Week 10 Lecture Guide.doc

Week 10Representation contPolysemy Fiske 1989 Ideas about interpretationLess emphasis on structure more on ouraudiences ability to exercise own agencyaudience all powerfulProduction is less important than how audience interprets media messages it doesnt matter what structural constraints were used any given cultural product is polysemicPolysemic Media messages are open to multiple interpretations polymany semicpointsAudience brings diversity and multiple interpretations to any form of content Fiske and audience powerAudience is all powerfulTotal power regarding media messages and receptionsdecodingMedia do not program our interpretations audience decide upon meaning from given texts Television messages create open and contradictory interpretations Messages arent closed offopen for interpretationsStruggle over power creates polysemyStruggle over meaning and powercontradict one anothers perspectiveWhen we challengedebate different possible meanings it makes polysemy possibleonly exists when we question each others interpretations when decoding media text 1