Media language theory
Genre theory: Neale
Genre theory is about what genres are. How they created, how they are changed, endured or declined.
Neale argues that genres aren't fixed and are instead constantly evolving with new additions to the genre. Genre codes and conventions become hybrids with other genres. generic codes and conventions are shared by producers and audiences through repetition in media
Generic codes and conventions are not just established in media products but in products that reference to these products Neale labeled this the intertextual relay.
Links to set texts
KE - hybridized genre of Spy thriller having elements of both genres. Also showing change in the genre rather than following it in a stereotypical tradition manner but changing it to further the representations they have in the show and breaking the C&C of the genre.
LP - Hybridized genre of Crime thriller having elements of both genres. Maintains the traditional elements of genre as they use it as the selling point of the show and focus on other representations in the show to further show a differentiation to other LFTVD.
News we see two different genres being tabloid and broadsheet with their own set of genre conventions we can see however we recently both have hybridized together making a mix of both genres being a mid market tabloid having elements of both.
Tabloid - Smaller, more images, bright color palette mostly red, cover soft news.
Broadsheet - Bigger, mainly one main image and if another pictures it would be in skybox, muted color palette and cover hard news.
Pros and cons
- Draws attention to the process of difference within repetition and hybridity (Mixing genres)
- audience expectations are that of twisting and enigmatic narratives that have been developed.
- Many LFTVD have the resources to real on high production values, star system, rather then genre market itself as a factor of success.
Narratology: Todorov
Todorov identifies the different stages of narrative. The key use of this theory is in identifying the values and ideology suggested by the narrative. Going other how social norms are created in the equilibrium and how they are fixed or changed in the new equilibrium.
Equilibrium - a state of balance and calmness
Disruption - An event that disrupts the equilibrium
Recognition - the realization that the equilibrium has been disrupted
Attempt to solve - The attempt to fix the disruption
New equilibrium - the restoration of balance.
Narratology is the study of narrative; in this case, of narrative structure how all the parts fit together to make a whole.
The movement from the initial equilibrium and to the new equilibrium entails transformation and change. This will show the audience what the transformation expresses what narrative values.
Links to set text
KE - Can follow this format in the first episode as we can see that Villanelle disrupts the equilibrium and how Eve try's to solve this however it doesn't end with restored balance as it is an LFTVD so the linear narrative continues. We also see that Villanelle having her own side plot which connect to the main one. So overall the application of Todorov is difficult for KE.
LP - Doesn't follow a simple linear plot as we see at the final montage where it goes over what we currently seen all was in the past and the equilibrium wasn't actually the equilibrium therefore again Todorov isn't easily applicable to this LFTVD either also it being an LFTVD makes the theory already more harder to apply.
Pros and Cons
Was not designed to explain LFTVD with serial narratives, but single narratives with resolutions, so does not explain copies narratives where the climb and resolution are delayed and last many series/seasons.
Does not explain characters who spiral out the main linear plot or create cliffhangers .
Does not explain several plots alongside the main linear narratives over the linearity of the story.
It is useful in identifying underlying values and messages in narratives equilibriums.
Semiology: Barthes
meaning is communicated through signs which are made up of the signifier (the thing itself) and the signified (The meaning). This process depends on the connotations of sign.
Barthes used the word myths to describe the way connotations suggested by the sign have come to be seen a normal and natural.
the meanings created by these myths often reflect dominant values and ideologies.
Connotations - Where the meaning is created from the sign to mean something else that isn't just the image itself
Denotations - Just the image and no hidden/alternative meaning.
Links to set text
KE - Villanelle having shopping bags and still shown to be heavily focused on fashion creates connotations that characterize her micro level of her of her maintain some form of femineity in a male dominant workspace of assassination. Even killing the Tuscany man and noting down the bed can show some denotations of liking the bed but also connotations over her remaining femineity but her lack of emotion of killing people.
LP - Connotations in LP mainly are used to show the black and white society that Assane Lupin experiences in France showing the two different lifestyles he lives and how one is drastic varying from one to another via color palette and mise-en-scene.
news - Use of media language creates connotations which follow the ideologies of certain newspapers. It is easily expressive and mostly found in their imagery as well as use of lexis.
Pros and cons
Semiology is the study of signs and how they create meaning and are interpreted by the audience. The denotations are sign of literal meaning. This theory is very simple to understand and easy to apply to LFTVD
Useful for micro-analysis
denotations and connotations help reinforce stereotypes of male and women and many other things which eventually are normalized in media and when challenge feels very weird for the audience.
Structuralism: Levi-Strauss
the importance of binary oppositions in narratives.
Binary oppositions are pairs of opposed, conflicting forces.
identifying the pairs of binary oppositions which structure narratives can be used to determine the ideological messages within a text.
Structuralism is the study of hidden rules that govern a structure. Levi developed the idea of binary oppositions where the systems of myths and fables was ruled by the structure of opposing terms.
Many writers applied this idea of binary oppositions but saw the overall systems as 'ideology' rather than 'human conscious'.
Links To set text
KE - We see the whole binary opposition of good evil clearly in this via Eve and Villanelle being good vs evil but also we see this via the demonizing of Russia and with the MI5 being the good guys it eventually creates this idea of good and evil again but more like everyone vs Russia.
LP - main one of binary oppositions we see in LP is Poor vs wealthy as we see the affects of living life in such varying classes and how negatively treated people are in these classes.
news - most likely will be the perspective the papers have on political parties or social events. Papers will express their political ideologies and will use this to demonise certain parties and or events in their perspective creating a binary opposition of what in their perspective is good and evil
Pros and cons
Can be used to analyze LFTVD narrative by investigating inside outside oppositions
Can be used to analyze representations and their ideological effect by seeing which side values by the narrative
does not explain anything specific to the LFTVD and does not cover the role of Ownership and control of television that leads to the messages created in LFTVD
Does not cover how audiences interpret television and give it meaning.
Postmodernism: Baudrillard
idea that society has moved beyond modernism.
modern societies were organized by the production of goods, postmodern society is organized around 'simulation' - the play of images and signs.
Hyperreality where the real that is represented is more 'real' than the real.
Postmodernism has a lot of elements into it and can be seen via irony, parody or homage, intertextuality, fragmented narrative, loss of reality and lack of verisimilitude.
Hyperreality - the idea that representations are now more powerful and 'real' than reality.
Hyperreal - Don't represent reality, instead they are representations of representations
Simulacra - Is a real depiction of reality.
Links to set text
KE - Is a hyperreality. As an audience most will not known what MI5 is like and in this show it uses representation to create a reality for the audience which is deemed as 'real' and the actual real of MI5 is unknown but depicted as shown on TV.
LP - The actual story is based of a fictional character being Assane Lupin and through the show to make it exciting it overexaggerates the story and we can see that it mainly uses representations to base its story and it seems to lean more to being a hyperreal than a hyperreality just due to a lot of it being based of exaggeration of representations and continues to add on top of it.
news - papers have hybridised their genres and now we have a mixture of elements from both tabloid and broadsheet to make a mid market tabloid. used to fit with the times of the readers and save on finance. Also an expression of news whether it is real or a hyperreal of the situation.
Pros and Cons
Doesn't consider the pleasures of a hyperreal/hyperreality media form as an escape from reality
Some of these representations become more stronger than reality and therefore influence LFTVD and there structure
can be a very helpful theory to analyses how representations are constructed and there way of meaning.
Links really well with intertextual references which LFTVD have a lot of.
Feminist theory: Bell Hooks
Intersectionality considers the ways in which multiple identities and systems of oppression overlap in relation to multiple identities that create an individual identity ( Gender, Race, Social class, Sexuality etc.)
Intersectional approaches to feminism draw attention to the importance of considering how interactions of identities result in oppression. Hooks argues media representations often reflect these oppressive ideologies
White supremacist capitalist patriarchy whose ideologies dominate media representations
Black women should develop an oppositional gaze that refuses to identify with characters that reinforce the white supremacist patriarchal ideology the gaze is political for Black Americans as slaves were punished for looking at their white owners
Links to set text
KE - We can see intersectionality in KE via the protagonist Eve as she is a female but also of Korean Heritage which in this case goes against the dominant social group however, she is shown as courageous, persevering and unique among her cast with her traits and due to her being a protagonist her representation combat the ideological views of the white supremacist patriarchy who dominate media representations. Also have Elena a black lady in Killing eve who although does not have a lot of screen time she reinforces bell hook's oppositional gaze as she positively interacts with Eve and Eve only and doesn't reinforce the white supremacist patriarchy ideology.
LP - Shows intersectionality via Assane and Babakar as they are not a part of the dominant social group in both Class and race and throughout the show they are both shown as lower however at the end it is all flipped on its head via Assane being the criminal mastermind playing everyone around him and getting a happy ending and getting the revenge for his father and is seen as a strong, independent and creative intellectual character.
However, the oppositional gaze isn't very strong as we see Babakar be provoked and disrespected by Mr Pelligrinni and it does reinforce the ideology strongly but it creates more of an impact when we see Assane succeed in his goal in revenging his father at the end of the episode
News - Will mainly be Right-winged news papers who will normally evoke the white supremacist capatalist ideology due to their audience being mainly the dominant social group who will support these ideals as well. So stories on the sub group or other social groups most likely won't be positive and will use media language like image and lexis to reinforce this ideology. Even if the story is a positive story it will have minimal coverage or be surrounded by other news topics or adverts that support the dominant or reinforce the ideologies. The Guardian alternatively will most likely have intersectionality in their stories and if the cover prioritizes a black lady will most likely also contain oppositional gaze.
Pros and Cons
- Not all audiences will critically engage with media in such depth that bell hooks is establishing as well as that it is difficult to apply to LFTVD due to developing characters and changes. Compared to other theories on representations that are easier to apply.
- potential for overcomplexity such as progressive movements and changes in media and the variety of voices in the media rather than them having a single reason for their choices.
- Does focus of social groups however does priorities certain ones over other ones like disability or regional identities
- Can also be seem as overly idealistic rather than realistic as most of the media landscape dominated by powerful corporate interests and mainstream ideologies.
Van Zoonen
- emphasis the importance of Gender. women are often objectified and their representation has been constructed by cultural and historical contexts.
- Gender roles, Women are objectified
- gender is about what we do rather than who we are on the contexts behind the gender roles.
- Patriarchy may be applied to the ownership and control of television.
link to Set Text
KE - The performance of the female characters are clearly shown to opposing the stereotypes of women and focusing their performance. Villanelle being an assassin and not caring for her crimes and lives life the way she wants to. Eve plays the role of a protagonist of a crime thriller and she also subverts the stereotypes of women and especially in the work both are in they definitely shine brighter then others.
LP - We can see that their is a lack of gender performativity and a falls into the usage of prewritten stereotypes that are reinforced into todays media. Such as the female characters we see in the show either being sexualized or clearly inferior to men or even just shown as motherly and nurturing. Whereas, men are shown to be more prominent and overly masculine in their roles.
News - Mainly, with news it depends on how the paper represents them. TDM will most likely continue to strengthen the stereotypes as it fits with their readers same viewpoints and ideologies of being in the dominant sub group. Women will primarily been shown to be focusing on health products and beauty whilst men have more prominent representation. TG however, will showcase a diverse representation of gender and most likely focus on their performativity rather then their gender. as well as that TG are great at representing the sub group.
Pros and cons
- really easy to apply theory to both LFTVD as well as news as it can also link to the patriarchal control that owners of set products have an how they reinforce certain stereotypes.
- However in LFTVD it doesn't factor elements such as social class, rep of power relations in LFTVD and makes things like that look negative due to its sole perspective being gender and how historical context has skewered our perception.
Gauntlett
- Media has a complex relationship with identity
- Many diverse and contradictory messages that individuals can use to think through their identity and how to express themselves
- Theory looks at identity as a pick n mix where you take traits from characters and incorperate it into your own identity.
Link to set text
KE - Both Eve and Villanelle don't follow typical stereotypes of female characters and have unique character traits. Such as, Eve being a black comedy character who plays a rather masculine role. Villanelle also is a very dark character being an Assassin yet comical with her killing style and choice words within interactions with others. Both are characters who aren't sticking to traditional and are uniquely written so the audience members enjoy them people will look up to these characters such as Eve's determinism and Villanelle's humor and apply that to their own personality
LP - people will be inspired by Assane's will to carry on getting revenge and his genius ability at plotting and incorperate those aspirational personality traits and mix it within themselves. Assane is a very likable character due to the fact that throughout the first episode he had been mistreated by many people and overcame those challenges
News - It mainly focuses on the main story and how it highlights a certain person and how they act how stories are presented and people will incorperate it into their political personality and viewpoints on certain things. LGBTQ is rarely mentioned in the news and continues to reinforces outdated stereotypes
Pros and cons
Allows us to really put perspective on characters and looks at the audiences as active participants with them shaping their identity. Aligning really well with non traditional characters and help people feel fluid with themselves and challenges outdated stereotypes and offers more empowering representations.
Too optimistic as a theory and underestimates the power of stereotypes and structural inequalities. As well as, downplays media industries and how they still shape dominant ideologies and norms whilst not covering other elements such as societal forces like capatalism, racism and patriarchy
Butler
Gender performativity. Gender is created by performance and not by prefixed roles. In certain situation media representations where feminism focuses on femininity and masculinity and excluding any other forms of gender and sexuality creates 'gender trouble' for those who do not fit in the heterosexual norms. gender identity isn't something we are born with but expressed through performance. gender is constructed through performance of socially learnt behaviours rather then expressed by them. Gender cannot be simply categorised into simple binary systems.
Link to Set Text
KE - Characters like eve and Villanelle perform their gender roles in a non stereotypical way and break the norms of femininity and fully subvert them. With this they cause a gender trouble as they aren't in feminist terms 'normal' however this representation is a positive as it stirs away from the norms that have been contrasted in the media and are socially accepted. interactions between the two also do not fit the heterosexual norms as show a lingering sexual tension between the two arise reinforcing the gender trouble as they both break away from the stereotypes
LP - Hard to apply because it mainly prioritises following the stereotypes to the extreme and having character follow their roles to a T. reinforcing heteronormativity with the constant tension shown between Assane and the Pelligrinni's daughter.
News - a lack of representation that creates gender trouble as most will fit the typical stereotypes and represent the socially constructed norms. Mention of LGBTQ and queer news is very low as other stories are prioritised over these cresting a massive lack of thier representaion.
Pros and Cons
Can be seen in LFTVD where performance of gender is foregrounded, a break in heteronormativity.
Only applies to how people experience gender roles rather then how representations of gender are constructed within media products such as LFTVD
Gilroy
The black Atlantic suggest the way in which black cultures blend elements of different African, Caribbean and Europe cultures together
Postcolonialism suggest the ways which continues to influence attitudes towards certain ethnicities
Mourn of an empire and will continue to push certain agendas
white western cultures have a superiority complex and still try and dominate others and are widely represented.
Link To Set Text
KE - We can see a mourn of an empire as the show was made by BBC America and we see the antagonist of the show are Russian characters referring to previous historical conflicts in the Cold War. Demonising Russia to continue to forward their power of their empire that was once challenge. Also the complexity of characters and locations seen in the show refer to the idea of the 'Black Atlantic' and how the world is a "post-nation" globalised world. Non white protagonist challenges but characters like Frank reinforce the white superiority complex
LP - Assane family background are immigrants and again demonising immigrants which reflects the postcolonial class and racial hierarchies still present in French society. Mourn of an empire as the retrieval of necklaces bringing back home from other countries. Reinforcing the white superiority complex of white western cultures with Pelligrinni's. Assane's character fits the cultural exchange and identity formations shaped from colonial histories, slavery and migration across the Atlantic world
News - News coverage as immigrants, refugees or ethnic minorities are often portrayed as threats creating an us vs them binary. Postcolonial melancholia mourning of once power Britain has cling to certain news stories and celebrates when certain decisions are down which hindered other groups. western victims are more sympathised in the news compared go non western.
Pros and Cons
Pro at drawing attention to the way which media representations are often addressed to a white audience as a result marginalise other ethnicities
Con doesn't help when messages are constructed and interpreted by the audience and solely focuses on race and not on other factors like gender and sexuality and or social class.
Hall: representation theory
- The idea of power reinforcing stereotypes and ideologies makes the preferred reading the one and only true meaning.
- Meaning is created by representation but it is what is present and also absent and different that also creates representation
- Stereotypes and how they are constructed should be pulled apart to identify what they tell us about the ideology.
- With media now there is easily a clear representation of groups and often are left out and when included are normally very stereotypical and that is due to the power of the creator's own ideologies.
Link to texts
KE - We can see that in this show the main representation that we are missing is disability as the show itself has quite a lot of diverse representation as well as subversion of stereotypes but we don't clearly see any representation on Disability.
LP - Similar thing again as KE is that their is a lack of representation and due to most representation in the show primarily focuses on more typical representations and again misses disability.
News - Representation of sub group is normally missed in TDM where as in TG it is better and more representative covering several news topics on sub group.
Pros and cons
Allows us to identify what is missing in certain media products and highlight the stereotypes that created and deconstruct them and gather what they tells about the creators ideology looks at audience members to active members
LFTVD makes it difficult to apply as the show can always change its fixation so what isn't present may be present later and the ideology of the creators and having something missing may not be meaning it in a negative way. people may not agree on the preferred reading or get it wrong giving too much power to audience members.
Industry theory
Curran and Seaton
- Patterns in ownership & control are important in how the media functions.
- Media industries are capitalist & aim to increase concentration of ownership; leads to narrowing of opinions represented in the press, affecting plurality.
- Owners pursue profit at the expense of quality or creativity.
- The issues of ownership and control, the working practices of creators and the risk and profitability vs critical appeal in TV drama depending who the funding the production.
- There is an international dominance of American Streaming services. Netflix, in distributing many LFTVD's. This can limit the representation that are created through the ownership and control of the productions.
Link to Set Text
KE - was produced by Sid gentle films, relatively small independent British production company, and distributed by BBC America. Independent production allowed more unique risk-taking with its use of representation but the fact Netflix a big global streaming service continued streaming it which mean it had to align with some mainstream industry demands.
Also aligns with Curran and Seaton's argument that more diverse media ownership leads to more diverse storytelling.
LP - Being streamed on Netflix supports the idea of using a popular formula to produce a good show. following what audiences want with commercial incentives rather than purely creative freedom
News - TDM own 22% of market share of news papers lowering the plurality we get in news and produces stories in their perspective which supports curran and seasons theory
Pros and Cons
highlights how media companies and conglomerates prioritise profit may avoid controversial or challenging content to appeal to the widest audience.
Doesn't fully address the role of regulation
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