Events and Issues
Events and IssuesRepresentationEventsYou will need TWO examples
of eventsContemporary Events Specifically discussing how different
media texts (e.g. newspaper story/TV coverage) cover that same
event
EventsHow has the EVENT been REpresentedLanguageMode of
addressAnchorageTechnical codesVisual codesAudio codesUse of
imagesEventsThe construction of the representationWhose viewpoint
is being shownThe process of selectionWhat has been selected and
why?The audience who will consume the textSome newspapers like
particular celebrities
Political Ideology5News ValuesIn 1965, media researchers Galtung
& Ruge analysed international news stories to find common
attributes.
They identified a list of news values common across news
bulletins and newspapers.News ValuesNegativity bad news is good
news!Familiarity local news is most relevant!Immediacy new News is
News!Continuity people want to find out more about things in the
public eye. They want updates on existing News stories.
Amplification Is it a big event? Involves lots of people? Plane
crash kills one or Plane crash destroys city whats more
exciting?Unambiguity Is it clear an definite?Uniqueness - Man Bites
Dog is more exciting that dog bites man.Simplicity a simple story
is easier to read.Personalisation human interest draws on
heart-strings.Predictability did people think there would be a riot
and there was? People love knowing they were right!Unexpectedness
Surprise!Elite Nations / People Celebs, Royals, US and UK.TaskLook
at the following media texts in your groups and answer the
following:
Who is audience for each one?Who is in control of the text?
Whose ideas and values are expressed through the
representations?What mode of address is being used?What ideologies
/ messages might be contained within the representation?How does
this event show NATIONAL IDENTITY?Mode of AddressMode of address
refers to the way in which a media text speaks to its target
audience in order to encourage them to identify with it. Newspapers
often construct their presentation to reflect what they imagine is
the typical identity of their readers.Mode of AddressThe way a
media text speaks to its audience can depend on various assumptions
the producers make about the people watching; what type of people
are they e.g. old, young, etc.? Who does the text want to attract?
What is the relationship between the audience and text e.g. is the
programme intended to be funny, serious, informative, emotionally
moving, etc.? Furthermore, the mode of address it uses may lead
audience members to assume a particular attitude towards the text,
such as paying attention, taking it seriously or light-hearted
entertainment.
NarrativeConstructionStructureKey codes such as action and
enigma
What are we studying today? What do all these things have in
common?
What would you like to know about media representation of
events?Representation of EventsFocus on the representation of TWO
events
From at least two different media texts
Enables you to demonstrate an understanding how events are
represented across media.
Events - definitionEvent = something that occurs or is about to
occur and is of interest to an audience.Events come in a range of
shapes and forms and can be local, national or international.E.g.
the Royal Wedding, the Olympic Games or a pop festival.
International events may include wars and global recession.Think of
five current events you could explore?Ideology, News Values &
BiasThe ideology of the text in which the event features right-wing
or left-wing newspaper? Royalist or anti-royalist?Is it clear what
the text says about the event?Is there evidence of bias in the
representation how do the visual, sound and linguistic codes
achieve this?News Values
In 1965, media researchers Galtung & Ruge analysed
international news stories to find out what factors they had in
common, and what factors placed them at the top of the news agenda
worldwide. They came up with the following list of news values. - a
kind of scoring system - a story which scores highly on each value
is certain to come at the start of a TV news bulletin, or make the
front page of a newspaper. Journalists and editors also draw
heavily on their experience - of what an audience expects, of what
stories have had a major impact on public consciousness in the
past, of what is important - and each news organisation will have
their own system of setting a news agenda.Looking at the list why
might the London riots feature on the front page?List..What's the
Angle (News Bias)?
Each news story is reported from a particular angle or slant.
This may be one of the news values listed above, or it may be
political or personal, depending on the journalist's (or the
publication they work for's) beliefs.The main ways in which to
influence a news story
are;Selection/omissionPlacementHeadlinePhoto, Caption, Camera
AnglesNames & Titles (ie how you describe a
person)StatisticsUse of sourceTone, or mode of address
DefinitionsLeft wing (liberal): emphasises the role of the
community (we're all in it together), supports cultural diversity,
supports higher taxation and more government intervention to ensure
equality and equal access to provisions. Right wing (conservative):
emphasises the role of the individual (every man for himself),
supports traditional values, supports lower taxation and a
'stripped-down' welfare state.
Which political leaning?
Socialist/ Left-WingRights for workers and minorities are
key.Believe the rich benefit from exploiting the poor and that this
system should end. Prorevolution.Liberal Pretty middle of the road.
Tend to offer the most unbiased, objective perspective.Believe it
is important to represent people from all minority groups and
countries.Conservative / Right of middleUphold traditional values
about Britishness, class, gender etc.: anti-Labour and Lib
Dems.Dont like Britain being part of EU.Wary of
immigration.Pro-Capitalist.Nationalist / Right-WingIncredibly
patriotic. Dislike change highly supportive of traditional values:
anti-abortion, anti-same sex marriage, heavily opposed to
immigration. Believe Britain should be Britain for (White) British
people. Socialist WorkerMorning StarDaily MailThe SunDaily
TelegraphFinancial TimesThe VoiceIndependent GuardianThe MirrorThe
MetroEvening StandardDaily StariThe Times
Intertextuality
The London RiotsWhat do you know?
Read backgroundCoverage of the events drastically differed
according to the political ideology of the commentator.
Left-leaning journalists focussed on rising social inequality in
Britain (largely due to government cuts and budgets, which seemed
to favour the wealthy) and institutional racism within the police
force, pointing out historical evidence of rioting when inequality
is at its highest. Right-leaning journalists focussed on the rise
of antisocial and counter-cultural attitudes, which has led to such
widespread criminality.
The Daily Mail/ The GuardianEach group to analyse the front page
of newspaper in hoe the event is represented.
Visual codes Masthead, imageLanguageTone and political bias
angry?, left wing view?Audience appeals to?Dominant and
Oppositional ReadingsNews Values and Narrative Theories
HW - The Daily Mail/ The GuardianAnalyse the front page of
newspaper in hoe the event is represented.
Visual codes Masthead, imageLanguageTone and political bias
angry?, left wing view?Audience appeals to?Dominant and
Oppositional ReadingsNews Values and Narrative Theories
5 mins to discuss you findings report back
How did political bias affect the coverage? Left Wing Right
wingTV coverage-
Newshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHun58mz3vI
Darcus Howe on London Riots (ABC
TV)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iNrhtJ6Zmo
Unlike BBC, ABC did not censor Darcus' Riots commentry and gave
him a chance to comment on the BBC incident.
Darcus didn't complain when BBC presenter Fiona Armstrong
(mis)introduced him twice as "Marcus Dowe" but got annoyed when she
tried to censor him and was finally outraged when she accused him
of criminal activity in the past. The BBC later published a formal
apology online http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/conte...
What you see is an extract from the weekly SBS broadcast of
Foreign Correspondent. This report was broadcast on 11-08-30
entitled "Storming High Street".which, although it featured Andrew
Fowler interviewing Darcus (from Croydon, a southern suburb),
mainly focussed on the riots experience of Ealing (A western
suburb).
You can watch the full episode (at slightly lower resolution
compared to my youtube clip) at
http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content...
The BBC did invite him back for a debate the same evening of the
embarassing episode, this time with an ex-Tory debate but it turned
out lame IMHO http://youtu.be/718J9oIUTWoLeft or Right?ABC news
(Left leaning Darcus Howe Interview) is a left wing network, where
Fox news is the polar opposite being right wing.
The television news coverage seemed to be focused on providing
dramatic and shocking footage (or moments of disequilibrium),
providing intense experiences for audiences (Dyer), as well as
'water-cooler' moments, where people could talk about the events
they have seen reported. From Sky to the BBC, we could clearly see
the use of elliptical editing, where disorder or conflict was
readily relayed to the audience. The general tone of these pieces
were sombre, condemning the acts of the rioters - usually
communicated through the dramatic non-diegetic music and choice of
interviewees. It was also clear that there was a tendency to give
priority to the police and government's viewpoint over that of the
rioters. However, people who did support the looting often came
across as inarticulate and misguided when they were interviewed.
Elliptical editingis a type of editing that cuts unnecessary
actions from a sequence35Inarticulate and Misguided
Youthhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjWifAuTwJg
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14458424
Two girls who took part in Monday night's riots in Croydon have
boasted that they were showing police and "the rich" that "we can
do what we want".The pair who were drinking wine looted from a
local shop at 09:30 BST on Tuesday morning, spoke to the BBC's
Leana Hosea.Croydon was one of several areas plagued by unrest on
Monday night, on a third night of riots in the capital.
36Fox News examples
Riotshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjZ3nq82O20
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpyKMDDMq_Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEBVUHLclBE
How is the event presented?Language - Critical? Adulatory?Mode
of address?Anchorage?Use of images?Who owns fox?
Media ownership & InstitutionsWho owns what we watch, read
and buy? [email protected] - December 2009INSTITUTIONSThe
Key Concept of INSTITUTIONS in Media Studies is about ownership and
control.When studying the Popular Press, we need to look at
OWNERSHIP of newspapers and how that might affect content.Think
about how owing a newspaper might leads to abuses of
[email protected] December 2009Ownership of the
PressThe freedom of the Press is usually taken to be a sign of a
democratic country.In dictatorships the Press, Radio , TV are
usually the first things to be seized by those newly in control as
it means that they can control what is being broadcast.The UK is
rare in having a newspaper industry that is largely free from
Government interference. [email protected] - December
2009The UK PressThe UK is also unusual in having so many national
daily newspapers.Many countries have lots of newspapers, but they
are often regional or only weekly publications. In the UK people
can read basically the same newspaper from Penzance in Cornwall to
Aberdeen in Scotland. [email protected] - December
2009OwnershipAlthough we say that UK newspapers are free they are
mostly owned by a small number of companies.Consider what effect
this may have on the opinions of newspaper readers:Political
opinions / support for political partiesOpinions on key issues
immigration, war, taxesOpinions on other issues celebrities, TV
shows, etc. [email protected] - December 2009UK National
daily newspapersTITLEOWNERSHIPCIRCULATION (c. Sept. 2009) (%
y/y)The SunNews International3,080,000 (-2%)Daily Mirror &
Daily Record (Scotland)Trinity Mirror Group1,307,000 +342,000
(-10%)Daily MailAssociated Newspapers2,160,000 (-4%)Daily
ExpressNorthern & Shell712,000 (-4%)The StarNorthern &
Shell864,000 (+18%)News of the WorldNews International3,129,000
(-3%)The TimesNews International572,000 (-10%)The Daily
TelegraphTelegraph Media Group770,000 (-6%)The GuardianGuardian
Media Group312,000 (-10%)Financial TimesPearson PLC56,000 (-5%)The
Independent Independent News & Media190,000
(-16%)[email protected] - December 2009
Political SupportTITLEPOLITICAL SUPPORT?POLITICAL BIAS?The
SunConservative PartyCentre RightDaily Mirror & Daily Record
(Scotland)Labour PartyCentre Left Daily MailConservative PartyVery
RightDaily ExpressConservative PartyRightThe StarConservative
Party?Right?News of the WorldConservative PartyRightThe
TimesConservative PartyCentre RightThe Daily TelegraphConservative
PartyVery RightThe GuardianLabour / Liberal DemocratsCentre
LeftFinancial TimesCentre / Traditionally RightThe Independent
Independent? Centre / Left? [email protected] - December
2009Daily Mail and General Trust plc is a British media
conglomerate. It has interests in newspapers, television and radio.
The company has extensive activities based outside the UK, through
DMG World Events and DMG Information
Northern & Shellis a Britishpublishingandtelevisiongroup.
Launched and founded in December 1974 and currently owned byRichard
Desmond, it publishes the Daily Express,Sunday Express,Daily
StarandDaily Star Sunday, and the magazinesOK!,New!,Star, and TV
Pick Magazine. Northern & Shell also owned three
entertainmenttelevision channels:Channel 5,5*and5USA. The company
also ownsPortland TV,[1]which owns theadultTV channels;Television
X,Red Hot TV, and others.
Political SupportThe Sun has become the most important opinion
former in recent years and its support for one or another political
party has often been very influential.Traditionally The Sun
supported the Labour Party, but decided in the 1980s that it liked
the politics of Margaret Thatcher and so threw its support behind
the Conservatives.When Tony Blair became leader of the Labour
Party, The Sun decided that they would support him.Recently, The
Sun has announced that it will be supporting David Camerons
Conservative Party in the forthcoming election and has already
begun a campaign against Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
[email protected] - December 2009The Sun in the
Elections
[email protected] - December 2009The Sun changes
Party
[email protected] - December 2009Who checks what they
print?The Press Complaints Commission (PCC) tries to make sure that
newspapers follow their Code of Conduct, but critics say that the
PCC has no teeth.Code of Conduct an agreement amongst the newspaper
Editors to follow certain rules about accuracy, privacy,
information gathering or reporting on children or law cases. OFCOM
is the Governments own body for regulating the media in
[email protected] - December 2009Why should we
care? We tend to forget how important the press is in the way that
it shapes peoples opinions.Traditionally every broadsheet newspaper
sold will be read by THREE people. Every tabloid newspaper will be
read by FIVE people do the maths!Every day the owner of New
International has the opportunity to get his message across to MORE
THAN 17 MILLION readers! Just in the UK. If you owned a newspaper,
could you resist telling people your opinions?
[email protected] - December 2009What do you know about
Rupert Murdoch? Research
[email protected] - December 2009ConstructionEvents in
media representations are constructed they are mediated by editors,
journalists, graphic designers, photographers.A football cup final
will have lots of camera positioning producers will decide where
the camera is pointing and which is to be used. Music, slow motion,
and video filters can enhance the images and make the players seem
heroic and superhuman. SelectionWhatever is chosen means other
things are omitted.Someone makes that decision who? Why?If a
peaceful student march has a brief skirmish between one or two
protestors and the police how might A) a student newspaper think
about it B) A right-wing tabloid?
FocusHeadlines and images will direct our response to certain
aspects of the text and push us towards assumptions and conclusions
about the event concerned.Who is interviewed? Who is not?Who is
invited to commentate?AudienceOpinion leaders? Do they influence
how audiences think or feel about an event? Two step flow theoryThe
audience themselves types of reading? Stuart Hall? encoding/
decoding preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings.Consider
how these two texts have represented this event.
The Suns Target AudienceMale - heavy coverage of sport,
particularly football; page 3 and other sexist portrayals of
women). There is some content that is woman friendly (celebrity
content).16+ - simplistic coverage, celebrity content, titillating
stories. White British possible negative representations of ethnic
minorities, xenophobic? or nationalistic attitude? Patriotic
stories.Working Class/C2DE price (40p), very little serious
political coverage, focus on show business/sensational stories,
20%of the paper about sport with an emphasis on football, the size
is convenient. Fairly right wing political views (political
content).Value and Attitudes: Mainstreamers, Strugglers and
Resigned. Illustrated through advertising.
http://youtu.be/FW-yuYwnba465
Current EventsWhat events have occurred over the last 18months
that you could use as case studies in the exam?Events 14 February
2013: Oscar Pistorius is charged with murder. The South African
athlete is charged with the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, model
Reeva Steenkamp, in an incident in his home in Pretoria. Murder
trial in March 2014
8 April: Baroness Thatcher, prime minister from 1979 to 1990,
dies aged 87 following a stroke. The UKs only woman prime minister,
Lady Thatcher won three general elections as Conservative
leader.
22 May: Lee Rigby, a Drummer of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers,
is killed near the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, southeast
London. He is knocked down with a car, then attacked with knives
and cleavers in an attempt to decapitate him. His two assailants,
Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, are wounded by police
gunfire before being arrested. Murder trial in March 2014
28 October: The biggest trial into phone hacking allegedly
conducted by the now-defunct News of the World begins at the Old
Bailey in London. Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson, former editors
of the tabloid, are among the eight defendants, who are charged
with a range of offences including conspiring to access voicemail
messages illegally.
2014
Floods in BritainWinter OlympicsRussia / Ukraine crisis
The Floods Feb 2014
TASKYou will need TWO examples of Contemporary Events (within
18months) from different media texts (e.g. newspaper story/TV
coverage)
When discussing events in the exam you MUST use and reference
SPECIFIC examples, e.g. The Sun represented the Royal wedding
aswhereas PBS news
Find and comment on 2 examples of events . Discuss the
following:
Who is audience for each one?Who is in control of the text?
Whose ideas and values are expressed through the
representations?What mode of address is being used?What ideologies
/ messages might be contained within the representation?
