1. MECS 102 Introduction to Media Studies
Media and Society
Representation

2. Institutions, Texts and Audience
Looking at the social, political and economic context of media production and consumption.
We examine what media texts reflect in society but
“the media are more than the sum of their texts” (Burton,2005:8) when we look at:
Questions of power
The nature of media influence
Media – social relations
Media as public space

3. Institutions Texts Audience
Questions to ask regarding production and consumption of media products (texts)
Who says what, to whom, thru’ what channel and with what effect? (McQuail 2000:52) There is a dynamic relationship between the 3 areas.
Institutions Texts Audience
How is a media
text
constructed?
MEDIATION
Analysis
Deconstruction
Interpretation
Meaning
By whom
and how are
media products
consumed?
Effects?
Influence?
Active/passive?
Subject
Identity
Where is it created,
by whom?
Why?
Capitalism
Ownership/control
Technology
Globalisation
Regulation

4. Institutions Media as business entities
Emphasis on profit not production of culture, meaning and quality
Economic trends in capitalism and how they affect the media industry
eg concentration, convergence, privatisation,

5. TEXTS Media workers mediate reality through texts.
Texts construct representations, using discourses, and promoting myths and ideologies (Burton, 2005:9)
We explore how media texts reflect ideology by
Deconstructing and analysing media texts:
Textual analysis
Semiotic analysis
Image analysis
Discourse analysis

6. Why is it worth analysing texts?
Text as representation can reflect more than the material object, it offers a set of meanings – it naturalises ideology
Analysis investigates these meanings to uncover the ideologies and their influence
It helps understand the conventions/codes used to structure the text

7. AUDIENCES What/who determines the relationship?
Looking at the debate about the relationship between the 3 core concepts/areas.
What/who determines the relationship?
How active is the audience?
What about plurality of the media and the audience?
How do audiences build an ideology from media texts? Or how do media promote an ideology thru’ texts/representations?

8. The Audience as readers of text
Debates involve
what do the media do to the audience - Is the audience at the mercy of the media?
How do audiences use the media?
Is the reader the site of meaning attribution?

9. Why use advertisements?
Advertising is paid-for persuasive communication – creating consumers & increasing sales. How?
It is an economic activity. Advertising and the media have a financial relationship.
It gives products symbolic value beyond their usefulness so has other effects: on social attitudes, social practices, cultural values, identities etc.” – it is ideological.
Advertising and society – is it exploitative or is it part of a free market system?
Advertising and Identity – individualist or creating sameness?

10. Buy and read Textbooks:
1. Fourie, P J. (ed) Media Studies: Vol. 1 (2007, pp ) & Vol.2 (2008, Ch 6-10) and Vol. 3 (2009, Ch. 2-4) JUTA
2. O’Shaughnessy & Stadler (2006) Media in Society. Ch.4,5,6,7 & 8.
3. Sardar & Van Loon. Introducing Media Studies (2000) Icon and Totem Books:
Page references: 16 – 20; 25; 61 – 70 and 107 – 111.
4. Burton, G. Media and Society: Critical Perspectives. (2005) OUP.