David Gauntlett
Media, Gender and Identity.
David Gauntlett’s theory comments on the effect of gender representation in today’s media compared to the past, he looks at the adaption of films and tv. For example he compares James Bond to Ugly Betty. The changes in male identities and male magazines and how they may act as role models. His overall theory covers different aspects of the way people are shown to audiences through media in the past compared to the present, the identities we are shown, sexuality, gender trouble, media trouble and their lack of time of respect for time old traditions.
In my personal opinion i think this is a key theory that highlights the media’s influence of today’s society and the changes in traditions and lifestyles of male and female audiences. The theory has a good outlook and not so much a skeptical view but a understanding look on how society has changed so the media will go with it and push it forward. I think something that is key is he’s comments on the medias respect for traditions, like religion and so on… A downside to this is it may seem as though he is supporting the loss of traditions and values that have kept this country what it is, when in my opinion he is just embracing the change and detailing how things might look to audiences when analyzed. Another strength is that it’s an approach to modern times.
“Furthermore, people are changing, building new identities founded not on the certainties of the past, but organized around the new order of modern living, where the meanings of gender, sexuality and identity are increasingly open.”
–David Gauntlett; ‘Media, Gender And Identity- An Introduction.’
“Virtual worlds can be valuable places where children rehearse what they will do in real life”
BBC News- ‘Web Worlds ‘Useful’ For Children.’
This article is about the influence of virtual worlds and how they will effect and prove to be useful to children. Themed worlds such as the one mentioned in the article will help the children become more social and give them situations to tackle that would prove to be more difficult in real life. Eliminating the consequences can be a good idea, but i do feel it might act in the reverse manor, some situations you need the consequence to learn from mistakes or if you’ve done something wrong.
“Virtual worlds can be a powerful, engaging and interactive alternative to more passive media,” –David Gauntlett
In relation to media in the online age this article and theory is key and a very important view to the modern relation to media in the online age and its approach to learning and engaging younger audiences.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7415442.stm
KEY SECTION-
“Prof Gauntlett said the research revealed that children assumed one of eight roles when exploring a virtual world and using the tools they put at their disposal. At times children were explorers and at others they were social climbers keen to connect with other players. Some were power users looking for more information about how the workings of the virtual space.”
David Buckingham
David Buckingham is one of the leading researchers into current relation ships between youth and media, he has published many books and articles detail the effects of gaming and modern media on youth and how it is forming their future. There isn’t any specific theory to highlight but i found an extract from a book which details the effect of Instant messaging and the way the youth now function.
“The Internet Playground”–
This is a chapter in a book released by him and some colleagues, it focuses on the way instant messages has affect the development of the social class and online games have given a new world for the youth, male and female.
Sonia Livingstone
Sonia Livingstone, is again another leading researcher with the relationships between children and the internet. She has published books and lead research projects focusing on the digital age and the youth in relation to the online communities and their behaviour online.
“Is the internet really transforming children and young people’s lives? Is the so-called `digital generation’ genuinely benefiting from exciting new opportunities? And, worryingly, facing new risks?”
She focuses on current theories of identity to draw conclusions on the dangers and benefits the online world offers the youth.
Stuart Hall
Reception Theory; ENCODE/DECODE
Messages are encoded in certain media with the intention that the audience will decode that message, Stuart Halls’ theory details the ways in which an audience will decode that message. A persons view will differ due to age, gender, class, etc…
- Prefered Reading this occurs when the audience receptions of the media they are viewing, coincide with what the makers intended message was. The audience agree and with what the producer intended to say, the message has been read and agreed with. This is the reading that is most likely to be made for the target audience, this was you gain the best reception.
- Negotiated Reading – This describes the response when the audience will agree with some of the ideologies placed in the media text, but not all.
- Oppositional Reading – This is the reading where the viewer will completely reject the messages and ideologies made by the producer. Instead of ‘prefered’ they do the opposite and believe the complete opposite of the intended message.
Two Step Flow Theory
First introduced by Paul Lazarsfeld, Bernard Berelson, and Hazel Gaudet. The theory its self highlights the flow of mass media consumption and how the media will change due to personal interpretations. The theory asserts that mass media moves in two distinct stages. Opinion leaders, individuals who pay close attention to the mass media receive the information. The opinion leaders, such as news papers and news corporations such as sky and BBC pass on the information with their own interpretation, in addition to the mass media content.
The term ‘Personal influence’ was formed around this time to describe this process, opinion leaders are influential in the way the masses receive the media. The 2 step flow is the outline of how the information goes from pure to interpreted. Attitudes and behaviours have been changed due to this personal influence and 2 step flow.
For example, with recent elections the opinion leaders such as ‘The Sun’ decided to change and back the conservatives. They took the information and interpreted it to influence the behaviours and attitudes of its readers. This resulted in the conservatives winning the election, obviously not a direct result. But im sure it would have had some influence on the result. The opinion leaders receive information and pass it down, but the information is never as it was, it has additional interpretation… Creating the 2 steps in the flow.
Long Tail Theory.
The long tail theory was developed by Chirs Anderson, it details the shift in sales in relation to the products available to the audience. The theory now states that there are more products available but the same amount of sales, the key is that sales are being spread through more products with less concentration on the mainstream. Consumers are now looking elsewhere for the product they require, instead of going to the place they would have always shopped. This in graph view shows a longer tail, the tail being the products, there is more available which is spreading sales away from the mainstream.
As this graph shows, where the sales are highest represents the mainstream, this section is now smaller. And you can see from the products the tail has extended, showing there is more available, spreading the sales.