Ideology blog tasks

 Blog tasks: Ideology

Part 1: Media Magazine reading

Media Magazine issue 52 has two good articles on Ideology. You need to read those articles (our Media Magazine archive is here) and complete a few short tasks linked to them. 

Page 34: The World Of Mockingjay: Ideology, Dystopia And Propaganda

1) Read the article and summarise it in one sentence.

Mockingjay

 follows a traumatised Katniss Everdeen as she reluctantly becomes the symbol of a violent rebellion against the Capitol, navigating intense personal loss and moral ambiguity in the final battle for Panem.

2) What view of capitalist ideology is presented in the Hunger Games films?

The Hunger Games films present a harsh critique of capitalist ideology, framing it as a system driven by extreme inequality, exploitation, and the commodification of human life. The world of Panem is depicted as an exaggerated, dystopian version of modern capitalism, where the elite Capitol consumes resources produced by oppressed labourers in the outer districts. 

3) What do the Hunger Games films suggest about the power of the media to shape and influence ideological beliefs?

The Hunger Games films suggest that the media is an all-encompassing, potent tool for totalitarian regimes to shape ideological beliefs, maintain power through spectacles of violence, and distract citizens from inequality.

4) What is YOUR opinion on this topic? Do you think the media shapes our values and beliefs?

I think the media does influence our decision making and beliefs as well as the values we hold to a certain extent as they contain multiple different ideologies and viewpoints that are expressed in different shapes and forms which can be favourable, e.g. through an audience member's favourite influencer or celebrity and this can impact the way they think as they are more likely to imitate people they identify with in the media who hold a powerful connection with them, according to Bandura's social learning theory. However, I also believe that audiences have more control over their view now more than ever as technology advances as well as social advances have allowed them to be active interpreters with the most free will to construct their opinions.


Page 48: They Live - Understanding Ideology

1) What are the four accepted ideological beliefs in western societies highlighted by the article?

• Good should overcome evil.

• Law is better than disorder.

• Pleasure is a goal in life.

2) What does Gramsci's theory of hegemony suggest about power and ideology in society?

It suggests that the dominant class holds power over the ideologies portrayed and accepted in society as we just naturalise their beliefs due to their authoritative status.

3) What does French theorist Louis Althusser suggest about ideology and consumerism?

His view was that ideology is the greatest material power and dominates our day to day lives through two key forms of control:

1: Repressive State Control, also known as ‘Repressive State Apparatuses’ (RSAs) through the major institutions

of society – the Government, Army, Police, Courts, etc. – which are dominated by the ruling elite. These state agencies regulate social behaviour and repress the masses through violence, punitive law, and fear.

2: ‘Ideological State Apparatuses’ (ISAs), such as the Church, the media, educational institutions, the family unit etc. These looser institutions control and dominate implicitly through ‘common sense’ acceptance and social norms, rather than through fear. This echoes Gramsci’s concept of hegemony, by which ideology’s power derives primarily from consent as opposed to the use of force.

This means that he is suggesting the importance of the individual, and self-fulfilment, are dominant in the West, and closely linked with the ideology of consumerism, which arguably dominates and drives society.

4) Do YOU agree with the idea behind They Live - that we are unthinkingly controlled by the media which is run in the interests of the economic elite? These are the big questions of A Level Media!

I think the economic elites do dominate a large part of social values and beliefs because they are seen as elites for a reason, giving them the power and control to construct the thoughts of people in society. However some people also do portray negativity surrounding these people maybe due to them being against some of their beliefs because no matter what, everyone has different opinions and some minds cannot be changed by these authority figures just because there'll always be some group of individuals who disagree with one's views.

Part 2: The role of the media in democracy

Read this Constitution Unit blog on the importance of media in democracy. This brings together our work on ownership, public service broadcasting, regulation and ideology. Answer the following questions:

1) Why is the media important in a democracy? 

The media plays a vital role in democracies, as an arena for debate and a source of accountability. In a democracy, the media educates, informs and entertains – including through news, opinion, analysis, satire and drama. It is a key route through which the public hears about politics, and it plays an important role in shaping the public agenda and forming public opinion and is central to democratic participation.

2) What are the hallmarks of a free and healthy media landscape?

A free and healthy media requires several features, including media independence, pluralism, the existence of impartial outlets, and high journalistic standards:

• Media independence refers to editorial independence from both political interference and financial control. Though politicians have a right of reply relating to media content about them, independence requires that media outlets or individual journalists should not come under undue pressure to present (or suppress) particular points of view or facts.

• Media pluralism requires a diverse sector, providing a range of viewpoints. Monopolistic ownership can threaten pluralism, if this reduces the range of views represented. Beyond that, diversity is best achieved through a mix of market-oriented outlets, public service media (responding to needs that purely commercial outlets might not address, such as current affairs or arts programming), as well as media presence in local, community and minority settings, to avoid ‘news deserts’.

• Impartial media outlets ensure the public can access unbiased information – a function with strong public support. The UK’s split model requires broadcasters, but not other outlets, to be impartial.

• High standards from journalists are also crucial. Journalistic ethics include high standards of fact-checking and verification, avoidance of misleading emphasis, protection for sources, and respect for privacy. Such ethics are vital to maintaining public trust, as shown by the 2011 phone-hacking scandal. They also allow the media to counter disinformation – rather than unwittingly to spread it.

• Regulation of standards is necessary, but also complex, requiring balance with the need for media independence. For example, the current Media Bill proposes to repeal punitive damages for newspapers that do not belong to an approved regulatory regime. Some have seen this system of damages – which exists in law but has never been implemented – as threatening press freedom, while others have considered it essential to ensure minimum regulatory standards.

3) What risks are identified that threaten a healthy media environment? 

1. Threats to broadcaster impartiality

2. Threats to media independence (e.g. attacks on public service broadcasters)

3. Polarising content

4. Weakened local and investigatory reporting

5. Disinformation and misinformation

6. Monopolies

4) What is YOUR opinion on how the media can be safeguarded to protect democracy? You may want to think about ownership, regulation, technology or public service broadcasting here.

I think that in order to protect democracy, the media should be safeguarded through high regulation and quality control checks in order to prevent misinformation as the media needs to understand the high power and control they hold over the values and beliefs held by audiences. Also, in terms of media independence, I think it can be positive in terms of less restrictive content for some people, however it brings in more bias and has further negatives such as it being less controlled in terms of the content they provide. Additionally, the rise in technology is allowing audiences to become active interpreters, which is important in democracy to prevent authoritative conglomerates to own societal values, giving people a chance to produce their own mentalities.