Genre is a critical tool used to categorize texts based on common elements in order to study them and audience responses. Genre theorists argue that genres are dynamic and constantly changing through negotiation and borrowing conventions from one another, reflecting changes in society. While genres are recognizable through repeated codes and conventions, there is no such thing as a pure genre anymore as they are progressive and ever changing through hybridization. Genre is a useful critical tool as it provides a common framework that can be understood by producers, audiences, and scholars, but it also risks stifling creativity by forcing categorization.

1. Genre
Genre isa critical tool that helpsusstudytextsandaudience responsestotextsbydividingthemin
to categoriesbasedoncommonelements.
The work genre meanstype orcategory.
Genre theorists
Buckingham:traditionally genrestendedtobe regardedasfixedformsbutcontemporarytheory
emphasisesthatboththeirformsandfunctionsare dynamic.DavidBuckinghamarguesthat genre is
not simplygivenbythe culture ratheritisina constantprocessof negotiationandchange. Changes
ingenre reflect changesinsociety.1993
Goodwin:1992. Music videosare simplyanextensionof the lyrics.4:relationof visualstosongdoes
your videoillustrate,amplify,orcausesdisjuncture.
Ryall:1978. Genresare recognisable throughthe repeateduse of genericcodesandconventions.
Iconographies- symbolicformsassociatedwiththe genre
Narrative- structure open/close
Representations-characters/stereotypes
Ideologies- beliefsandideasof the ideal conceptthemes.
Altman: 1999 there isno suchthingas pure genre anymore genre isprogressive inthatitwill always
change.Hybridisationorgenresborrowingconventionsfrom one anotherandthusbeingmuch
more difficulttocategorise.
Strengths:everybodyunderstandsgenre,mediaexpertsuse ittostudymediatexts,the media
industryuse itto developandmarkettexts,audiencesuse ittodecide whattextstoconsume,the
potential forthe same concepttobe understoodbyproducers,audiencesandscholarsmake genre a
useful critical tool.
Weaknesses:itcansquashcreativity,bytryingtopigeonhole everythingintospecificboxesmany
fail to see the art behindthe product.