02.Contemporary Media Issues Intro to Section B Part 2

Contemporary Media Issues

Introduction to Section B of the ExamPart Two

1. The distinction between media and reality has collapsed, and we now live in a 'reality' defined by images and representations - a state of simulated reality. Images refer to each other and represent each other as reality rather than some ‘actual’ reality that existed before the image represents it - this is the state of hyperreality.

2. Postmodern media rejects the idea that any media product or text is of any greater value than another. All judgements of value are merely taste. Anything can be art, anything can deserve to reach an audience, and culture ‘remixes itself’ as there is no longer anything new to produce or distribute.

3. All ideas of ‘the truth‘ are just competing claims - or discourses and what we believe to be the truth at any point is merely the 'winning' discourse.

Reminder - Basic Postmodern Media Ideas

2. Postmodern media rejects the idea that any media product or text is of any greater value than another. All judgements of value are merely taste. Anything can be art, anything can deserve to reach an audience, and culture ‘remixes itself’ as there is no longer anything new to produce or distribute. (Julian McDougall)

Postmodern Media Ideas 2 – What’s right?

Postmodernism is sceptical of any absolute, universal and all-embracing claim to knowledge and

argues that theories or doctrines which make such claims are increasingly open to criticism,

contestation and doubt.

Dominic Strinati (1992)

Quote 2

How can we tell what’s right anymore?


If anything can deserve to reach an audience then does that make Web 2.0 postmodern (we’ll look at this in more detail later…)?

If anything can be art then what about these examples…how are these postmodern?

Marcel Duchamp

Fountain (1917)

Andy Warhol

Campbell’s Soup Can (1964)


So ‘can’ anything be art in a postmodern world?If there are no absolutes, no definitions, nothing

for us to be certain of, as we can never be sure then how can we say what art is…?

Are Duchamp and Warhol reminding us that what we are looking at isn’t real?

Are they toying with or ‘remixing’ our idea of art?

Rene Magritte

The Human Condition (1933)


What about our culture ‘remixing itself’?Is there really no longer anything new to

produce or distribute?

Kid British – Our House is Dadless (2009)

Madness – Our House (1982)

Let’s have a brief pause.Explain Point 2 in your own

words…Here it is again:2. Postmodern media rejects the idea that any media

product or text is of any greater value than another. All judgements of value are merely taste. Anything can be art, anything can deserve to reach an audience, and culture ‘eats itself’ as there is no longer anything new to produce or distribute. Using music as an example…


3. All ideas of ‘the truth’ are just competing claims - or discourses and what we believe to be the truth at any point is merely the 'winning' discourse. (Julian McDougall)

Postmodern Media Ideas 3 – Truth?

The Matrix (1999) – There is no spoon

Media images encourage superficiality rather than substance, cynicism rather than belief, the thirst for

constant change rather than security of stable traditions, the desires of the moment rather than the

truths of history.

Dominic Strinati (1992)

Quote 3

How can we tell what’s true anymore?


The Strinati quote suggests that Postmodern TV and film are preoccupied with surface style rather than deeper themes which might relate to the 'realities' of society.

For example - high concept movies dwell on special effects, rather than strong plots.

Examples?

Transformers – Revenge of the Fallen (2009)


Another example - TV dramas now depart from realistic narratives and embrace a surreal world in which 'reality' is often confused.

Examples?

Lost (2004-2010)Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)

Twin Peaks (1990-1991)The X-Files (1993-2002)

Life on Mars (2006-2007)

How does Life on Mars depart from a realistic narrative and embrace a surreal world in which 'reality' is often confused?


Carla Kaplan (1987) identified music videos as perfect examples of postmodernist culture.

Why?Because they abandon notions of

narrative structure - there is no attempt to 'tell a story‘ and rely purely in the collage of images mixed with music.

For example?

Cheryl Cole Music Video- ‘Fight For This Love (2009)

Leftfield Music Video- ‘Afrika Shox’ (1999) dir. Chris Cunningham

Truth is what we should rid ourselves of as fast as possible and pass it on to somebody else. As with

illnesses, it's the only way to be cured of it. He who hangs on to truth has lost.

Jean Baudrillard (1988)

Quote 4

How can we tell what’s true anymore?

Review

What have we learnt?Postmodern media rejects the idea that any

media product or text is of any greater value than another.

Our culture is ‘eating itself’ and no longer produces any thing anything new.

Postmodern Media is superficial and not concerned with ‘real’ issues.

We can no longer be certain of what is true as we can no longer be certain of what is real.

Postmodern media transcends boundaries of genre – narratives are no longer realistic and rely increasingly on ‘collage’ to suggest a mood.

Short Essay on Postmodernism

Time for some writing:What does a postmodernist approach

suggest about the way the media has developed in recent years?

Remember you’ve got to write about the past, present and future – give examples – use theory to back up your ideas…

02.Contemporary Media Issues Intro to Section B Part 2

Education

Transcript of 02.Contemporary Media Issues Intro to Section B Part 2