Narrative is a linking device that presents a beginning, middle, and end with a series of causally linked events. It is important as it explains the world, creates social cohesion through shared experiences, gives existence meaning, and teaches morality while also being entertaining. Genre categorizes artistic forms through common and recurrent features, and is important for media industries and audiences as it creates expectations through recognizable codes and conventions.

1. Narrative

2. What is Narrative?
• Linking device for people, places and
things
• A beginning, a middle and an end
• A series of events (cause and effect)
• A way of presenting ideas in an easy &
understandable way.
• A way of mediating, structuring and
shaping fiction & reality.

3. Why is narrative important?
• Explains the world
• Social cohesion (shared experiences)
• Sense of self (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEle_DLDg9Y)
• Gives existence meaning
• Entertaining (uses & gratifications)
• Teaches morality & reinforces values
• Social order/tool of oppression – dominant
ideology?

4. Telling Stories
Shaping Values?

5. Genre

6. What is genre?
•Genre is a way of classifying and categorising
types of artistic form.
•The concept of genre highlights the common
& recurrent features of a form.
•The media industries reflect the role of genre
through the use of codes & conventions.

7. Why is genre important?
•Genre is important to the media industries (film, TV
& print) because they can use recognisable codes
and conventions to address their audiences.
•Genre is important to audiences because they can
share and understand the codes and conventions.
•Genre creates expectation and foreknowledge for
audiences: pleasures are expected (uses & grats).
•Genre is not fixed – variation and novelty is part of

8. Some media examples
•Print: Newspapers (nationals, dailies, regional and
local). Magazines. What else?
•Film: Mainstream, art house, independent. Sci-fi,
action, horror, romantic comedy, etc. What else?
•Television: PSB, commercial terrestrial, commercial
pay to view. News & current affairs, soap opera,
drama series (costume, crime, etc), sit-com.
•Internet: News, social networking, retail, data search.
What else?

9. Codes and Conventions of Magazines
•How can we identify the generic conventions of
magazines?
•How can these helps us identify sub-genres?
Consider: Format, Frequency, Audience, Content
A4/compact
Weekly/fortnightly/monthly/quarterly
Glossy/budget
Male/female/gay/old/young/ethnicity
Gossip/Lifestyle/Specialist or interest-based niche
magazines
Front cover/contents/features/interviews/product
reviews/letters

10. Codes & Conventions:
Sit-Com
Setting/Location:
Stock Characters/Stereotypes:
Technical Codes:
Comedy Styles:
Consider the typical examples: