Sociology of the Media
Instructions
The final Portfolio Project for this course requires that students select and critically evaluate a research topic. The purpose of this assignment is to provide an opportunity to synthesize many of the issues about the sociology of media discussed throughout the modules and in the textbook.
For the portfolio project, choose a media text to analyze. A media text includes:
- Television show
- News event
- Film or film franchise
- Radio show or even radio format
- Magazine
- Book franchise
- Video game franchise
- Advertising campaign
- Social networking used for activism (e.g., “Flashmobbing”)
- Twitter used for newsgathering
The purpose of your final paper is to critically evaluate a mass media text by applying at least three or more of the major issues or concepts explored by the textbook and course content. These issues or concepts include:
- Economics of the production and distribution of the media text
- Laws and policies that regulate the production and distribution of the media text
- Ways in which structural power constrains individuals and institutions that produce the media text
- Ways in which dominant ideologies are transmitted by the media text
- Opportunities that exist for individuals and audiences to use the media text in unintended ways
- Influence of technology in the production and distribution of the media text
- Issues that arise when the media text is distributed globally
A recommended organization of your paper should include:
- Thesis paragraph
- Description of the media text
- Description of the focus of your paper
- Application of the concepts/issues
- Critical analysis of the text in light of the application of the concepts/issues
- Engagement of possible solutions to a problem or problems (if applicable)
Introduction
The development of new networks of communication such as television shows, radio shows, and video games have had great impacts on communication. The use of communication media creates interaction in the social world and new methods of relating to other people. While watching a television show is branded as a way of passing time, it also has some benefits such as relaxing the mind, and learning more about the world around an individual. Considering the pattern of modern life where people have become so engaged in their activities with little time for interaction, watching a television show is an excellent way to learn more about other people and cultures. Various television shows have represented human nature and interaction with the environment and hence depicting important knowledge and insights to the audience. This paper will focus on “Ricky and Morty” which is an American show depicting exploration of various planets and enhancement of scientific research.
Thesis Paragraph
Television shows play a great role in allowing the audience to experience a part of a story and take their minds off their own lives. This paper synthesizes various issues of the sociology of media by evaluating one of the major television shows in the US that impacted the lives of the audience and the society at large titled “Rick and Morty”. The paper further elaborates various issues about the sociology of media such as the economics of the production and distribution, opportunities that exist for individuals and audiences to use the show in unintended ways and how dominant ideologies are transmitted by the show.
Description of the Media Text
“Rick and Morty” is an adult science fiction which was created by Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland. The show has successfully represented the mental illness and the state of depression without painting mentally-ill people as dangerous like many other media texts. The show embraces the misfortunes of pessimistic ‘mad’ scientist, Rick Sanchez and his good-hearted grandson Morty Smith whose time was split between interdimensional adventures and family life. The show first premiered on December 2, 2013, on Cartoon Network’s programming block. The show has accurately portrayed the theme of depression through Rick who seems ‘cold’, self-destructive affinities and his incompetence to aid himself (Miranda, 2017). The series revolves around the adventures of the household of Smith whose members are; the parents – Jerry and Beth, their children Morty and Summer, and Beth’s father, Rick Sanchez. The family is said to live in the outside of Seattle, Washington. The adventures of Rick and Morty take place across an inestimable number of authenticities with the characters traveling to other planets. The show’s first season consisted of eleven 22-minute episodes and renewed for the second season with ten 22-minute episodes which was aired in the summertime of 2017 (Miranda, 2017). Rick Sanchez returns home after going missing for 20 years and is ready to reconcile with Beth and family, although Jerry – Beth’s husband is resistant to the idea (Williams, 2016). Rick’s arrival shakes things around the household and transforms the garage into his laboratory where he engages in dangerous sci-fi apparatuses.
Description of the Focus of Your Paper
Communication media is an important aspect in the lives of human beings. With the increasing quest of globalization and technology advancement, communication media has gained more importance as it forms the basis for social interaction and the development of social infrastructure (Reese & Shoemaker, 2016). In this regard, the main focus of this paper is to analyze concepts of the sociology of media by scrutinizing the “Ricky and Morty” television. The show is a dark one, absurdist, and operates in a serial drama, novel, or internet video. The paper features the various sociological issues as displayed in the “Rick and Morty” show and also explores various themes that form a social development of the characters.
