Media Studies

• semiotic


  the study of signs - they can act as deeper meanings
• technical codes


  physical processes (e.g. camera angles/editing)
• symbolic codes

  a character wearing white, it can act as a symbolic code for innocence
• verbal codes


  through words/sounds
• identification


  identifying codes and conventions of products help to give meaning
• narrative

  the story that is created in the product
• propp's theory


  stereotypical character roles
• enigma codes

  puzzles/mystery - engages the audience
• structure

  the way narratives are created can be linear or non-linear
• resolution

  the way narratives are resolved - the meaning of the narrative could include ideolgy
• ideology

  widely held beliefs about the way society should function
• genre


  defines a media product
• demographic audience


  refers to the physical characteristics of a person (e.g. gender)
• psychographics


  refers to people's interests or values, things that are harder to define
• psychographic profiling


  separating people into categories: mainstreamers and aspirers
• active audience


  audience that is involved In creating meaning of the product, they won't absorb it
• passive audience


  audience that is heavily influenced by the media and will not question the messages it is promoting
• audience positioning


  the product attempts to encourage the audience to respond in a certain way
• receptional theory

  the audience can read the product in 3 ways
• dominant reading

  the audience agrees with the message encoded in the product and agrees with it
• negotiated reading

  the audience partially agrees and doesn't fully adopt it
• oppositional reading

  the audience completely rejects the message
• what is a media conglomerate?

  a company that owns many companies involved in mass media operations
• what is media convergence?

  the joining of several recognisable technologies into one
• anchorage


  when text gives meaning to an image
• context (1) - pride magazine

  published in 1990 - monthly circulation of 30,000 copies - readership of 146,000 people - published by Conde Nast
• context (2) - pride magazine


  the word 'pride' references the 1960s civil rights movement + helps to appeal to its audience - women of colour
• images - pride magazine


  direct address builds connection between the product and audience - the main cover image shows how she conforms to western ideology of beauty - her white costume could show Harris as a successful yet beautiful woman, shows her as an inspiration to audience - her straight hair suggests despite embracing culture, society still obeys to the dominant ideology of beauty
• layout and design - pride magazine


  masthead written in bold emphasises the significance of having pride and acts as support for cultural identity/dignity - the red colour connotate passion and strength whereas black/white suggest formality, the use of red can support the purpose of representing women of colour
• text - pride magazine 


  'bond and beyond' is an example of intextuality and references her role in the James Bond franchise, illustration of synergy = bond is infamous for its representation of women who are always sexualised + beautiful, reaffirming the dominant ideology that women should be beautiful - the 'FGM' coverline refers to female genital mutilation, reflecting the issues their target audience face