T3 | Wk 9 | Friday - Video Game Censorship

   Task 1

Research what the MEDIA EFFECTS THEORY is. 

- Create a powerpoint that explains the main points using these links and including pictures

https://us.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-assets/45690_book_item_45690.pdf

https://open.lib.umn.edu/mediaandculture/chapter/2-2-media-effects-theories/

Task 2

- Create a second blog post with the title - Video Game Censorship in NZ: Case Study 

- Comment on the banning of the video game that was referenced by recent Christchurch Mosque terror attacker. Provide details of the case and what happened as a result of the censorship.

- What are your thoughts on these cases in light of the Media Effects Theory? 

- What are some other controversial video games that have been rated in NZ?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/117050161/terrorist-publication-and-christchurch-shooting-video-game-banned

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-newzealand-shooting-censor-idUSKBN1XA0D5

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/402193/game-designed-to-spread-hate-and-encourage-killing-banned-by-chief-censor

- Use this case study to reference a banned video game back in 2004 to comment on the first time NZ banned a video game and why;

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/prosecutions-over-banned-video-game/4TY4XLG2O6DKBU4JRKTMCGHLKU/

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/rockstars-manhunt-banned-in-new-zealand

T3 | Wk 9 | Wed - Media Regulation - current case study examples

Let's use the most recent examples of Charlie Kirk's death and the stabbing of the Ukranian refugee on the train to flesh out an argument for more media regulation needed.

1. Do you think Media Regulation is currently effective enough? 

Answer this question reflecting on and using examples of Charlie Kirk live-stream of the shooting, footage of the refugee being shot as well as LiveStream of the Christchurch mosque shooting. 

Are big tech companies doing enough? What measures do they currently have in place? 

Include Youtube case study information on how many hours are uploaded every minute, etc. 

regulating Youtiube

Read this article to help inform your opinion.

https://www.adl.org/resources/article/livestreaming-violence-what-platforms-should-do

How is NZ moving to have tighter regulation on social media and digital platforms? 

https://www.dia.govt.nz/media-and-online-content-regulation

Further research for power and the Media

Look at the following terminology for POWER AND THE MEDIA

Media Power – The ability of media institutions to influence audience beliefs, attitudes, and behavior.

Ideology – A system of values and beliefs often promoted by dominant institutions.

Hegemony – Dominant ideologies are accepted as common sense or natural (Gramsci).

Cultural Imperialism – The dominance of one culture’s media and values over another.

Gatekeeping – The process through which information is filtered for dissemination.

Agenda-Setting – The media's role in determining which issues are considered important.

Framing – How media presents and structures information to influence interpretation.

Media Convergence – The merging of previously distinct media technologies and platforms.

- Rhetoric 

- Narrative 

2. Ownership & Control

• Media Conglomerate – A large company that owns many different media outlets.

• Vertical Integration – A company controls production, distribution, and exhibition.

• Horizontal Integration – A company acquires or merges with competitors in the same industry.

• Oligopoly – A market dominated by a small number of large companies.

• Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) – Media funded by the public, meant to inform and educate (e.g., BBC).

• Commercial Media – Media driven by profit, advertising, and audience size.

• Monopoly – When a single company dominates a particular media sector.

  
  

  3. Regulation & Censorship

  • Media Regulation – Rules and standards that govern media content and distribution.

  • Censorship – The suppression or control of media content.

  • Self-Regulation – Media industries policing themselves rather than being regulated by governments.

  • Regulatory Bodies – Organizations that enforce media laws (e.g., Ofcom, FCC).

  • Freedom of the Press – The right of media to publish without government interference.

  • Moral Panic – A widespread fear, often exaggerated, about a threat to societal norms, amplified by the media (Cohen).

    
    

    4. Power + Media Audience  

    • Passive Audience – Audiences who accept media messages without question.

    • Active Audience – Audiences who interpret and respond to media in varied ways.

    • Uses and Gratifications – Theory that audiences use media to fulfill needs (e.g., entertainment, information).

    • Reception Theory – Audiences interpret texts differently depending on context and background (Hall).

    • Negotiated Reading – An interpretation partly aligned with the intended message, but with some resistance.

    • Oppositional Reading – An interpretation that completely rejects the intended message.

      
      

      
      

      6. Media Theorists to Know (Name + Idea)

      • Stuart Hall – Representation; Encoding/Decoding model.

      • Antonio Gramsci – Cultural hegemony.

      • Marshall McLuhan – "The medium is the message"; technological determinism.

        Jenkins (participatory culture

        
        

        CASE STUDIES 

        
        

         Media Ownership & Control

        Disney / The Walt Disney Company

        • Focus: Media conglomeration, horizontal & vertical integration, cultural imperialism.

        • Theory Links: Hesmondhalgh (cultural industries), Adorno & Horkheimer (culture industry).

        • Key Points:

          • Ownership of Marvel, Lucasfilm, ESPN, 20th Century Studios.

          • Cross-platform synergy & global reach.

          • Dominance in children’s content and ideological influence.

            
            

            
            

            Audiences & Power

             #BlackLivesMatter and Social Media Activism

            • Focus: Audience empowerment, alternative narratives.

            • Theory Links: Jenkins (participatory culture), Hall (oppositional readings).

            • Key Points:

              • BLM’s use of platforms like Twitter and Instagram to bypass mainstream media.

              • Power shift from institutions to grassroots movements.

              • Challenge to dominant representations of race and justice.

T3 | Wk 9 | Tuesday - Representation within NZ film / TV

  Check out this article;

Diversify or die: What New Zealand television can learn from our film industry

Questions;

1. What are some of the points this article raises between the difference in how progressive the TV representation of Maori is and the representation of Maori in film? 

2. What is an example of the last TV show that really brought Maori representation into the spotlight but that is an older show to reference now? 

3. What are some examples of films that have done well and that focus on telling the stories of ethnic minority in NZ? 

4. Why are US TV networks scrambling to make their programming more diverse? 

5. What, according to the article is one of the biggest challenges for Maori television shows? 

Write a few other good points from the article and a quote that sums up one of these points, to be able to contribute to your essay on POWER AND THE MEDIA. 

T3 | Wk 8 | Friday - Power and the Media - Disney as an Example

 

Look at these 2 articles;

More in-depth for examples, this one...

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20190724-did-disney-shape-how-you-see-the-world

just briefly for some historical context, this one...

https://ueh.edu.vn/en/news/disneys-representation-of-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-over-the-years-71236

Write a few paragraphs in response to the following question (using ALL your Disney case study information AND ownership terminology from last year)

Question;

"There is a shift in power from large institutions to audiences."  Discuss whether you believe this is completely true

Look particularly at the relationship between power, influence, audience size, fan-base, messaging, stereotypes and cultures represented as well as the idea of hegemony. All these words should pop up in your response. 

Power and the Media Class Question

 Discuss how traditional power models are changing with the introduction of new technologies. 

Include;

- Disney case study info

- Ownership terminology

- Power and media theories (at least 3)

T3| Week 8 - Wednesday - Media regulation online

Watch the following videos for revision. Write a paragraph using the concepts presented in the videos, answering the following question;

"The internet and digital media has made media regulation exceptionally hard"

- I want you to use UK examples spoken about in the video and then look up the way in which NZ is regulating streaming sites and social media.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye3raA_lynA

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtDb_0nrA9w

- Have a look at this article from the Classifications Office.

https://www.classificationoffice.govt.nz/media/documents/Part_5_-_New_rules_for_streaming_platforms.pdf

- How is NZ working to regulate online platforms? 

Technology - context and critical debates

AI - pros and cons and it's affect on film industry 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBr4xloJky4

Wk 8 | Monday - Tuesday : Rise of short form content

 This media concept can go into an audiences essay or technology essay;

Short Form content 

https://davidrshane.com/tv-industry-is-navigating-the-shift-toward-short-form-content/

https://firework.com/blog/short-form-video-statistics

T3 | W7 | Friday - Media Ecology Theory - technology

Watch this clip outlining Stefana Broadbent on the impact of technology on society.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35bLoaUGp2M

Activity;

Write a 1/2 page response to the question below;

"Digital technology has hugely impacted society, in relation to the media area you have studied."

Include Stefana Broadbent's theory as well as the idea of 'the medium is the message'. I also want you to include 'Where are the audiences' research to back up your points. 

Media Regulation Essay Plan

  

Media Regulation 

 

 

Media Regulation considers issues of morality and decency, accuracy of content and media ownership.

 

 

 

Media Regulation essay plan

 

Intro – Living in a ‘post-truth’ era (post-truth meaning an era where facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief)

 

NZ’s regulatory body / chief censor and how our classification system works

 

o   History of NZ’s regulation (big law changes that impacted film/ TV/ media regulation)

 

o   Case studies for film classified in NZ – 13 Reasons Why (personal opinion on it)

 

o   Case study for videogame classified in NZ – Manhunt

 

o   Censorship as part of regulation – Disney & Song of the South / Dumbo 

 

-       Should censorship occur / does it stop conversations about things like racism and the past that we need to teach younger generations / who holds the power to say what we ‘should’ and ‘shouldn’t’ consumer?

 

o   Case study for censorship – Mosque shooting in Chch, footage taken off social media and manifesto banned. Was this a good thing? Would have been harmful to society

 

 

o   Audience consumption – families not knowing what kids are consuming 

(families not watching TV together because they have internet & technology, able to talk through things/ self-regulate or censor inappropriate content, do we now need moral gate-keepers?) 

 

 

-       Problem of consumers now being producers (Shirky – ‘prosumers’) – harder to regulate online content (e.g. platforms needing to become editors of content i.e. Facebook banning Trump or Mosque shooter’s live video being taken down. (Govt. to regulate internet article) 

 

 

 

 

 

Power and the Media Essay Plan

  

Power and the Media Essay Plan 

 

 

Power and the Media considers issues surrounding access to the media, identity representation, ideology and democracy

 

Power and the Media Essay

 

Intro – Explain that you understand that power in the media has to do with who holds the power in constructing ideologies about society, events and people groups in society (the way people are represented) Include Stuart Hall’s Representation Theory here – stereotypes 

 

-        Explain power dynamics in light of and in relation to Gerbner’s Cultivation theory & the ‘mean world syndrome’ 

 

Key words – hegemonic / hegemony (leadership or dominance, especially by one state or social group over others) 

-        Collective identity (

 

 

o    Web 2.0 & proliferation of technology – audiences connected to the internet, interacting with media and have INFLUENCE over what is being created 

 

e.g. YouTube – hours of content created and uploaded on platform/ user-generated-content

- ‘Prosumers – audience now able to create own representations of themselves

 

o    Balance of power still in favour of Big studios – Big 5 

-        Who are Big 5? How big are they? How much influence do they have over ideology? Movies they’ve released and market share of BO revenue? 

 

o    Hollywood is shifting it’s content in favour of audiences demands (Me Too movement and feminist ideology = more women in film / BLM – more movies including diverse casts)

 

 

o    Move from traditional power structures (studio system to more evenly distributed power because now audiences can interact with media / create media and have a say

 

e.g. Black Lives Matter – audience pressure for diversity on screens, Disney moving to include a more diverse cast – Black Panther. 

e.g. Boycott the Oscars #

e.g. Disney removing Dumbo scene and SOTS off platforms altogether in response to audience BLM concerns to not be cancelled

 

o    Women in media – diversity report – not just represented on screen but making decisoons/ hired to direct movies / on board of big companies 

 

-        Rejection of women in traditional ‘damsel in distress’ or ‘housewife’ roles and rejection of Laura Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory – women don’t want to be accessories on screen, given more powerful roles in films now

 

-        Women in music videos (how far representation of women has come but conflicting opinions – women are more objectified than ever but seem to hold the power over their own sexuality)

 

o    Ethnicities represented in Media – diversity report (Avengers)

 

o    Bowing to Chinese censorship to appease Chinese market – media institutions creating content to appease Chinese censors to make $, but doing so means representing the Chinese in a positive way (deliberately not making villains Chinese, making them the heroes in some cases e.g. 2012 movie, alternative endings etc)

 

o    Rehtoric – power of repeated messaging and persuasive speech in Media (election of Donald Trump) / Covid response from our government ‘team of 5Million’, “stay home, save lives’ , ‘be kind’ 

 

o    Fans holding power – Stranger things / the Mandalorian (conglomerates / movie makers are taking notice 

 

o    Representation of Maori on NZ film / TV / screens 

 

o    ‘

Big Tech still holds power over content on platforms 

 

e.g. Misinformation‘ and the Restriction of content – free speech issues - particularly social media (Covid information censored) 

e.g Youtube bans Sky TV for a week after misinformation

e.g. Donald Trump suspended/ cancelled FB account / FB posts or groups taken down by moral ‘watchdogs’ – who is deciding what is ‘dangerous’ information 

 

 

o    Uses and Gratification theory – people have the ability to pick and choose media 

 

o    Fragmentation + technological advancements (internet + technological convergence) mean that people have access to many forms of media – more power for the audience

 

o    Crowd-funding possible because of internet + web 2.0 (e.g. The Chosen) 

 

Media Ecology Essay Plan

  MEDIA ECOLOGY 

 

Media ecology focuses on media as environments, and environments as media, with an explicit concern for their evolution, effects, and forms. It comprises a theory about the complex interplay between humans, technology, media, and the environment, with the aim of increasing awareness of mutual effects 

Media Ecology Essay  

Intro – Explain that you understand what media ecology is (relating it to the 

question) (Theorist – Postman) 

 

o   The medium is more important in shaping culture and society behaviour than 

the messages being conveyed in the media 

 (e.g. web 2.0) 

- how technology has changed the way society operates

- BLM – hashtag and online -  rallies and protests worldwide over George Floyd case 

o   Theorist – Shirky – End of Audiences theory – passive audiences turning to consumers who are producers (Prosumers) – active audience 

o   YouTube stats (how many hits daily / how many hours of content uploaded)

o   Theorist - Jenkins- Fandom theory – fans enjoy media texts so much they create content based upon it and form communities (Stranger Things) /  (Mandalorian fan hired by Lucas Films) 

o   Change in distribution models (more simultaneous releases – theatrical release & SVOD release – e.g. Black widow & Scarlett Johansson suing Disney) 

o   Covid’s role in audience trends (streaming services up)

o    Technology’s role in audience trend

o   How companies are changing / evolving to keep market interest (e.g. Netflix & video games / $ going into creating new content / data mining – algorithms informing them of what people are watching etc) 

o   Audience trends – more reality TV (audiences like to see themselves / audiences more interactive / audiences asked to be voters e.g. X-factor / audiences involved – make-over shows = audiences part of the production 

o   Audience trends – watching the news (social media and the way we consumer news has changed) 

-       Citizen journalism 

-       Decentralised news (power shift from institution to audience)

-       Issue of fake news / misinformation (gate-keepers) 

-       Global interest (no longer just localised e.g. political US news stories)

 

o   AI – problematic ways technology is going to affect film industry. (benefits and challenges)

 

  MEDIA ECOLOGY 

 

Media ecology focuses on media as environments, and environments as media, with an explicit concern for their evolution, effects, and forms. It comprises a theory about the complex interplay between humans, technology, media, and the environment, with the aim of increasing awareness of mutual effects 

Media Ecology Essay  

Intro – Explain that you understand what media ecology is (relating it to the 

question) (Theorist – Postman) 

 

o   The medium is more important in shaping culture and society behaviour than 

the messages being conveyed in the media 

 (e.g. web 2.0) 

- how technology has changed the way society operates

- BLM – hashtag and online -  rallies and protests worldwide over George Floyd case 

o   Theorist – Shirky – End of Audiences theory – passive audiences turning to consumers who are producers (Prosumers) – active audience 

o   YouTube stats (how many hits daily / how many hours of content uploaded)

o   Theorist - Jenkins- Fandom theory – fans enjoy media texts so much they create content based upon it and form communities (Stranger Things) /  (Mandalorian fan hired by Lucas Films) 

o   Change in distribution models (more simultaneous releases – theatrical release & SVOD release – e.g. Black widow & Scarlett Johansson suing Disney) 

o   Covid’s role in audience trends (streaming services up)

o    Technology’s role in audience trend

o   How companies are changing / evolving to keep market interest (e.g. Netflix & video games / $ going into creating new content / data mining – algorithms informing them of what people are watching etc) 

o   Audience trends – more reality TV (audiences like to see themselves / audiences more interactive / audiences asked to be voters e.g. X-factor / audiences involved – make-over shows = audiences part of the production 

o   Audience trends – watching the news (social media and the way we consumer news has changed) 

-       Citizen journalism 

-       Decentralised news (power shift from institution to audience)

-       Issue of fake news / misinformation (gate-keepers) 

-       Global interest (no longer just localised e.g. political US news stories)

 

o   AI – problematic ways technology is going to affect film industry. (benefits and challenges)