power & the

audience

the origins of media studies

1517

...anyone with access to a printing press can start a revolution

Martin Luther did.

do revolutions always start with media?

the sinking of the

Lusitania in 1915 was

used to turn opinion

against Germany and

bring the US into the

first world war

“Valencia must not fall into the clutches of

fascism. We must fortify!”

Spanish Civil War

1933

...anyone with access to a movie studio (and a printing press) can start a revolution

the power of the image

Hitler’s propaganda focused on the

superiority of the so-called Aryan

race...

...and the inferiority of other races, including Jews

(“THAT is to blame for the war!”)

or how about“British jobs for British workers”?

“I like Fidel Castro and

his beard” - Bob Dylan

this is where we all live

propaganda is useful as a recruitment tool

can you ‘deconstruct’ this poster?

why are these iconic posters so effective?

doesn’t matter what the language is – we know what it

means

the iconography becomes part of the vernacular

vernacular |vəˈnakjʊlə|noun

1 (usu. the vernacular) the language or dialect spoken by

the ordinary people in a particular country or region

direct mode of address

breaking the “fourth wall”

an effective sales technique

concerns about how Hitler came to power became concerns about the power of the media

are we so easily led?

the Russians thought so!

Nazi propaganda in Norway, 1944

“The USA will save Europe’s culture from destruction. By what

right?”

CULTURAL TERRORISM

the hypodermic needle theory

a passive audience, vulnerable to media effects

the propaganda war was fought on all fronts, from Hamburg to Hollywood and the BBC

printing

presses and

movie cameras

rolled...

the British government even prepared propaganda in case of defeat

The German, British, and American film industries all produced propaganda films during World War 2 — even Disney!

Russian constructivist poster art is immediately recognisable

but heroic imagery of workers was not confined to the Soviet Union

propaganda was stepped up during the Cold War

spectacular public displays of power are a feature of life under totalitarian governments

if you believe the audience can be influenced by such imagery — what else is possible?

“keep calm and carry on” – Soviet Style

the full force of

racist language

and sexist imagery

was used

“Keep calm and

carry on” -

American style

what were the effects of daily exposure to such imagery?

the real enemy is the enemy within!

1964

anyone with access to a Xerox machine can start a revolution

in the 60s, the counter-culture created its own propaganda

the peace movement and the counterculture used the imagery of war and cold war propaganda to promote dissent

1985

anyone with access to a printing press can start a revolution

it’s no longer enough to see the audience as passive and helpless

the audience is active

the object of propaganda can (and will) turn the tables

remix culture

no, they really don’t

such propaganda gives rent-a-cops excuses to harass citizens

who’s going to win this propaganda war?

or this one?

2012

“anyone with access to...?”