Look again at the TV listing which you analysed for the section on effects theory.
What evidence of audience uses and gratifications in consuming media texts can you see from this analysis?
Uses and gratifications suggest that the audience is active and therefore chooses what media to consume. Each individual has reasoning’s behind choosing the media they consume and are therefore entitled to this.
Main reasons to consume media, according to Katz and Blumler (1974):
1. diversion
2. personal relationships
3. personal identity
4. surveillance
Main reasons to consume media, according to Denis MaQuail:
1. information
2. learning
3. personal identity
4. integration and social interaction
5. entertainment
Criticisms of the uses and gratifications theory:
1. too simplistic
2. its hard to explain why the audience like something
3. channel hopping occurs
4. we only consume from what is available to us
5. depends on the socio-economic situation of the audience
What the TV listing offers:
1. variety of programmes e.g. soaps, films, live sports
2. lots of genres e.g. comedy, soap, horror
3. different viewing times for busy audiences
4. sections of TV available e.g. Freeview, Sky and Virgin TV
Monday, 2 May 2011
Sunday, 1 May 2011
Look at the TV schedules for this week.
http://www.tvguide.co.uk/
How might a pluralist interpret the range of programmes on offer?
There is a wide variety of programmes on offer for all audiences, ranging from soap omnibus’ e.g. Eastenders, to live snooker.
A pluralist would like to view a variety of programmes across a diverse range of channels. These would show all types of programmes including sport, movies, soaps, documentaries and drama.
What evidence is there of the media acting as the fourth estate?
With news related programmes being produced it can be argued that the media is a fourth estate.
Programmes include:
• Have I got news for you
• Question time
• News (most channels)
http://www.tvguide.co.uk/
How might a pluralist interpret the range of programmes on offer?
There is a wide variety of programmes on offer for all audiences, ranging from soap omnibus’ e.g. Eastenders, to live snooker.
A pluralist would like to view a variety of programmes across a diverse range of channels. These would show all types of programmes including sport, movies, soaps, documentaries and drama.
What evidence is there of the media acting as the fourth estate?
With news related programmes being produced it can be argued that the media is a fourth estate.
Programmes include:
• Have I got news for you
• Question time
• News (most channels)
‘The male gaze dominates Hollywood movies’. Using the top five films of the week, would you agree with this statement?
Scream 4 – no male gaze, sense of voyeurism where the killer searches for victims
Rio – animated comedy adventure rated U, about parrots that go to Brazil
Your Highness – knights rescue the damsels in distress, whilst saving their land
Little Red Riding Hood – sense of male gaze for audience, as the towns people fight
Hop – animation about a human like rabbit on the eve of Easter
Out of the 5 possible candidates only scream 4 and Little Red Riding Hood have themes of male gaze for the audience. In Scream 4, there are scenes of the female protagonists changing and this also adds a sense of voyeurism. In Little Red Riding Hood, the protagonist is an attractive females and this adds male viewings.
Scream 4 – no male gaze, sense of voyeurism where the killer searches for victims
Rio – animated comedy adventure rated U, about parrots that go to Brazil
Your Highness – knights rescue the damsels in distress, whilst saving their land
Little Red Riding Hood – sense of male gaze for audience, as the towns people fight
Hop – animation about a human like rabbit on the eve of Easter
Out of the 5 possible candidates only scream 4 and Little Red Riding Hood have themes of male gaze for the audience. In Scream 4, there are scenes of the female protagonists changing and this also adds a sense of voyeurism. In Little Red Riding Hood, the protagonist is an attractive females and this adds male viewings.
The news automatically becomes the real world for the TV user and is not a substitute for reality, but is itself an immediate reality.
Do we watch the news for the information or for entertainment?
• Watch the news for information
• It provides the citizens for information across the world
• Information makes the news factual
• Its your personal choice what to view, news is not entertaining
• Fundamental reason for news is that it is not fictional
• Entertainment news provides alternative pleasures
• Use of 60 seconds of news suggests its celebrity gossip
• Entertainment suggests that news is unreal and made up
Do you receive the reality of the information or the ‘reality’ of the entertainment?
• Reality of the news provides information
• Reality of the news increases democracy
• Freedom of information means that all have access to the news
• News suggests intelligent information
• Reality of entertainment suggests that we passively watch the news
• It suggests that learning is entertaining
• Entertainment suggests pass time
• Watch the news for information
• It provides the citizens for information across the world
• Information makes the news factual
• Its your personal choice what to view, news is not entertaining
• Fundamental reason for news is that it is not fictional
• Entertainment news provides alternative pleasures
• Use of 60 seconds of news suggests its celebrity gossip
• Entertainment suggests that news is unreal and made up
Do you receive the reality of the information or the ‘reality’ of the entertainment?
• Reality of the news provides information
• Reality of the news increases democracy
• Freedom of information means that all have access to the news
• News suggests intelligent information
• Reality of entertainment suggests that we passively watch the news
• It suggests that learning is entertaining
• Entertainment suggests pass time
Will we ever reach a point where, as an audience, we are so desensitised that we don’t need the BBFC anymore?
Race relations:
Prevent discrimination on grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic and national origin.
Obscene publications:
Offence for publishing obscene material, repealing the common law offence of obscene libel which was previously used, and also allows Justices of the Peace to issue warrants allowing the police to seize such materials.
Sex discrimination:
Protection of children:
Child pornography and the sexual exploitation of children
Official secrets act:
Legislation that provides for the protection of state secrets and official information, mainly related to national security.
Libel law:
Communication of a statement that makes a claim, expressly stated or implied to be factual, that may give an individual, business, product, group, government, or nation a negative image. It is usually a requirement that this claim is false and that the publication is communicated to someone other than the person defamed (the claimant).
Cinematography films (animal):
Infliction of suffering or harm upon animals, other than humans, for purposes other than self-defence. More narrowly, it can be harm for specific gain, such as killing animals for food or for their fur. Diverging viewpoints are held by jurisdictions throughout the world.
PCC (press complaints commission):
Independent body which administers the system of self-regulation for the press. It does so primarily by dealing with complaints, framed within the terms of the Editors' Code of Practice, about the editorial content of newspapers and magazines (and their websites, including editorial audio-visual material) and the conduct of journalists.
Strive to protect the rights of individuals, while at the same time preserving appropriate freedom of expression for the press.
The PCC acts by:
•negotiating remedial action and amicable settlements for complainants;
•issuing rulings on complaints;
•using published rulings as a means of guiding newsroom practice across the industry;
•publicly censuring editors for breaches of the Code;
•passing on pre-publication concerns to editors to prevent the Code being breached;
•passing on requests to editors that their journalists cease contacting individuals, and so prevent media harassment;
•issuing formal guidance, based on its interpretation of the Code, to the industry on important issues;
•instigating its own investigations under the Code in the public interest where appropriate;
•conducting training seminars for working journalists and editors;
•liaising with other press councils internationally.
Race relations:
Prevent discrimination on grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic and national origin.
Obscene publications:
Offence for publishing obscene material, repealing the common law offence of obscene libel which was previously used, and also allows Justices of the Peace to issue warrants allowing the police to seize such materials.
Sex discrimination:
Protection of children:
Child pornography and the sexual exploitation of children
Official secrets act:
Legislation that provides for the protection of state secrets and official information, mainly related to national security.
Libel law:
Communication of a statement that makes a claim, expressly stated or implied to be factual, that may give an individual, business, product, group, government, or nation a negative image. It is usually a requirement that this claim is false and that the publication is communicated to someone other than the person defamed (the claimant).
Cinematography films (animal):
Infliction of suffering or harm upon animals, other than humans, for purposes other than self-defence. More narrowly, it can be harm for specific gain, such as killing animals for food or for their fur. Diverging viewpoints are held by jurisdictions throughout the world.
PCC (press complaints commission):
Independent body which administers the system of self-regulation for the press. It does so primarily by dealing with complaints, framed within the terms of the Editors' Code of Practice, about the editorial content of newspapers and magazines (and their websites, including editorial audio-visual material) and the conduct of journalists.
Strive to protect the rights of individuals, while at the same time preserving appropriate freedom of expression for the press.
The PCC acts by:
•negotiating remedial action and amicable settlements for complainants;
•issuing rulings on complaints;
•using published rulings as a means of guiding newsroom practice across the industry;
•publicly censuring editors for breaches of the Code;
•passing on pre-publication concerns to editors to prevent the Code being breached;
•passing on requests to editors that their journalists cease contacting individuals, and so prevent media harassment;
•issuing formal guidance, based on its interpretation of the Code, to the industry on important issues;
•instigating its own investigations under the Code in the public interest where appropriate;
•conducting training seminars for working journalists and editors;
•liaising with other press councils internationally.
Contemporary reality game show: Total Wipe Out
The general stereotypes are constructed to refer to the characters; this is based on their appearance.
The slimmer characters with an upbeat mentality are represented and introduced to be aggressive and positive. This foreshadows their success.
On the other hand, the contestants of a larger sixe, despite their mentality, are represented to be slow, lazy and unhealthy. This negative representation provides humour but also demeans the actual people considering that they are real people, have real feelings and are no in character roles.
The geeky contestants are usually slim, with big glasses and have a loving personality which gains them more support. They are shown to be the most likely winners and therefore are the focus of the game, until they reach their downfall. Their downfall is used for humour and adds a sense of sympathy whilst providing many laughs.
There are always the employed and the unemployed. The employed are usually professionals such as teachers and are usually young. They provide an important role in the game show as they attract student’s aged 13-18. Viewing pleasure increases for certain audiences such as when the teachers are hurt, disgraced, and made a mockery of by others and not the students. This provides the most humour and viewing pleasure as it enables the viewers to get their own back on the teachers. Students want them to fail.
The general stereotypes are constructed to refer to the characters; this is based on their appearance.
The slimmer characters with an upbeat mentality are represented and introduced to be aggressive and positive. This foreshadows their success.
On the other hand, the contestants of a larger sixe, despite their mentality, are represented to be slow, lazy and unhealthy. This negative representation provides humour but also demeans the actual people considering that they are real people, have real feelings and are no in character roles.
The geeky contestants are usually slim, with big glasses and have a loving personality which gains them more support. They are shown to be the most likely winners and therefore are the focus of the game, until they reach their downfall. Their downfall is used for humour and adds a sense of sympathy whilst providing many laughs.
There are always the employed and the unemployed. The employed are usually professionals such as teachers and are usually young. They provide an important role in the game show as they attract student’s aged 13-18. Viewing pleasure increases for certain audiences such as when the teachers are hurt, disgraced, and made a mockery of by others and not the students. This provides the most humour and viewing pleasure as it enables the viewers to get their own back on the teachers. Students want them to fail.
The soap: Eastenders
The sitcom: Friday Night Dinner
Friday Night Dinner has extra emphasis on the ‘geek’ character played by Simon Bird (Adam) who is the elder sibling but with a hopeless love life. In the episode I analysed Adam is set up on a date with a family friend’s daughter who shares a meal with the family. Eventually, having survived a bloody nose, wet trousers and an embarrassing father who comments on the girls bottom, Adam’s date ends up making love with his younger brother which is seen by the whole family leaving Adam as the joke of the family. This reinforces that Adam is the ‘joke’ of the family and emphasising the stereotypes that ‘geeks’ cannot find themselves a girlfriend.
In Eastenders Ben, the son of notorious Phil Mitchell is a known convict who has just been released from youth offenders. His stereotype would indicate that he is like his father, conniving, heartless and a ruthless bully. Challenging the stereotype, Eastenders shows him to be bullied and emphasises on the fact that he is actually scared, as his victims would be. He is left with no option but to accept that he will be the unwilling victim of abuse for his school life. The scene ends with him distressed and both physically and mentally hurt.
The sitcom: Friday Night Dinner
Friday Night Dinner has extra emphasis on the ‘geek’ character played by Simon Bird (Adam) who is the elder sibling but with a hopeless love life. In the episode I analysed Adam is set up on a date with a family friend’s daughter who shares a meal with the family. Eventually, having survived a bloody nose, wet trousers and an embarrassing father who comments on the girls bottom, Adam’s date ends up making love with his younger brother which is seen by the whole family leaving Adam as the joke of the family. This reinforces that Adam is the ‘joke’ of the family and emphasising the stereotypes that ‘geeks’ cannot find themselves a girlfriend.
In Eastenders Ben, the son of notorious Phil Mitchell is a known convict who has just been released from youth offenders. His stereotype would indicate that he is like his father, conniving, heartless and a ruthless bully. Challenging the stereotype, Eastenders shows him to be bullied and emphasises on the fact that he is actually scared, as his victims would be. He is left with no option but to accept that he will be the unwilling victim of abuse for his school life. The scene ends with him distressed and both physically and mentally hurt.
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