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