MediA IssueS & DebateS

UseS & GratificationS...

The opposite of effects theory…

Assumes an active audience, which chooses the texts it consumes and where the individuals have differing reasons for consuming these texts.

Bulmer and Katz expanded this theory in 1974, suggesting a series of reasons why audiences consume certain texts:

Diversion – escape from everyday problems and routine

I enjoy watching movies, as they allow me to escape reality. I believe Disney films are most effective in this and somehow have this power to make you forget about all stresses of life, and just make you feel like a child again. Example include ‘Aladdin’ and ‘Beauty and the Beast’, where, even though the text is fiction, you still place yourself in the situation of the characters. It creates a sense of ‘escapism’.

Personal relationships – using the media for emotional and other interaction, e.g. substituting soap operas for family life

I personally don’t find soaps interesting anymore, the situations seem to be repetitive and boring. However, I used to be a fan of Eastenders, back in the day, but I could never relate to the problems which the characters suffered. On the other hand, I was a consumer of magazines e.g. MIZZ and Cosmo Girl, as they offered advice and allowed a personal interaction.

Personal Identity- Constructing their own identity from characters in media texts, and learning behaviour and values

When watching certain media texts, especially movies, I sometimes tend to identify with the women characters on screen. For example, if a character is made to play a role, which I have experienced in real life, I can identify with them and their feelings. However, I don’t look up to the actors as role-models or people I would necessarily want to be like.

Surveillance – information gathering, e.g. educational programmes, weather reports, financial news, holiday bargains

I watch the news at least once a week, and also read newspapers to keep up to date with current affairs, and also to see what is new with the ‘entertainment world’. I also use the BBC website to find out the daily forecast. ‘The Guardian’ website is also one which I check regularly.

Denis McQuial suggests a more detailed breakdown of audience motivation:

Information:
Finding out about relevant events and conditions – watching the news and also browsing the net build up my knowledge about the on goings in the world
Seeking advice – used to consume magazines for this, but I have my friends for this
Satisfying curiosity and general interest – I like to find out about what is new in the ‘entertainment world.’ For example, new film releases, music…etc

Learning:
Self-education – when watching films, soaps, dramas…etc we are being entertained but also subliminally learn values and ideologies through them, about the behaviour that society currently accepts.
Confidence through gaining knowledge

Personal identity:
Finding reinforcement for personal values – I enjoying watching TV shows, which include Asians. For example, ‘Goodness Gracious Me’ even though this is comedic, you still learn about what your culture accepts and frowns upon.
Finding models of behaviour
Identifying with celebrities – ‘Angelina Jolie’ because she has big lips like me..lol.. JOKE!
Gaining insight into oneself

Integration and social interaction:
Gaining insight into circumstances of others – by reviewing media texts which comment on situations that a family member or friend may be going though
Identifying with others/a sense of belonging
Finding a basis for conversation and social interaction – ‘water caller TV’, this includes programs such as Friends. When the last episode aired, I can recall everyone talking about it the next day.
Having a substitute for real-life companionship
Helping to carry out social roles
Enabling one to connect with family, friends and society – this could be achieved only by watching and consuming similar texts as the mass.

Entertainment:
Escaping, or being diverted, from problems – I think the best media text for this would be films, as they allow you to escape reality and just get lost in a whole new world. Like mentioned before, Disney Films are the best for this.
Relaxing – I love listening to music
Getting intrinsic cultural or aesthetic enjoyment – ‘Goodness Gracious Me’ and ‘The Kumars…’
Filling time – watching sitcoms, e.g. Friends, Everybody loves Raymond…etc
Emotional release – films which are dramatic, for example Titanic. I found myself very saddened by the ending of ‘The Green Mile.’
Sexual arousal – don’t really watch or consume pornography, however if there is a explicit scene in a film, then I have no choice..lol

posted by Dinni @ 8:23 pm 0 comments

The EffectS TheorY...

Passive audiences manipulated by forced ideologies from the media.

The Frankfurt school

Group of social scientists who were concerned with the impact of the rise of the media industries on society: culture industry – a culture produced by the media with its own values and ideologies which are being accepted by passive audiences.

Mass audiences (seen as passive) are indoctrinated by society (the hegemony of the ruling class) and progressively less able to criticise it. E.g. Hitler during World War used the media as a propaganda tool to brainwash the Germans into his mind of thought.

The Hypodermic needle Model

To inject the passive audiences with ideologies so they agree with them e.g. ‘Triumph of the Will’. The passive audience immediately believe what ever they see in the media.

Violence in the Media

The ‘moral majority’ argue that too much violence, sex…etc must be censored, as audiences will feel influenced by it and therefore act similarly.

Media is blamed for all anti-social behaviour.

Cultivation theory

Repeated exposure of the same text will make audiences less sensitive to it...
Audiences would become ‘desensitised’- audiences are not as sensitive about certain issues in the media, but instead accept the due to social attitudes and expectations changing.

Two-Step Flow

Assumes a more active audience...
If a text is written by someone respected (an opinion leader) we are ore likely to accept it e.g. newspapers and TV critics.

Agree or Disagree?

I think this theory of an audience being passive and highly manipulated by media texts which they consume, is true to an extent. Similar to the Marxist theory, the audience are influenced, and were probably more so in the 1940’s, due to the lack of education, and also them living under a dictatorship. However, audiences nowadays are more media-literate and therefore are able to make opinions and choices without media influences. On the other hand, there is a still a vast majority of the public which still trust everything they read or hear, especially when it comes from ‘trusted’ news reporters. I would say the ‘Two-Step Flow’ theory relates to how audiences mange media texts in the present day; due to so much choice, and many ideologies and values being exposed it would be harder for the media to control audiences and just expose one dominant ideology. However, you also have the ‘Top Dogs’ such as Rupert Murdoch who own Fox TV, The Sun, Sky…etc so their hegemonic views could possibly be overriding all the others.

posted by Dinni @ 6:43 pm 0 comments

Representation of Women...

Nicole Kidman Chanel No.5


Object of the male gaze once again, however, Nicole Kidman is portrayed as powerful as she has poparazzi after her. Her perfume she wears attracts the male and makes him fall in love, which shows her dominace, but in return she has qualities to be looked-at-ness!

posted by Dinni @ 10:22 pm 0 comments

Representation of Women...

Maybelline


This advert concentrates moreso on the independence of women, as there is no reference to males. It shows two women being individuals and enjoying a drink together however, as this advert to sell a product which makes you lips ore appealing, the women could be seen as objects of the male gaze.

posted by Dinni @ 10:01 pm 0 comments

Representation of Women...

Lynx - Pied Piper (The Lynx effect)


This advert shows how passive women can be. As soon as the male in the advertisment sprays himself with the Lynx product, everyone follows him. This clearly portrays how men and active and women can be seen as inferior. However, you will also notice the different occupations that the women have, one is even a mechanic! nonethless, all the women in the advert have the quality to be looked-at-ness

posted by Dinni @ 9:37 pm 0 comments

PluralisM...

What is Pluralism ?

Pluralists argue for a classless society and media organisations which are responsive to and audience and economically determined. They view society as a system of competing groups and interest. Audiences are perceived as capable of manipulating the media and having access to what Halloran calls ‘the plural values of society’, enabling them to ‘conform, accommodate or reject.’

• Opposite of Marxism and rejects concept of mass culture
• Audiences are more demanding and ore selective consumers
• Class distinctions are less important
• High culture (ballet...etc) now reaches wide audiences
• Audiences have freedom to decide what texts they wish to consume
• There is no one hegemonic message to be conveyed
• Media act as the ‘fourth estate’ – they keep a close eye on the abuses of power by politicians, large multinational corporations and others. They also keep the public informed about what is happening in each of the other three estates:

Government

Legal system

Church

The audience is vital to the media because if the audience do not like a media text they will not watch it or but it. The audience are seen as ‘active’ and therefore are not controlled by the ruling class and their hegemonic views.

Why I am a pluralist?

I am a pluralist as I am media-literate and therefore able to distinguish between hegemonic messages, to a certain degree. I consume media texts which best interest me, however, over the years I could have already been manipulated into thinking that this is actually what I want; so could the ruling class already have me under their thumb?

posted by Dinni @ 9:42 pm 0 comments

MarxisM...

What is Marxism...?

This is the belief that the mass media are a tool used by ruling bodies to maintain hegemonic control over the masses and a class-divided society. This theory is based on the works of Karl Marx, a 19th century philosopher.

Marxist Ideologies

Capitalism is based on the profit motive and that under capitalism; profits are generated by exploiting workers.

Capitalist society is divided into two social classes:

• The working class, or proletariat, who sell their labour and do not own the means of production
• The bourgeoisie, who own the means of production and employ the proletariat, The bourgeoisies may be further subdivided:
  
  Wealthy bourgeoisies who do not also need to work for themselves
  
  Petty bourgeoisie who employ others, but also work themselves
  

Marxism and the Media

• Media produces produce media texts within this society, which maintain these social divides
• ‘Culture industries’ (as Adorno described) constantly see greater audiences because of the profit motive. Texts are constructed to generate ass audiences, so they dumb down their output.

Mass media are seen as a way to entertain the workers while feeding them ideologies and beliefs (EFFECTS THEORY)

Althuesser

Identified the Ideological State Apparatuses (ISA):

Religion
Education
Family
Legal and political system
Political system (trade unions)
Cultural and communications systems

He studied how these ISAs position the audience in such a way they presume that there ideologies are correct (interpellate)

Gramsci

He extended this with the concept of hegemony-the dominance of the ideologies of the ruing class, with all the beliefs and values that they incorporate. This process is so successful it becomes ‘common sense’

Why I am a Marxist?

I believe to an extent that society has been divided by the powerful and the inferior, and therefore I may be a Marxist. People like Rupert Murdoch, who owns Sky, Fox, etc are able to exploit their own views and beliefs to the proletariat via the media they own, whilst making money by doing this. Society has been encouraged make money as this will earn them a higher status. This just goes to show that there will always be people working for the bourgeoisie.

posted by Dinni @ 9:15 pm 0 comments

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