As Audiences are we active or just sponges?

Whether or not you like it we are all an audience member of some description, I understand that this may come across as negative but it cannot be taken for granted! As fine citizens of the human species we are walking, talking conscious people with the capability to understand and develop our own perspectives on the world around us. What we may not be so clear on is the level of media content we are all exposed to on a daily if not hourly basis and what effect is this having. What the Albion Shack here wants to go through is to what level are our values, ideas and even personality is in fact our own, or are we a product of media socialisation in a modern world?

Throughout our lives we are socialised through a variety of different social constructions that teach us our culture, values and even behaviour. Primarily the Family, School and even Religion are the institutes that can define an individual. Increasingly over the past decade the new media has established itself as almost an essential part of life, for example I’m sat here now with facebook open just like every time I open up a web browser?

A now deceased American Sociologist named Paul Felix Lazarsfeld initiated a theory that an audience are subjected to an approach entitled “The Hypodermic Syringe model” essentially stating that media content and messages are injected directly into the minds of audiences. This approach dates to around the 1940’s and a clearly negative side is that it automatically assumes that we are mindless carcasses who can only gain our understanding through forms of media and if the media portray it to be true then we will. This is obviously untrue, I mean I just watched The Expendables and I have no desire to blow something up or shoot a group of Columbian Gangsters?

Many theories aim to give us a more accurate reading of the effects of the media on audiences’ such as the “Uses and Gratification Model” which see’s the audience as actively using media for their own purpose E.G. company, interest and pleasure. I would like to think of myself as falling into this spectrum although if I analyze my current traits I firmly believe that there are influences from the media that have influenced me, such as my need to use Gillette razors because they are simply the best a man can get!

When I was a boy playing quietly with the Lego blocks I was always told “Question Everything!” at the time about as much use I could get out of that would be “Why can’t I have any more sweets?” to which I was always told “Because your 12 years old and sporting a waist that would fit Jabba the Hutt!” But aside from the weight issues that ethos has been instilled in me, something which we should all have in our media consumption. Are you buying that Mocha-Choca Latte because you like paying £5 for coffee in Starbuck’s or is it because when you were watching Sex in the City the girls all looked so cool with their overpriced white containers of capitalism whilst discussing who Samantha’s latest orgasm came from?

For a topic so big I could turn this blog into a text book, there are many other theories that give other perspectives of media influence but I have given examples of two that are polar opposite of each other. Essentially the point I belive Im trying to make is that yes the media do effect us, but to what extent is entirely up to the individual. If the weather report says snow then you may throw on a coat, if the news states that Woolworths are closing then you find a new location to get your pick n mix from. If the latest playstation game comes out glorifying blowing up some small village in Columbia because your a soldier does that make you want to kill everything in sight? I live this with you....

Media Culture : Genre

Well folks it's time to whip on your slippers, reach for that bottle of wine in the fridge and listen to another one of Gonzo's journey through Media Culture! As I understand it I've been classed as an academic and to earn such a term I need to produce some academic orientated pieces. I know, I know I have also pondered over the principle of this and have decided to look in depth at genre, in particular gameshows.
Not only will I discuss the backround and history of UK gameshows but factors which have helped it evolve and its ability to survive on our shiney little plasma TV's!

   Starting out as light hearted entertainment in public service broadcasting, competition for audience appears to have propelled the gameshow genre through significant change. It seems to have shed the un-materialistic ethos of fun, becoming a product of social phenomena and a network rating battle. It becomes apparent that audience’s dissatisfaction of prizes, wanting more from a show each time has stepped up competition. Audiences now want more, not only more materialistic value but the means by which this is attained. This has played a significant role in the hybridisation of genre, spawning new generations of Reality Television. Could the increasing audience expectancy be representational of our modern consumer culture?

   1955 brought about the introduction of independent television network (ITV). Significantly different from the BBC, introducing commercials as well as regionalised programming. Double Your Money! Was the first gameshow aired by ITV in 1955 an adaption of an American CBS programme. This was to change the concept of UK gameshow’s forever, creating a battle for audience ratings. A pre-recorded programme with a Celebrity host the contestants aim was to correctly answer a series of questions in order to obtain cash prizes. The notion of winning large sum prize money was un-heard of in previous years of BBC programming and changed the aim of having a jolly good time to a more serious and even life changing development for contestants. The notion of prizes and celebrities had now become a recognisable convention within the gameshow genre, a convention now established throughout the majority of future shows. These conventions now cemented into the gameshow show genre could well be a reflection of the post war era in the UK, developing into a more prosperous and wealthy Country although this may be a result of the competition between networks.

   Prize orientated shows now took precedence in the gameshow industry, leading the way for large valued prizes. The mid to late fifties quiz shows became one of the most popular genres on TV, similar to our friends across the pond in the USA. Popularity in the UK illustrates a link between the popularity of the genre and the size of the prizes. This response could prove to be one of the reasons hybridisation of the gameshow genre has occurred, providing new ways to market a genre to changing audiences. Development into the more recently popular Reality Television such as Big Brother is a creation developed from basic elements of gameshows. Branston and Stafford state “Big Brother is like a genre operating a loose ‘repertoire of elements’, combining two distinct TV forms”. By this we can see that Reality Television shares similarities with both documentary and gameshow genre. Reality television shares the convention of prizes as it portrays the competition through an unscripted, unformatted reality. This ‘reality’ will undergo heavy mediation through studio editing and manipulating time, even the perception of competitors.

   The genres structure composes of a repertoire of elements such as the non-diegetic music, sound bridges and high-key lighting. These create a ritualistic reassurance and familiarity of entertainment for audiences. Branston and Stafford state “Audiences understandably seek the pleasures of the familiar” .Illustrating how genre can provide conventions and codes of the familiar that establish recognition. These conventions and audience expectations were developed and learned over time. Technical codes seen in modern shows such as Deal Or No Deal were certainly not a part of earlier shows such as Spelling Bee.

    Non-diegetic music and sound bridges are a key example of developed technical codes. They create a signifying effect with suspenseful, exciting theme tunes and sound bridges. Often unique to each show and a widely recognised element of modern gameshows they set the atmosphere of the shows narrative. Even the tone of the opening theme tune has developed dramatically. Now conveying a serious and tense emotion in comparison to the simple jingles and light heated melody’s of the 1950’s and 60’s. The dominant sound clips in modern shows such as The Weakest Link almost resemble a heart beat increasing as the pressure builds, amplifying the tense atmosphere.

   Studios now use high key lighting within gameshows. This removes the natural occurrence of shadows enabling the studio to achieve a spot light affect on contestants. High key lighting has always been an element of gameshows although technological advances have enabled producers to create an almost ‘Las Vegas’ effect. Shows now are marked with fast paced editing and lighting. This can almost represent intertextuality between fast paced action sequences in modern Hollywood movies and gameshow entertainment.

   These technical codes not only establish recognition of the genre for audiences but punctuate the shows narrative signifying a beginning, middle and end. These components are now a consistent element of modern game shows such as Deal Or No Deal! They have evolved from a number of stylistic changes originating from earlier, simper generations of gameshows. Originally gameshows seem to have been a simple form of entertainment embedded within BBC public service broadcasting. Consumer culture and Ratings battles between Networks have driven the genre to new heights even hybridising it into sub-genres such as Reality TV.

   Many argue that the BBC’s mandatory license fee has become an outdated concept.  Producing and providing entertainment of high standard which independent networks fail to, an argument the BBC are able to implement justifying the license fee. If this is the case then why would the BBC enter into ‘competition’ for audiences, providing lower brow entertainment such as Strictly Come Dancing or Fame Academy? “Viewing figures are its Alpha and Omega” Illustrating that the BBC also justify its success (and cost) by rating figures. The argument arises that why should a public service be charging its audience if is providing the same standard of entertainment as other networks? Dominic Lawson of the independent states “Public service, in the widest sense, should exist where market fails.” showing that the broadcasting provided by the BBC and ITV networks should be diverse. With the BBC’s broadcasting of low brow entertainment such as gameshows they fuel the concept that programming is becoming similar to ITV and other commercial networks, networks that do not charge a license fee. This argument now begins to empower the notion that the license fee is an anachronistic idea.

 Established at the beginning of the UK’s broadcasting history gameshows began as lighthearted entertainment, programming representational of a simpler time. It becomes apparent the pressure to meet audience expections as well as increase viewing figures has created significant change. Change that developed the codes and conventions we now commonly see within any modern gameshow. Technical codes such as the Lighting and Sound as well as conventions like the Celebrity Hosts and large prizes have all been developed and established over time. Gameshows now begin a dismantling of genre, classic shows such as Family fortunes begin to become celebrity orientated, a strong reflection of modern British culture. From this original genre new hybrids of programming have spawned creating Reality Television. This hybridisation increases the ability to survive with changing audiences and their viewing patterns as well as providing opportunity for exploiting the genre. X-Factor alone creates a brand saturation synergised through tabloid newspapers, music charts and even travelling shows, something Spelling Bee in the late 30’s wouldn’t comprehend as a possibility!

Referances used:

[1] Vahimagi, T. (1994) British Television. Oxford: Butler & Tanner Ltd.

[2] Gameshows (2010) History of the game show [Internet] Available from: <http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/History_of_the_Game_Show> [Accessed 24 December 2009]

[3] Branston, G. Stafford, R. (2007) The Media Students Handbook. Fourth Edition. London: Routledge

[4] Gameshows (2010) History of the game show [Internet] Available from: <http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/History_of_the_Game_Show> [Accessed 24 December 2009

[5] http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/dominic-lawson/dominic-lawson-publicinterest-game-shows-rubbish-1791177.html

 

[6] http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/dominic-lawson/dominic-lawson-publicinterest-game-shows-rubbish-1791177.html

Murdoch: The Man, The Mogul, The Successful Capitalist Ruler!

'Sky Television', 'The Times', 'The Sunday Times' and 'The Sun' just to name a few (from the UK) are what makes one particular man what the Forbes Magazine would list as the 117th-richest person in the world, pocketing a net worth of $6.2....BILLION!! It can be argued that little Rupert back in the 1930's didn't care for kicking the football around the back lanes of Melbourne but instead sat his room sketching out his plans of world domination! I mean who didn't?

Another wise man who has chalked up a few more years on Mr Murdoch is a chap called Karl Marx. For the sociologists and media folk out there this name may spark a distant memory or perhaps a pretty vivid one when you scrambled through text books trying to understand his writings on Industrial Capitalism late at night with nothing more than black coffee, caffeine pills and a fast approaching deadline! As if Marx prophecised the arrival of Murdoch he stated that the ruling class (Bourgeoisie) will dominate the means of production in order to benefit themselves. Thus leaving the working class (proletariat) to be nothing more than a mindless work force breaking their backs for shillings.

But what's that I hear you say, "But Albion Shack how does this relate to Mr Murdoch? Have you gone off on another tangent?" Well folks, quite frankly NO! No I haven’t, so let’s begin.....with a visual....

Many, Many people argue that without the help of such famous Red-Top papers as 'The Sun' Conservative government would not have came into power. The above front page illustrates the extent in which these papers are willing to go to damage reputations of political parties. This in my eyes can be construed as propaganda, even such terms as the 'Looney-Left' began to become popular within this monopolised press clearly pressing to push the Right wing conservatives into a popular light with us proletariats.

Although in retrospect if I were to own such a large proportion of our media I wouldn't want to advocate political parties that were not in line with my views. You would feel obliged as such as powerful organisation to promote the benefits of your political party because their views, ideas and motives are equal to yours....so why switch sides?

Well you could say that anybody wants to "give change a chance" if you know that its beneficial for the everyday man and women, harmonising people and working towards a utopia filled with fluffy clouds and marshmallows! But if you ask me I believe it may be more to do with assistance of reaching that $6.2 Billion Mr Murdoch’s keeping in his bank. Again I hear you, "Albion Shack! You cynic you, Maybe Rupert need's that money to keep himself in elasticated suspenders and hush puppies, he just wanted change in England?

Then why switch....again!

Essentially as Karl Marx stated the means of production are dominated by the ruling class for their benefit. The Newspapers, Those adverts you watch, Those brands you see and even to some extent Dot Cotton off  'East enders' with all of her fag's and boozing are all there for a reason, owned and marketed by institutions and magnates such as Mr Murdoch!

Understandably the topic of general elections and political backing throughout the UK's timeline is much, much more deeper then what I have merely skimmed over but the purpose of this is to put out an idea, and true to my previous blog have a little bit of rant!

Enjoy, comment, slate or rate folks, it’s all a learning curve!

Gonzo