SOC 202 Review PDF

Lecture 1: Theories of Pop Culture Different meanings of the word popular Popular ​ Political systems run by whole people ​ Low or base ​ Well- liked or favoured Different meanings of the word culture Culture ​ Particular way of life (laws, customs, languages) ​ Creative or art...

Lecture 1: Theories of Pop Culture Different meanings of the word popular Popular ​ Political systems run by whole people ​ Low or base ​ Well- liked or favoured Different meanings of the word culture Culture ​ Particular way of life (laws, customs, languages) ​ Creative or artistic activity (painting, music) ​ Spiritual enlightenment & intellectual development & refinement(cultured-refined sense of being) Cultural studies Drawn from ​ humanities Looks at ​ popular culture ​ Identity ​ Community ​ Struggle Relationship between high culture + low culture: ​ Rejects the strict division; sees both as interconnected The Birmingham School Focused on ​ Pop culture ​ Subcultures ​ Authoritarian politics and movements View on culture: Site of culture is a site of resistance and negotiation- means that culture is not just something people passively consume—it is a space where different social groups struggle over meaning, identity, and power. Semiotics What method it uses ​ Textual analysis ​ Texts ​ Words and images View on culture: Culture is a system of signs and meanings. Audience reception studies What method it uses ​ Ethnographic research, ​ Surveys ​ Polls ​ Focus groups. View on culture Audiences actively interpret and sometimes resist dominant meanings in media. Criticisms of cultural studies ​ Neglects ownership and economics. ​ Overly focused on textual analysis. ​ Romanticizes the idea of an "active" audience. Political economy Draws upon ​ social sciences Looks at ​ Ownership ​ Production ​ Labour The Frankfurt School Focus on ​ Mass culture ​ Fascism ​ The culture industry View on culture: Culture is shaped by capitalist interests and used for ideological control. Pop Culture Commodities How They Differ: ​ Intangible: More intellectual/non-physical. ​ Non-Rivalrous: Not used up when consumed. ​ Non-Excludable: Available even to non-payers. ​ Externalities: Impact beyond buyers and sellers. ​ Cultural Use-Value: Has emotional/experiential significance beyond monetary value. Who Makes Them? ​ Private firms, not governments or non-profits. Production, Financing, Distribution, and Marketing ​ Controlled by private corporations for profit Examples of Imperfect Competition ​ Monopoly: A market dominated by one firm. ​ Oligopoly: A market dominated by a few firms. ​ Vertical Integration: A company controls multiple stages of production. ​ Horizontal Integration: A company merges with competitors in the same market. ​ Economies of Scale: Lower production costs through large-scale production. ​ Economies of Scope: Lower costs by producing a variety of products. Reasons for Imperfect Competition ​ Market Failures: Limited choices, higher prices. ​ Concentration of Ownership: Bigger firms dominate markets. Criticisms of Political Economy ​ Reduces pop culture to commerce or ideology. ​ Too pessimistic about audiences. Lecture 2: Film and Political Economy The Studio System ​ Existed from the 1920s to the 1960s. Majors and minors ​ Consisted of five major studios (production + distribution) and three minor studios (production only). ​ Majors (The Big Five) MGM, Warner Bros., Paramount, Twentieth Century Fox, RKO. ​ Minors (The Little Three): Universal, Columbia, United Artists. ​ Controlled the industry through theater chains and limited competition. How It Made Money and Controlled Costs ​ Block Booking: Studios forced theaters to buy packages of films, ensuring steady revenue. ​ Long-Term Actor Contracts: Stars had fixed salaries rather than negotiating per film. End of the Studio System ​ The Paramount Decree (1948): U.S. Supreme Court forced studios to sell off their theaters and banned block booking. ​ Rise of Television: Movies declined as TV became popular. ​ Acquisition by Conglomerates: Majors and minors were bought by larger multimedia companies. Reasons for the Decline of Movies ​ Television Growth: Less need for theaters. ​ Change in Ownership: Studios became part of bigger corporations, altering priorities. Results of the Collapse of Studios ​ No More Block Booking: Films had to be sold individually. ​ Actors Became Freelancers: No more long-term contracts. Blockbusters ​ Large-scale films aimed at mass audiences with high emotional appeal. ​ Not focused on artistic innovation but rather spectacle and entertainment. Origins of the Modern Blockbuster ​ Emerged in the mid-1970s to the 2000s. ​ Shifted from becoming blockbusters based on revenue to being planned as blockbusters from the start. Basis of the Modern Blockbuster ​ High production costs = high returns. ​ Functions as a tentpole, meaning it financially supports the entire studio. Difference from Previous Blockbusters ​ Past: A film was called a blockbuster after making huge profits. ​ Now: A film is designed as a blockbuster in advance, based on its budget. Why Modern Blockbusters Cost So Much ​ Technology (CGI, special effects). ​ Human Resources (actors, directors, crew). ​ Marketing and Promotion. How Studios Manage Risks of Modern Blockbusters ​ Scheduling: Releasing films at the best times. ​ High Concept: Simple, marketable stories. Pre-Sold Identities: ​ Star-Driven Films (big-name actors). ​ Intellectual Property (IP) Films (comic books, novels). ​ Adaptations, Remakes, Reboots, Sequels, and Franchises. Why and How Modern Blockbusters Cast Celeactors- (celebrities and actors) ​ Actors are now “brands” that are essential to marketing. ​ Celebrity casting attracts pre-existing fanbases. ​ Continuity in franchises (e.g., MCU) means stars are kept long-term rather than being replaced often.  Lecture 3: TV and Technology TVI: The Network Era (1950s–mid-1980s) ​ How TV was produced and watched: ○​ TV was dominated by the "Big Three" networks (NBC, ABC, CBS). ○​ There were few channels (channel scarcity). ○​ TV sets were relatively cheap compared to other media. ○​ Programming was free, supported by sponsors and advertisers. ○​ TV was watched at home, often with family, across multiple generations. ○​ Shows were designed to appeal to broad audiences (lowest common denominator). ○​ Viewers had limited control, as networks scheduled programming ("pushed" content). ​ Who TV was produced by and for whom: ○​ Produced by major networks (NBC, ABC, CBS). ○​ Aimed at broad audiences, catering to all demographics. TVII: The Later Network Era (Early 1980s–Late 1990s) ​ How TVII differed from TVI: ○​ More networks and channels emerged, expanding choices. ○​ Introduction of "quality television" with more refined storytelling. ​ How TVII resembled TVI: ○​ Still relied on network broadcasting. ○​ Episodic storytelling remained dominant. ○​ Used tropes, stereotypes, and formulas, often family-friendly. ○​ Emphasized "flow"—continuous programming designed to keep audiences engaged. ​ Common experience and structure in TVI and TVII: ○​ Episodic storytelling in drama and comedy. ○​ TV content flowed seamlessly, mixing shows, ads, and news. TVIII: The Multichannel Transition (Late 1990s–2000s) ​ How TVIII differed from TVI and TVII: ○​ Shift to non-linear viewing with time-shifting technologies (DVRs, on-demand streaming). ○​ Audience fragmentation increased as more viewing choices emerged. ○​ Premium cable (e.g., HBO) introduced original programming with fewer, longer episodes. ○​ Greater emphasis on serialized storytelling with complex plots and characters. ​ How TV was produced and watched in TVIII: ○​ Viewers could watch previous seasons and episodes, enabling deeper narratives. ○​ TV screens became larger, with improved resolution and home theater-quality sound. ​ Who produced TV in TVIII: ○​ Premium cable networks like HBO pioneered new production norms. ○​ Subscription-based models emerged alongside traditional advertising-supported TV. TVIV: The Post-Network Era (2007–Present) ​ How TVIV differs from TVIII: ○​ Streaming platforms (Netflix, Apple, Amazon) became major producers. ○​ "Peak TV" and "prestige TV" emerged, with high-quality productions. ○​ "Matrix media" blurred the lines between TV, film, social media, and other content. ​ How TV is produced and watched in TVIV: ○​ Streaming services dominate, allowing place-shifting (watch anywhere, anytime). ○​ Cord-cutters and cord-nevers increase as traditional cable declines. ○​ Audience agency is higher, reducing traditional "flow." ​ How TVIV takes advantage of matrix media: ○​ Content is available across different platforms (TV, mobile, social media, live streaming). ○​ TV is now "content" that exists everywhere rather than a specific medium. ​ How Netflix makes TV for TVIV: ○​ Releases entire seasons at once, promoting binge-watching. ○​ Uses audience data and algorithms to personalize recommendations and influence content production. ​ How TVIV is starting to resemble TVI and TVIII: ○​ The concept of "flow" is returning through algorithmic recommendations. ○​ Serialized storytelling has become more dominant, similar to TVIII. ○​ Audience control is high, but platforms curate content, resembling network scheduling in TVI.