Representation of the Italian American Experience

 America is a land constituted of many ethnicities due to the history of colonisation. Film and literature has represented these experiences and they have provided a rich seam for stories and narratives.

We could look at the representation of Native Americans in film starting with early cinema and the establishment of the Cowboy/Indian binary opposition. The Western genre became very popular in the Golden Age of Hollywood and reinforced hegemonic stereotypes and the myth of the American West that has been revised in the more progressive media of the 21st Century. 

The Searchers starring John Wayne is perhaps the most famous Western. There is some questioning of stereotypes and John Wayne is an 'anti-hero' as he is so psychologically damaged by his experineces of the harsh existence on the frontier that he is unable to settle for a civilised life. He regards Native Americans as savages and is merciless toward them to the point where he is ready to kill his niece who has been kidnapped and lived with a tribe. The Native Americans are played by white actors and use stereotypes promulgated by Hollywood over decades as 'noble savages' or two dimensional enemies.

Their function in the narrative is as an opposition to the civilising influence of the European descendants who are moving into their territory.

Make a list of binary oppositions that can be found in the Western genre

Many Europeans set sail for America to escape their own countries. Sometimes this was due to persecution such as Jews fleeing Nazi occupied countries. The original Pilgrim fathers set off from Plymouth in the 'Mayflower' as they were Puritans hoping to establish a religous colony in the New World. Some set sail to start a new life in the land of opportunity hoping to start again and live off the fat of the land.

We are going to focus on the Italian American experience as it has provided a rich source of stories for Film and Television to develop.

Many Italians left their country due to poverty particularly from Southern regions where the agricultural economy and a hot climate meant that most existed as peasants at the mercy of feudal landowners. The promise of the American Dream sold to Italians struggling to survive was a potent one. There was also corruption in Italy which is a common theme. A 'mafia' controlled a lot of the economy particularly in places like Sicily so this cretaed a sense of fear. Mussolini was a dictator who allied with Hitler and many fled the country to escape this dictatorship. Often there was discrimination between the North of Italy and the South. the North is richer and people from Milan and Turin often looked down on their southerly compatriots. Italy is made up of several states so has always been division between Naples and Milan for example. It is also a strongly Catholic country so maybe some wanted to flee religous oppression. All of these influence the themes in American film.

Italy has a rich film tradition and many great directors. Mussolini supported the creation of a large film studio and complex called Cinecitta and many technicians moved to Hollywood to work. 

Rocco and His Brothers - Visconti

Cinema Paradiso - Tornatore

This is a wonderful film evoking life in an Italian town where a young boy is infatuated with the local cinema. You can see the importance of family and religion and the agricultural landsape that could be harsh to make a living from.

Salvatore Giuliano was a Sicilian bandit /freedom fighter that has been immortalised in myth and legend. Was he good or bad ? That is often a theme in Italian/ American films. It was sometimes a dangerous existence for anyone opposed to the stricture of society or holding particular political views.

 

We will start by looking at a clip from the definitive Italian American film trilogy 'The Godfather'. In this scene a young Vito Corleone arrives in America from Sicily. He has had to flee as his family was killed by the local mafia Don.  Ellis Island in Manhattan near the Statue of Liberty was the first place that many European migrants saw in America. They were often processed here and given new names. Notice that English is the dominant language as the UK colonised the East coast of America and estanblished English as the first language. Using language to unite people also has the effect of wiping out aspects of culture and identity.  Vito never really feels that America accepts the Italian American community and persecutes these poeple and forces them into ghettoes. THis is a common immigrant experience across the world. Vito decides to become the 'Godfather' to his community and live outside its rules which he feels do not serve his people.  He does this through violence and intimidation but the community prefer his rule to the American state which does not seem to protect them. It is a powerful story and goes to the heart of the American experience.Many Americns identify with this figure of the outcast protecting their embattled community. At the same time as Little Italy developed in New York you would have different communities defined by their ethnicity or links to their homeland joined by common languages or culture. This is still the same today in many Americn cities.

Here is some footage of people arriving at Ellis Island in 1903 which would have inspired a director like Francis Ford Coppola.  Many of the directors who came through the New Hollywood era in the 1970's derew on their family history and experiences of migrating from Italy. 

Sergio Leone directed 'Once Upon a Time in America' which has a wonderful soundtrack by the great Italian composer Ennio Morricone.  In this scene you can see the Brooklyn Bridge and you see the violence that is associaited with the tough neighbourhoods represneted in these films. This theme reflects the violence that stillplagues America today and the moral ambiguity of a lot of the characters in these films. They fascinate audiences because they mostly feature violent men and it shows their formative experiences. 

Even those who try to avoid the violence and the family history find they cannot escape. Micheal Corleone eventually becomes the figure he always avoided as he has to protect his family.  The narrative follows his trajectory from war hero to Godfather and head of the New York mafia. The first two films are classics but dont touch the third one, it is truly awful.

Many would argue that these are negative representations of Italian Americans or even Sicilian Americans. The stereotype suggests criminality is a key trait. However, these films have connected with audiences.

Martin Scorses is a very articulate director and this documentary is invaluable in explaining how American film develops. Here he talks about the gangster genre which influences the genre that he helped to develop with films like Mean Streets and later Goodfellas and more recently The Irishman.

Goodfellas is perhaps the best known of this genre of film and although it follows an Irish American character it follows the mafia/gangster template detailing a lifetime chronology of life in Italian American neighbouthoods wher 'goodfellas' ruled the streets.  These are films about masculinity and the American Dream gone bad but are informed by the experience of migration and the culture informs the mise en scene. In this famous scene Scorsese uses one long take with incredible choreography as we follow the protagonist through a restaurant.It identifies his status and the lifeestyle he lives. It is an iconic scene.

 In this scene the young protagonist is facsinated with the 'goodfella' culture and is quickly absorbed into the lifestyle of the gangster.

We will analyse this scene in terms of mise-en-scene and the effect of using of a voice over. Write a textual analysis of this scene and reference other films in the genre.

Scorsese made his name with a film about New York in the community that he knew. It is about friendship, masculinity and the influence of criminal gangs and petty crime. It set his style and milieu and contains many of the themes he came back to in his career.

Masculinity is a theme that Scorsese revels in and films such as Raging Bull have very difficult scenes to watch which deal with toxic masculinity. In Gangs of New York he creates the character of Bill the Butcher in a city ruled by tribal gangs where brutality and violence is the order of the day in the new world. Again the binary opposition between 'native' and 'immigrant' is being posited which has been used by leaders for centuries but which is a myth. 

Scorses's latest film is like a homage to his earlier work and a historical epic focusing on the character of Jimmy Hoffa and the mafia. He uses his go to actors like Pacino and De Niro and focuses on characters who have come from New York but are products of the culture of the city.

This focus on the Italian American experience led to television becoming the ideal platform for further development of character and narrative arcs.  TV drama can be novelistic and many creative people have moved into this medium because it allows them creative space to develop ideas. At the forefront of quality TV drama was 'The Sopranos' even before streaming led to a boom in TV drama. This series is set in New Jersey across the bridge from New York.  It follows Tony Soprano aplayed by James Gandolfini who is the usual psychopathic boss but the series focuses on his normal domestic life and his family.  This offers a different representation of the mundanity of evil and almost humanises the gangsters to a point where we almost like them. In a further twist he goes for the modern solution of psychotherapy which is not something a gangster should be seen doing.  Once again these are 'goodfellas' and there is a lot of intertextuality as they reference famous mafia films self referentially. 

  Here the goodfellas are hanging out at their base 'Satriales' pork store. Representations of this small cross section of the American population have connected with audiences and the stories have been mined relentlessly over the past century. With the dominance of American film in the global marketplace it is incredible how high the profile of this social group has become. Audiences seem fascinated with these now familiar narratives in what is now a well worn genre.

Mainstream Hollywood Film

0. For the exam question you are likely to be asked to consider the significance of patterns of ownership and control, including conglomerate ownership, vertical integration and diversification. You will need to define these terms and ensure that you understand them if they come up in the question.
   
   Therefore present a definition of each of the following terms in your case study;
   
   • conglomerate ownership
   • vertical integration 
   • diversification.   
   • subsidiary
   
   
    
   
   
   Black Panther was produced by Marvel Studios, who became a subsidiary of Disney in 2008. They are also the film’s distributor, which makes this a good example of vertical integration. 

   Often a conglomerate will buy a subsidiary  which it thinks will make money. Alternatively they may think it is a threat to their business model. In buying the subsidiary they can own it and control it.  For example, a fizzy drink conglomerate may buy a smoothie company and bury it, or slowly wind it down, so that healthy drinks don't catch on and take market share.

   The benefit can be mutual in a creative sense. For example, Working Title films became a subsidiary of Universal. This allowed them creative control and more money to take more risks and make more ambitious and more expensive films. In return Universal recognised a 'British' studio that made a healthy profit and had a strong track record of  success.
   In the film industry this relationship is usually quite healthy. Although the conglomerate has ultimate control they do not usually try and hinder creativity in the subsidiary as they have a proven business model. When Disney bought Marvel, they agreed to minimal creative influence over Marvel products.

   In this example the over arching, huge global company is COMCAST.  UNIVERSAL is the media arm of the company, recognised for its production and distribution aspects as well as concerns such as theme parks.   Working Title is one of their many subsidiary companies along with Legendary Pictures. This relationship is shown in the opening titles.

   
   

   
   

    Disney is a huge conglomerate like COMCAST.  Before being bought by Disney, MARVEL would sell options on their comic books for interpretation by television or film companies. For example, 'Spiderman' was optioned by Paramount which is partly owned by SONY.

   
   

   In early 2000s, Marvel Studios began to produce films, starting with Blade (1998) and the X-Men  films (2000). 

   Blade is worth investigating in terms of representations and hybridity of genre. Wesley Snipes played the first African American super hero portrayed in film. The genre is a mixture of two genres; 

   • the super hero genre, which was re-emerging at the time but pre-dates the boom of Avengers and X Men.
   • the vampire genre which was popular with examples like 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and the 'Twilight' series. 
   • There have been characters of colour in Marvel films but they are often sidekicks like The Falcon in Captain America. 

    
   In 2013, Marvel also signed a deal with streaming service Netflix to develop TV series for six more characters (including Daredevil and Punisher who had already been made into films. This caused conflict with Disney who were planning their own streaming channel, and in 2019 Netflix cancelled their Marvel shows. Streaming is now the future of the film industry whether studios like it or not. That is where distribution will happen in the future. Exhibition at cinemas will be like marketing. Consumption online will be where the money is made. Therefore studios like Disney need to control the means of distribution and make revenue from subscribers. This is the new business model in the online age.  In March Disney plus launched in the UK. It has been phenomenally successful and we will investigate the figures.  The Marvel content is a key attraction for audiences. It broadens the age range so that Disney is not just for younger children. 

   This relationship needs exploring as it is key to the future of the film industry.  Begin by researching the content available on Disney plus.

    Make a list of examples of key content. 
   

   • Star Wars
   •  Disney Classics
   • Marvel

   How many people have subscribed to Disney plus in the UK since its launch?
   Click the following to Read some articles to find out some key facts. Then find some more to continue your research
   
   The service is only 5 months old and has 50 million subscribers worldwide. 
   
   This has allowed it to absorb the economic hit of closed theme parks and the closure of studios. 
   
   There have been some controversies about altering films so that they become child friendly and avoid censorship in all countries. For example, Daryl Hannah' mermaid in Splash has had her long hair enhanced by CGI to make sure her body is covered.  
   Read the article here.
   Key markets like China are being targeted because of the huge audience potential. The key selling point of Disney is that it is suitable for all ages.  
   
   Outline the reasons that Disney has for launching its own film streaming site. 
   Why does it feel the need to replicate the NETFLIX subscriber model? 
   Who are the companies offering streaming services?
   
   Research film streaming services one and gain an understanding of how they work, their business model and their audience.
   
   Here are a few you could explore. 
   
   

   • APPLE
   • NETFLIX
   • Curzon Home Cinema
   • HULU
   • BFI player
   • HBO

    
   
   
   

Planning an answer

 We will answer this question together by planning a response with knowledge of the mark scheme.

You are aiming for 8-10 marks to gain a distinction

• Use appropriate terminology
• Use a wide range of examples
• Write in a fluent, confident and accurate style
• Provide a detailed, sophisticated analysis of possible meanings being constructed

Here is the question;

 

Q7 Analyse how masculinity is represented in the extract from the film 'Black Panther'.

You should reference each representation with relevant examples from the text. (10 marks)

 

Now watch the clip at least three times and make notes about the examples that you plan to use.

 

We will now plan the answer together and improve our notes.

 

Below is a real example that gained 8 marks. 

The spelling mistakes, etc, are the student's own work not mine.

'Masculinity is shown through-out the trailer this is due to a lot of stereotypes that women bring to films. This is because showing a woman on screen shows love and affection it also brings weakness to the film which isn't what they want to portray through an action film. A female isn't shown during the first 56 seconds of a minute and 18 second trailer. This shows how they didn't want that stereotype to be given to the film.

The face of the women in this scene isnt fully shown either diminishing her presence and giving the scene to the male character standing next to her. Even the

vocals used in the trailer are all male and not female, this is because the female voice has a stereotype of being calm and nurturing which again is something that the producers are trying the stay clear of.

The masculinity is also shown through the build of the characters and how they are muscular and strong a very big stereotype to the male figure is that they all are unemotional and always ready to fight something that this trailer wants the audience to believe and to get from the film.

At the 45 second point into the trailer we see a fight seen suing weaponry and also of blood and killing this indicates towards the masculine traits also as when we see a female with a weapon it is strange to the eye while a male with a gun is more typically accepted. The way the the black panther fights this crew pf people is with no feeling and no remorse to the people he has just killed showing the audience the stereotype of no emotion. Another way that this is achieved is by having the next clip be the male laughing, this isnt connected but it has been edited together to have the laugher seem to be about the killing giving it no hint of sadness.

The female presences in the film are only shown dressed up with makeup and dresses giving them a more pretty aspect than anything else it doesnt give the audience a feeling that they are able to fight and still gives the trailer a feeling of masculinity. 

 

Here is the examiner's comment

 

The learner has provided some well-chosen examples from the text which have been explained well and are relevant to the demands of the question. The learner has also looked at the juxtaposition of the female representations against the male characters. 

 

With that knowledge you can hopefully write a confident answer.

 

BTEC Assignment

The final assignmnet for the BTEC unit is due before the end of the summer term.

This assignment is for learning aim D

Review pre-production of a digital media product.

The assignment brief is on SMHW. I will paraphrase it on here so that you have more direction.

You have hopefully completed your pre-production portfolio which you can hand in when we return.

The final assignment is to write a review of the process. Take each area of pre-production in turn and explain the pre-production process that you undertook.


Present a review of the pre-production process to Tamworth TV. 



‘Tamworth TV’  have secured funding for a new film project. One of the aims of the project is to engage local people in digital media production.

You have made a short film following the conventions of a specific genre for Tamworth TV. You have completed the necessary pre-production activities for the project and stored the pre-production work in a portfolio.

You will now review the process and present the review to Tamworth TV.

Review Elements of pre-production

• Logistics.
• Finance.
• Creative processes.

Review Project management

• Personnel management.
• Resource management.
• Time management.
• Professional Practice.
• Monitoring progress.
• Risk management.
• Crisis management.
• Maintaining documentation.
• Problems/difficulties with project management.
• Identifying ways of improving project management in future productions.

To gain a pass you need to -
Explain how logistics, finance and the creative processes were project managed during pre-production.

To gain a merit you need to -
Analyse the project management of your media product with reference to specific elements of pre-production.

To gain a distinction you need to -
Evaluate the effectiveness of the project management, referring to its impact on pre-production.

To gain a distinction you must make direct correlations between project management of logistics, finance and creative processes during pre-production and the overall success of the planning for the digital media production.

Further guidance
You need to go through the contents of your pre-production portfolio and explain how successful each area of research and planning was in the process of making your film.

Some examples of what you might write are below;

As a result of poor logistical planning my project resulted in a financial overspend...

I ensured that thorough planning of all financial costs for the production were met.  The production met its initial budget.

The time consuming nature of filming is planned for in pre-production and is aided by the logistics of the operation

A failure to check the copyright of the music resulted in a last minute change of music that had a negative impact on the final project

The consequences of not completing a detailed filming schedule, such as over-running filming on day one, resulting in the need to delay the rest of filming with a knock-on effect on logistics

The impact of a poorly visualised storyboard on the ability of other members of the crew to interpret the ideas   

Progression Assessment Advanced Level

SECTION A: ANALYSING MEDIA LANGUAGE AND REPRESENTATION

You should use relevant theories and relevant subject specific terminology where appropriate.

Print resource 1: the front page of the DAILY MAIL

Print resource 2: The front page and article from the DAILY MIRROR which you have studied with Miss Lakin. You should have the resource and fact sheet but I will put it on SMHW in case.

Compare how these pages from the DAILY MAIL and the DAILY MIRROR construct versions of reality.

In your answer you must:

-consider the choices media producers make when constructing versions of reality
- consider the similarities and differences in the representations
- make judgements and draw conclusions about how far the representations relate to relevant media contexts.

30 marks

This question requires an extended response. You will be assessed on the quality of your written response, including the ability to construct and develop a sustained line of reasoning which is coherent, relevant, substantiated and logically structured.

SECTION B: UNDERSTANDING MEDIA INDUSTRIES AND AUDIENCES

a) What is meant by an independent film? [2]

b) Briefly explain what you understand by vertical integration. [2]

c) Explain TWO features of mainstream film production. Refer briefly to BLACK PANTHER to support your points. [6]

In Question 3(d) you will be rewarded for drawing together knowledge and understanding from across your full course of study, including different areas of the theoretical framework and media contexts.

d) Explain how economic contexts shape independent films. Refer to I, DANIEL BLAKE to support your points. [15]

Plan your answer and write a full response.

Your submission will allow me to see if you have processed all the information provided on the web-log.

It will also allow you to try an exam style question.

The answers will be marked and you will be given a grade. The mark scheme will then be shared.

You will receive written feedback and a personal learning checklist about how you can improve.

The Daily Mail

We looked at the Newspaper Industry in some detail before the break and there have been some interesting developments over the past few months that are worth studying.  Events have divided opinion and political bias has been very clear. Unlike closely regulated broadcasters, like the BBC, there is a lack of impartiality in the press which means they are fascinating for Media students to study.

Begin by reading this article about current sales figures.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-52754762

Why have sales of newspapers fallen?
Why would the Telegraph, The Sun and The Times decline to publish their sales figures?
How many daily copies does the Daily Mail sell on average?
How many people live in the UK?
By what percentage have newspaper sales been falling each year?
What is the relationship between newspapers and advertisers?
How does ownership of a newspaper title affect how the news is 'mediated'?

Define the audience for the daily Mail using socio-economic and psycho-graphic descriptors.

The pandemic has had huge effects on our lives and audiences are divided in their opinion of the government's handling of the situation. Lets dive in with some of the front pages...

 The Daily Mail is an interesting newspaper for us as it is often deliberately confrontational and populist, appealing to audiences with a right wing point of view.  As you have pointed out, you do not buy newspapers as you prefer to access media online. The audience for this paper is therefore in an older age bracket and has mostly settled views that correspond with the content in the paper. In the words of Paul Weller, 'the public gets what the public wants'. If there were no audience there would be no profit. The Daily Mail is one of the few newspapers to buck the trend of falling sales. This claim is made in the context of falling sales across all newspapers. Sales figures dipped below the 1 million mark for the first time. However, the pandemic has been a disaster for the printed press as people have not been buying the paper in shops. Other titles are so concerned with falling sales that they are worried about how this may look to advertisers who are key to them making a profit.  The Sun may well have been knocked off its perch as the number one selling newspaper. A position it has held for decades.

The Daily Mail has a very successful online presence which we will also explore. If you apply the theory of Curran and Seaton then this publication seeks profit and power. It prints news with a distinct bias as it knows it has an audience who like to hear stories with a right wing bias. The online version is a leader in using 'clickbait' to draw audiences to its web-site. It has become a very successful online news web-site and proves that there is a market for this right of centre mediation of news. This right of centre audience can also be seen in the result of  recent elections and the Brexit vote.  The Dail Mail is therefore a key influencer in manipulating public opinion. Micheal Gove's wife, Sarah Vine is an influential columnist for the paper so it has close links with the government and can be seen as an organ of propaganda for the current right wing government.  The front page above helps to sway public opinion and is an excellent one to analyse.  Opening schools on June 1st was very contentious so the government uses its ties to the media to pave the way for acceptance of its policy.  The word 'militant' has powerful connotations.  By establishing teachers as 'heroes' and 'magnificent' it pays compliment to bravery while suggesting they 'do their duty.' This pre-empts any 'cowardly' action if the plan is not followed or is disrupted by unions. The power of unified labour, where a group of workers band together to protect their rights, has been eroded since the 1980's.  Workers in industries may join a union to represent them if they feel exploited or to protect their collective rights.   

There has been a lot of employment of martial, language in the 'war' against the virus.  Newspapers and governments like to establish a narrative to direct public opinion. By creating an invisible 'enemy' they can employ metaphors of battle and simplify the message to binary oppositions of good and bad that the public can buy into and understand quickly.  Donald Trump uses this approach effectively as he knows where his support lies. Similarly newspapers will appeal to audiences who share their views. It is unlikely that many teachers and public service workers, who have more liberal views, would buy this paper so they are not too worried about upsetting them.  It is more important to this paper to position audiences to get behind the government and get those 'heroes' back to work!

Here is a copy that has been annotated by a teacher.

Conduct research to establish key facts about the Daily Mail;

Sales figures - (May 2020) 945,000 down from 1.13 million  (March, 2020)
Founded in 1896
mid market tabloid
Ownership passed down through generations to Jonathan Harmsworth (majority shareholder) who is the 4th Viscount Rothermere
Average age of readership 58

The Times is another, long established, newspaper that has a right wing bias. It has been printed in various forms since 1778 so is a national institution. The Times of London was read around the world and has a rich history such as carrying Sherlock Holmes stories that could be read in a train journey as commuters headed into the city. It has changed a lot over the years but the title still commands a certain gravitas. Its archive is a treasure trove for historians.

 They have also supported the Conservative government led by Boris Johnson. The narrative is clear in this front page. It establishes the narrative that unions are the 'enemy' in a clear binary opposition. They represent the news in their own way to suit the views of their ownership and they seek to influence their readership. They present 'schools' willing to 'defy' the unions who represent teaching staff creating a division between the two.  They expect their audience to agree that this is a good course of action.

The Times is owned by the global media conglomerate 'News Corp' run by the Australian media tycoon, Rupert Murdoch.  We will study the incredible reach of this conglomerate which owns media companies around the world and is a powerful organisation with great influence. It also owns 'The Sun' newspaper and has interest in broadcasters and the film industry as well as newspaper titles around the world. It has used its considerable influence on successive governments to improve its commercial position and to affect public opinion. Notable front pages claim that this influence was so great that they were the difference in elections in the past few decades.

Below are two newspapers which are considered 'left' of the political centre and are more likely to support the views of the Labour Party.  Consider how they have represented the same news story.

How are these representations different from the Times and the Mail?

With clearly conflicting representations of the same news story it is left to audiences to interpret the truth.  

Answer these final two questions;

How balanced do you think the British newspaper industry is?

Which representation do you think is nearest to a true mediation of this news story?

Beyonce - Formation (Black Lives Matter) 'I Can't Breathe'

You can use this text along with others for a question about representation for the BTEC exam and it is a set text for A level.

At the start of the course we looked at music videos and the messages encoded within them. We struggled with this one as there was a lot of context to learn. In particular, the amount of knowledge about American history, culture and politics needed to understand this 'rich' text. It is an ideal time to revisit this text in light of current events which I expect you are following in the media. Firstly, watch the video again and revisit your analysis. Maybe try explaining it to a parent,friend or sibling.

You have written an analysis of this text so this post will allow you to revise your understanding and further your analysis by gaining a deeper understanding of the issues that the music video engages with. It will also provide a good entry point for studying media in the online age when we return.

If you have not been following the news then here is an outline of the event that sparked the riots and protests that are happening across the USA. Click here to see a BBC explanation of the death of George Floyd

I won't post images but the footage went viral. For most British audiences this level of police brutality is shocking. In the US, and indeed across the world, the approach to policing is very different.  Police carry guns and are much more forceful. Some would say that police in the UK are not strict enough whilst others would say that the issue of police brutality is universal. It is essential that policing is consensual for a society to function. If there is a suggestion that power is being abused then it makes a population more difficult to police. We have seen this in the UK recently with the Dominic Cummings episode reducing the government's authority over lock-down rules.

Protests in America have gained momentum and spread across the world. Some follow slogans like 'I can't breathe' which encapsulate a range of issues in a succinct, multi-faceted phrase. Most are non-violent and follow the precedent set by civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King. In the 1960's Dr King led marches and gave speeches challenging the systemic racism in American society. Segregation was very real, particularly in Southern states where African Americans has to use separate facilities and were treated as second class citizens with diminished rights and less access to the economic fortunes of an increasingly prosperous America.

 You will have looked at this movement before in secondary school and possibly studied some emotive speeches such as 'I Have a Dream' addressing a million marchers in Washington DC.

 It is this legacy which informs the 'Black Lives Matter' movement. Progress in establishing equal rights for people of colour in America has taken a backward step under the present Republican government.   The death of George Floyd has instigated protest. Initially this was in the city of Minneapolis.

It has since spread to many other cities.

Much of the reporting is sensationalised but most protests are calm, orderly events. They are often the ones that are not newsworthy as camera crews race around looking for action. You need to explore news stories from a variety of sources to gain an objective understanding of the events. For example, the President is attributing blame for protests to 'left wing' agitators and anarchists. He has added ANTIFA , an anti-fascist movement to a list of terrorist organisations. Depending on your political outlook you will either support his view or react against it.  You can apply Stuart Hall's theory of encoding/ decoding to ascertain how different audiences are receiving these messages.

The protests have now spread to other cities around the world such as London and Berlin

One danger is that peaceful protest can become violent. In many cities protest has led to rioting and looting. Some even exploit the unrest for a chance to cause mayhem which can then be used as justification to use further force. Whilst there are peaceful protests with strong messages there are also people using righteous indignation as an excuse for gratuitous violence. Some reports even suggests that mobs have instigated violence to discredit protesters. Violence, arson and anti-social activity justifies further repression so is self defeating. This happened in the London riots.  It appeared in most media outlets that rioters were more interested in trainers than any unified protest. Leaders from Gandhi to Dr Martin Luther King espoused peaceful protest but there is always a chance that this can be hijacked or quickly become inflamed to something more serious. Other leaders suggest that at some point, peaceful protest is not enough when injustice is too great. Malcolm X was more militant than MLK but before their untimely deaths they were becoming closer to understanding each others philosophies and finding a balance. In other countries like South Africa, Nelson Mandela was leading an armed revolt against a regime of apartheid.  Much of American history is littered with leaders whose popularity was allowing them to lead the country toward real change.  John F Kennedy, his brother Robert Kennedy, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King were all shot in the 1960's by shadowy figures wanted to preserve the status quo. It is against this historic backdrop that many Americans feel that their voice is unheard once again. However, there are many more conservative Americans who are outraged by the wanton violence and abuse of property.

John Lennon was also shot dead in America in 1980 and the country has a history of violence. Like many musicians he realised his responsibility as an artist to protest and promote peace, love and understanding. America has a rich tradition of musicians using their voice to challenge the inequities in society. In this song Bob Dylan tells the story of the boxer 'Hurricane' Carter.

What has developed in popular culture are powerful protest movements and a democratic right to voice opinion. In times of increasing inequity popular culture becomes more politicised.  We are even seeing corporate giants like Nike linking advertising campaigns with protest movements. We have looked at this campaign in detail elsewhere so reference it in your answer.

Celebrities, sportspeople and entertainers who were once happy to avoid politics are now lending their considerable influence toward campaigning against injustice. Footballer, Jadon Sancho revealed a t-shirt supporting the movement after his first hat-trick at the weekend. If you have been watching the excellent NETFLIX documentary 'The Last Dance' you will be aware of the sportsperson with the highest profile ever, Micheal Jordan. He was accused of not speaking out in support of social issues at the height of his fame. He famously  said 'Republicans buy sneakers too.'  He is now willing to use his platform to speak out.

In this context we can understand how this applies to the Queen Bee, the Beyonce. She has the profile to raise the level of awareness and increase debate about social issues. 

It is a difficult time to be a police officer in the USA at present and the pressures must be great.

In this clip a police chief explains how irresponsible leadership can have a detrimental effect on policing and put police in danger. Being a leader is not a game as it has a huge impact on real life. He advises  solidarity with the police and to leave the politics for the voting booth and advises people to use the democratic process rather than focus on policing.

He also explains that this issue is part of a wider discontent in American society. In a time of social media such video footage can be highly inflammatory. It is not 'mediated' through gatekeepers who can try to control the message. It is tweeted and shared without context. Audiences will receive the message undiluted or through an 'influencer' who has their own reading of the text.

The volatility in American society has been fuelled by a partisan President elected on a right wing ticket. You can learn more about his policies but for now look at his recent tweets to gain a sense of his political stance. He came to prominence through the American version of 'The Apprentice' and is a 'populist' politician.

In this clip, Trump explains his use of an inflammatory phrase in a tweet claiming he was not not aware of its provenance.  Note that this in the 'Telegraph' a right wing publication which is more sympathetic to Trump. Gatekeepers can edit news and mediate to ensure that a certain reading is gained. For example, another news outlet might focus on the insensitivity of the tweet and its crassness in a time when the President should unify a country at boiling point.

Trump has used the medium of Twitter extremely effectively to bypass the power of traditional media and control the message. His many followers receive the news through him without a filter and he has the power to influence. With power comes responsibility and many of the protocols and checks and balances are removed through these new forms of media. It can lead to 'fake news' and misinformation. Even Twitter is now actively concerned about the spread of fake news and is beginning to challenge dissemination of false stories.Facebook is less keen to become 'an arbiter of the truth'. The question for these new tech giants is how responsible should they be for news spread on their platform in the online age.

 Often these events are a catalyst as we have seen in the UK with the Dominic Cummings situation. In times of extremity societies are less willing to accept injustice and resentments find a focal point which acts as a catalyst for change or protest. America has a President who has divided his country.He has a lot of support but his ethos is to divide and rule.  Many Americans feel disenfranchised and under represented. It is a society of haves and have nots and the disparities and inequities are becoming more stark. For example, Trump's headline policy is to build a wall between America and Mexico. This is a symbolic act of division following a policy of isolationism and protectionism. Mexican-American citizens and ethnic minorities feel threatened by Trump's policies. He is also willing to use the power of the state to oppress his own people. Hence the 'Black Lives Matter' movement is indicative of a wide discontent across American society.

 If you have a twitter account then you will see that the clip or the news item often comes with 'anchorage'. This allows the distributor to influence their audience through explanation. This affects the way we receive the news. In the past the footage of a police officer killing a black male suspect would have been suppressed. Traditional news media would be under pressure to follow codes of conduct in how they represent sensitive information. This happens on both sides of the political divide. Sins of omission in the media are as common as those of commission. For example, a local MP broke the rules of lock-down by attending a funeral in the Midlands with around a hundred mourners. We will look at why this story did not receive much coverage whereas other breaches of lock-down did. Newspapers may choose to completely ignore certain stories that don't fit their political standpoint.  The press is known as the 'fifth estate' and their role in mediating news was important in controlling the populace. This was possible in the post war era when a collective effort was needed to rebuild society. We can now see that traditional institutions such as the monarchy are struggling to control their carefully constructed image in the online age.   Virality is the new method of dispersal and is much harder to control the message.  Citizens may have more power to share news that may have been hidden before but it also allows for people to control the message to further their own agenda or political viewpoint..

The difference between the 1960's and now is that the gatekeepers that controlled the message are losing the power to manipulate the message. This has negative and positive results. In the online age views are increasingly polarised depending on the fragmented sources we get our news from. Platforms are numerous and disparate and audiences have more sources than ever before. This poses the problem of who to believe and the rise of fake news. If you receive your news from certain sources dictated by algorithms on social media then it is likely that you will believe the traffic directed toward you. In a way this is more insidious and dangerous than a controlled media guided by laws such as libel. It is easier to disseminate falsehoods and incite audiences which poses a risk to stability and democracy. One way to counter this is with censorship and control or by controlling the internet.

We live in unprecedented times when the media is as volatile as ever. It can easily be manipulated to divide opinion and communities. Gil Scott Heron may yet be correct 'the revolution may indeed not be televised but tweeted!'

Protests have spread across the world in solidarity with Americans who feel that their human rights are being abused by institutions which no longer serve or represent them.  This increasing sense of disconnection and dis-empowerment is what we are studying in some of our texts. We are exploring how media texts influence audiences and re-inforce structures of power and vested interest in society. This knowledge and the practical skills that you are developing will allow you to become an informed and engaged citizen journalist!

Follow this story closely across all media and collect sources and evidence that will inform your understanding of the issues and allow you to become informed enough to join the debate. Overall, in the words of Jules, 'you gotta have an opinion.'

Some questions that you can try to answer are below. Use these to structure your notes;

• How have the riots in America been represented in the news media?
• What is your opinion about policing in the UK? 
• Is 'virality' good for society?
• Should 'gatekeepers' control the message?
• Is unrestrained access to the news through social media helpful for society or damaging?
• Can you compare the events in America with the UK?
• How does this news help you to understand the messages in the 'Formation' music video
• Is Twitter right to begin taking down 'fake news' ?
• How can companies such as Twitter and Facebook regulate their platform?
• Why should British students be studying American texts?
• What are the positive aspects of social media?
• What are the negative aspects of social media?
• Should advertisers use protest movements to sell brands and products?
• How will different audiences receive this news?
• Should people be gathering to protest during a pandemic?
• Should celebrities, sportspeople and entertainers get involved in politics?
• Are younger audiences more likely to support the 'I Can't Breathe' protests?