This document discusses key concepts in traditional media like genre, representation, ideology and narrative and how postmodernism challenges these concepts. It explains that postmodern media draws attention to its construction, subverts genres and representations, challenges dominant ideologies, and uses non-linear and fragmented narratives. The postmodern audience is also described as diverse, active and willing to engage with challenging texts rather than seeking mere reassurance.

1. Post Modernism – Second
Approach
Lesson Goal: To learn how Post Modern
Text challenge traditional Media
Concepts
Postmodernism - A Simpsons Approach

2. Post Modernism – Two Approaches
• Theorist First

3. Post Modernism – Two Approaches
• Text First

4. Key Media Concepts
•
•
•
•
•
•
Media Language
Genre
Representation
Ideology
Narrative
Audience
Conventional
Approach –
normal,
traditional

5. Media Language
• Camerawork, Editing, Sound and Mise en Scene
• Used to make something look ‘real’ –
Verisimilitude.
• We tend not to ‘notice’
• Tries to hide the constructed nature of texts so
we ‘believe’

6. Post Modern Media Language
• Attention is drawn to the construction of the
text
• We do notice unusual camera angels,
soundtracks and editing techniques
• Hip Hop Montage

7. Genre

8. Post Modern Genre
• Genre conventions are challenged, subvert,
adapted
• Hybridity
• No such thing any more

9. Representation
• Recognisable stereotypes that fit audience
expectations.
• Familiar, Comfortable, Non challenging or
Offensive

10. Post Modern Representation
• Audience expectations are subverted/
challenged
• New ‘stereotypes’
• New Representations

11. Ideology
• A way of looking at things, a system of ideas or
beliefs that shape a society or explain the order
of things
• Good will always win
• Evil will be punished
• Happy ending
• Religion, Politic, Science, are upheld and valued

12. Post Modern Ideology
• Challenging of the dominate ideas, beliefs
• Offers new Ideologies

13. Narrative

14. Post Modern Narrative
• Break all the rules – Fragmentation, Non
Linear, Open Ended, Multiple Lines of Action

15. Audience 1
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Passive
Homogenous
Mass Audience
‘Read’ the text in the same
way

16. Post Modern Audience
• Diversity
• Fragmented audience
• Active

17. Audience 2
• Seek reassurance and comfort from texts
• Don’t like to be challenged, want to be
entertained

18. Post Modern Audience 2