Audience theory 2: blog tasks

Theory questions and your opinion

1) Social learning theory has been criticised for simplifying the causes of violence in society. Do you think the media is responsible for anti-social behaviour and violence?

-I think the media only holds a share of their role in making audiences anti-social and violent, because audiences can chose to not consume media but they do it willingly. This just makes them to blame as much as the media.

2) How is social learning theory relevant in the digital age? Are young people now learning behaviour from social media and the internet? Give examples.

-I think young kids are indeed learning from social media and the internet because if they see something in the media that is seen as a norm then they will also try to follow and do the same things as others. This is bad for the behaviour and mental well being of the young kids.

3) Research three examples of moral panic from the last 50 years. To what extent was the media responsible for these moral panics? Was the concern in society justified? How have things changed as a result of these moral panics?

-Increase in crime (1970s–present)

-Violence and video games (1970s–present)

-Sex offenders, child sexual abuse, and paedophilia (1970s–present)

4) Read this introduction to an academic paper on techno-panics. What examples are given of techno-panics that create fear in society? If the link is blocked in school, you can access the text here.

-Online child safety

-Digital privacy

-Cyber security

5) Do you think the internet should be regulated? Should the government try and control what we can access online?

-I think that the government should regulate the internet to some extent so that young kids cannot access wrong media that is bad for them or if it will make them aggressive and violent. But on the other hand if the government does regulate the media then people would question if the media is trying to hide stuff from consumers or not.

6) Apply Gerbner's cultivation theory to new and digital media. Is the internet creating a fearful population? Are we becoming desensitised to online threats, trolling and abuse? Is heavy internet use something we should be worried about in society? Write a paragraph discussing these ideas.

-Gerbner's cultivation theory is still very relevant today, especially with new digital media. The news and media we consume are often influenced by the personal biases of those in control. Heavy internet use is something we should really be worried about, especially if it's the younger generation using it. This is because "Heavy viewers are exposed to more violence and therefore are affected by the Mean World Syndrome, the belief that the world is a far worse and dangerous place than it actually is".

The effects debate: Media Factsheet

Read Media Factsheet 030 - Media and Audiences -The Effects Debate and answer the following questions:

1) Complete the questions in the first activity box (beginning with 'Do you play violent games? Are you violent in real life?')

-Activity

1. Do you play violent video games and/or watch violent films? Are you violent in ‘real life’?

-Yes I have played a couple of violent games such as GTA. However I would say that it hasn't caused me to be a violent person in real life

2. Do you ever see a product advertised on TV or on the internet and decide you want to buy it?

-Yes when the video game Fortnight first came out it make me want to purchase the game and play it, which I ended up doing.

3. Have you ever seen a documentary which has drawn your attention to an issue which you now feel strongly about?

-The documentary of Dahmer was one that I only watched half way as it was too traumatising to watch. This was because of the topics within it, the killing and the character of Dahmer and his crimes, which I was strongly traumatised by.

2) What are the four categories for different effects theories?

-Direct Effect Theories

-Diffusion Theories

-Indirect Effect Theories

-The Pluralist Approach

3) What are the examples provided for the hypodermic needle theory - where media texts have been blamed for certain events? 

-Marilyn Manson-Columbine High School shootings

4) What was the 1999 Columbine massacre? You may need to research this online in addition to the information on the factsheet.

-There was a moral panic toward rock music because of a mass shooting.

5) What are the reasons listed on the factsheet to possibly explain the Columbine High School massacre?

-The ease of access to firearms and the social acceptance of gun ownership

-The alienation felt by teenagers who felt as though they did not fit in

-The hopelessness caused by living in an area where unemployment was high and was economically   disadvantaged

-The general desensitisation caused by access to a range of violent images: film, TV, the news, the           internet

6) How does the factsheet describe Gerbner's Cultivation theory?

-The theory tell the way the media affects attitudes rather then behaviour.

7) What does the factsheet suggest about action films and the values and ideologies that are reinforced with regards to violence?

-The repetition of similar values and themes can be normalised by the media and can encourage the same behaviour.

8) What criticisms of direct effect theories are suggested in the factsheet?

-That the audiences are passive and that all members of the audience group are the same and respond in similar ways to each other.

9) Why might the 1970s sitcom Love Thy Neighbour be considered so controversial today? What does this tell us about Reception theory and how audiences create meanings?

-It was a racist show that was really offence to people of different backgrounds

10) What examples are provided for Hall's theory of preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings?

-Women with no interest in cars reading to top gear - Oppositional as they would not be interested in the show and would not understand the producers message.

-Religious audience readings to skins - oppositional because it goes against their values and their way if life as they would consider the acts in skins sinful.

-Teenagers readings to Question time- oppositional as they would consider it boring.