Media Theories

What media theory 'can be recognised by its common set of distinguishing features'

• Narrative

• Genre

• Representation

• Audience

Who's Theory is it? "genre as ‘convenience’ for producers and audiences – this means commercial success is underpinned by the conventions of genre in terms of what audiences expect"

• John Fiske

• Robert Stam

• Jane Feuer

• Henry Jenkins

• John Hartley

Who's Theory is it? "genre is abstract and becoming harder to identify"

• John Fiske

• Robert Stam

• Jane Feuer

• Henry Jenkins

• John Hartley

Who's Theory is it? "genre break rules and commonly hybridizes"

• John Fiske

• Robert Stam

• Jane Feuer

• Henry Jenkins

• John Hartley

Who's Theory is it? "genre is interpreted culturally e.g. Coronation Street could only be understood in terms of the conventions of UK soap operas, US TV dramas tend to have a slightly different set of conventions to UK TV dramas"

• John Fiske

• Robert Stam

• Jane Feuer

• Henry Jenkins

• John Hartley

What is 'the way the different elements in a story are organised to make a meaningful story'

• Narrative

• Genre

• Representation

• Audience

Who's Theory is it? "texts are often understood by the ways things are places in binary opposition to each other"

• Levi-Strauss

• Todorov

• Roland Barthes

• Propp

Who's Theory is it? "4 Act Structure: Equilibrium, Disruption, Resolution, New Equilibrium"

• Levi-Strauss

• Todorov

• Roland Barthes

• Propp

Who's Theory is it? "5 narrative codes: Cultural, Semantic, Symbolic, Hermeneutic, Proairetic"

• Levi-Strauss

• Todorov

• Roland Barthes

• Propp

Who's Theory is it? "8 character roles: applies to mainstream texts e.g. blockbuster films where characters often follow stereotype. You can apply this theory to running news stories; Hero, Villain, False Hero, Princess (or prize), Her Father, Donor, Despatcher, Helper"

• Levi-Strauss

• Todorov

• Roland Barthes

• Propp