Theorists and Theory's

Theorists and Theory's


Semiotic's - Roland Barthes

Media products communicate a range of meanings to the audience through visual and technical codes. These include:
  • Proairetic/Action Codes - elements of media products which signify that something is going to happen as a result of something else
  • Hermeneutic/Enigma codes - somthing that is not revealed so will hook the audience into read the full article or advert
  • Symbolic - Where symbolism is encoded in a media product and creates a deeper meaning for the audience. 


Structuralism and Binary Opposition - Claude Lévi-Strauss 


All media products have an underlying structure, and knowledge of this structure helps us to analyse them. Most adverts will include Binary opposites (where two concepts are in direct opposition with each other) These binary opposites are used to present a type of ideology 

Representation - Stuart Hall

Representation is the way in which a media product constructs the world and aspects in it, including social groups, individuals, issues and events. 
Everything in a media product is constructed and reflects the ideological perspective of the producer


Stereotypes - Richard Dyer

Dyer suggests that stereotpes are often used as a shot cut for producers to covey their ideology.  They are also a reference points for the audience and an expression of dominant societal values.
Stereotyping is a form of representation so Stuart Hall and Richard Dyer's theory's link together


Theories of identity - David Gauntlett 


Media products allow audiences to construct their own identities through what they see Audiences can pick and mix which ideologies suit them, and completely ignore the elements of the product which they do not agree with


Theories around ethnicity and postcolonial theory - Paul Gilroy


Postcolinislism  is the impact that has been had of former colonies 
This idea and attitude continue to change attitude to race and ethnicity in the postcolonial era.
These postcolonial attitudes have constructed racial hierarchies in our society, where, for example, white people are by and large given more positive and important roles than BME people
Media producers are also guilty of using binary oppositions to reinforce BME people and characters as 'others'

Theories around Genre representation, and difference - Steve Neale

He believes that genre is essentially instances of repetition and difference. He suggests that texts need to conform to be identified with a certain genre but to also subvert the common conventions in order to not be the same as others.

Narratology - Tzvetan Todorov

Todorov's theory of narrative equilibrium is based around a three act structure. Firstly there is a state of equilibrium where everything is normal and in a state of balance, this is then disrupted and goes into disequilibrium and this stage tends to be the longest and takes up the majority of the narrative. Finally, a typical narritive will resolve and have a re-equilibrium.

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