Canadian content regulations in a global context

Answer

References

Dachis, B., & Schwanen, D. (2016). Changing the Channel on the Canadian Communications Regulation. CD Howe Institute Commentary, 451.

Sturken, M. (2018). Icons and Remakes. Journalism & Communication Monographs, 20(4), 314-317.

The Politics of Emoji

The use of emoji is widespread in contemporary settings especially due to the advent of social media. Ideally, many people communicate via social media at the moment as compared to any other time in history. Consequently, communication is fist and provides new features such as emoji. Initially, emoji appeared like complementary features to messages. However, they are now used for direct communication, and they offer the advantage of communicating a large amount of information at once in a simplified manner. Despite the advantages, emoji also have drawn backs especially regarding the concept of skin tone.

Zara Rahman describes one problem that is presented by emoji skin tones when used. She asserts that emoji’s do not lead to the accurate representation of people especially when used in social media communication. According to her, most people use the emoji that indicate their good intentions and not what they truly are (Gaille, 2014, pg. 1). For instance, in her explanation, she quotes a research study on the use of emoji on Twitter over time, and the outcomes received regarding the number of times the emoji is used. In this regard, out of the five-skin tone emoji in existence now, the yellow emoji was used more than others were. Rahman took interest with the white emoji stating that there are four times white Twitter users as compared to the number of people with color. Therefore, if people used emoji for true representation, white emoji would have had more user as compared to yellow or any other emoji.

Rahman feels that the problem with emoji’s regarding skin tome is brought about by the fact that a person has to confront his or her identity when using the emoji. The scenario does not often happen in real life as people give less regard to skin tone. Moreover, insisting on particular skin tones could lead to the depiction of some privilege over others, which might be interpreted as racism. Therefore, some white people feel that there is already an overrepresentation of their skin tone with technology. Consequently, they desist from using white emoji even though they are white and opt for yellow ones since it depicts good intentions. Therefore, Rahman engaged many people who stated that their selection of emoji skin tone varied based on the nature of the conversation or whom they were communicating with. For instance, white people communicating with Latinx users chose a darker skin tone to set themselves aside from the whites. However, it also creates a feeling among the Latinx that the whites using the darker emoji do not know the privilege they have of being whites.

Stuart Hall and Richard Dyer

Stuart Hall would feel that the availability and use of skin tone emoji are detrimental to textual communication. According to Stuart, producers of texts encode them with messages and values that are decoded by consumers or the target audience. Primarily, different audiences decode the texts differently. Therefore as per Stuart Hall, while producers will be hoping that the message is decoded based on the prevailing preferred or dominant reading, the recipients often decode messages with emoji through a negotiated reading. In this regard, the emoji elicits confusion regarding the true meaning of the text based on the skin tone presented. Therefore, most concentration is placed on interpreting the emoji and not the text (Hall & Whannel 2018, pg. 2). Consequently, the audience will struggle to place a meaning on the emoji that strikes a balance between the oppositional and the dominant reading. As such, it is apparent that skin tone emoji makes the audience appreciate by accepting the views of the producer while at the same time developing their independent views on the text.

Richard Dyer feels that the concept of whiteness is both hypervisible and invisible in current times. Therefore, he might feel that the concept if emoji is having a different impact from what it was meant to mean. For instance, the less use of white emoji yet many users are whites indicate the invisibility of whiteness in textual communication. In this regard, Richard Dyer may feel that whereas whiteness is hypervisible in technology, the emoji with skin tone is bringing out the invisible part of it as most white individuals mask themselves to avoid perpetuating racing through white privilege. Therefore, Richard Dyer may find it difficult to promote the use of skin tome emoji based on their reductive effect on whiteness.

Semiotic Analysis

The emoji has denotative meanings, as it is present in various colors based on a person’s skin tone. Connotatively, the emoji is assertive in showing that everything is okay. The colors vary based on the skin tome and not color specific signifiers. Consequently, the emoji’s representation tries to be universal by incorporating all people around the world. Moreover, the sign is universal for ‘all right.’ Consequently, the only varying interpretation of the emoji is based on the racial composition of the users (Huls et al., 2019). Consequently, the emoji is often used as a symbol in most conversations. The racial description associated with it infers that it is part of the broader context regarding the universality of emoji for various skin tones.

In conclusion, it is apparent that the use of emoji is central to modern day social media communication. Consequently, the development of five representative emoji of different races around the world was considered ideal for both specification and universality. However, their use based on skin tone fails to offer an accurate representation of the users since most of them mask their real identity.

References

Huls A, Hayley B, Hornby A, DiRienzo V, & Curzio, M. (2019). Cosmopolitan. Fun Fearless Female.

Hall, S., & Whannel, P. (2018). The popular arts. Duke University Press.

Gaille, B. (2014, October 13). 25 Dramatic Cosmopolitan Magazine Demographics [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://brandongaille.com/25-dramatic-cosmopolitan-magazine-demographics/?fbclid=IwAR3aODXFlMIW4vEwIqJefOb5Mz526oLHD5NQ3dyuL8BKRqdOt5Anoo6qTn0

Guilty Pleasures

Many people enjoy Television and radio programs that are considered less critical. In this regard, there is a guilty aspect of watching or listening to these programs as one feels that they are not held in high regard and thus, hardly promote any values. However, the content depicted in the programs is often pleasurable. Therefore, it is a pleasure to watch but also elicits guilty feelings. Primarily, guilty pleasures have a significant effect especially on the cultural alignment within the community.

Cultural Hierarchies and Guilty Pleasures

Cultural hierarchies often arrange cultures within a society based on their dominance. Usually, those that are more dominant are placed ahead of others who are least practiced. In most societies including both the Canadian and American film and art industry, guilty pleasures appear to have a relationship with cultural hierarchies. Primarily, most programs are not helpful due to their inability to provide cultural or societal values yet are enjoyed by many people seem to be products of the dominant cultures (Curran &  Morley, 2006, pg. 131). In this regard, actors often depicted in the programs practice the dominant culture and the cultural values are overrepresented in the program. Even thigh the programs might not be an actual embodiment of the dominant cultures, they associate themselves closely with these top cultures. Consequently, their entertaining aspect and mass audience makes them ‘important.’ Ideally, the audiences which may consist of individuals from less dominant cultures and who enjoy this progress tend to appreciate the depictions in the program. Therefore, they begin to see the culture in the programs as being good. In some instances, part of the audience might try to align themselves with that culture at the expense of their community practices. Consequently, the dominant culture continues to prosper as it gains support and influences other people as well as creating a mass following while the less dominant cultures near extension as they are not recognized, known, or even fully appreciated by the people they guide.

According to Janice Radway, by reading romantic literature or even enjoying particular popular culture shows, the audience becomes indulged in the happenings within the presentation. Consequently, their attachment to the programs encourages the programs thereby increasing the cultures presented. Similarly, Laura Grindstaff asserts that it is the audience who promote popular culture Television shows by enjoying them. Therefore, since most media houses are in to have the largest number of audiences, they resort to airing these shows as they are enjoyed more than others are. Consequently, in watching these programs, Laura Grindstaff explains that the audiences not promote the characters, but also promotes the culture presented by appreciating the cultural values in the film. For instance, many women fancy the life of the Kardashians as presented in their program. Consequently, they appreciate the luxury and freedom of women displayed there which might not be present in their cultures. As a result, the established cultural hierarchies continue to exist as the popular culture enhances its dominance at the expense of minor cultures.

Popular Culture Show

“The Bachelor” is an American television show that depicts a single man dating various women over several weeks. During the show, the man narrows down the number of women he deals with until he finds a suitable match that he feels is his true love. The show is considered popular culture because the man is well off financially and most ladies depicted are classy women. The fellowship of the show especially among women is high, and this contributes to its ‘guilty pleasure’ characteristic.

According to Laurie Ouellette, reality television programming has civic functions that are categorized into four groups. Primarily, they have pathos, which appeals to human emotions, logos that appeal to logic and ethos which focus on character.

Regarding “The Bachelor,” it contains pathos as it depicts scenes that encourage the audience to sympathize with the male character in the program as he struggles to find the right woman. Ideally, he losses out on some women who are out to con him and sometimes the man experiences emotional breakdowns. The depiction makes the audience to feel sorry for the man and even develop a hate for those who treat him badly. Furthermore, the audience seems to be eager on when the man will succeed in his quest to find true love.

The program also contains ethos. In this regard, it helps improve the character of the people in the show. For the man, he learns how to interact with deferent women thereby making him more social and effective in setting and managing conversations. On the other hand, some women strive to improve their character as a means of making the man choose them over others.

Lastly, Laurie Ouellette asserts that reality television shows have a personality building function. In this regard, they pose logos, which enhance the reasoning of individuals. In “The Bachelor,” this function of popular culture shows is presented through the main character. Ideally, he dates many women at some point, and most of them are willing to be in a relationship with him. However, when he decides to get into a relationship, he only chooses one. Therefore, the depiction promotes the faithful virtue of human relationship.

In conclusion, it is apparent that many people watch, read, listen, or engage in activities only for pleasure. Consequently, they experience the aspect of guilty pleasure. In doing so, they promote the aspect of cultural hierarchies which continues to strengthen dominant cultures at the expense of minority cultural formations.

References

Class notes (2019). Cultural citizenship (Toby Miller). Politics + pop culture address us (audiences) primarily as consumers

Class notes (2019). Keeping up with the Kardashian (2007- )

Class notes (2019). Reality TV's “civic function" (Ouellette). Television's civic furcation

Curran, J & Morley, D (2006). Media and Cultural Theory. Routledge.