A2 MEDIA EXAM Section B

“To what extent is human identity increasingly mediated?”

How does the Media shape our identity?

How do we use it to construct identities?

Focus: Youth culture

Why “increasingly mediated?”

Mediation “a negotiation to resolve differences”

Audiences are not passive but active They understand texts in context They filter through their own

experiences

Thomas de Zengotita

“Mediated”

Information, values, news and role models come through the media influencing our view of life and our self-definition

Construction of IdentityThe Media gives huge numbers of messages about identity and acceptable forms of self-expression, gender, identity and lifestyle.

The public has a strong set of diverse views on issues.

The power relationship between the media and the public involves a bit of both………..in fact a lot of both!

Postmodern ideological view.

Louis Althusser-Post-marxist critic

Society reinforces stereotypes and discrimination through ideological “agencies” like……….religion, education, family, mass media and popular culture.

Interpellation. Althusser believed ideology treats us as “subjects”, part of a group, and that group members abide by sets of rules removing individuality.

Fairly extreme left-wing ideological view.

Folk Devils and Moral Panics-Stanley Cohen

The Media construct then perpetuate these identities.Why did Dan Gardner (“Screenwipe”) say this happens?Don’t forget makers of media texts may also have an ideological agenda.

Mediated Collective Identities Mods v’s Rockers

Fashion,Pop Music, The Who, Italian scooters

Motor bikes, Black leathers, Elvis, rock ‘n’ roll

Identities are often constructed and groups demonised by the media…….

Remember to quote the experts… Stanley Cohen’s folk devils and moral panics????

Owen Jones “Chavs” research……..

Chavs

Watch the extract from “Misfits” for an example of “Chav” identity

“The Hoodie”

It could be argued that the Media gave us the “hoodie”, the scary youth by giving them a high profile in the news, then perpetuating the stereotype in fictional texts like “Eden Lake” “Attack the Block” and even “Misfits”

How was representation in“Bullet Boy” different?

“Skins” Parties

Read the hand out and watch the clip about the “Skins” parties Media phenomenon

Editing

Editing can have huge significance in constructing and perpetuating Media identities – watch the “Screenwipe” extract.

David Gauntlett Web 2.0 “Audiences are becoming producers”

Due to the democratization of the digital media, we can use the media explicitly to create identities

Facebook,Youtube, Twitter etc.

Section B requires debate!

“To what extent” requires you to explain how much and in what ways you agree or disagree with the statement.

Use experts and textual evidence!