Media Studies

by Rayner, Philip; Wall, Peter; Kruger, Stephen

• ISBN13: 9780415236119
• ISBN10: 0415236118
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-08-01
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Students are introduced step-by-step to the skills of reading and analysing media texts and can explore a broad range of media institutions and technologies, ideologies, and codes of practice.

Table of Contents

Figure acknowledgements	xi
Preface	xv
Introduction	1	(1)
What do we mean by `the media'?	1	(2)
Worksheet to determine media consumption patterns	3	(4)
Why are the media important?	7	(3)
The changing media world	10	(6)
How to study the media	16	(11)
Further reading	27	(2)
PART 1: READING THE MEDIA	29	(80)
Image analysis	29	(15)
What is a media `text'?	29	(1)
Semiotics	30	(3)
Signs	33	(2)
Codes	35	(3)
Denotation and connotation	38	(2)
The process model of communication	40	(1)
Criticisms of semiotics	41	(1)
Worksheet for analysing advertisements	41	(3)
Narrative	44	(11)
Narrative construction	44	(7)
Mode of address	51	(2)
Relationship between narrative and genre	53	(2)
Genre	55	(8)
The function of genre	56	(1)
Genre and audiences	57	(4)
Genre as a critical tool	61	(1)
Limitations of genre	62	(1)
Representation	63	(9)
Media representation of the world at large	63	(2)
How accurate?	65	(2)
Stereotyping	67	(5)
Media intertextuality	72	(8)
Mimicry	72	(2)
Parody, pastiche and homage	74	(2)
Marketing	76	(1)
Reviews	76	(2)
Media performers in different media forms	78	(2)
Media ideology	80	(7)
Belief systems	80	(2)
Watching Big Brother	82	(1)
Ideology and gender	83	(4)
Realism	87	(10)
Different types of realism	88	(1)
Documentary film-making	89	(3)
The docu-soap	92	(1)
Reality television	93	(1)
Further work	94	(1)
Further reading	95	(2)
Example: Title sequences	97	(12)
Worksheet for analysing title sequences	100	(1)
Coronation Street	100	(3)
Neighbours	103	(2)
Taxi Driver	105	(2)
Further work	107	(2)
PART 2: MEDIA AUDIENCES	109	(58)
Different types of audience	109	(1)
Why are audiences important?	110	(1)
How have audiences changed?	111	(7)
How is audience consumption `patterned' and determined?	118	(2)
Who is the audience?	120	(3)
`Television doesn't make programmes, it creates audiences'	123	(13)
David Morley's Nationwide study	136	(1)
Ang's Dallas study	137	(2)
Audience participation	139	(1)
Gendered consumption	140	(1)
The `effects' debate and moral panics	141	(2)
And finally...	143	(1)
Further work	144	(1)
Further reading	145	(2)
Example: Magazines	147	(20)
`Lifestyle' magazines	148	(2)
Teenage magazines	150	(2)
More!	152	(1)
Women's magazines	153	(5)
Inside Soap	158	(4)
Worksheet for analysing magazines	162	(3)
Further work	165	(1)
Further reading	166	(1)
PART 3: MEDIA INSTITUTIONS	167	(48)
Issues of ownership and control	168	(10)
Horizontal and vertical integration	178	(2)
Alternative media	180	(2)
Issues of control	182	(2)
Regulation of the media	184	(4)
British Board of Film Classification (BBFC)	188	(2)
Public Service Broadcasting (PSB)	190	(2)
Narrowcasting	192	(1)
Digital broadcasting	193	(3)
New technology	196	(1)
Convergence	196	(1)
Future developments	197	(2)
Global media economy	199	(2)
Media imperialism	201	(2)
Further work	203	(1)
Further reading	204	(1)
Further information on regulation	204	(2)
Example: Cinema	206	(9)
The status of the cinema as a business and as a cultural pursuit	207	(3)
The current state of the British film industry	210	(1)
Worksheet for analysing the marketing of films	211	(3)
Foreign films	214	(1)
PART 4: THREE CASE STUDIES	215	(56)
Case study 1: News	215	(21)
What is news?	215	(2)
Sources of news	217	(1)
News as a commodity	218	(8)
Anatomy of a news story	226	(3)
Regulation and control	229	(4)
The future of news	233	(1)
Further work	233	(2)
Further reading	235	(1)
Case study 2: Advertising	236	(22)
Introduction	236	(1)
Advertising: institution and history	236	(3)
The advertising process	239	(3)
Advertising and audience	242	(1)
Products/brands	243	(1)
Advertising and regulation	244	(1)
Benetton	245	(1)
Children	245	(4)
Product placement	249	(1)
Sponsorship	250	(1)
Advertising effects	250	(1)
Arguments in support of advertising	250	(1)
Arguments used to criticise advertising	251	(5)
Further work	256	(1)
Further reading	257	(1)
Case study 3: Pop music	258	(13)
Beginnings	259	(1)
Formats	260	(3)
The charts	263	(4)
Videos	267	(2)
Further work	269	(1)
Further reading	269	(2)
PART 5: ESSENTIAL MEDIA SKILLS	271	(33)
Research skills	271	(13)
What is research?	271	(2)
Why undertake research?	273	(1)
Different types of research	273	(1)
Carrying out your own primary research	274	(3)
Interviews	277	(1)
Organising interviews	278	(1)
Focus groups	279	(1)
Content analysis	279	(1)
How to undertake your own content analysis project	280	(2)
Using secondary data	282	(1)
The bibliography	282	(1)
Further reading	283	(1)
Production skills	284	(13)
Planning	284	(1)
The medium	285	(1)
The audience	285	(1)
The subject matter	286	(1)
Individual v. group	286	(1)
Pre-production	287	(2)
Organising	289	(1)
Production	290	(3)
Post-production	293	(2)
The commentary/rationale	295	(2)
Preparing for exams	297	(7)
Drawing up a revision plan	297	(1)
Unseen papers	298	(2)
Essay papers	300	(4)
Appendix: Sample exam papers	304	(5)
Resources	309	(5)
Glossary	314	(5)
Bibliography	319	(4)
Index	323