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Media Studies: Media Regulation - Coggle Diagram
Media Studies: Media Regulation
THEORIES:
Hypodermic Needle Model
The Hypodermic Needle Model (known as the hypodermic-syringe model, transmission-belt model, or magic bullet theory), is a model of communication suggesting that an intended message is directly received and wholly accepted by the receiver.
The Hypodermic Needle Theory is a linear communication theory which suggests that media messages are 'injected' directly into the brains of a passive audience. It suggests that we're all the same and we all respond to media messages in the same way.
Although the Hypodermic Needle Theory has been abandoned by most media theorists, it continues to influence mainstream discourse about the influence of the mass media. People believe that the mass media can have a powerful effect on people and parents continue to worry about the effect of television and violent video games.
Desensitisation:
Desentitsation is a psychological process that has often been involved in explaining viewers' emotional reactions to media violence. Research on emotional reactions to violent messages has been concerned with the possibility that continued exposure to violence in the mass media will result in desensitisation, that is, that exposure to media violence will undermine feelingsof concern, empathy or sympathy that viewers might have towards victims of actual violence.
Copy Cat Theory:
The Copy Cat Theory suggests that in order to gain lots of attention, people try to 'copy' or 'imitate' something that someone else did that was publicised by the media that gained large amounts of attention.
Cultivation Thoery:
Cultivation Theory suggests taht exposure to media, over time 'cultivates' perceptions of reality. Gerbner and Gross asset: "Television is a medium of the socialisation of most people into standardised roles and behaviours. It's function is in a word, enculturation.
ISSUES:
Internet/Social Media:
When it comes to regulation, the internet is one of the most complex issues, where misinformation and opinion can be easily transmitted by anyone with a stable connection to WIFI or 3g/4g/5g as a fact by unethical or amateur individuals pretending to be experts, and where theoretically anything can be said and seen, which can negatively affect people.
An example of the internet and social media having a bad effect on someone, comes from the case of a 14-year-old girl called Molly Russel, who committed suicide even though she appeared completely fine to family and friends. It was later found that she had been posting material relating to depression and suicide on her Instagram profile, and because of this, her parents blamed Instagram for the lack of regulation against depression and self-harming posts.
Free speech is a key aspect of the internet, but it is clear than many online will push that to extremes, leaving website and YouTube (YT) comment sections, Twitter feeds and Facebook groups filled with racist, sexist, homophobic or otherwise hurtful or insulting opinions and views, as well as shocking or offensive images or videos.
The UK relies heavily on social media sites such as Facebook and YT (Google) to self-regulate/self-govern their sites and platforms.
OTHER EXAMPLES:
YouTube revealed it took down 8.8m videos between July and September 2019, with 93% of them automatically removed by machines and algorithms, and two-thirds of those clips not receiving a single view.
Facebook (which owns Instagram) has more than 35,000 people around the world working on safety/security. Between July and September, it took action on 30.3 million pieces of content, of which it found 98.4% before any users flagged it.
In February 2020, it was announced Ofcom (which already regulates the media and telecoms industries) is being appointed to regulate the internet, and it will have new powers to force social media firms to act over harmful content (in addition to social media platforms' self-regualtion).
Around the World:
Media regulations and their enforcement will be different across the world, for example, some countries are stricter with regulations than others, such as china has banned sites like Twitter, Google and WhatsApp, in favour for Chinese providers such as Weibo, Baidu and WeChat, which can be more easily controlled.
The issue with censorship versus free speech is that it is interpreted and applied very differently globally, but in some societies, it is far from being seen as a positive, and is instead considered to be a threat against the state and their ideolology.
Russia has given regulators the power to switch off connections to the worldwide web 'in an emergency', meaning they control their media vigorously, much like China.
Western countries such as the UK and USA value freedom of speech, but still have instances where censorship is deemed necessary, such as if harmful content is involved.
BBFC:
The main problem for the BBFC when it comes to regulating movies and TV shows, is controlling what children can or cannot see. The BBFC can give a movie what they believe is an appropriate age rating ranging from a
U
to a
18
. These age ratings are considered to be guidelines that allow parents and views to make an informed decision about what their own or their child's viewing.
In cinemas, enforcement is usually really good, with underaged children being turned away from accessing inappropriate content.
The BBFC released a survey which asked children questions about what they have seen at home and how it made them feel, 29% said it made them uncomfortable while 23% said it made them feel scared. On the same survey, 4 % stated that these movies and TV shows had affected their mental health.
CASE STUDIES/ARTICLES:
Fortnite Article:
The War Against Rap Article:
Moral Panic Article:
18 Rating Article:
BANNED FILMS/TV SHOWS
The Wild Ones
Freaks
Soulmate
Human Centipede 2