Media and Ideology COMM 100 Furness

©SAGE Publications, Inc., 2012 Overview Ideological criticism in media studies Hegemony Dominant ideologies present in media contents The case of News media Rap music Popular TV Advertising and consumer culture Key Questions: Why are those who examine the “ideology” of mass media generally wary of inquiry about the “reality” of media images? What are the dominant ideologies behind media contents? What does it mean that advertising created consumer culture?

Ideological Analysis in Media ©SAGE Publications, Inc., 2012 Ideological Analysis in Media Ideology “A system of meaning that helps define and explain the world and that makes value judgments about that world” Ideological analysis Study of media images sent about the nature of the world, how it operates, and how it should be Media images do not simply reflect the world: they “re-present” (construct) the world

Ideology as Normalization Ideology defines what is being “normal” in society Dominant ideologies Taken-for-granted, rarely questioned ideologies Democracy, capitalism, Christianity, etc. Media has the tendency to display a narrow range of behaviors and lifestyles

Theoretical Roots of Ideological Analysis Marxist origins Ideology as a powerful mechanism of social control whereby members of the ruling class imposed their worldview Gramsci’s view of ideology Power can be wielded at the level of culture or ideology Hegemony: control of consensus; promotion of dominant, taken-for-granted ideologies Mass media are one of the principal sites where the cultural leadership, the work of hegemony, is exercised

News Media and the Limit of Debate News media can be ideological “The news supports the social order of public, business, and professional, upper-middle-class, middle-aged, and white male sectors of society. . . . In short, when all other things are equal, the news pays most attention to and upholds the actions of elite individuals and elite institutions” (Gans, 1979)

Ideology in News How does ideology manifest in news? Limited viewpoints a small group of analysts are regular commentators and news sources Most news favors the insiders’ (government, establishment) view “Official” news

Economic News as Ideological Construct Ideologies present in mainstream economic news Focus on the activities and interests of investors and businesses “pro-business” as being normal “pro-labor” as being deviant Economic crisis coverage Top-down perspective (government and businesses)

Movies, Military, & Masculinity Action-Adventure films Ideology of polarity (us vs. them) Ideology of the rugged individual Ideology of the American Dream Ideology of manhood Vietnam films and war films today Ideological projects to overcome the Vietnam syndrome

‘Masculinity’

‘Femininity’

Ideology and Popular TV Images of family Dominantly white, upper middle class, happy, secure Changed toward family conflict and struggle in the 1970s Work family programs The new momism The old, “perfect mother” image resurrected Celebrity motherhood “Set of ideas, norms, and practices, most frequently and powerfully represented in the media, that seem on the surface to celebrate motherhood, but which in reality promulgate standards of perfection that are beyond our reach.”

Advertising and Consumer Culture Today’s advertising celebrates and takes for granted the consumer–capitalist organization of society normalizes middle-class or upper-middle-class lifestyle promotes a worldview that stresses the individual and the realm of private life, ignoring collective values

Historical Development of Advertising Selling consumerism in the early 20th century Selling a new way of American life Ads were a tool of social integration Erasing differences among people

Advertising and Globalization Ads promote an American way of life Freedom and individuality equated with consumer choice Cultural imperialism? Use of foreigners in American ads As “the others” Unequal relationship between Americans and Foreigners As exotic Endorses certain products As normal Used in global business ads

Alternative Media and Ideologies Media images can and sometimes do challenge this mainstream, status quo–oriented ideology by providing a critique of contemporary social organization and norms However: Alternatives remain on the margins Commercialization makes it difficult to maintain a critical edge Concern for profitability, distribution