Research: Using Theory in A Level Media - Notes

• Demonstrating understanding is what is key to access the higher grade boundaries and this only comes by using the relevant theory to illustrate the point being made.

• In addition to using specific theories, there is also often the need to apply a theoretical perspective or tradition such as Marxism, Structuralism, Postmodernism or Feminism to an answer. 

• Take Structuralism for example, a perspective which posits that media products create meaning by following a pre-existing framework of conventions. This theory suggests, by way of example, that magazine covers are instantly recognisable because of the presence of a conventional layout which dictates, among other things, that it must always have a masthead located at the top.

• Alternatively, a different approach is taken within the theories of Poststructuralism, which argues that such structures are meaningless and that meaning is created more through the content of the product coupled with its source, origin and the cultural circumstances which have affected the product and its contents.

• A further feature of a good Advanced Level response is critical autonomy which is where the student’s media awareness and their wider knowledge of the subject really come to the fore in their work.

• Broadly speaking, critical autonomy is the art of articulating a valid personal response which is well supported by evidence and example and represents clear personalised and thoughtful arguments. It is unlikely to be a point of view expressed widely among members of a given class.

• Fortunately, Media Studies is a discipline with many theories so there are sufficient to choose from and “Any (media) text you look at is likely to lend itself to a whole host of different tools with which to prise it open… However, slavish adherence to what these theories propose to tell you is not always the best way to use them. The hallmark of a really good ‘active’ Media Studies student…is a willingness to question what has gone before.” (Bateman et al, 2010, p58).

• Gloria Watkins, better known by her pen name Bell Hooks (2014) argues that black women are objectified and sexualised in hip-hop music and this reflects a historical view of black women dating back to slavery and colonial times of black women as sexually disposable. This theory clearly adds weight to this argument. 

• However, other theories offer a different point of view and so these might be used to support a counter argument; that representations of black women in gangsta rap actually offers black women a voice, offers the chance for self-expression and raises awareness of black culture and black issues among the prevailing white, Western audiences.

• Tricia Rose (1994) who argues from a more sex-positive feminist perspective when she suggests that hip hop has provided empowerment to black females and given them a voice in an industry dominated by white people and in a patriarchal society.

• When once again looking at the area of representation a common theoretical approach is to use George Gerbner’s cultivation theory (1979) which investigated the content of television programmes. 

• Gerbner argues that the drip feeding of similar negative media messages influences the viewer’s perception of reality and makes them susceptible to adopting a negative view on the world, Gerbner calls this Mean World Syndrome.

• When this theory is applied to news coverage and further cross referenced with a study of News Values theory (Galting & Ruge, 1965), arguing that high value is placed upon negative news by those responsible for reporting the world’s events, then a theoretical basis for arguing that negative news is prevalent and that it has an effect upon the audience is established. 

• (CONCLUSION) So in summary, there are two ways theory should be used in Media Studies at A Level, firstly to illustrate the points made and as evidence to illustrate the points being made. Secondly by using the theory as the starting point and this is perhaps best when approaching work from a theoretical perspective such as Marxism, Feminism or Structuralism and also when there is such a weight of reputation behind the theory that there is no way to dispute it.

• For example, Edward Said on Postcolonialism and Orientalism, Laura Mulvey on Feminism and gender, Stuart Hall on Ethnicity, Galting & Ruge, Louise Clara or Tony Harcup on News Values, Tvetzan Todorov on Narrative, Steve Neale or Edward Buscome on Film Genre, Claude Levi-Strauss or Roland Barthes on semiotics, Jean Baudrillard on Postmodernism and so on.