MEDIA REGULATION SAMPLE Q'S
To what extent does media regulation reflect its period?
‘It is impossible to regulate the media effectively.’ Discuss this view.
‘Changes in society have been reflected by changes in media regulation’. Discuss this view.
PLAN
Film
MPAA and BBFC
MPAA focus on censoring sex
MPAA are a voluntary self-regulator (in America, you get unrated films)
However films often decide to get a rating, Walmart (biggest DVD retailer) doesn't stock unrated films, Cinemas don't show them
Show less sympathy to Indie production companies, however films such as South Park the movie, they say 'if you cut this, we will lower it' etc
James Ferman was the Secretary of the British Board of Film Classification from 1975 to 1999
Nunchuka used by Bruce Lee (Enter the Dragon) was cut out of film for COPYCAT behaviour.
Andreas whittam smith unbanned films and scenes after taking over BBFC from James Ferman
Paddington - character hides in a fridge, 'imitable behaviour' - linked to hypodermic syringe model, passive audience
Went from U to PG due to these insignificant problems
BBFC have largely been supportive of the changes in media reg
however not for Paddington - man dresses as woman, considered an issue
The last house on the left case study - https://www.bbfc.co.uk/education/case-studies/the-last-house-on-the-left
In 2001, a local council gave them a rating so it could be shown at a festival
a compromise was to create a national regulator without removing the right of every local council ( 2000)
James Ferman judged films creativity and therefore denied it (subjectivity)
If they refuse to give a film an 18, its because they say it breaks the obscene publications act
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obscene_Publications_Acts
'Tends to deprave and corrupt' - judging on artistic merit
The wild one
Highest age rating in UK 60's was X rated (UK banned it, didn't want Americanisation)
released in America in 1953, released in UK in 67
IT IS NOW A PG - BBFC have shown to have flexibility on past decisions
it is extremely subjective, especially under Ferman
baise-moi - contains real sex and rape (18 rated)
Irreversible - contains real sex and rape (18 rated)
Arthause cinema, ABC1 audience (sophisticated)
On that basis, BBFC are generous
Rape revenge, I spit in your grave
All in French
BBFC letting Netflix set up their own ratings
POSTMODERN MEDIA SAMPLE Q'S
‘Everything is playful in the postmodern text.’ Discuss this view. (JUNE 2019)
What, for you, is the most useful way of understanding postmodern media? (JUNE 2019)
POWER AND THE MEDIA
‘The media construct identity.’ How far do you agree with this view?
‘People don’t want positive or negative representations of themselves – they want complexity.’
How far do you agree with this statement?
In what ways are representations of specific social groups resistant to change?
could being up janet jackson - press constructed the outcome of nipplegate
The impact of digitisation, and web 2.0 specifically, has raised question marks over the extent to which traditional mass media dominate cultural views on identity.
dyer
- GENDER
- RACE
- SEXUALITY
- NATIONALITY/REGIONAL
- DIS/ABILITY
- AGE/GEN X, Y, Z, BOOMERS
- MUSIC SUBCULTURE AND FAN CULTURE
- RELIGION
- CLASS
INDIE VS CONGLOMERATE
indie tend to be social realist (no stars) smaller budget
Sci-fi is more common amongst conglomerates
big 5 (vertical integration and horizontal integration
the vertical - company distributing and producing
horizontal integration - conglomerate owning distribution company and production company
conglomerate must consider how to maximise box office - targeting a four-quadrant audience
working title - British company but under pressure to compromise the 'britishness' of their films
also under pressure to keep the age rating low
Warp - every warp film has to have some financing in the form of a grant (UK film council - now BFI)
wouldn't survive without
quota systems to defend local cinema markets from Hollywood dominance - can't compete with tentpole
the transformers - 200m + budget
China - film endings being tweaked - WWZ
cultural imperialism - cultural values have been shaped by America - when larger dominant cultures shape and influence smaller cultures (particularly through dominance of TV, film and music)
example - bridge jones's baby - lead actor is American - one of the two male co-leads is american/canadian - it is based on globally successful IP - novel
attracted multiple tie-ins from 'aero' to german toilet paper
Most recent - the high note (working title) - set in America with stars like ice cube - to illustrate the narrowing range of big 5, its one of multiple movies about the music industry - had product placement deals i.e for a fresh juice brand
it was a coproduction with the chines company 'perfect pictures' to get round the Chinese quota
sold on PVOD - between 19.99 or 20.99 to stream (peacock)
big 5 dominate with the franchise model
not getting a wide choice of genres for big 5
four lions
tyrannosaur - social realist (can have hits with social realist like billy elliot and slumdog millionaire) - complex character
brand deals - not realistic for indie films
microbudget films (our own A2 video) - h
protagonist is working class for warp, working title have stereotype dumb idiot working class - grimsby
Range of texts and or representations
web 2.0, UGC
conflicting passive vs active audience models (web 2.0 is active)
piracy
home media/convergence
Does the concentration of ownership influence the range of texts available?
universal - have offices globally
indie movie couldn't globally distribute because they would have to go one country at a time
the gant rule - typically American study production will make 10 times box office of UK
got into USA (tyrannosaur) strand releasing - LGBTQ+ company - didn't bother to cut a trailer
300,000 box office in america
ghost stories (WARP) - indie America distributor - reissue specialist company
warp end up with indie distributors that wont take the financial gamble to spend significant amounts of money of advertising
big 5 marketing spend is equal to the production budget
le donk microbudget - $48k
hinterland 8k, wandering rose (demon baby)
brigid cherry - fanfiction
queering a text
continued margin
inferring mass media
elberse - paramount struggling because they release too many films, lower budgets - to maximise profits
has big consequences
big 5
universal/ NBC universal
Sony
Walt disney
Netflix????????? - sometimes have cinema releases
Amazon prime???????? - never have theatrical releases
Warner bros
DUWSP?
WUS? spotifY??? - anyone can create music and release it here
YouTube biggest streaming site for music (by far) - payment rate are 10% of spotify's
theatrical revenue undermined by covid
increasing focus on subscription channels + vod/pvod
MEDIA ECOLOGY SAMPLE Q'S
‘New media will eventually replace traditional media.’ To what extent do you agree with this
statement? You should refer to at least two media forms in your answer.
To what extent have online media revolutionised traditional media?
We are all producers in the online age.’ Assess the evidence to support this statement.
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