What is Popular Culture/ Analyzing Pop Culture
Mythology
Ex: Apple uses a half bitten apple to reinforce the "Adam and Eve" story that depicts Apple's desirability and temptation
Flak Filter
Filters of those who produce the news are concerned about what we think; and our negative reactions to certain news items
Anti Communism Filter
Filters that only show things that are Pro American and Anti Communist ex: Free Market is Pro American
Negotiated Reading
Interpretation of media occurs when the audience partially agrees with the intended meaning of the message
Oppositional Reading
Interpretation of media that occurs when text is interpreted in opposition or against the intended meaning
Hypothesis
Is an observation that is testable
Mid Culture
Is any art form that shares characteristics of both high and low
Structuralism
Logic obtained within systems of meaning (music and poetry) When rhymes and beats go together
Code Theory
Looks at how codes can be put together to create a recognizable sign ex: Cape, Tights, Powers, Damsel in Distress all = Superhero Code
Funding Filter
Media outlets must abide by the wishes of those who fund them... "ADVERTISERS"
Aesthetic Culture
Most influential Art and texts created by members of that culture (poetry, paintings, music)
Opposition
Opposition is how we make sense of media text Ex: Black vs White = good vs evil Things are always seen in binaries
Pop Culture
referred to as low culture. it has the tendency to move into the next realm and be considered as mid or low -has nothing to do with actual popularity or quality
Third Place
The internet has become people's "third space" (work is one, home is second, internet is third)
Conceptual Culture
The language spoken by members of that culture
Post Structuralism
The power within a relationship is decided on by the interpreter of the media; not culture
Semiotics
The study of signs and related behaviors such as : icons, brands, logos, etc
Salience Transfer
The transfer of mass media agendas to public agendas -The media emphasizes a particular issue will translate into public interest on the same issue
Propaganda Theory
Those who control the FUNDING of the media determine how news is covered and selected -Has a negative connotation b/c the owners may have a set agenda but propaganda will slip some things in that aren't in sync with the agenda
Postmodernism Theory
Tries to make no difference b/w high, mid, and low cultures Breaks down the way we organize the world (makes no distinction b/w popular and traditional art)
Popular Culture
is the culture of the people. It is widespread and sometimes restricted to small groups
Agenda Setting Theory
mass news media dictate what the public considers important by the news they choose to cover
Preferred Reading
media is interpreted through by those who created the media
Performative Culture
Includes "rites and rituals" that are performed at certain times and places ex: church service, graduation
Recreational Culture
Includes linguistic cultures Ex: jokes, satire Ex: Movies and music are considered rec. culture (American Idol, Survivor, SNL)
Five things to remember about Culture
1. Culture influences us from birth 2. Culture tells us right/wrong 3. Culture helps with decision making 4. Culture provides problem solving 5. Culture shapes emotional responses
Cultural Relativism
Civilization is not absolute, but relative and constantly shifting
Material Culture
Consists of artifacts, products and architectural structures
Culture Pyramid
Culture -> Pop Culture -> Counter Culture -> Sub Culture
Culture
Culture represents a system of behavior containing our beliefs, and symbols
Marxist Theory
Defined "class" by the ownership of property (production, landowners, and laborers) believes those in power control society through education and mass media
Catharsis Hypothesis
Described as the venting of aggressive energy in a socially acceptable way through video games, heavy metal, etc.
Bull's Eye Model
Envisions communication consisting of a sender "aiming" a message at a receiver
Code
A code is a way to perceive reality ex: race, men and women
Spectacle
A feature of Pop Culture that features large, grand scale gestures of entertainment ex: Super Bowl or Oscars
Pastiche
A feature of Pop Culture that refers to a mixture of elements in some work that intends to imitate or satirize work of style Ex: SNL
Bri-Collage
A feature of Pop Culture that refers to a type of collage that emphasizes disproportion and ironic mixture
Collage
A feature of Pop Culture that takes the arrangement of materials in a unique way not possible using traditional painting techniques
What is a Theory
A theory is any systematic and coherent collection of ideas that relate to a specific subject
Ownership Filter
ABC, FOX, CNN (before anything gets put on their channel, they "the owners" scrutinize the material
Hypodermic Needle Theory
Argues that media is able to directly influence audiences whether we want to be influenced or not -Audiences are actually active processors of info
Uses of Gratification Theory
Audiences use the media for their own purposes -Media does nothing to people, people use media for self gratification
Folk Culture
Focuses on ritual and recreation. Includes some type of festival Ex: halloween
Low Culture
Implies culture considered to have an inferior value
High Culture
Implies culture considered to have superior value, socially, historically, and aesthetically
Markedness
In every binary, or opposition, there is always a preferred position ex: day is preferred over night
What is the difference between Recreational and Folk Culture?
Pop Culture consists of both folk and rec. culture, but the difference is that pop culture can crossover into the mainstream
Sourcing Filter
The broadcast stations, the place that actually gives the news (they choose which news is important or seen) Ex: Time Warner, Comcast, Dish are the sources
Textuality
Refers to how texts are constructed to generate meaning -Closed Text: a media text that has a limited set of viable conclusions ( it is linear and raps up at the end of each show) Ex: The Simpsons -Open Text: a media text that allows the audience to decide how the meaning will evolve Ex: Fable, Game franchise Typically don't have a season finale
Representation
Representation looks at the roles we occupy in life and how they are portrayed, thus mirroring lives back to us in TV shows and movies
The SMCR Model
Sender-message-channel-receiver model It adds a channel, encoder, and decoder
Speculation/conjecture
Speculation refers to concepts that may be supported by some evidence but too far from testability to be a hypothesis
Feminism and Post Feminism Theory
Views pop culture as a male-based culture women are seen as domestic, weak, etc -Post Feminist theory doesn't see the display of women's body as exploitation but eroticism is liberation