Final Question

 22/04/25

Final Question

4-5 paragraphs 

What you need to include - Theory case study argument 

Media effects model/theory - what are the effects media has on audience/ individuals 

TOP MARKS - counter argument agree and disagree 

• Feb 24th - systems went down through reporting ai fault with an systems accounts got banned 

Case study sandy hooke gun violence video - social media accessibility violence influenced desensitiation

Theory’s 

For

Active/passive audience 

• Passive audience just consume accept and easily influenced - younger more passive not able to make own opinion 
• Active audience interpret media audiences individually - form own opinions 

Hypodermic needle theory

• Theorises that audiences essentially passive and will readily absorb messages replayed to them by media - this means that after watching a violent horror movie or playing a violent POV shooter audience members will be negatively influenced 
• This presupposes that audiences are passive rather than active 
• Watch clip on PowerPoint 
• 
  

Cohen - moral panic 

• Encompassed idea of folk devils in society - moral panic happens when a condition episode person or group of persons emerge to become defined as threat to societal values and interests e.g. terrorism what were watching in the media microcosm makes people have anxiety - knife crime/jewish 
• Stages of moral panic - someone something o group are defined as threat to social norms or community interests - the threat is then depicted in a simple and recognisable symbol form by the media - the portrayal of this symbol rouses public concern - there is a response from authorities and policy makers - the moral panic over the issue results in social changes within the community e.g. balaclava/hoodie 
• Devils in society 
• Case study - Mary White House - campaign against screen violence - BBFC censor films becomes stricter change certification - fewer people able to consume violent films 
• Case study - Blue Whale Challenge - app in Russia gave u a daly challenge e.g. steal a pen - commit suicide - moral panic 
• Case study - momo 
• Case study - killer clowns 
• Case study - Pokémon go - lead you to unsafe areas predators 
• Case study - rando nautica - lead to unsafe areas 

Desensitisation 

• Suggests that audiences reactions are weaker towards their exposure to streamed violence, sex and death - this is due to easily accessible viewings - this decrease in fear and sensitivity links to the extreme rise of societal violence and behaviours 

Male gaze theory - Mulvey 

• A feminist perspective on media effects 
• Gaze - how an audience views people that have been presented - how men look at women, how women look at themselves, how women look at other women - Mulvey believes that audiences have to ‘view’ characters from the perspective of heterosexual male and that the camera is always of that viewpoint camera lingers on female curves and the female body - women are regulated to the status of an object and heavily sexualised 

Media violence on youth - Anderson’s

• Exposure to media violence increases the liklihood of agressive behaviour in young people 
• The study was based on research carried out on the effects of media violence in TV, film, music and video games - it says two of the main ways aggressive or violent behaviour is seen in young people: desensitisation, imitation of violent behaviour 
• This study says that the degree to which media affects aggression and violence in young people can depend on other factors such as their social environment - no one is immune to the effects of media violence 
• Case study me too movement - women start to speak up about mistreatment in work place celebrities in the film and mistreatment no respect no equality social media 

Case study 

Against 

Media effects outdated - Gauntlett the is a huge advocate for the media 

• - he challenges all the theory against theorist 

  1. he says that the theory's treat children as inadequate and cant think for themselves (he did research to prove that children can understand bad things and good thing in the media at young as 

  2. there is a mistake of looking at individuals, rather than society, in relation to the mass media, just because a group are violent, there is no need to generalise that all youth are violent 

  3. people think that the media is infection on others and it couldn't influence themselves, it is wrong to believe this. and it is wrong that lower class, uneducated individuals are more effected

  4. People who blame the media they choose which media they want to blame and are selected 

  The acts of violence which appear on a daily basis on the news and in serious factual programmes are seen as somehow exempt. Instead, media depictions of violence which the effects model typically condemns are limited to fictional productions 

  
  

Uses and gratifications - Blumler and Katz audiences make own choices 

• Very positive way of consuming media 
• PIES 
• Active consumer 

Collaborations and participatory culture - Jenkins 

• 
  

Livingstone and Lunt - Regulation 

• Ofcom, GRA= games rating authority, ASA, BBFC, IPSO, W3C - track people who are creating websites offensive 
• Protecting a audience from harm being offended and traumatised particularly children and vulnerable people 
• Regulators have to try and balance protecting people with offering them choice 
• Technology has made regulation hard to regulate 
• Downloading, streaming piracy YouTube means people can bypass controls like age certificates 
• BBFC have no control rating streaming sites as well as tv programmes -Ofcom
• Media products shared illegally
• Powerful companies can avoid regulations - more money more power Newscorp - times newspaper broken rules and regulation phone hacking scandal and got away with it due to the power they hold fines poor reputation huge loss of profit 

Copyright Question

• Counter argument - identity theory 
• Gauntlets discusses how media influences self-identity and self-understanding he argues that the media provides tools that shape how we understand ourselves and the world his research found that people use media content to construct their identities and explore the diverse ways they could be 
• E.g. ed Sheeran being accused copyright because stolen rhythms THINKING OUT LOUD TAYLOR SWIFT - re recorded her albums as her old manager took control over her original albums 
• Counter argument - because he is saying that we use existing media to construct our own identity and although this could be misconstructed as copyright, actually its more about being influenced and inspired by
• Collaboration and participatory culture - Jenkins - the theory of participatory culture describe how people can work together to create and share content in online communities rather than berating people for ‘breaching’ we should create a more collaborative culture and encourage prosumers 
• Uses and gratifications theory - personal identity  - if someone identifies and finds a connection with a media product you may feel inspired to create one yourself 

Regulatory body

• Number of regulatory bodies operate within the UK 
• For tv Ofcom have regulated all broadcast content across the uk tv channels
• Statutory duty to represent the interests of citizens ad consumers by promoting competition and protecting the public from harmful or offensive material
• Complaints to Ofcom might result in show or segment of show being pulled off air

Counter argument 

• Regulatory bodies ensure that audiences are protected and that media organisations are kept in check, by having regulatory bodies we can feel confident that suitable content goes to the right audience due to guidance the regulator bodies give ensure things are harmful dont go to vulnerable and young people who cannot make choices themselves about the content they see which makes the internet world more safe for viewers due to controls like parental controls 
• Example celebrity big brother - 25,00 complaints Roxanne claiming to be psychically abused by Ryan Ofcom investigated after the investigation she apologised and said she overreacted and realised that claims are harmful and Ofcom quickly check and investigate to make sure content never has a harmful effect 
• Example - three love island suicides which raises concerns about reality shows reviewed by Ofcom to see what support contestant had after and during the show 

Regulatory bodies- ensure that all media sectors abide by rules and laws - in the interest of audience 

Internet and social media online safety act april 2025 - accountable for offensive content being viewed by wrong ppl