Culture and Media

What do these words mean to you?

CultureCulture consists of the beliefs,

behaviors, objects, and other characteristics common to the members of a particular group or society.

Culture includes many societal aspects: language, customs, values, norms, mores, rules, tools, technologies, products, organizations, and institutions. Media falling into many of these

characteristics

Ch. 1: Interpreting Mediathe means of communication, such as

radio and television, newspapers, and magazines, that reach or influence people widely

can also be used as a collective noun for the press or news reporting agencies.

Analyzing Media: Semiotic ApproachAlso known as semiology. It is the study of signs and their

significance.Belief that media is not a simple

channel of communicationMedia actually “structures reality that

it seems to describe and stand for.”

SemioticsPhysical form is called the signifier

What the sign refers to is called the signified (this is an idea or concept)

Referent is the real object that the signified and signifer refer to

Language shapes our sense of realityExample: Inuit words for snow.Have you come across words in Turkish

that do not translate to English? How does this “shape” reality for

Turkish speakers differently than English speakers?

StructuralismThe belief that “human social order is

determined by large social or psychology structures”

Example – Different societies structuring of rules on food.Rules of ExclusionRules of OppositionRules of Association

StructuralismWhat kind of rules do you see here at

school?Clothing? Schedule? Food? ClassesNow do they fall into any of these

categories?Opposition/exclusion/association/others?

Signs: Denotation and ConnotationDenote – stands for/a symbol for

Red for the color Connote – implied or additional

meaningRed for passion, blood, communism etc.

Remember the “Red Wheelbarrow” poem from last year?

ExampleConfederate flag

Denotative (original) – symbol of South countries when they were trying to succeed from the union during the civil war.

Connotative – symbol of “white” supremacy over African AmericansConfederate Licence Plate

Control over SignsSign are polysemic – capable of having

several meaningsAnd sometimes the media tries to

control the meaning of these signs. This attempt at control is called anchoring.

Examples – Negative connotation of calling someone or

something “black” to the revamped image of “black is beautiful”

Literal meaning of words like “cool” or “wicked” or “hot” to the slang terminology we are all familiar with.

Control over SignsBe aware of verbal construction and visual

framing.Why of all the possible words and photos

have they chosen the ones that reach the headlines.

Spin – other than the obvious meaning, can also refer to a drastic change in appearance or impression

Verbal ContructionAuthorities on lookout for two

Lansing prison escapees http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2011/nov/15/authorities-lookout-two-lansing-prison-escapees/

Visual FramingCasey Anthony TV

Movie in the Works

www.people.com

New tremor hits quake-ravaged Turkey: reports

http://en.cumhuriyet.com/

Turkey's president said on Tuesday that it would be disadvantageous for the European Union (EU) to block Turkey's negotiation process.

http://en.cumhuriyet.com/?hn=293172

Verbal Construction and Visual Framing in Practice1. Pair the image with a possible caption

2. What would this story be about? What would you expect to read?

3. When you have finished with a packet, mix them up and pass them on.

Controlling SignsMode of Address

“The ways a text seems to speak to its audience, or who it thinks we are”Timing of commercials during the dayFormatting and address of different news

stationsCovers of magazines aimed at women and

men

Chapter 3:Q. How many real men does it take to

change a light bulb?

A. Real men aren’t afraid of the dark.

Along with the light bulb genre…

Guy walks into a bar…A piece of rope walks into a bar and the

bartender says, "We don't serve your kind." The rope goes outside, ties himself in a knot and frays one end of himself. He walks back into the bar and the bartender says, "Weren't you just in here?" The rope replies, "No, I'm a frayed knot."

A drunk goes into a bar. The bartender tosses him out as he is too drunk. The drunk walks back into the bar. Again, the bartender throws him out for being too drunk. Again the drunk walks into the bar. The bartender is just about the throw him out when the drunk looks at him and says, "How many bars do you own, anyway?"

Cont.A mushroom walks into a bar and the

bartender says "We don't serve your kind here." and the mushroom says - "Why not? I'm a fungi."

Two men walk into a bar. The third one ducks.

Genre related VocabularyStandardization – “sameness” or the maintenance of

“sameness”Niche marketing – attempt to reach specialized and

profitable grounds of consumersHybridity – mixing of genres or values Intertextuality – variety of interactions between different

types of mediaVerisimilitude – (latin for truth and similar), connection to

realityFormat – a “recipe” for success under a genre or

subgenre Big Brother format

Movie genresHow many movie genres can you come up

with?The reading describes the Romantic Comedy

genre in depth, focusing on audio-visual conventions. Gone with the Wind

Choose one of the genres you’ve listed and describe its typical characteristics with a partner.Give at least one example of a commonly

known movie

Genre Stereotypes?Is there an assumption that one genre

is fit for only certain people?What genres are you a fan of? Are there any you strongly dislike?

Not all media is accepted EquallyHow do some products gain the label

of “art” while others do not?What do you consider art? Why?

Art in Movie GenresDo certain genres contain more artistic

merit than others?As a class place the genres of movies

on a scale according to its acceptance as art.

Classification for Audience SuitabilityTime of airing on public broadcast

Tv, radio, etcGovernments and agencies create a

rating system for age/maturity appropriateness.UK – BBFCUS – Rating board from 3 agencies

(R,PG, PG-13, G)What about Turkey?

Rating as censorship or advertising?How much do you pay attention to the

rating of a movie or tv show?