Audience Theory

Uses and Gratification - assumes an active audience, the audience chooses how and when they consume thier choosen media text. Denis McQuail suggests a detailed breakdown of audiences motivation to watch media texts...for information, learning, personal identity, integration and social interaction and final for entertainment.

Effects Theory - A passive audience, ideologies and values are easily injected into the audience (hypodermic needle). The Frankfurt School saw the rise of 'culture industry' the cause of increased standardization in society.

Reception Theory - is how a media text is read, the audience is both passive (if they accept a preferred reading) and active; they get to choose which text to consume.
David Morley sees the media as a routine of people’s lives and that audience's read texts in different ways. The reading of a text can often depend upon expectations and even the environment the audience sees the text in.

Laura Mulvey
My understanding:
The objectification of females in the media through the male gaze. The male-gaze is when a female is represented in a way a man would like to see her.
The male-gaze forces the audience to identify with the protagonist, who is likely to be male; this is done through point of view shots through the males point of view. The female in the media is there "to-be-looked-at" or as Mulvey would say, she would have the quailty of "to-be-looked-at-ness"

Do i believe in the theory?
I think that Mulvey's theory is true, in any media text the theory of male-gaze and female objectification can easily and always be found. But media texts are trying to chage this, however, there will always be 'male-gaze' and 'objectification'; especially as most directors are male.

Pluralism
Question: Look at the TV schedules of this week. How might a pluralist interpret the range of programmes on offer? What evidence is there of the media acting as the fourth estate during this week?

Newsnight - allows people to discuss current affairs in the news. The media is acting as the fourth estate as it is keeping the public informed about what is happening in the other three estates (Church of England, House of Commons and House of Lords)

The Culture Show - the show keeps the audience informed of the best art and culture stories of the week. This does not show the media acting as the fourth estate, but it gives the passive audience a choice of watching the program.

The Somme - a docudrama about The Somme. This show allows the audience a choice of a historical program to watch, one that will inform them about a historical event that is even now remembered.

Channel 4 Racing from Cheltenham and Wetherby - this is a show that would appeal to a high culture audience, but also reaches a wider audience who may not often consume such a show. The audience have a choice of watching the 'high cultured' show.

The Sky At Night - a science program is also available for selective consumers. This program does not show the media acting as the fourth estate, but it does allow the individual the freedom of choice.

Overall, through-out the day there are a variety of shows on all five TV channels. Many of the BBC shows can be seen as acting as the fourth estate, such as Newsnight. The other channels shows a variety of shows that the audience can choose to watch, some are aimed at selective consumers and most give the individual the freedom of choice.

Mazda 2 - Can women park cars?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wAgX6EZVO8
This advert shows a woman that can park a car into a small space, even though two men doubt her. She is shown to be successful at it and just as good as a man.

Lynx - Pied Piper
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXkY-FDfqcs
The women in this advert are objectified and are there for a male gaze. The outfits worn are very provocative and promiscuous and then women are shown to be effected by just a spray.

Decimal Coin Change
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfZZ_rUQfew
The 1970s advert conveys a woman who is confused about the new decimal coin change. Her 'confusion' portrays her as a not very smart person, and the fact that the voice-over says "remember this when you’re our shopping" suggests this advert is aimed at women; reinforcing the patriarchal society.

Marxism - is a political and social theory based on the works of Karl Marx

Marxist Ideologies
Capitalism is based on the profit motive and exploits workers.

The capitalist society can be divided into two social classes:
Proletariat (working class) – who sell their labour and don’t own production
Bourgeoisie – who own production and employ the proletariat.
Bourgeoisie is further divided
Wealthy bourgeoisie – do not need to work
Petty bourgeoisie – employ others and also work themselves.

Marxism and the media
Media producers maintain the status quo
Culture industries are profit motivated and often dumb down texts
Mass media is entertainment for the proletariats (workers) and often drip feeds them ideologies and beliefs (hypodermic needle)

Althusser
Ideological State Apparatuses (ISA) works alongside the Repressive State Apparatuses to maintain the bourgeois ideologies of:
Religion
Education
Family values
Legal and political system
Political system
Cultural and communication systems

Gramsci
Concept of hegemony, by maintaining certain ideologies that become ‘common sense’ allows the ruling classes to retain hegemonic control.

Eisenstein and Montage
Segei Eisenstein shunned the Hollywood narrative structure so the audience could not emotionally engage with his montage films. Instead the audience would watch something which is real.

Williams
Low culture, suitable for workers e.g. films, TV
High culture for the bourgeoisie, e.g. ballet, opera, theatre