramsci
Antonio Gramsci introduced the concept of hegemony. He used this concept to explain how popular culture contributed to the manufacturing of consent for bourgeoisie power within capitalist societies by presenting certain divisions in society as ‘common sense’ (for example, the representations of middle-class people in positions of power and influence).
Media Pluralists
David Gauntlett
Gauntlett argues that, "Media messages are diverse, diffuse and contradictory. Rather than being zapped straight into people's brains, ideas about lifestyle and identity that appear in the media are resources which individuals use to think through their sense of self and modes of expression. In addition to this conscious (or not particularly conscious) use of media, a wealth of other messages may breeze through the awareness of individuals every day."
Interestingly a central part of Gauntlett's arguments examines the role that new technologies and 'new' media play in the construction of our identities.
"Furthermore, people are changing," Gauntlett argues, "building new identities founded not on the certainties of the past, but organised around the new order of modern living, where the meanings of gender, sexuality and identity are increasingly open. Different aspects of popular media can aid or disturb these processes of contemporary reorientation"
Gauntlett celebrates new media with its capacity to empower us to create our own identities. For Gauntlet "making is connecting".
Interestingly a central part of Gauntlett's arguments examines the role that new technologies and 'new' media play in the construction of our identities.
"Furthermore, people are changing," Gauntlett argues, "building new identities founded not on the certainties of the past, but organised around the new order of modern living, where the meanings of gender, sexuality and identity are increasingly open. Different aspects of popular media can aid or disturb these processes of contemporary reorientation"
Gauntlett celebrates new media with its capacity to empower us to create our own identities. For Gauntlet "making is connecting".
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Henry Jenkins
Jenkins celebrates and explores participatory culture - his main argument suggests that audiences don't respond to texts as passive agents, audiences don't just consume they react to texts, quite often using media products to subvert the messages and ideologies that they construct. Texts become "creative scaffolds" that audiences respond to with fan fiction, YouTube remixes and fn websites.
To Jenkins, the internet has a particular ability to actualise this active response. Jenkins argues that the Internet empowers and enables fan groups nd that these groups:
Works in the same way as folk traditions – bringing people together as communities
These groups can work with non-commercial motives
These groups can work for the social good – the Harry potter Alliance
To Jenkins, the internet has a particular ability to actualise this active response. Jenkins argues that the Internet empowers and enables fan groups nd that these groups:
Works in the same way as folk traditions – bringing people together as communities
These groups can work with non-commercial motives
These groups can work for the social good – the Harry potter Alliance
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Anthony Giddens
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Thursday, 2 February 2017
MEST 3 - Section B - Case Study Questions
Case study Q's
Key Questions: use these q’s to complete your text conclusions
The MEDIA’S ROLE and influence in the construction of identities
- What identity or identities are being constructed through this text?
- How big is the product examined? Think in terms of audience size, media presence, potential impact on society, impact created on other media products
- What is the function of the media? Entertain, inform, persuade?
- How does the format of the text or type of media help shape the identity messages produced?
-
What kinds of messages do products within this genre usually produce? Is this product similar or dissimilar?
- How do key figures (stars, directors, writers) help shape the identities provided?
What ideas and values
The changing roles and power of audiences, AUDIENCES AND IDENTITIES, including audience uses and responses, self-representation role playing, collective identities
- Are the audiences of this text addressed in a manner that makes them active and empowered? How and where?
- Are they rendered passive? How?
- What uses and gratifications do the identities produced create? Escapism, surveillance,
- How has it enabled the construction and display of collective identities?
- Are there opportunities within the media or in support material for the audience to self represent or communicate their own responses to the text? (Twitter feeds/social media etc) - if so what responses do the audiences make? Are these valued or mediated?
- How do audiences respond to the text?
- How could audiences and different audiences use and respond to the different products?
- Who is the audience for this product? How does this effect the identities created?
- Who is in control of the identities created? How far do audiences construct their own identity?
- Is there a celebrity and fan culture surrounding this text? How does this support/challenge the identities created?
- Do the media control the construction of identity?
- Do audiences accept media representations and ideologies or do audiences select and adapt them to construct their own identity?
- Can audiences reject and challenge mainstream media identities and create alternative identities through this text?
- How and why could different audiences have a variety of different responses?
The impact of SOCIAL MEDIA on identity and the role of the individual as producer
- Is there a social media dimension? Are individuals producers, do they self-represent?
- What would Henry Jenkins say about this text?
- What might Gauntlett say about this product?
- What might Chandler say about this product?
- Have technological developments empowered ordinary people or is the new technology increasingly controlled by powerful governments and commercial corporations reducing freedom of choice?
- Does the product fulfill pluralist and democratic ideals or is it increasingly dominated by mainstream media for profit?
- Is the social media dimension a supplement or a core activity within this product?
- What might Andrew Keen say about this product?
- What might Cass Sunstein say about this product?
- What might Sherry Turkle say about this product?
- What might Negroponte say about this product?
- There are debates about whether this has meant that individuals use new media to create original identities, adapt them to suit themselves, or just conform to and recreate identities they have already consumed in the mainstream media. Does the social media associated with this text allow audiences to adapt, conform or create new identities? Where? How?
- Is technology a threat to the construction of identities or has it had a positive influence?
POWER AND RESISTANCE, debates about the power of the media and audiences, including the media’s influence, varieties of audience uses and responses, campaigning
- Is this product democratic?
- Does the product fulfill pluralist and democratic ideals or is it increasingly dominated by mainstream media for profit?
- What would Marxists make of this product?
- Does this product create commodity fetishism/pseudo individuality?
- Who shapes this product and for whom?
- Does this product challenge social norms in any way?
- Does this product produce audience resistance? How?
- Does this product have a political or social message?
- Does this product conform or challenge? How? Where? What?
- What might Gauntlett, Jenkins, Adorno, Chomsky or other theorists make of this product?
Debates about DOMINANT AND MARGINALISED identities
- Does this text reinforce pluralist or Marxist ideas? How? Where?
- Does it allow more choice, complexity and diversity?
- Does one identity dominate, or are there diverse or contradictory identities?
- Does this text create traditional or post traditional identities?
- Why is this, considering, for example, producers, production, aims and audiences?
- What are the possible positive and negative effects of globalisation?
- Increasing globalisation has also influenced debates about identity. Some would argue it has had a positive effect by increasing choice and empowering audiences. It could give audiences access to
a wider range of representations and ideologies and so possible identities, for example, music artists that reach a global market but also keep their local identity. Is this true of your text? - Globalisation could also enable those without a voice in mainstream media more power to represent themselves and communicate to a global audience. Is this true of your text?
- However others would argue that globalisation has had a negative effect, only serving to increase the power of Western global media companies. This could lead to an increasingly homogenised culture and the lack of culturally specific identities. Is this true of your text?
- What might Zuckerman say about this product?
IDENTITY POLITICS, including diverse, fluid and multiple identities, changing identities, alternative and queer identities
- How does the text fit into the feminism and postfeminism debate?
- Does this text present opportunities for audiences to create multiple identities?
How wholesome are those identities? - What might Sherry Turkle say about this product?
- How is it used to display identity and to campaign for a specific group?
IDEOLOGY, the ideas and values communicated by identities.
- What ideas and values do the identities communicate?
- How do the identities produced reflect and reinforce power in society?
- Are the identities presented more diverse and open or is there a move back to narrower, more traditional identities?
- Are there economic reasons behind the identities, and range or lack of range, including issues of ownership, control and choice?
- What are the possible positive or negative effects on democracy and the globalisation of culture of the identities depicted?
- Does the media campaign on any issues?
- What might Giddens say about this product?
- What might Adorno say about this product?
- What might Owen Jones say about this product?
- What might Judith Butler say about this product?
- What might Barthes say about this product?
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