Media Studies Mid term

transmedia storytelling (mikos)

"the systematic planning of a story throughout different platforms" a kind of transmedia extension in all the media share the same "textual universe" -not just a recap, cast pic or making of vid but it builds on the story -ex: interactive websites that take place in the story world -ex: includes social media accounts attributed to the characters themselves -created with marketing in mind, points to the blurring of story telling and promotion -Star Wars universe has expanded to books, comics, videogames, and the mandalorian -transmedia storytelling (Mikos)= each is designed to "stand on its own" + contribute to the larger "story world" -esp useful w/ tv as the core text bc of its ongoing seriality -topdown model of content convergence= conglomerates use convergence to maximize profits -1 text tends to dominate and it is the only text that most ppl will consume ----------------------------------- -transmedia storytelling = story told on as many platforms as possible to attract audiences (mostly associated with television) -transmedia storytelling is a consequence of media convergence and multiplatform media environments -attempt to involve viewers via transmedia storytelling in a fragmented media market with a fragmented audience in creating a 360 degree experience -from a production point of view transmedia storytelling is the systematic planning of a story throughout different platforms -techniques of transmedia storytelling have increasingly evolved away from linear dramaturgy of suspense towards the immersive forms of an "art of world-building ", aesthetic design= more important to the narrative resources -to bridge the gap between 2 seasons producers often launch web series which are an extension of the serial world -transmedia storytelling = very important for viral marketing, the bridging of season gaps and the targeting of younger audiences -transmedia storytelling is the answer of producers and television channels to the increasing fragmentation of the market and of audiences ================================================================ ex: The star wars franchise demonstrates transmedia storytelling by extending Star Wars world beyond the franchise to books, comic books, video games, and the Disney plus series the mandalorian. )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Transmedia storytelling provides media makers with an effective tool adapt to the fragmentation of the market and of audiences.

serial

(tv narrative form) -made up of some of the most critically celebrated shows -same characters/dif situations -status quo changes each episode -accumulation of detail + history -ex: good place, hand maidens tail -open to revision (audiences don't like a plot line, drop it etc) -can demand a lot from viewers, must watch every episode ----------------------------- -the television's episode's serial antecedents (televisions episodes resemble Conan Doyle' Holmes stories or mystery novels) -serial unit as a container for plot, repetition+detective character -differ in that television episodes are more beholden to its accompanying cohort of episodes (no requirement of the rigidity episodic format and no implicit assumption of a part of being one) ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Despite television episode's same formate of 20, 40 or 1 hour long episodes the narrative form can vary dramatically and does not necessarily need to be intuitive. Additionally it is possible that some narrative forms work better with different technologies (ex: serial and streaming services)

popular culture

- a process not a thing or category -the use of media, the way it is understood, enjoyed, and made part of the life of an individual or the larger group they belong to -take for profit mass culture made for us and convert it into popular culture made by use -assembled from mass culture resources -doesn't mean it is derivative of mass culture -concerned w/ meaning at consumption not producer intentions -explores how ppl engage with mass culture in a variety of ways -the meaning making process turns mass culture into pop culture -pop culture analysis: examining how ppl use and understand media, interpretation, pleasure, sociability (media passions= a form of connection and sociality), contestation (pop culture is a site of struggle where various decodings compete with each other in the public arena of cultural conception) ----------------------------- -popular culture is more a culture of process than of products -the anxious elite used the word "popular" synonymously with ones like gross -anthropology extended culture beyond the elite works of art and opened up the space where pop culture could be studied -cultural studies accepts the accuracy of the diagnosis of forces with which popular culture had to cope but rejects the assumption that ppl have no resources of their own from which to derive their coping strategies, their resistances and their own culture -popular culture does exist in industrial societies even tho it may never be pure and authentic, for it is always made from cultural resources that are opposed to it, it is always contradictory and inscribed with traces of that which it is opposed -popular culture rejects preachiness and insists on determining its own uses of texts -popular selection is preformed not by universal aesthetic criteria of quality but by socially located criteria of relevance -popular culture is often excessive and frequently criticized by those who do not understand if for being "sensation". Excessiveness, sensationalism, and exaggeration are stylistic devices of contradiction and the contradictory is characteristic of popular culture -takes ideological norms and then exceeds them, magnifies them so that their normality is brought to our attention and is not allowed to continue its ideological work -the excess meaning becomes a resource that ppl can use to interrogate or contradict the normal -while individual texts may move more rapidly and freely around the cultural geography, the ways in which they are evaluated and used still differ significantly and still perform the function of distinguishing between high and popular culture -in popular culture the text is a cultural resource to be plundered or used in ways that are determined by the social interests of the reader/ user, not by the structure of the text itself or intentions of its author -popular culture is at least part due to the relevance of the text to the reader and relevance is produced by social interests of the reader not by the text or its author -the analysis of which potential meanings of a text are activated and which are regenerated and of the social position in which this activation/ rejection process occurs may be more speculative than the formalist analysis of the text and in and of itself but it is richer bc the object of analysis extends beyond the text to its conditions of use -analysis of popular culture needs "insider" readings that trace the intimacy between a reading and the social conditions in which it is performed (provides an instance of culture in process) -the popularity of a text consists only in its relations with its immediate social and historical conditions: popular texts cannot be transcendent -culture is ordinary and the ordinary is highly significant -the relationship between popular culture and the forces of commerce and profit is highly problematic and it is one of the themes that runs throughout this book -excorporation= the process by which the subordinate make their own culture out of the resources and commodities provide by the dominant system and this is central to popular culture for an industrial society by the system that subordinates them -the process of adopting the signs of resistance incorporates them into the dominant system and thus attempts to rob them of any oppositional meanings -can also be understood as a form of containment - a permitted and controlled gesture of dissent that acts as a safety valve and thus strengthens the dominant social order by demonstrating its ability to cope with dissenters or protestors by allowing them enough freedom to keep them relatively content, but not enough to threaten the stability of the system against which they are protesting -they paradoxically align themselves with the forces of domination, for, by ignoring the complexity and creativity by which the subordinate cope with the commodity system and its ideology in their everyday lives, the dominant underestimate and thus devalue the conflict and struggle entitled in constructing popular culture within a capitalist society -popular culture has celebrated it without situating it in a model of power, it has been a consensual model which viewed popular culture as a form of the ritual management of social differences out of which it produced a final harmony. It is a democratic version of elite humanism, which merely restates the cultural life of a nation in the population rather than the highbrow -another way has been to situate popular culture firmly within a model of power but to emphasize so strongly the forces of domination as to make it appear impossible for a genuine popular culture to exist at all -3rd way sees popular culture as a site of struggle, but while accepting the power of the forces of dominance it focuses rather upon the popular tactics by which these forces are coped with, are evaded or resisted -investigates that popular vitality and creativity that makes incorporation such a constant necessity

4 Ways of Constructing Reality TV (Kraszewski)

-4 production practice to shape reality tv and to make it engaging and support ideologies 1.) selecting participants (selected on the basis of diversity + their backgrounds+ their extroverted and open self-presentation), careful to select cast members who will clash 2.) overarching and mini narratives with their own beginning, middle and end 3.) location 4.) editing (tv crews film 100s of hrs and only create 14 episodes etc), insert lone confessionals, taped afterwards but recorded in present tense to enhance drama ---------------------------- The Real world MTV examples: -rural show participants= have a connection to their inferior whiteness which has more to do with their relationship to their parents and their views than their own bodies (MTV has always been anti parents) -decision to film in cities make the rural characters outsiders -editing positions rural conservatives as enactors of racism and urban liberals as decoders of it -mike and the 2 Julies are inferentially racist (not necessarily intending racism) statements -both after mike and Julie give racist statements they cut to interviews of the other roommates discussing how the statements are indeed racist -by including clips with characters judging if the statements were intentionally racist the show asserts racism as a problem of individual intention and if the roommates can get the rural conservatives to consciously change their opinions racism will be solved (grows this idea with narrative in all seasons the show foregrounds the friendship between a white rural conservative and a black urban liberal -by stretching the narrative with reunions etc the show foregrounds how racism can be solved by changing ur opinions -many reality tv shows hold extensive casting calls and pointedly choose specific types of ppl to represent reality on their shows and structure interpersonal conflicts and friendships thru serial narratives -all reality tv shows choose to film some actions and not other -thru casting, filming practices, editing and narrative strategies it suggests that racism is a phenomenon located within rural conservatives not liberals with an urban feel ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Reality tv, like news, is a series of mediated events as a result of careful selection of participants, overarching and mini narratives, editing and location thus it is a representation of events that may (or may even not) have happened.

squezzing vs stretching (Martin)

-adapting a text from one medium to another -squeezing into short form content -ex: novel to a movie -stretching into long form content: -ex: expand a movie to a tv series -add material to the story, descriptive richness -suspending the conclusion with additional obstacles + storytelling ----------------------------- -all narrative can be understood in terms of action and delay and the particular tensions generated by their interrelation (something needs to impede the flowing progression of the story and the character's goals in order to fill out the time of the tale and fully reveal its inner world -comes from Michael Snow's ideas of squeezing and stretching -tv does a lot fo stretching (13 reasons why= clunky example of stretching -network/ mosaic/prismatic narrative: a story with multiple characters and threads perhaps arranged non chronologically and told from various shifting view points -montage comparaisons of the story's diverse characters can only effectively happen once in a feature film but happen many times in tv ==================================================================== ex: stretching the novel 13 reasons why into a tv series ex: squeezing the a Harry Potter book into a movie )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: "Squeezing and stretching" allows media makers to hedge their bets on their productions success if they are adapting an already popular media text into another form.

textual approach to genre

-aka traditional approach to genres -content sharing conventions and codes -conventions= specific narrative elements (story) -ex: settings (westerns take place in frontier towns, scifi takes place in the future, alien worlds) -ex: character types (fam sitcom= bratty younger sibling, academic achievement kid, type a mom, dorky dad) -ex: plot (seen dif takes on the same story) -ex: ideology (particular values and beliefs can be associated with dif genres, scifi functions as utopian or dystopian takes on the implications of new or developing technologies, sitcoms= all problems can be solved within the fam household) -codes= modes of production external to narrative (style, part of the production outside the narrative, how the story is made) -ex: length -ex: visual style (crime dramas+ horror use low-key lighting to provide contrast and shadows) ex: lighting, --ex: camera use (hand held camera = news, reality tv) -ex: editing (music videos + action stories = fast pace editing style) -ex: audio style (type of musical accompaniment, includes nonmusical forms of sound design- laugh track or horror/ suspense sounds) ----------------------------- -questions of definition= looks to identify core elements that constitute a given genre by examining the text so as to delimit the formal mechanisms that are the essence of that genre -most examples of genre analysis consider genre primarily a textual attribute (misses treating genre as a component of a text -no uniform criteria for genre delineation (some texts can be "regenrified" as cultural contexts shift thus it is problematic to look for generic definitions within the confines of the text ================================================================= ex: Heredity is a horror film because it uses low-key lighting, and horror and suspense sounds )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Textual clues help to delineate the boundary lines of genre.

Media +literacy

-all media is a text that can be read for meaning -a song, movie, video game etc are a text -we can also classify watching a movie as reading it etc -we learn media skills thru literacy: a film is made up of 100s of shots, film makers edit for ellipses ( they cut out the boring stuff) -this isn't intuitive, we learn this, framing this as literacy helps underscore the importance of media education beyond the written word -reading always requires active attention, media consumption is always active bc we are always reading the text for meaning (also the media literacy consumer strategy = higher expectations for a return on the resources they expend, those who don't have weak personal locus= settle for little in exchanges bc it requires to much effort to become a better player in the economic game ) ================================================================== ex: The media text Euphoria can be read for meaning, an example of a potential meaning could be Euphoria revels the mature complex issues contemporary young people must grapple with as a result of technology and social media ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Media literacy highlights the importance of media education beyond the written word as we use media representations to understand the world around us and media literacy isn't intuitive, it is a learned skill.

authenticity and symbolic resources (sobande)

-celebs can provide "symbolic resource" (aka relevant fantasies that reinforce dominant norms or challenge them) -but: they can face "discipling" public ridicule for doing so -case study: viola Davis's performance of blackness, naturalness. and femininity, ex: Davis removes her wig on HTGAWM -celebs claiming their marginalized identity is a way of authenticity -so : celebs can embrace their marginalized identity to communicate authenticity -intermingeling of celebrity having a cultural meaning and economic product (each informs the other) ---------------------------- -blackness is intended to capture perceptions of the inauthentic and inadequacy of a celebrity's discernible blackness underscoring how perception of race are often caught up with asthetic appearance -tweets that relate Washington in scandal to falseness but Davis in HTGAWM to authenticity exposes how assessments of authenticity and reliability of famous black women are influenced by interracial as well as interracial celebrity dynamics -authenticating and relational activity may be played out as part of public comparisons between the radicalized femininity and embodiment of famous black women -celebrities= symbolic resources= spectators negotiate conventions concerning identity -the portrayal and pursuit of authentic celebrity is "particularly demonstrated through the blurring of the public and private selves" ================================================================= ex: viola davis is an authentic celebrity (deemed by the removal of her wig in HTGAWM) and therefore provide symbolic resources to her fans, who too may want to wear their natural and feel confident about it. ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: A celebrity's ability to provide symbolic resources hinges on their authenticity, if celebrities are perceived as inauthentic it is much more difficult for audience members to gain the confidence to follow their example.

pop culture and immediacy

-critics complain pop culture is "throw away" -not like the works of "high culture" they are not meant to be transcendent -but: tied to the immediate social conditions (the here and now ) -so : represents immediate values and concerns ----------------------------- -high culture texts are valued for their ability to transcend their immediate and therefore limiting social conditions -the popularity of a text consists only in its reexcorporationlations with its immediate social and historical conditions: popular texts cannot be transcendent -culture is ordinary and the ordinary is highly significant -studying high culture gives value to the concept of distance, being an ideal/ universal reader -analysis of popular culture needs "insider" readings that trace the intimacy between a reading and the social conditions in which it is performed (provides an instance of culture in process)

news + how it is shaped

-croto Haynes reading -the result of routines that become formalized into professional norms -goal: newsworthy + objectivity -shaped by social processes ($$, deadlines, experts used, creator bias etc) no fully objective representations of media -shaped by codes and conventions (visual style, music, character types, setting etc) -so news is constructed to feel objective + newsworthy -helps us recognize that -ppl try to make their news look and sound newsworthy and objective -dif ppl with dif view points trust dif news sources but are likely to believe their fav news to be the most objective -not all news sources understand newsworthiness + objectivity but in general these values are widely shared and news creators monitor others for this ----------------------------- -journalist= gatekeepers to make judgments about what is newsworthy and provide factual accounts -journalists must generate content regardless of what did or didn't happen that day -news organizations must anticipate where news will happen -before it happens and structure their reporters accordingly (same basic routines = professional norms, done by all news outlets, make it difficult to see that the judgement about newsworthiness was passed at all -news organizations casts nets (of wire services, full-time reported, stringers) to catch what is happening (have staff or bureaus in an important location ex: Washington DC) -establish "beats" at prominent organizations (Bc vast terrain to cover they develop "rounds" (a process by which beat reporters develop schedules for visiting locations and talking to sources that are likely to produce news) -routine reliance on official sources = outsiders have a difficult time gaining entry to news -focus on the event at the expense of the processes -growth of augmented journalism= questions about journalistic transparency (algorithm produced news stories) -central position of objectivity in American journalism is taken for granted (news doesn't always live ups to this expectation) -journalists trained in objectivity (6 key practices) 1. maintaining political neutrality 2. observing prevailing standards of decency and good taste 3. using documentary reporting practices, which rely on physical evidence 4. using standardized formats to package the news 5. training reporters as generalists instead of specialists 6. using editorial review to enforce these methods -objectivity = a set of routine journalistic practices (shows why all news coverage is pretty much the same) -newsworthiness is not inherent, it is social constructed by journalists -news= the product of a social process thru which media personnel make decisions about what is newsworthy and what is not, about who is important and who is not and about what views are to be included and what views can be dismissed (those with enormous power= given lots of media visibility and others are ignored) -alternative media= seek to challenge objectivity and impartiality from both an ethical and political stand point (ex: progressive muckraking, tradition based fact reporting aimed at exposing a social ill or wrong doing that is being ignored by mainstream media) -news media production = the result of a series of conventions (incorporate fundamental professional norms (eg objectivity) and basic organizational goals (eg. gathering news)) =============================================================== -ex: News coverage of Hurricane Katrina relied on racial stereotypes to villainize black victims of the storm as violent and looters ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: News, like any other media event is mediated and therefore is not an objective reality but a representation that can never fully achieve objectivity.

problematizing the textual approach

-determining genre is based on a mix of codes and conventions -but based on a select dif ( some codes and conventions are more important than others in determining a certain genre) -ex: rebel character type can't determine a genre alone -ex: space/ future settings can determine scifi genre -ex: setting is less important in comedies and romances -so no system for what diffs demand a new category -thus some shared categories matter, others don't -this means: genres aren't textually self evident ----------------------------- -genre is the product of : industry and its production practices, the audience and their expectations and competencies; the text in its contribution to genre asa whole (for the industry their is enormous market pressure to repeat successful versions of genres) -genre is dependent on intertextuality therefore it cannot be an inherently textual component (need to look outside the texts to locate the range of sites in which genres operate, change, proliferate and die out -generic categories are intertextual and hence operate more broadly than within the bounded realm of a media text (genre's exist only thru the creation, circulation and reception of texts with cultural contexts) -must analyze a genre before we can analyze a text in the name of analyzing genre ============================================================ ex: We don't think of Rick and Morty as sci-fi or the Simpsons as a fam sit com because despite their shared codes and conventions, animation is more central to how we view genre. ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Because certain genre's codes and conventions hold more weight than others we must examine genre through many more factors such as industry and its production practices, the audience and the how the text fits with other works in the same genre.

criticisms of the Frankfurt school

-elitist deference of high culture: suspicion and contempt for culture enjoyed by vast swaths of the population -sweeping generalizations re: production, it is rly useful to treat the culture industry as a single apparatus, but specificity and nuances are lost -greater media choice today: including media made for noncommercial purposes (although the platform of this media is likely commercial in nature) -failure (most media endeavors fail to earn a return on their investment ), audiences are discerning but not in the way the Frankfort school imagines -innovation: media makers attract audiences with similarities and new things -actual audience interpretation: postulate audience meaning making, rather than exploring how audiences construct media thru interviews surveys etc. ----------------------------- -much of the frankfurt school's arguments are extremely valid -but much of the approach rests on a belief that the essential condition of humanity revolves around a particular vision of individual self-determination and creativity -we cannot accept the frankfurt school theorists' critique of capitalism in its entirety unless we are sure about their understanding of how human life should be -frankfurt school's dismissal of mass culture was prob over generalized at the time and would certainly be now -frankfurt scholars underestimate the possibility that the pursuit of profit might in certain circumstances encourage innovation and difference -no analysis of how the institutions that produce and distribute culture actually work -no evidence for the claims about the negative impact of mass culture on audiences -their certainty about the universally passifying impacts of mass culture sits uncomfortably with the ability they bestow on themselves to criticize it

embarrasmsent and quality (Fiske)

-embarrassment occurs when social norms/ Structuring social relations are distributed, -of being too real -noncompliant wives felt embarrassed when they spoke about how their relationships with their husbands did not reflect the dominant relations -including: taste hierarchies as "legitimate" and "illegitimate" -guilty pleasures, we might feel shame bc such media is held in low esteem according to critics, industry and audiences -taste hierarchies are gendered, stories by for about men tend to be higher, -and: overcoming embarrassment can challenge and change culture, confronts rather than conforms to taste hierarchies -we can still differentiate media as good or bad but we should not take taste hierarchies too seriously -should be rly critical in our examination and should be critical of who gets to claim what media is good and what media is bad -on quality: who has the power to decide? whose tastes are marginalized? ---------------------------- embarrassment and the new newlyweds show 1. embarrassment at admitting to watching the show 2. embarrassment of the couples, particularly the men on the show 3. embarrassment experienced by the "real life" couples infant of the screen when they played the game themselves -embarrassment occurs at the point of conflict between the prescriptive norm and the desire to challenge it, between the conventional and the subversive, the dominant and the subordinate (embarrassment occurs when what we feel is in our interests or for our pleasure conflicts with the dominant norms that we have internalized

criticisms of encoding/decoding

-few completely hegemonic or oppositional decoding -better to think of it as a spectrum -works better for overtly ideological texts over ambivalent/ ambiguous ones -doesn't recognize multiple motivations behind production/ encoding -media= often the product of many contributors that bring their own perspective meanings -needs to link decoding back to encoding to show how interpretations shape the encoding process ================================================================ ex: One writer may interpret the show sex in the city as a relevant fantasy for modern urban women who fill roles besides mothers and wives with grace and another writer may interpret the show sex in the city as a way for women to escape into their of girlish, fantasies about shoes and glamorous city life. )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Criticism of the encoding and decoding model illustrate that it is not a perfect conception of how meanings come to be associated with media.

"splitting" (hall)

-fix boundaries between social groups 1. creates diff and fix boundaries (gender, race, sexuality, religion, or political beliefs are reductive categories bc identity is complex) -assigns binary categories that ppl don't fit in (this is an act of power) 2. Us vs. them (normal/ mainstream vs abnormal/ alternative) -media stories in which we are meant to identify with the normal protagonist -must gawk at, dislike, feel sympathy for the others -goal: maintain "social order" through reinforcing power inequalities -hegemonic fortifies the interest of those in power ---------------------------- -stereotyping deploys a strategy of "splitting" divides the normal and acceptable form the abnormal and unacceptable. Then excludes or expels everything which does not fit, which is different

implications of content convergence

-for the industry: collect fragmented audiences thru many outlets -for media makers: more outlets or material opportunities for $$$ -tv shows don't live or die by their tv ratings alone -content convergence= greater amount of metrics to calculate success -for audiences= individualized consumption -timeshifting (incl. rewatching and binging) encouraged by content convergence -don't have to wait until reruns t see ur fav episode -faciliitates place shifting (incl. mobile consumption) -opens up access to older shows -greater content variety (incl. older content) -tradeoff 1 cable subscription = all you could need but now viewers must navigate where to watch their shows -many ppl use tv to watch movies, their computers to watch tv and their phone like a computer =================================================================== example: I can now watch the entirety of Grey's Anatomy (a show originally aired on cable television) on my phone with the Netflix app and this provides additional revenue for the media makers who produced Grey's Anatomy by selling Netflix the right to feature the show on their streaming service. )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Convergence allows for restructuring of both the way media is consumed via technological convergence allowing for mobile consumption and consumption of a variety of media with a variety of different technologies and also economically content convergence allows the media industry to adapt to the fragmentation of audiences.

industrial utility of genre

-genre organizes production (ex: abc organizes itself based on genre, Sony music has genre related labels dedicated to classical country dance etc) -genre is a label to manage consumer interest, an attempt to manufacture success by offering the familiar, not enough that a media text conforms to that genre, the business needs to communicate this thru promotion -ex: music, posters, ads trailers -the images, graphics, slogans and font all work in conjunction to convey the text genre -so genre is a contract between producers and audiences -use genre to suit our moods at the moment and audiences can feel disappointed or deceived if they find their version doesn't match the genre promoted ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( Significance: Genre serves an industrial purpose, it provides more than just a label for people to describe what they like but also a way of organizing production and hedging the success of a media text.

economics of celebrity

-goal: encourage consumers to buy a new product by offering something familiar and appealing (make profits more predictable) -labor to develop celebrities in every media form (film, television etc) -prolifieration of celebrity bc: -increasing their visibility (if you draw higher audiences, you are likely to earn more) -media companies want to promote their products using celeb marketability -other media also rely on celebrity to generate $$$ (ex: magazines, social media, tv, chat sites etc) -celebrities are everywhere it would be difficult to imagine media without them but they are also cultural experiences too ================================================================= ex: By casting Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Margot Robbie in once upon a time in Hollywood Producers attempt to draw more audiences to see the show ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significane: Celebrity, like genre, can help to increase the likely hood of market success of a media text

mass culture

-industrialized media produced by the culture industry -not from the masses, for the masses -a top down approach -mass culture is manufactured for proletariat consumers by and for the cultural and financial benefit of the bourgeois -refies audiences (turns them into objects --------------------------- -frankfurt school's dismissal of mass culture was prob over generalized at the time and would be now -frankfurt scholars underestimate the possibility that the pursuit of profit might in certain circumstances encourage innovation and difference -no analysis of how the institutions that produce and distribute culture actually work -no evidence for the claims about the negative impact of mass culture on audiences -there certainty about universally pacifying impacts of mass culture sits uncomfortably with the ability they bestow on themselves to criticize it -mass culture produces cultural commodities, high culture produces artworks or texts

excorporation/ incorporation (fiske)

-mass culture and pop culture feed of each other and use one another as resources to build off of -excorporation = PC scans MC for resources it can appropriate -incorporation= MC scans PC for tastes/ interest it can commodify ----------------------------- -excorporation= the process by which the subordinate make their own culture out of the resources and commodities provided by the dominant system and this is central to popular culture, for an industrial society the only resources from which the subordinate can make their own subcultures are those provided by the system that subordinates them -popular vitality and creativity makes incorporation such a constant necessity

mass media industrialization

-media is manufactured like other industrialized commodities -standardization= assembly-line production -7 rings had 10 song writers and 5 producers -assembly line labor stamps out standardized products with the same codes, conventions and formulas -social cement = "psychic adjustment" to the needs of captalism to make us "emotionally obedient" -7 rings and pop songs like it help us be happy little workers, can also be read into her celebration of luxury goods as encouragement of consumption + music vid encourages a very narrow view of femininity -anesthetizes us while it enforces consumerism and dominant ideology -provides just enough mindless diversion to keep us toiling away -bury a friend by billie Elish: appears opposite of grande, home produced, rather dif performance identity, fans could lash onto elish as a rejection of pop stars such as Ariana grande -grande is signed to republic records, billie Elish is signed to interscope records, both of which are owned by universal music group -serve the same commercial purpose, earning a profit for the same parent company -social cement = "psychic adjustment" to the needs of capitalism to make us "emotionally obedient" ------------------------------structural standardisation aims at standard reactions -popular music production is only industrial in its promotion and distribution (highly centralized in its economic organization but still individualistic in its mode of social production -popular music started as a highly competitive process in which songs imitated elements of hit songs, culminated in the crystallization of standards, under the centralized conditions of today these standards become frozen -pseudo individualization= imperative to hide standardization in the sphere of luxury production, endowing cultural mass production with the halo of free choice or open market on the basis of standardization itself, keeps customers in line by making them forget that what they listen to is already listened to for them or "pre-digested" -labelling technique= pseudo individualism but of a sociological kind, outside the realm of strict musical technology

mirror perspective

-media reflects reality -beleive: media mirror major social changes -ex: what euphoria tells us about the modern teenager -ex: what the real house wives tell us about affluence -ex: ppl watch violent content bc it is what they want to see -can also apply to audience practices -crticis say it is: -media maker agency (media makers have something to say) -the selective process of production (only green light some projects bc it suits their goals/ beliefs) -the reasons why ppl consume media (we all consume media for our own unique reasons) -different audience interpretations ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance = The Dystopian, Utopian and Mirror perspective all illustrate various common lenses through which people view media.

dystopian perspective

-medium/ genre/ practice is bad or it was good but getting worse -ex: tv is bad bc it is a passive activity -ex: tv used to be good bc it was a mass consumption experience but now it is fragmented -might focus on a particular media genre -ex: reality tv is bad bc it promotes anti social behavior -belief: the object of their critique is passive + addictive -they might also argue that the subject of their critic is exploitative and formulaic -can label media (specifically ad supported media) consumerist -thus: the media they target is directly harmful to society -see media as social ills that must be confronted -critics say: totalizing? is it all bad -claims to be nostalgic, media was good when they were younger (longing for a past that never existed) -elitist= some praise the media they enjoy and criticize other media -assumes passive consumption but consumption is always active bc ppl are interpreting, comparing, and accepting and rejecting these messages ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance = The Dystopian, Utopian and Mirror perspective all illustrate various common lenses through which people view media.

maximizing profit vs. market share

-more about quarterly earnings and yearly growth 1.) maximizing profit= increasing revenue -economies of scope (making a movie available to as many audiences as the studio can reach) -international markets -overproduction (success offset failures), most media ventures fail so those that do generate profit need to offset their own costs and all other failed commissions -economies of scale (the cost of making a product decreases w/ the # of units sold) -goal= sell as many copies possible -in media almost all the total cost goes into making the first product and subsequent copies can be made at little to no cost 2. market share = the percentage of a market held by a specific company -companies want to increase their market share -disney has a market share of 38% of movies -tracks how well a company does to its competitors -if you have made more money but ur market share decreased it means that ur competitors are better at taking advantage of a strong yr than u are -it could also be a bad yr in general but if ur market share increases, you are still doing better than ur competitors ----------------------------- ROR (return on revenues)= company's total revenue (total income) -expenses (total cost)/ revenue ROA (return on assets) = profit/ amount invested in the business -average ROA of american businesses fluctuate between 10-12% but in general media businesses exhibit higher returns -monopolistic competition (bc each firm is large relative to the size of the market for its products+ high barriers to entry) -all products are relatively indistinguishable, that is the messages are very similar but not identical (the key to this competition is making consumers believe that ur product is different from others, compete on product images instead of product features, advertising is so important bc it gets ppl to look beyond the product features to consider product images as well as psychological advantages of the product)

criticisms of pop culture analysis

-populist celebration (romanticizes audience resistance, but what about the little ways we internalize dominant hegemonic meanings) -PC spreads harmful ideas too (gossip, memes, hashtags, and parodies can also spread harmful ideas) -validates dominant/ commercial interest (overemphasizing the meaning lets the culture industry off the hook) -audiences can be active but that doesn't mean they're powerful, ppl outside of mass media can only respond they cannot reach the audiences that mainstream media can ----------------------------- 1. way of studying popular culture has celebrated it without situating it in a model of power, it has been a consensual model which viewed popular culture as a form of the ritual management of social differences out of which it produced a final harmony. it is a democratic version of elite humanism, which merely restates the cultural life of a nation in the population rather than the highbrow 2. situate popular culture firmly within a model of power but to emphasize so strongly the forces of domination as to make it appear impossible for a genuine popular culture to exist at all

multicultural representation

-portrayal of cultural differences within a group -multiplicity of characters, realities and contests -no single character can stand in for a whole group or experience -more characters= less weight of a single representation, tend to be rare in the US, alternative media can work to rectify this

texts as polysemic

-ppl differ in their interpretations of the same text -polysemic= media texts can be interpreted in dif ways -so audiences are active participants in interpreting messages -still many ppl in a culture share many experiences and beliefs therefore some shared meanings are more widely recognized than others -will always be dif interpretations ----------------------------------- -Hall says each stage in the 4 stage theory of communication is relatively autonomous which allows him to argue that polysemy is not the same as pluralism: the messages are not open to any interpretation whatsoever- just bc each stage in the circuit limits possibilities in the next ================================================================= ex: One could interpret the Netflix series 13 reasons why as glorifying teen suicide, while others can interpret it as a close to realistic depiction of the things many modern teens face as a way to spark conversations about mental health. ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Media is not confined to just one interpretation, rather people's different experiences and beliefs facilitate many interpretations of media, thus the meaning of a media text can always be contested.

genre innovation

-problem of generic repetition = bore the audience -so genres mutate by injecting dif -genre is the interplay between imitation and innovation -immitation = follow established genre codes and conventions -innovation = deviate from genre codes and conventions -result: predictability +surprise -ex: fam sit comes (all used to be based on home and fam but in early 1970s producers imitated the sit com by applying the sitcom formula to the work place, also came to be built around friends over time) -sit comes used to be shot in front of live audiences or with a laugh track, overtime these began shot on location with a single camera and no laugh track -multicamera sitcoms making a come back -they both coexist ----------------------------- -genres evolve through a classical stage to a self-conscious parody of the classics to a period where films contest the proposition that they are part of a genre and finally to a critique of the genre itself (ex: western) -bc genre's don't stem from a central source, genre history needs to be looked at as a fluid and active process -genre histories should be written using discursive genealogies )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Genre's are not fixed categories onto which we must place media texts inside but rather media texts shape the definitions of different genres.

cultural studies +methods

-professor advocates for a cultural studies approach to media studies -if you adhere to utopian/ dystopian = media changes society -if you adhere to mirror= society changes media -cultural studies unites these and recognizes how culture and media are linked together -media change society+ society changes media studies -extends to the arena of poltics legislation, regulation -calls for an interpretive approach to media rather than via scientific data gathering -effects research is still valuable but we are not exploring it -cutural studies methods: -textual analysis= a close reading and analysis of the text -audience studies = (reception studies) study reception rather than the text/ look for everyday interpretations and pleasures -political economy= examine the relationship btw industrial media power and politics ----------------------------------- -cultural studies= how ppl make meaning and understand reality and order experience using cultural symbols that appear in media: how subtly mass communication is shaped by history, politics and economies + relationships between elite individuals and groups in government + how media sustains their authority and sometimes challenges their power -early developments in cultural studies research = always favored the interpretive rather than the scientific approaches (built on work of Karl max and Antonio Gramsci who examined how popular culture and sports distract ppl from redressing social injustices), Frankfurt school contended that historical and cultural approaches were necessary to study media) -conducting cultural studies research: focuses on the daily life, especially issues of race, gender, class and sexuality; major approaches = textual analysis, audience studies and political economy studies -cultural studies reminds us that representations are not reality ================================================================== A cultural studies method of the show the New Newly weds examines not only the text (the show itself) and the various narratives it presents each episode but also examines audience practices as Fiske does by analyzing the letters and phone calls from audience members and political economy studies which Fiske articulates by outlining how the show works to reinforce patriarchal norms that benefit the powerful media makers who produce the show ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( Significance: The cultural studies method addresses the criticisms in the utopian, dystopian and mirror perspectives of media and provides a frame work of textual studies, audience studies and political economy studies to fully discern the effects of media.

blurring boundaries between tv and film

-programming/ consumption: -scheduling/watching movies on tv -there are movies on tv (not new) -can be made for TV movies -or movies that premiered in theaters -new forms of tv content distribtion have always relied on them -talent (film actors and directors making tv shows): -increased flexibility in format and scheduling makes it easier for top directors to commit to both movies and tv -shortened seasons + limited series open up schedules -use television to experiment with long form storytelling and engaging audiences -media makers + critics have awarded lots of prestige to media during this time -stories (movies rebooted as TV shows): -film based franchises extending into movies (ex: the mandalorian) -storytelling (films structured as tv episodes) : tv like narrative plateau -netflix released hateful 8 by Quinten Tarantino into a 4 part series ----------------------------- -blade runner, sicario day of the sold ado, twin peaks: the return and true detective are among recent films and tv shows whose narrative have become more mosaic like in their structure, a rewarding if sometimes frustrating experience ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: As a result of content convergence and streaming services there no longer exists a sharp line between tv and film as many recent films and tv shows feature a more mosaic narrative. Will this boundary continue to blur particularly as blockbuster movies become consumed at home during the pandemic and more people forgo cable television in favor of streaming services?

impact of mass culture

-promotes conformity in taste and thinking -mindless stimulation (a means of escape from the soul sucking labor) -promotes artificial concerns (instead of getting involved in politics we r obsessed with the insanities of media) -leisure time becomes commodified (we are not part of the community around us, we are not educating ourselves, we are not engaging politically) -no sense of community/ collectivity (this is the goal according to the Frankfurt school to keep us alone as individuals but also as part of a mass of consumers) -we are in our own little boxes consuming content from the culture industry to fatten its wallet

Media + everyday life

-source of pleasure and routine -we use some media to stay connected or informed but we derive pleasure from some -tools for learning + interpretation - a form of connection and social currency (we might consume to be part of a cultural convo) -can be used as a topic of convo -an expense paid for in $$ or time or info ================================================================== ex: Many Americans end their day by watching television such as stranger things or many others, which gives them a point of connection with others and a topic of conversation, as they can discuss the events of this season around the dinner table or in passing with peers, colleagues or acquaintances )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Media is central to everyday life, and therefore Media studies is essential to unpack the purposes media serves, unanticipated consequences of media and generally analyze this thing that we devote a great amount of time to in our everyday life.

star text and its 4 components

-stars = characters in a film but we also recognize them beyond their roles -star text= the sum of everything we affiliate with them -overarching an shifting 1. body of work (ex: the roles they play or discography(all of a performers or composers recordings)) 2. Promotion= authorize and calculate image construction, an attempt to install within the audience a specific understanding of stars and their qualities 3. publicity= generated by press etc, outside direct control -independently generated by the press and other media -incl. news stories paparazzi photos etc -danger of portrayal in a negative light but necessary bc it is more authentic 4. audience practices (incl. the general public, fans and anti fans) -helps us recognize how ppl understand and use celebrity as part of their everyday lives and media consumption ============================================================== ex: Billie Ellish's star text is constructed through the sum of all her music, her social media, the press about her and her fans dedication (or other's general disinterest/ dislike). ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Star text illustrates how people themselves can become a media text that disseminates meaning.

encoding vs decoding (hall)

-stuart hall's encoding and decoding model argues that there are 2 distinct process going on -based in communications but incredibly useful in examining media power and culture -program as meaningful discourse = circulating cultural convo about a topic -applies to any media text that addresses the issue -all media are constructions representing a specific world view -code = a system of communications learned culturally -thru codes that media makers construct their messages -texts are encoded with meaning -understanding codes depends on media literacies and cultural knowledge (" codebooks") -lacking these leads to dif decodings -Hall's article was encoded with jargon and we don't have the cultural knowledge therefore we probably had a difficult time decoding hall's article -emojis': upside down happy face= barely holding it together -hall discuses 3 media literacies and cultural knowledge meaning structures: technical infrastructures (production: cameras, consumption: what u need to access the text, computer etc) relations to production (production: industry economics, consumption: audiences socio economic position in society and the acmes this provides) frameworks of knowledge (production: knowledge of constructing stories, consumption: understanding media storytelling) -encoding: media makers encode the text with preferred meanings: dominant ideology perpetuates the meaning of the powerful, status of producers link them with the powerful, dominant ideology shared by most of the world, thus also they use this -decoding: audiences can use their own frameworks of knowledge, relations of production and tech infrastructure to decode a text's meaning -these can differentiate from the media maker's meanings -dominant-hegemonic= accepts preferred meaning -oppositional= rejects preferred meaning for an alternative one -NY times ad= hegemonic comment= said NY Times= best for accurate reporting -one user claimed that the times is not independent bc of its corporate interests -negotiated = someone who argues that The NY Times is usually objective with exceptions to its political/ corporate interests -bachelor preferred meaning : 25 available women and 1 single man all looking or love, those who agree fall in line with the dominant hegemonic coding -oppositional = road to true love= outdate social norms (excludes minority contestants) -negotiated = the cast is there to find love but also play the game and build their profiles -crazy rich asians : director says = wanted to present Chinese characters outside of tired Hollywood stereotypes (widely celebrated), others disagreed with the preferred meaning, oppositional decoding= argued that the presentation was too narrow -negotiated= mixed messages about the films representation ---------------------------------------------------- -encoding and decoding= while relatively autonomous in relation to the communicative process are determinant moments -meanings not always decoded as they are encoded (not always perfectly symmetrical) : depends on the symmetry between the encoder-producer and the decoder-reciever -dominant hegemonic position= when a viewer decodes the message in terms of the reference code in which it has been encoded -professional code= position professional broadcasters assume when encoding a message that has already been signified in a hegemonic manner -3: hypothetical positions from which decodings of a television discourse may be constructed: 1. decodings do not follow inevitable from encodings 2.) negotiated code= priveledged position to the dominant definition but negotiate application to local conditions (corporate meanings) 3.) oppositional code= detotalizes the message in the preferred code in order to retotlaize the whole message in a globally contrary way -encoding side: -technical infrastructure= cameras studios, editing suits etc -relations of production = economics of broadcasting, and questions of ownership -framworks of knowledge = such as editing, camera angles, music and length -decoding side: -technical infrastructure = access to television or equivalent -relations of production= questions of general access, tied to social relationships (such as class, gender, and ethnicity) -frameworks of knowledge = background info, story recognition, level of education and understanding genre )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Hall's encoding and decoding model speaks to the polysemy of media texts and illustrates how the meaning of a media text can always be contested because of the asymmetry between producers and audiences.

discursive approach to genre (mittell)

-textual approach is insufficient, can't treat media as operating independently of industry and culture -genre is the result of conscious design and subject evolution -mitell advocates for us to treat genre's as a discursive category -discursive approach to genre (mitel): -genres determined by culture discourse (common shared understandings) -genre= a category "agreed upon" by industry +critics+ audiences -approach + not determining codes and conventions but how the genre is understood through discourse -genre is based on they address -kids movies and chick flicks (can't be determined based on just text alone) instead we understand these based on how it is understood by producers, critics or audiences -animation (so central to how we think about genre that we don't think of the Simpsons as a fam sitcom or rick and morty as scifi but we lump them all not the category of animation as a result of popular discourse) -discourse shaped thru how a genre is defined interpreted + evaluated -ex: soaps vs. "prestige dramas" = textually very similar 1 hr long dramas focus on fam and have cliff hangers -dif genres bc the industry + audience are evaluated dif -soaps are evaluated as low brow and for women -goal: not only show genres evolve but also why, places genre in the context of culture industry and audience practices ----------------------------- -genres= discursive practices, we are able to examine the ways in which various forms of communication work to constitute generic definitions and meanings (emerges out of poststructuralist theories ), genre is a factor of discourse that is neither intrinsic nor essential to texts -to examine generic discourses= analyze the contextualized generic practices that circulate around and thru texts: -ex: definition: this show is a sit com bc it has a laugh track -ex: interpretation: sitcoms reflect and reinforces the status quo -ex: evaluation: sitcoms are better entertainment than soap operas -the discursive enunciations that link texts= the site and material for genre analysis (should focus on the breadth of discursive enunciations around any given instance, mapping out as many articulations of genre as possible and situating them within larger cultural contexts and relations of power, suggests a more large -scale patterns of generic definitions meanings and hierarchies -bc genre's don't stem from a central source, genre history needs to be looked at as a fluid and active process -approach that synthesizes previous accounts of generic processes so as to offer a model specifically for the study of television genres, while presenting theoretical notions that might be useful in the study of other media as well -genre's work in discursive clusters= certain definitions and meanings come together at any given time to suggest a coherent and clear genre ( the clusters are contingent and transitory, at a given moment a genre might be stable, static and bounded but operate differently in another historical or cultural context, genres are both fluid and static) )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: The discursive approach to genre provides a solution to the problematized textual approach to genre.

the culture industry

-the commercial producers of mass culture -motivated by : maximize return on investment, and also reinforce the dominant ideology thru media -product: spectacle, diversion, consumerism instead of communication and enlightenment -keeps the public at a state of juvenile interests -feeds audiences worst impulses thru instant gratification -result: mass produced entertainment alienates and stunts the working class, media don't serve the purpose of education and uplift, they distract us as our democratic freedoms are taken away ----------------------------- -"the culture industry" = according to Adorno and Horkheimer, like everything else, human expression and creativity had been subsumed into the capitalist logic and surrendered to its relentless process of instrumentality and rationalization -art represented everything important about human subjectivity but under captalism art becomes a mass commodity -the result of standardization according to Adorno is the inducement of mindless modes of listening, dominated by enslavement to rhythm or escapist forms of emotional identification (also occurs in movies etc other media) -the Frankfurt school's contention then is that media and culture have been incorporated into an all-encompassing socio-economic system dominated by instrumentalism, rationality and objectification -the culture industry acts as a conduit for the incorporation of the masses themselves into the system and helps bring about an apparent end to any realistic prospect of mass opposition

utopian perspective

-the medium/ practice is good or it was bad but its getting better -ex: television used to be bad bc there weren't options but now there is more choices -can also celebrate audience practices too -ex: fans live tweeting shows= media consumption is active expereiences -beliefs: if you find it objectionable there is something else -it can act as a an informational an edu sources -tv can teach thru news, documentaries and fictional -it is a window to new experiences -new stories capable of opening our eyes and fostering empathy -don't deny there is bad stuff, but argue the multiplicity of choice and view point -critics say it is : -dismissive of social harm -ignores commercial interests: is there rly something for everyone -some audiences are more desirable to advertisers and therefore media is made for them (18-49 yr old) -ignores production hierarchies -myth of progress (progress is uneven, less black characters from 2005-2017 on broad cast television) )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance = The Dystopian, Utopian and Mirror perspective all illustrate various common lenses through which people view media.

the real world utility + narrative (Kraszewski)

-the real world is constructed in its industrial utility + narrative -industrial utility = expand orig. production using cheap reality tv, helped to schedule regular content -narrative: respond to charges of racial exclusion and promote liberal values: -to repair MTV's reputation after excluding black artists -blames racism on rural individuals (according to the show's narrative racism can be solved by changing the opinions of others) -absolved blame, and encouraged audience members to think of themselves as great liberals (ignores systemic racism + liberal racism) -so: the construction of reality tv helps construct our beliefs and values -the show paid close attention to urban liberal + rural conservative friendships -location= city ----------------------------- -MTV initially didn't air black music videos but eventually conceded bc of economic fears -had liberal spectacles that helped MTV regiment a standardized scheduling and redefine itself less as an around the clock video jukebox -the Real world= part of MTV's explicit efforts to create a routine schedule, promote liberal values and amend its previous charges of racism ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: The Real World allowed MTV to not only develop its own (cheaply produced as a result of it being reality tv) content for regular programing it also served a narrative function of absolving MTV of its previous racist charges by harping on ideological racism and therefore masking the forces of institutional racism. This is an example of Media serving a hegemonic purpose.

unauthorized content convergence

-unauthorized bc they are outside fo the official production -content convergence "piracy", transmedia extensions as fan practice, transmedia storytelling as fan fiction =============================================================== ex: a Harry Potter fan fiction novel on wattpad )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Unauthorized content convergence demonstrates how with advancement of technology fans have a greater agency in the construction of their favorite pieces of media in the minds of the public.

structuring social relations (fiske)

-value systems to which we understand and orient -social norms that guide individual social relationships -what we learn about ppl in a society influences but doesn't totally determine how we interact with ppl on an interpersonal level -grants power to some groups over others, not all relationships conform to this standard but not any are completely free from this, -ex: new newly wed game , compliant wives perform subservience to their husband and therefore replicate the cultural norms of the dominant ideology, -official winners vs popular winners: noncompliant women's answers challenge the structural relations that privilege male dominance , these women breach dominant social norms when they laugh at the noncompliant women's answers, but these can be contested in the space between social norms and their particular application ---------------------------- -the structuring social relations provide us with preformed frameworks of meaning or ways of making sense of our social experience, that they equip us with value systems by which to orient ourselves toward the events of our everyday lives -there is a space between determining social relations and ppl's attempts to control their own identity's and relationships

maximizing investment capital vs sunk cost

1. maximizing investment capital: the more money you invest in a project, the greater likelihood of the success, throw money at the movie, hire the best ppl and spend lots of money promoting it, favors large corporations with more available capital 2. but can lead to the "sunk cost fallacy": the more $ and time you put in a project then the less likely u are to walk away from it even if it will fall (3. rationalizing the consumption process= hedge the likelihood of success by using proven tactics: a. celebrity brand power to increase interest in a product b. genre, as a label to present the new text as familiar c. narrative structures d. adaptations/ remakes (benefits from pre-awareness, fans of the adapted work are already interested in its adaptations) e. sequels/ francises (also examples of pre-awareness, the highest top 11 box office for 2019 are all sequels, adapations, or parts of a franchise, top 6 are all Disney productions) f. copycats g. pretesting (screen ur movie to test audiences and make changes to it based on their reactions)

3 hybrid sales logics

1.) combination= multiple simultaneous logics -ex: some streaming services = turnstile and ad supported, tend to be less expensive than all turnstile -ex: magazine -ex: some video games= commodities + micro transactions 2.) economies of scope= selling a product across multiple rev "windows" and logics -ex: movies first released to theaters "theatrical window" -"video window" (Blu-ray) -"pay tv window" (HBO) -"cable tv" (USA) -"free tv window" 3.)premium option= charging add'l $$ for a premium version w/ add'l perks -ex: turnstile add-ons -ex: add free Spotify premium , YouTube premium

4 media sales logics

1.)commodities= paid in full by consumers (ex: blueray, an album, a book etc) a 1 time purchase you can keep forever -priced in a way that the price tag covers all cost 2.) turnstile= sell access to content, selling admission, ex: movie theater tickets, concerts, streaming tv (for a monthly fee you can watch and rewatch this content -you don't keep anything unless you keep paying 3.) ad-supported= free to consumer, advertisers pay the cost of media in exchange for access to consumers (impressions), ex: ad supported broadcast television and ad supported social media like Facebook and twitter -consumers pay in attention and product costs and data + time -brand name products cost more bc we are also paying for their advertising 4.) microtransactions= lots of little payments -these small payments add up -ex: freemium (free to use + premium options app-based games) -free to play, pay to win -producers don't set an established price, the individual users determine how much they pay -those who do pay need to subsidize those who don't pay or don't pay enough ----------------------------- -advertising as the engine -the amount of money spent on advertising has been dramatically increasing in the last hundred yrs or so (increase in more white collar workers, less self sufficient, must buy their own food + clothing; high level of employment= more discretionary income -advertising makes it possible for new goods to enter markets and let us know immediately that they are available -money cycles from us to products to the manufactures of those products to those companies' advertising agencies to the media

value of encoding/decoding

all messages contain more than one potential interpretation -producers can't close off all decodings -our ups and beliefs color our decodings -the struggle w/ getting ppl's ideological agreement ================================================================ ex: Encoding and decoding of the bachellerete can reveal the various ideological values people hold about love. ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Halle's Encoding and decoding model allows viewers to interpret the texts in ways contrary to the intended interpretations the text allowing audiences to engage in the process of popular culture by excorporating mass culture.

the other and how media spread it

anyone who is "not like us." -we are "normal while the other is "strange and dif" -presented as a contrast to "us" thus the other is defined as the difference -media othering : 1.) absence of representation (lack of inclusion): stories about a marginalized group go untold in news and fiction, media power is unequally distributed and the for profit nature of media means that not all audiences are equally valued, some identities are over represented while others are under represented 2. stereotypes (lack of complex goal roles): visibility depends on the quality of the role not just the quantity, we need to ask are the characters complex depictions or simple ones (not just positive roles= good) 3.) absence of self-representation (lack of control): not a fix all but increases representational diversity and complexity as the representers have a much larger reservoir to pull from for that group than media makers

relevant fantasy (fiske)

celebs can provide an empowering relevant fantasy capable of modeling alternative identities -madonna is a role model for those young ppl who interpret her star text as providing confidence, self love -so they're polysemic in meaning in that they are capable of multiple decodings -strong foundation for considering the impact of celebrity -fiske's text is 30 yrs old so it needs to be contemporaized with sobande's article, also star image= star text ----------------------------- -Madonna offers her fans access to semiotic and social power thru fantasy (when fantasies are relevant it can make the ideal into the achievable) -Madonna consistely parodies conventional representations of women and parody can be an effective device for interrogating the dominant ideology -wrenching the products of capitalism from their original context and recycling them int new style is typical of urban popular culture (ideological signifies are dumped and the freed signifiers don't get new meanings but the process signifies the power of the subordinate to exert some control in the cultural process of making meanings -madonna's popularity is a complexity of power and resistances of meanings and counter meanings, of pleasures and the struggle for control ================================================================== -ex: Madonna ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Relevant fantasies illustrate how star text can communicate meaning and thus provide an example for others to follow, essentially shaping the world by influencing people's actions as they attempt to enact the relevant fantasies provided to them by celebrities. ***

character types vs stereotypes

character types="shorthand" to help media makers communicate quickly meaning -intertextual constructions w/ commonly understood traits and behaviors -repeated character types mean u don't need to know the whole story to understand the characters -character type even on reality tv shows stereotypes= reduce an entire group into a few simple characteristics -emerge from inequalities of representational power -the stereotyped group lacks the power to present their own representation -spread intertextually thru repeated media representations -operate thru their repeated use in media --------------------------- -bc of families women usually had characters but men appear more often in lead roles -women characters are on average younger -male and female characters didn't differ in terms of intelligence, articulacy or motivation -Still the LGBTQ characters who make it to tv screens tend to be white gay men -roles= "when producers do include minorities, how do they portray them, usually stereotypes" -many images of black roles as stereotypes -production norms of news are linked with the perpetuation of stereotypical images -the stereotypes that achieved the most currency in the general population tended to mirror the world view of media owners and editors and their top writers -exploiting racial fears = a reliable way to increase sales and ratings but also a tool by wa tool by which powerful groups in society could stir up public support for projects of territorial and imperial expansion or by which to weaken opposition among the lower classes to unpopular government policies -black activity and artists have worked both inside and outside of the mainstream to advance a counter culture that opposes the racist stereotypes being propagated in white owned media and culture -also efforts from other racial groups to create alternatives to mainstream media -women were often marginalized in all types of media (stereotypical images dominated the earlier years of mass media) -sexist stereotypes often take subtler forms as in the coverage of women's sports -stereotyping reduces ppl to a few simple essential characteristics which are represented as fixed by nature, -diff between typing and stereotyping (difficult to make sense of the world without typing) -a type is any simple vivid memorable, easily grasped and widely recognized characterization in which a few traits are foreground and change or "development is kept to minimum" -stereotypes reduce everything about the person to those traits, exaggerate and simplify and fix them w/o change or development to eternity -stereotyping reduces, essentializes, naturalizes and fixes difference (deploys a strategy of "splitting" divides the normal and acceptable from the abnormal and unacceptable. Then excludes or expels everything which does not fit, which is different -maintenece of social and symbolic order -tends to occur where there are gross inequalities of power -ethnocentrism= applications of the norms of one's own culture to that of others =============================================================== ex: Dr. Doofenschmirtz in Phineas and Ferb represents a villain/ antagonist character type ex: Mammy in gone with the wind represents a racial stereotype ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: It is important to differentiate between character types which serve an industrial purpose of quickly translating meaning and stereotypes which serve the hegemonic purpose of shrinking a whole group of people down to having just a few simple traits.

anthology

equated with art forms more highly evaluated in society (stage play, short story) -dif characters and dif situations -each ep self contained, closure brings new final status quo -next episode introduces new characters/ plot -ex: twilight zone, black mirror, modern love + seriality with limited series and season long anthologies -limited series is confined to a limited amount of serialized episodes -season long anthology= each season is self inclosed -ex: American horror story, Fargo, true detective ----------------------------- -episodic anthologies are making a come back (ex: black mirror) ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Despite television episode's same formate of 20, 40 or 1 hour long episodes the narrative form can vary dramatically and does not necessarily need to be intuitive. Additionally it is possible that some narrative forms work better with different technologies (ex: serial and streaming services)

hegemony and counter hegemony

hegemony= by control the dominant media and values of society -the process of maintaining power thru seeking ideological consensus -about ruling through agreement rather than force -result hegemonic media -but counter hegemony= results from counter hegemonic media that confronts the dominant media -hegemony is an ongoing process ----------------------------------- -hegemony= a term used to talk about political predominance, usually of one state over another. The use of the term in media studies has developed from the work of Antonio Gramsci who showed that the ruling classes need the acceptance of their subordinates. To gain hegemony through on agreement of opinion is a struggle: a constant negotiation and reorganization of structuring experience and consciousness -privledged reading of a text = complies with hegemony ================================================================ -ex: Ariana Grande's seven rings music video represents hegemony by focusing on purchases as the route to happiness, thus reinforcing the capitalistic notions that benefit media makers. -ex: The Netflix documentary the social dilemma illustrates counter hegemonic media because it highlights the gross invasions of privacy that result from social media and also how social media negatively affects the mental health of its users. )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Hegemony explains how the dominant figures in society exercise their power with the "consent" of the oppressed by imparting dominant ideology through media.

ideology and dominant ideology

ideology= values and beliefs ppl use to make sense of the world -can be used to refer to politics but it is bigger and broader than this -more widely guide what we think about how to live and behave -these values feel common sense/ natural to those who hold them (bc begins at birth and spread thru powerful institutions such as family religion, media, education, etc -embedded in all media -can be widely shared but never universal -there are many ideologies competing with each other -dominant ideology= those in power shape ideology thru institutional control, reinforces the power of the few, shared by the majority, dominant ideologies change -challenge ideology = contentious -difficult to see media texts as ideological bc we share the same values with most of the texts we chose to consume, (looking at older media can reveal changes in cultural beliefs, Disney writes" it may contain outdated cultural depiction" about Peter Pan) ----------------------------------- -ideology promotes false consciousness, blinding workers to the true nature of their exploited positions by inverting capitalist arrangements so that they appear natural and inevitable rather than historically specific and changeable -marx saw ideology as a discernible set of ideas that emerged from captalist relations -ideology works to produce in the subordinate false consciousness of their position in society ================================================================= ex: One's conservative christian ideology influences the way that they make sense of the world. ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: At birth powerful institutions such as family, religion, media and education begin imparting in them the ideology (often the dominant ideology) and as a result when this dominant ideology is reflected in media it is difficult to discern because it is so central to the way one structures the world they see it as inherent, not constructed.

false consciousness

mislead ppl into thinking that the route to contentment comes from consumption rather than upward mobility -the culture industry creating content and the advertising subsidizing it presents happiness as just one purchase away -the very content we consume must be amenable to court advertisers, the content must put audiences into psychological state open to impressionability -presents accumulating consumer goods as an expression of identity and free choice result 1. fantasy of control rly creating inexhaustible dissatisfaction, according to the Frankfurt school media is complicit in diluting us that purchase is the route to happiness -result 2: de-skills, depoliticized, desensitizes, isolates overworked masses ----------------------------- -The dominant ways of thinking in a society will always reflect the prevailing mode of production and the interests of the ruling class -ideology promotes false consciousness, blinding workers to the true nature of their exploited positions by inverting capitalist arrangements so that they appear natural and inevitable rather than historically specific and changeable -question of meaning approach situates power with the owners of the means of production: we "live" capitalism through its commodities and by living it we validate and invigorate it, the economic system, which determines mass production and mass consumption reproduces itself ideologically in its commodities: ideology works to produce in the subordinate false consciousness of their position in society, bc it blinds them to the conflict of interest between bourgeoisie and the proletariat, and blinds them to their common interests with their fellow workers, it prevents the development of a sense of class solidarity or class consciousness

celebrity

person who attracts attention to such a degree that their personal life and personality are of public interest -first question about them is always "what are they really like" -only those who've sparked audience interest in their real lives are celebrities -both workers + producers -cultural products + economic products -the majority of aspiring performers will never become famous + the slim few who do celebrity is fleeting -celebrities hedge the success of their products -industry uses celebrity like genre as a label -celebs are texts that we can consume for meaning -we consume celebrities from many texts: a celebrity is intertextual= always more than just a single role or performance ----------------------------- -celebrities appearance functions to reproduce dominant culture's patriarichal, racial and heterosexual gaze or it allows transgressive oppositional and queer feelings and fantasies to emerge celebrity= an intertextual performance practice that cuts across various cultural circuits in many different ways, shaped by a myriad of different contexts, technologies and interactions (ex: twitter) -tweets relate kerry Washington in scandal to falseness but Viola Davis in HTGAWM to authenticity (exposes how assessments of authenticity and relatability of famous black women are influenced by interracial as well as interracial celebrity dynamics -celebrities= symbolic resources= spectators negotiate conventions concerning identity -the portrayal and pursuit of authentic celebrity is "particularly demonstrated thru the blurring of the public and private selves" -visibilty of a celebrity's branding strategy= less authentic (these articles highlight the influence of Davis in the construction of her characters aesthetic image) -media coverage focus on the revelation of the private and "real" individual behind the screen persona thru gossip talk -natural hair coupled with what appears to be the agency and transperancy of a celebrity may foster their perceived realness and in turn catalyst "identificatory pleasures" on the part of onlookers -in the 21st century celebrities must navigate "post racial discourses of color-blindness and racial transcendence in celebrity culture" but ways in which celebrities appear to name, claim and express their marginalized racial identity can contribute to how they are perceived as being authentic, feminine and relatable and by whom -authentic states striped for and struggled over, which may involve the negotiation of overlapping countours of conventions concerning race, gender, celebrity and feminism ----------------------------------------------------------------- ex: viola davis represents how a celebrity generates interest in the individual's personal life and must contend with associations of authenticity )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Celebrities personal lives can be analyzed for meaning and thus affect the meaning of the texts they are a part of.

mediation

practice of recording/ selecting/ ordering events into media narratives -all media no matter how accurate they claim to be are all mediated representations -not reality but a representation of it -a construction shaped thru codes and conventions + narrative structure ----------------------------- -the historical event must become a "story" before it can become a communicative event -Real world dinner scene= rather than assuming that it desiplayed the reality of racism and race relations in the US it is better to ask why the real world would use this event to mediate racism and reality to its audience, ( media event= "an indication that in a post modern world we can no longer rely on a stable relationship or clear distinction between a "real" event and its mediated representation .. not a mere representation of what happens but has its own reality - the real world has mediated race and reality thru discursive tension between urban and rural America as well as liberal and conservative politics -mediating racism as a rural conservative phenomenon -masking liberal racism: mediating blackness through the city -the production practices on The real world are not unique but have played a specific role in the way the show mediates race, racism and liberal identity for a particular cable channel =============================================================== ex: The OJ Simpson trial was mediated by the Netflix show The people vs. OJ Simpson )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Media is never a reality merely a representation because codes and conventions and narrative structures influence the event.

power and representation

representation= to represent 1.) to stand in for (how an image of an individual stands in for the large group they represent) 2.) the practice of image creation (all media are constructions and media makers represent ppl, places, times and ideas by making fiction and nonfiction -to present a version of the world, a story of it -must ask why they represent some things and not others -representation and influence: -influence of media texts: how do media shape perceptions -scholars + critics+ audiences agree that representations can affect change -have a social impact shaping larger believes -influence on media texts: media makers don't live in a vacuum, how perceptions shape media -power and representation (croteu and hoynes) -portrayl of difference: inclusion: "who is represented", roles " what are the quality of roles available", control "who has the power to construct media and who is representing whom?" -are there a diversity of media makers capable of expressing their lives, backgrounds and interests -color blind casting= leaves race of characters unassigned: opens up greater opportunities but ppl want to see more than just their group represented but also their ideas so media makers process of this during the writing process is more important -effecting change: inside by changing traditional media system (increased w/ outlets +niches) : -fragmented media= smaller demographic audiences more accessible, outside by creating alternative media (increased w/ web distribution) -usually less funding but bc of internet distribution= more opportunities to create content and reach an audience outside of the typical mainstream media ----------------------------- -with stereotyping there is a connection between representation, difference and power -there is power in representation: power to mark, assign, and classify -symbolic power of ritualized expulsion -w/ more media outlets= content shifted from being scarce to abundant, this abundance can accommodate more content diversity -the literature in media and cultural studies reminds us that representations are not reality -representations= the result of processes of selection that invariable mean certain aspects of reality are highlighted and others neglected -social constructionist perspective= no representation of reality can ever be totally "true" or "real" bc it must inevitably frame an issue and choose to include and exclude certain components of a multifaceted reality (limited ability measures the social world= little ability to make comparisons with worlds depicted in media ) -attempting to fix meaning is the work of a representational practice, which intervenes in the many potential meanings of an image in attempt to privilege one -many ppl exposed to a binary form of representation, represented through sharply opposed, polarized, binary extremes- good/ bad, civilized/ primitive, ugly/excessively attractive, repelling bc different/ compelling bc strange and exotic -regime of representation (representational paradigm) the whole repertoire of imagery and visual effects through which "difference" is represented at any one historical moment -linguistics argument: difference matters bc it is essential to meaning w/o it meaning could not exist (a. it is relational, it is the difference between black and white which signifies and carries meaning. b. broadened the regime of racial representation-the result of a historical "struggle around the image" a politics of representation - whose strategies we need to examine more carefully =============================================================== -Ex: Decrease in black tv characters from 2005-2017 illustrates how black people lack both representation and power ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance:

episodic

same characters in the same types of situations -circular closer: return to the original status quo -don't use previously on recaps -okay to miss/ mix up eps -sometimes the formula rly works providing a strong foundation able to build + seriality arcs that cover multiple episodes/ seasons -arcs reward longtime viewers without alienating new viewers ----------------------------- -House demonstrates the weekly conflict resolution -plot setups exist as a showcase for character (even tho they are not clearly or regularly mapped onto an episode's shape) -procedural format= perpetually in the moment with no echos of the past or concerns for the future entering into the conflict at hand (episodes= a reductive force, a new beginning each episode, automatic reset button, explains the necessity for each episode to be equally representative of the show at large) -I love Lucy also uses episodic form even tho it doesn't rly on a dramatic set of tropes (episodes capacity to start all over forgive Lucy from implications she receives at the end of episodes ) -Procedural episodes are not inevitable (many series fall in something like an interim space, with some episodes operating extremely plot bound and others relying more on linear storytelling across installments) -mad men= an example of plot lines meandering across episodic boundaries, developing solely over the course of several weeks ex: maiden form episode of mad men, only spend 10 % of the time on the playtex plot line of the episode (substitutes episodic reduction on the level of plot with an episodic exploration of theme,) -episodic film existed before the television revolution -steady-state tv series= flexible and aimless, episodic and modular (only fixed elements= characters and sometimes settings, endings can be abrupt or even nonsensical bc an endpoint means little in itself) ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Despite television episode's same formate of 20, 40 or 1 hour long episodes the narrative form can vary dramatically and does not necessarily need to be intuitive. Additionally it is possible that some narrative forms work better with different technologies (ex: serial and streaming services)

story characters and audiences

stories have characters: -characters are assigned traits that impact the story (meant to make the story more engaging and meaningful) -ex: get out's characters provided a means to talk about race -lead character= the protagonist driving the story, impacts the plot, dictate the subsequent scene -audiences are encouraged to identify with the protagonist (you are invested in their struggle and want to see them succeed) -externally means (frequency main character appears, they are in the most scenes/ chapters) constantly being showed their responses, also achievement, we are more likely to bond with impressive ppl ) -internally (voice over, POV shot, narrator, depicting the protagonists memories, fantasies or dream sequences) -often the titular character -stories have audiences -audiences consume/ decode the story -imagined audience= intended audience -actual audience= who actually watches/ reads (not the intended audience but interlopers) =============================================================== ex: Harry Potter is the titular and main protagonist in the Harry Potter series and his traits as an orphan, and an outcast at Hogwarts paint him as an underdog that makes audiences bond with him and want him to succeed. )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: The construction of characters (particularly a relatable protagonist) serves a narrative goal and also influences how audiences decode the story, an unlikeable main character often results in a negative decoding.

Technological vs content convergence

technological convergence= a single tech capable of performing the functions of multiple previously-distinct media -ex: smartphone, can use the internet, apps, weather, watch tv -now all these functions are on a single device and smartphones are highly customizable and you can download new apps immediately -ex: samsung smart tv provides connectivity with a variety -content convergence= content from one medium now available on multiple devices -the hard ware changes but the software stays the same -ex: you can watch tv on cable or on apps or stream thru Hulu or download the episode from iTunes etc ----------------------------------- -convergence= " the ability of different network platforms to carry essentially similar kinds of services or the coming together of consumer devices such as the telephone, television and personal computer "; "process by whereby new technologies are accommodated by existing media and communication industries and cultures -internal convergence= tech and aesthetic developments on the level of text production (aka technological convergence) -external convergence= distribution of the text thru different marketing and exploitation channels and its reception in different situational contexts (aka content convergence) )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Technological and content convergence dramatically alter the way we consume media and the economics of the media industry therefore it is imperative to consider while studying media.

transmedia extensions and goals

transmedia extensions= more than just a version of a text but adds to it -ex: HBO's watchmen website, so much more material than just the show, potentially immersing ppl -way to keep the audience engaged with the show between episodes and seasons -the ppl moved to check out transmedia extensions are not just viewers they are fans -use social media to share their enjoyment of the show (not an ad, a recommendation by a friend) that has a power that promotions and ads don't -also can use this as more ad space -also agree to the privacy policy and terms of use (collecting data on viewers and can sell your data to third parties and affiliates etc ) -transmedia extensions= a form of content convergence ----------------------------------- -transmedia extensions of television drama series strengthen the awareness of the branded content in the present "market place of attention" -research assumes that already popular drama series are more successful with their transmedia extensions than the creation and production of drama series that are initially transmedia and combined with alternative reality games ))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Significance: Transmedia extensions demonstrate a new form of media that extends beyond a specific platform and therefore allows for greater immersion in a media text and consequently generates more revenue as a result of more ad space and the converting of viewers to loyal fans that will encourage their friends to engage with the media