LO6: Regulation and Media Effects

1) Question is worth twenty marks

2) Spend at least forty minutes

3) This question will be either question 9 or question 10

4) I have to debate i.e., include two sides to my argument which will be positive and negative effects

5) 10 marks is equal to level 2 basic, I need to get to 16-20 which is equal to level 4 excellent

6) Unlike question 6 which is a direct question. This question will be a quote that I have to argue for and against in order to get a level 4. 

Ofcom received over 400 complaints about this outfit and 'racy' performance from Nicole Scherzinger on X-Factor Dec 2019:

1. Why do you think the audience complained?

1) People complained about children watching it.

2) It was on at seven meaning it was pre-watershed and primetime. 

3) Choice of mise en scene (costumes/gestures) was revealing and provocative. 

Negatives:

(1) Promiscuous behaviour of a female

(2) Children mimicking gestures and costumes

seeing her as an ideal self (Carl Rodgers 1980)

(3) Laura Mulvey (1975) Theory of woman being overly sexualised

(4) Promoting idealistic and unrealistic beauty standards

Positives:

(1) It is the Pussycat Dolls brand and connotes Nicole as a post-feminist woman 

(2) Using her image o be dominant and to make money

(3) Connotations of female empowerment and going against the patriarchal stereotypes of women being conservative and not showing their sexuality.

(4) Has a fairly inclusive cast of women on stage different heights, ages, body types, races and hair colours. 

PASSIVE AUDIENCE THEORY:

Hypodermic Syringe - Implies that media has a negative effect. Mass audience believe everything they see/hear (Adorno and Horkheimer).

• In the 1940-50's, the mass audience were perceived as an extreme influence towards audiences adapted behaviour. This was linked to rise of advertising and consumerism. 
• This theory perceives society as a whole as mindless sheep and highly impressionable. 

Craig Anderson (2007) that high exposure to fast-paced violent games can lead to changes in brain function when processing violent images, including dampening of emotional responses to violence.  We are over exposed to violent content. One of the high-risk factors?

• Becoming desensitised to violence means people will have a smaller emotional response or no emotional response to seeing violence in a media product or in real life. 
• This is known as desensitisation

However, Chris Ferguson (2012) showed no long-term link over three years. 

George Gerbner and Larry Gross (1979) Cultivation theory examines the long-term effects of television. "The more time people spend 'living' in the television world, the more likely they are to believe social reality aligns with reality portrayed on television."

• In terms of violence, they called this the 'mean world syndrome'. The more people are told by the news and TV that the world is violent the more likely they are to believe it. 
• The more TV and Film we watch the more it blurs the line between fiction and reality for us. 

Moral Panics????

When the 'mass media' demonise groups, people or products that they believe become a threat to society, values and interests it is called a 'moral panic' (Stanley Cohen, 1972).

The group/ products are referred to as 'folk devils'. 

Anything in the news at present??

• Gender Roles and sexuality
• Body standards and positivity
• American abortion laws
• Veganism

Representation

Who is being represented?

All representations are mediated (Hall, 1980).

Is there use of stereotypes /countertypes (Perkins, 1979). Not all stereotypes are negative.

Representation of women - are they objectified (Mulvey, 1975). Representation of men (Earp and Katz, 1999) - 'equation of masculinity with pathological control and violence'.

Representation of gay people (Butler, 1993)- are they stereotypical.

 God Of War: Ragnarok PEGI: 18+ (Video game):

(Mulvey, 1975) Representation of women - are they are objectified - God of War actually juxtaposes Mulvey's theory and shows progressive views of women. Challenging stereotypes of gender due to the fact that women are not sexualised but instead shown as dominant physically fighting/in combat, or intellectually by using brains rather than sexuality to gain power over men as well as in general. An example can be seen at the beginning of the game as Freja attacks Kratos and puts him in a headlock which if you don't follow the games hints you die from; this shows that women have both the means and ability to be as powerful if not more powerful than men. This goes against Laura Mulvey's theory that women are objectified and only seen as sexual beings to men.

(Earp and Katz, 1999) - Equation of masculinity with pathological control and violence. This is presented again and again through all God Of War games especially Ragnarök as true due to the fact that Thor, Cindri, Kratos, Atreus, Odin, Surtr, Burgir and numerous male antagonists throughout the game are violent towards each other. An example would be Kratos fighting Thor as they attack firstly with weapons Kratos the Leviathan Axe and Thor Mjolnir then when they lose their weapons during a clash they begin to trade fists and kicks and headbutts, making it turn very bloody and violent. This is further portrayed as Kratos gets the axe back and slices across Thor's belly but does not kill him. However women are also portrayed as having a need for pathological control and violence as Freja attacks Kratos numerous times and the main plot of the game is killing Odin which for Freja means being free of him and being in control of him however this is in retaliation to him doing this to her first; which further reinforces the theory.

God Of War: Ragnarök PEGI: 18+ (Video game):

Craig Anderson (2007) - We are over exposed to violent content. This is shown to be true as again and again through all God Of War games especially Ragnarök are overly bloody and gory with each antagonist Kratos goes up against having multiple 'finishing' moves which is basically killing the enemies in interesting and creative ways. An example of this would be Kratos finishing a Lycan off by grabbing its skull in two hands and then ripping its lower jaw and flesh down to its legs off with his right hand. This constant stream of over the top violence that it zooms in for would have a negative impact on the player base as it would desensitise them to violence and class this as a normal level for media products or even to see in real life. It is particularly prominent because there are multiple playthroughs and streams of the game available for free on YouTube which someone younger than 18 can easily change the age on their account or log into an older siblings or parents account.

Hypodermic Syringe - Implies that media has a negative effect. Mass audience believe everything they see/hear (Adorno and Horkheimer). Is reinforced due to large amount of gory violence and over the top finishing moves and sequences that has created a stigma for the games brand. On top of this there is fairly frequent bad language throughout the game which further has a bad effect on those who watch the playthroughs or play the game itself as they connote that as normal as well as the violence especially if they connote Kratos or Atreus as an ideal self.

When the 'mass media' demonise groups, people or products that they believe become a threat to society, values and interests it is called a 'moral panic' (Stanley Cohen, 1972). The game presents this by the backlash from their choices in plot and character design on social media, forums and online platforms. An example would be the character of Angrboda as in mythology she is shown and portrayed as white Scandinavian however in the game she and her family are Black and her grandma has a distinct Jamaican accent. This caused a 'moral panic' because it went against the original mythology and people accused Sony of only doing this change to be 'woke' and to increase sales. 

Parasyte: The Maxim BBFC: 15+ (Anime/TV Programme):

Craig Anderson (2007) - We are over exposed to violent content. This is presented as correct throughout the series of Parasyte the Maxim due to the fact that it takes a real world setting and changes into a horrific fictional version of what could happen if aliens or 'parasites' integrated themselves with society. An example of violence can be seen in the first episode at the beginning where a man with his hands on a woman's shoulders can be seen. Then all of a sudden the mans face splits apart and opening up wide like a flower and inside there are multiple razor sharp teeth around the edge and multiple eyes on stalks staring at her. Then before she can move or run the head snaps shut around hers and bites it clean off. This could have a negative effect on the public/audience because the series was available on Netflix and had no disclaimer saying that there would be violence from the start, meaning someone who was under the age of fifteen might accidentally click on it and then be exposed to that scene when it starts playing or someone that actively sought it out could make a new account or open an adult account and be exposed to it that way. 

Hypodermic Syringe - Implies that media has a negative effect. Mass audience believe everything they see/hear (Adorno and Horkheimer). The show follows the ideology that other alien life out there exists as well as going against most if not all religious and scientologist ideologies in the process. This can be considered as promoting an agenda or an opinion which in turn will make the audience follow or agree with this opinion rather than their own. As well as this it has some swearing, violence and gore and a single implicit sex scene. The show essentially normalises this level of violence and from the beginning to the end if the series the main character changes from a 'normal' lifestyle to one surrounded by violence which would normalise it for the audience, and connote that they should follow his example if you see him as an ideal self/partner.

When the 'mass audience' demonise groups, people or products that they believe become a threat to society, values and interests it is called a 'moral panic' (Stanley Cohen, 1972). 'Moral panic' theory is presented as true through the show from their choices through representation of religion and society. An example would be a main heroic protagonist (Migi) saying directly that religion is a hoax as his existence (being a different species/alien) goes against the idea of a divine creator making humans in their image. This not only spreads the writers own opinions but it `also knocks other peoples opinions and would make religious people not want to watch it. As the writer stated that if people were offended by a fictional depiction of society and what might happen if alien life exists then its not for them. Which had a backlash on social media and platforms. 

ACTIVE AUDIENCE THEORY:

(Gauntlett, 1995) - We are able to filter and adapt to content in media. We can separate the good from the bad, we are intelligent enough to know not to copy everything we see on screen. 

 Alcohol - At the beginning of the game Thor comes to Kratos and Atreus's house and offers both of them mead whilst drinking it himself. Kratos refuses (via dialogue i.e., sound )and this can be connoted as him keeping his wits about him and not wanting to become drunk whilst Atreus is underage and Kratos also forces him to not try it either. Later in the game we see Thor incredibly drunk in a bar. This causes his daughter Thrud to become incredibly angry at him as he started drinking again this is shown through props, tankard of beer, gestures, swaying and nearly falling asleep at the table, and dialogue, slurred speech and losing his train of thought, after he promised that he would stop i.e., Addiction causes negative impacts on bonds with family and friends. Then not long after on a mission with Atreus he has difficulty concentrating on fighting and after a battle has to throw up multiple times (gestures, confused slurred dialogue again.)

(McQuail, 1972) - We have uses and gratifications - people use media for their own purposes?

Surveillance - Learning about the world, being taught something. 

Escapism - Audience able to 'escape' from reality and immerse themselves in the media product

• Fighting gods, mythical beings, and monsters throughout the game that don't exist in real life.
• Visiting each of the nine realms (going on a journey) and seeing the vast worlds, buildings, and creatures. 
• Main characters swear which for people that aren't allowed or supposed to swear could be an outlet for them. 
• Bloody and over the top violence and some of which isn't possible for a human to achieve. 

Personal Identity - Ideal self/partner 

Kratos - Strong, dominant and independent has come to terms with his horrific past and is trying to change his violent ways for good not only to save himself but save his son and friends. This 

Freja - Strong, intelligent and dominant woman who overcomes her ex-husband Odin who is often regarded as the god of gods. This shows ideal self for women as she breaks the magical bonds Odin put on her and then is shown as dominant over him. She would also be an ideal partner for men as she is smart, pretty and can look after herself. 

Atreus - Around the age of boys playing or watching the game as he finds out what his path is in life, creates a bond with his father and tries to gain Freja's trust again. This connotes to players that they can do this too, it doesn't matter about age it matters about strength of body and mind.

Angrboda - Around the age of girls playing or watching the game Atreus meets her but doesn't know who she is or what she's doing there yet Angrboda seems to knows everything about Atreus. This connotes her as intelligent and dominant over Atreus, this is further reinforced as Atreus is fast and nimble yet Angrboda is able to traverse the location faster and more easily than he can which connotes her further as dominant. 

Social Interaction - 

Hall (1980) encoding/decoding model

Preferred Reading - The audience accept the most 'transparent' meaning following the dominant viewpoint/ideology/story.

God of War: Ragnarok - Fate and destiny are just ideologies and you yourself must choose what you do with your life. This is shown through Atreus and Kratos's character developments. Atreus started off being annoyed at his father at the constant training and trials he puts him through everyday and voices this to his father and Kratos brushes it off saying that his training is vital for Freja's constant attacks 

Negotiated reading - Partially agrees with meaning, make their opinions.

Oppositional Reading - Meaning understood but don't agree and think opposite.  

REGULATION:

Preferred Reading - God of War - Learning about Norse mythology, by travelling between each realm and building up to Ragnarok. As well was this help Freja get vengeance against Odin for her entrapment and liberate her people, the Vanir, from being under Aesir rule. 

Negotiated Reading - God of War: Ragnarok - Fate and destiny are just ideologies and you yourself must choose what you do with your life. This is shown through Atreus and Kratos's character developments. Atreus started off being annoyed at his father at the constant training and trials he puts him through everyday and voices this to his father and Kratos brushes it off saying that his training is vital for Freja's constant attacks and the coming of Ragnarok. However at the same time the main plot for the game is trying to prevent Ragnarok yet they fail and Ragnarok still happens but there are differences compared to how it was supposed to be. 

Oppositional Reading - 

PEGI

What do the initials stand for?

Pan European Game Information

What PEGI rating did your product gain? Why?

God of War: Ragnarok gained a rating of 18+. This is because there is in-depth gory violence throughout, alcohol and drunkenness, murder and death and swearing. 

State 5 ways/examples your product MEETS or REJECTS the rating. 

1. The game meets that rating because during Atreus and Kratos's time in Svartalheim a train they were in is attacked by Grim's and there train falls down off of the track causing Atreus to swear many times as he thought they were going to die, which they didn't. 

2. Partly meets and rejects, Kratos, the main heroic protagonist, whilst in Vanaheim, a key location of the game, fights the king of the Lycan's and the killing animation consists of Kratos grabbing their skull with two hands and then with one hand ripping their lower jaw and flesh down to their torso clean off in a massive spout of blood before discarding their body. However because this is a fictional god killing a mythological creature, which the audience can get escapism through, realism is lost and we filter and adapt the game because we know it's a video game. 

3. We see Thor in an Asgardian tavern incredibly drunk, being loud and raucous as well as swearing. As well as this when Atreus approaches him he pushes him back into a pair of Einherjar which are trained and vicious soldiers (brought back from Valhalla by Odin.) This causes a massive fight that could have easily killed Atreus or even Thor's own daughter.  This meets the rating because not only does this addiction to alcohol but it also shows reckless disregard of parenthood, threat towards main protagonists, who are children, and death. 

4. Whilst in Vanaheim, Kratos and Freja fight Nidhogg, who is a dragon, and at the end of the fight, defeated, she tries to escape back to her home but Kratos uses the Blades of Chaos (blades on long chains) to drag her out of her portal and together Freja and Kratos slice her head clean off. This however like the King of the Lycan's is a pair of fictional gods fighting a mythological beast. Therefore realism here is lost and escapism is created. 

5.