The document discusses several media theories: - The Male Gaze theory holds that females have a passive role in media compared to males, existing for male aesthetic pleasure rather than meaningful roles. Downton Abbey exemplifies this through women's elaborate costumes. - Hyper-reality theory says media present exaggerated versions of reality that can replace and obscure the audience's perceptions, as shown in Waterloo Road dramatizing school life. - Dyer's theory is that repeated stereotypes legitimize inequality, like a drama portraying disabled people as passive compared to able-bodied people. - Binary Opposites theory discusses the dichotomy of dominant and passive roles, exemplified in Downton Abbey through class roles.

1. Media Theory
Section A

2. The Male Gaze- Laura Mulvey

3.  The belief that, within media, females possess
a passive role in comparison to males. This
meaning that female characters hold less of a
narrative- significant role and exist on screen
merely for the aesthetic pleasure of men.

4. For example…
 Within Downton Abbey, in order to conform to the
conventional patriarchal society of the Edwardian period in
which the show is set, the female characters are shown
wearing very extravagant and appealing clothing, such as
fine dresses. Whereas the men are seen wearing fine, yet
simplistic suits. Therefore suggesting that women are
regarded as characters for the audience to gain a visual
pleasure, rather than to contribute to the narrative within the
piece, as unlike the male characters, their clothing lacks a
freedom of practicality.

5. Hyper-reality- Baudrillard

6.  The idea that the media present an
exaggerated version of reality. Having the
effect of almost replacing the reality of the
audience through the influence of new and
exaggerated ideas that confuse and blur the
line of sincerity and fiction.

7. For example...
 Within the TV drama, ‘Waterloo Road’, a far
more dramatised, disruptive atmosphere in
regards to school life is presented to the
audience. This gives the effect of
exaggerating and almost obscuring the
audiences perception of reality. As they can
be led to believe that this drama and
disruption is applicable to school life in reality.

8. Stereotypes Legitimise inequality-
Dyer

9.  This is the repeated and exaggerated use of
stereotypes within the media. Which over time has
the effect of legitimising the representations of
certain groups of people. This enforces a sense of
division between different groups within reality, as
the media influences an idea that people within
certain groups must conform to the media
stereotype and thus can affect the way different
people are treated within society.

10. For example…
 Within the TV drama, “Coming down the mountain”, the
stereotype that the disabled are passive and weak
characters is exaggerated by the stark contrast
between the able-bodied protagonist, David, and the
disabled, Ben. Within the piece, the able-bodied
protagonist is portrayed as depressed with having to
grant his brother constant care. This conforms to the
idea that the disabled are weaker in comparison to the
abled and has the effect of somewhat moulding the
views of the public and legitimising this idea.

11. Binary Opposites- Levi Strauss

12.  The belief that within a narrative there are
always two opposing forces, such as that of
good and evil and the strong and the weak.
Within this theory there are two categories,
that being the dominant and the passive.
Within these categories women are believed
to be classed as representing a passive role
and males are believed to be dominant.

13. For example…
 Within “Downton Abbey” a deep contrast is presented
between the upper and lower class roles within society.
Throughout the piece, there are characters that serve
and those who are served, thus creating a set of
opposing characters and forces within the piece.

14. Hegemony- Gramsci

15.  The idea that higher powers within society
use representations within the media in order
to incite certain ideas within audiences,
sometimes having the effect of manipulating
people’s ideas and views upon certain groups
of people, which are believed to serve the
interests of those higher in social/political
power.

16. For example…
 Within the TV drama ‘NCIS’, terrorism is
conveyed as a present and increasing threat
to domestic security, as can be seen through
the protagonist's main responsibility to protect
their country against this threat. For example
this could be seen as justification for a
significant increase in defence spending,
which may benefit the ruling classes who are
pro-military.

17. Dominant Ideology- Hall

18.  Agrees with the idea that the mass media do tend
to reproduce interpretations which serve the
interest of the ruling class. But also that the
dominant media, possesses ideas that correspond
to the preferred reading of the audience. This
also acts to reinforce a certain viewpoint within
society, one that the ruling class deem as
dominant and the most desirable. This often
frames how the majority of the population think or
regard a certain topic/group.

19. For example...
 Within the TV drama ‘Hotel Babylon’ the issue of
illegal immigration is alluded to, as can be seen
from the large amount of illegal immigrants under
employment in the hotel. This conforms to the
dominant idea that illegal immigration is out of
control. Which is a view that benefits the ruling
class, as this is allows political powers to tighten
immigration policies in accordance with their own
benefits and beliefs which are then taken on by
the public/audience.