LFTVD Theorists

Todorov: Equilibrium theory

-         Traditional narratives follow a 3 part structure of beginning middle and end which unfolds in a narrative arc of 4 phases: 1. Exposition, 2. Introduction to conflict, 3. Climax, 4. Resolution

-         Narrative is usually a chronological and linear sequence of themes, actions and motives.

-         Todorov identifies that the 3 part structure has 5 stages:

o   Narrative begins with an equilibrium

o   The Equilibrium is usually disrupted by and event to create disequilibrium

Strauss- Binary Oppositions

-         Identified that we understand the world by the relationship that two opposites have together.

-         He believed that narratives are arranged around the conflict of binary oppositions.

-         Some of these oppositions could include:

o   Man vs women

o   Good vs bad

Galtung and Ruge

Gatekeeping:

A term which is applied to the editing and filtering process where decisions are made to let some information 'pass through' to the receiver (audience) and other information remains barred.

News Values:

Galtung and Ruge

-1965 analysed international news stories to find out what kind of stories came top of the news 'agenda'.
- Their findings helped them create a list of 'News Values':

• Threshold: the bigger the impact and reach of the story
• Unexpectedness: an event that is a shock or out of the ordinary
• Negativity: Bad news is more interesting 'if it bleeds, it leads'
• Elite person/places: stories about important people and powerful nations
• Unambiguous: straightforward and easy to write about
• Personalisation: stories that include human interest- 'real' people
• Proximity: stories that are closer to home are more likely to be included
• Continuity/Currency: stories that are already in the news continue to run and are updated.

Hypodermic Needle Theory and Moral Panic

MORAL PANIC:

Moral panic is a feeling of fear spread among a large number of people that some evil threatens the well-being of society. A Dictionary of Sociology defines a moral panic as " the process of arousing social concern over and issue- usually the work of moral entrepreneurs and the mass media".
E.g. Isis

HYPODERMIC NEEDLE THEORY:

The hypodermic needle model ( also known as the hypodermic-syringe model, transmission-belt model, or magic bullet theory) is a model of communications suggesting that an intended message is directly received and wholly accepted by the receiver. 

Steve Neale

Theorist #1

Steve Neale:

- Genre theorist 

-Argued that pleasure derived from 'repetition and difference'