COM3703 PORTFOLIO
MEDIA STUDIES: MEDIA CONTENT AND MEDIA AUDIENCES
YEAR: 2021
COM3703
,DECLARATION OF OWN WORK
I,
(NAME and SURNAME) confirm that:
this MODULE contains my own, original ideas and work
those ideas, or work, that are not my own, have been cited through the
prescribed referencing system which I have familiarised myself with in Tutorial
Letter CMNALL/E/301
I have not submitted the ideas or work contained in this MODULE for any other
tertiary education credit
Policy on Research
Ethics.pdf
I have read the University’s Policy of Research Ethics
I have read and understood the PLAGIARISM POWERPOINT FOR UNDER-
GRADUATE STUDIES (available under “Additional Sources” on myUnisa)
I have familiarised myself with the library guides ON PLAGIARISM AND
ETHICS offered by Unisa’s library:
https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/research-support/plagiarism
I have read and understood Unisa’s Policy for Copyright Infringement and
Plagiarism, and I am aware that plagiarism is punishable in terms of the
Copyright Act 98 of 1978 and I have read the regulations of the University of
South Africa in this respect, available online:
https://www.unisa.ac.za/static/corporate_web/Content/Apply%20for%20ad
mission/Documents/Policy_copyright_infringement_plagiarism_16Novembe
r2005.pdf
STUDENT NUMBER
SIGNATURE DATE
WITNESS
1
,TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE
1 INTRODUCTION 4
2 COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA SEMIOTICS 5
2.1 Introduction 5
2.2 Definition, importance and purpose of media semiotics 5
2.3 The three levels of meaning emphasised in semiotics 5
2.4 Analysis of the advertisement 6
2.5 Conclusion 7
3 NARRATIVE ANALYSIS 7
3.1 Narrative analysis guided by Todorov’s model of a narrative 7
3.1.1 Title of the film and short story line 7
3.1.2 Analysis of the film, in terms of Todorov’s five-step model 7
3.1.3 Two sets of binary oppositions in the film 9
3.1.4 Ideological position of the film producer 10
3.2 Dramatis personae categories 10
3.2.1 Hero 10
3.2.2 Donor 10
3.2.3 Dispatcher 11
3.2.4 Villain 11
3.2.5 Princess 11
4 MEDIA AUDIENCE THEORY 11
4.1 Selected soap opera 11
4.2 Five (5) assumptions of the reception theory 11
4.3 Structural model for the analysis of the soap opera genre 13
4.3.1 Regular exposure to soaps 13
4.3.2 Strategic interruptions 14
2
,4.3.3 Codes of form 14
4.3.4 Gap-filling 15
4.3.5 The longevity of soap operas and of archetypal characters 16
5 MEASURING MEDIA AUDIENCES 16
5.1 Importance of media audience measurement 16
5.2 Three key questions that are addressed in audience research 16
5.3 Three suitable research questions 17
5.4 Techniques that are appropriate to employ in measuring radio 17
audiences
5.5 Two appropriate techniques and how I will employ them 18
5.6 Four reasons why measuring radio audiences is considered a 18
more Complex task than measuring television audiences
6 CONCLUSION 20
7 SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SELF-REFLECTION 21
SOURCES CONSULTED 22
ADDENDUM A 24
3
,1. INTRODUCTION
This portfolio assignment aims to discuss communication and media semiotics with
focus on an in-depth semiotic analysis of an advertisement that I chose- an antistax
leg tablets print advertisement- as well as a discussion of the importance and
purpose of media semiotics, the three levels of meaning emphasised in semiotics,
and an analysis of the print advertisement by means of an in-depth discussion of the
denotative, connotative and ideological meanings present in it. Narrative analysis is
also discussed with focus on the analysis of my chosen film titled Not Cinderella’s
type in terms of Todorov’s five-step model. The analysis of my chosen film will be
guided by a short storyline, identifying two sets of binary oppositions from my chosen
film, a critical discussion of the ideological position of the film producer as well as the
identification of the dramatis personae categories and an explanation of their
spheres of action in the film. The portfolio assignment furthermore provides a
discussion of media audience theory wherein the structural model for the analysis of
the soap genre that I selected, titled Skeem Saam, will be explored by means of a
critical discussion of the five (5) assumptions of the reception theory with practical
examples of each of the five chosen assumptions as they can be applied to my
selected soap opera. The last discussion will be that of measuring media audiences
which focuses on an investigation into the audience listening patterns of a local
campus radio station.
4
,2 COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA SEMIOTICS
2.1 Introduction
This question aims to conduct an in-depth semiotic analysis of an antistax active leg
tablets print advertisement with a brief definition of semiotics, the importance and
purpose of media semiotics, a critical discussion of the three levels of meaning as
emphasized in semiotics as well as an analysis of my chosen advertisement by
means of discussing, in-depth, the connotative, denotative and ideological meanings
present in it.
2.2 Definition, importance and purpose of media semiotics.
Fourie (2009:40) defines semiotics as the science of signs and codes and the
meaning they convey, with language being an example of a sign system and code
involving ‘’the study of how signs are related to one another by means of codes that
are understood by users and how the various sign systems are related to one
another by means of various codes’’. The importance and purpose of media
semiotics, as explained by Fourie (2009:40), is ‘’to sharpen our critical awareness of
the ways in which the media reflect, represent and imitate reality or aspects of reality
to convey a specific meaning, usually in support of an underlying ideology, point of
view, ideal, argument and attitude’’.
2.3 The three levels of meaning – Denotation, connotation and ideological
meaning- emphasized in semiotics.
According to Fourie (2009:67) denotation refers to the literal or dictionary meaning
attached to a sign. In simple terms, the denotation of a word is its literal definition.
Meaning and communication would be impossible if one is unable to attach the
denotative meaning to the visual signs or representations of these signs (Fourie
2009: 67).
Fourie (2009: 67) states that connotation refers to an applied or personal meaning
which is attached to a sign. Connotation is dependent on an individual’s subjective
interpretation of a sign and is often unstable and influenced by the experience of the
individual, culture and historical period (Fourie 2009: 67).
According to Fourie (2009: 70) ideology has to do with how the social background,
culture, knowledge and the education of the recipient shape the meaning attached to
a sign. Ideological meaning can be conveyed through signs and codes. The popular
definition of ideology is that it consists of ideas, attitudes, values, belief systems, or
5
, interpretative and conceptual frameworks held by members of a particular social
group or culture (Fourie 2009: 367).
2.4 Analysis of the advertisement
My chosen advertisement is an antistax active leg tablets (2015: 159) print
advertisement.
Denotation
What is denoted in the advertisement is an image of a woman carrying a handbag
and shopping bags, with an octopus wrapped around her leg. The woman on the
advertisement looks tired and the expressions on her face shows a woman who is in
pain. On the bottom right of the advertisement is a box of antistax active leg tablets
and on the top right are questions asking if you suffer from painful and tired legs,
heavy and swollen legs and tension and tingling in the legs. There is also captions
on the advertisements which talks about the symptoms of a common condition called
chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and why it is important to maintain healthy veins.
All the mentioned points are a literal and dictionary meaning attached to a sign as
stated by Fourie (2009: 67).
Connotation
The main connotation on the advertisement is that suffering from chronic venous
insufficiency can make your legs feel heavy and tired. The octopus connotes the
blood that flows back in the vein and pulls in the leg tissue, causing swelling, pain
and discomfort. The bags carried by the woman connotes heavy and swollen legs.
The box of antistax active leg tablets is a connotation for healing. An impression that
antistax active leg tablets promotes healing and relieves symptoms is promoted by
the purple caption which states that ‘’antistax is clinically proven to relieve these
symptoms over a 12- week period. It contains a unique extract of Red Vine Leaf AS
195 (Bio-Active Flaven) which strengthens and protects the vein walls thereby
improving blood flow”. Fourie (2009: 67) states that connotation is dependent on an
individual’s subjective interpretation of a sign, hence my analysis of the connotative
meaning behind the antistax active leg tablets advertisement.
Ideology
Fourie (2009: 70) states that ideology has to do with how the social background,
culture, knowledge and the education of the recipient shapes the meaning attached
to a sign.
The advertisement has a caption that says ‘’listen to your legs - Take Antistax’’. This
caption encourages the consumer to take antistax active leg tablets as the tablets
6
MEDIA STUDIES: MEDIA CONTENT AND MEDIA AUDIENCES
YEAR: 2021
COM3703
,DECLARATION OF OWN WORK
I,
(NAME and SURNAME) confirm that:
this MODULE contains my own, original ideas and work
those ideas, or work, that are not my own, have been cited through the
prescribed referencing system which I have familiarised myself with in Tutorial
Letter CMNALL/E/301
I have not submitted the ideas or work contained in this MODULE for any other
tertiary education credit
Policy on Research
Ethics.pdf
I have read the University’s Policy of Research Ethics
I have read and understood the PLAGIARISM POWERPOINT FOR UNDER-
GRADUATE STUDIES (available under “Additional Sources” on myUnisa)
I have familiarised myself with the library guides ON PLAGIARISM AND
ETHICS offered by Unisa’s library:
https://libguides.unisa.ac.za/research-support/plagiarism
I have read and understood Unisa’s Policy for Copyright Infringement and
Plagiarism, and I am aware that plagiarism is punishable in terms of the
Copyright Act 98 of 1978 and I have read the regulations of the University of
South Africa in this respect, available online:
https://www.unisa.ac.za/static/corporate_web/Content/Apply%20for%20ad
mission/Documents/Policy_copyright_infringement_plagiarism_16Novembe
r2005.pdf
STUDENT NUMBER
SIGNATURE DATE
WITNESS
1
,TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE
1 INTRODUCTION 4
2 COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA SEMIOTICS 5
2.1 Introduction 5
2.2 Definition, importance and purpose of media semiotics 5
2.3 The three levels of meaning emphasised in semiotics 5
2.4 Analysis of the advertisement 6
2.5 Conclusion 7
3 NARRATIVE ANALYSIS 7
3.1 Narrative analysis guided by Todorov’s model of a narrative 7
3.1.1 Title of the film and short story line 7
3.1.2 Analysis of the film, in terms of Todorov’s five-step model 7
3.1.3 Two sets of binary oppositions in the film 9
3.1.4 Ideological position of the film producer 10
3.2 Dramatis personae categories 10
3.2.1 Hero 10
3.2.2 Donor 10
3.2.3 Dispatcher 11
3.2.4 Villain 11
3.2.5 Princess 11
4 MEDIA AUDIENCE THEORY 11
4.1 Selected soap opera 11
4.2 Five (5) assumptions of the reception theory 11
4.3 Structural model for the analysis of the soap opera genre 13
4.3.1 Regular exposure to soaps 13
4.3.2 Strategic interruptions 14
2
,4.3.3 Codes of form 14
4.3.4 Gap-filling 15
4.3.5 The longevity of soap operas and of archetypal characters 16
5 MEASURING MEDIA AUDIENCES 16
5.1 Importance of media audience measurement 16
5.2 Three key questions that are addressed in audience research 16
5.3 Three suitable research questions 17
5.4 Techniques that are appropriate to employ in measuring radio 17
audiences
5.5 Two appropriate techniques and how I will employ them 18
5.6 Four reasons why measuring radio audiences is considered a 18
more Complex task than measuring television audiences
6 CONCLUSION 20
7 SELF-ASSESSMENT AND SELF-REFLECTION 21
SOURCES CONSULTED 22
ADDENDUM A 24
3
,1. INTRODUCTION
This portfolio assignment aims to discuss communication and media semiotics with
focus on an in-depth semiotic analysis of an advertisement that I chose- an antistax
leg tablets print advertisement- as well as a discussion of the importance and
purpose of media semiotics, the three levels of meaning emphasised in semiotics,
and an analysis of the print advertisement by means of an in-depth discussion of the
denotative, connotative and ideological meanings present in it. Narrative analysis is
also discussed with focus on the analysis of my chosen film titled Not Cinderella’s
type in terms of Todorov’s five-step model. The analysis of my chosen film will be
guided by a short storyline, identifying two sets of binary oppositions from my chosen
film, a critical discussion of the ideological position of the film producer as well as the
identification of the dramatis personae categories and an explanation of their
spheres of action in the film. The portfolio assignment furthermore provides a
discussion of media audience theory wherein the structural model for the analysis of
the soap genre that I selected, titled Skeem Saam, will be explored by means of a
critical discussion of the five (5) assumptions of the reception theory with practical
examples of each of the five chosen assumptions as they can be applied to my
selected soap opera. The last discussion will be that of measuring media audiences
which focuses on an investigation into the audience listening patterns of a local
campus radio station.
4
,2 COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA SEMIOTICS
2.1 Introduction
This question aims to conduct an in-depth semiotic analysis of an antistax active leg
tablets print advertisement with a brief definition of semiotics, the importance and
purpose of media semiotics, a critical discussion of the three levels of meaning as
emphasized in semiotics as well as an analysis of my chosen advertisement by
means of discussing, in-depth, the connotative, denotative and ideological meanings
present in it.
2.2 Definition, importance and purpose of media semiotics.
Fourie (2009:40) defines semiotics as the science of signs and codes and the
meaning they convey, with language being an example of a sign system and code
involving ‘’the study of how signs are related to one another by means of codes that
are understood by users and how the various sign systems are related to one
another by means of various codes’’. The importance and purpose of media
semiotics, as explained by Fourie (2009:40), is ‘’to sharpen our critical awareness of
the ways in which the media reflect, represent and imitate reality or aspects of reality
to convey a specific meaning, usually in support of an underlying ideology, point of
view, ideal, argument and attitude’’.
2.3 The three levels of meaning – Denotation, connotation and ideological
meaning- emphasized in semiotics.
According to Fourie (2009:67) denotation refers to the literal or dictionary meaning
attached to a sign. In simple terms, the denotation of a word is its literal definition.
Meaning and communication would be impossible if one is unable to attach the
denotative meaning to the visual signs or representations of these signs (Fourie
2009: 67).
Fourie (2009: 67) states that connotation refers to an applied or personal meaning
which is attached to a sign. Connotation is dependent on an individual’s subjective
interpretation of a sign and is often unstable and influenced by the experience of the
individual, culture and historical period (Fourie 2009: 67).
According to Fourie (2009: 70) ideology has to do with how the social background,
culture, knowledge and the education of the recipient shape the meaning attached to
a sign. Ideological meaning can be conveyed through signs and codes. The popular
definition of ideology is that it consists of ideas, attitudes, values, belief systems, or
5
, interpretative and conceptual frameworks held by members of a particular social
group or culture (Fourie 2009: 367).
2.4 Analysis of the advertisement
My chosen advertisement is an antistax active leg tablets (2015: 159) print
advertisement.
Denotation
What is denoted in the advertisement is an image of a woman carrying a handbag
and shopping bags, with an octopus wrapped around her leg. The woman on the
advertisement looks tired and the expressions on her face shows a woman who is in
pain. On the bottom right of the advertisement is a box of antistax active leg tablets
and on the top right are questions asking if you suffer from painful and tired legs,
heavy and swollen legs and tension and tingling in the legs. There is also captions
on the advertisements which talks about the symptoms of a common condition called
chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and why it is important to maintain healthy veins.
All the mentioned points are a literal and dictionary meaning attached to a sign as
stated by Fourie (2009: 67).
Connotation
The main connotation on the advertisement is that suffering from chronic venous
insufficiency can make your legs feel heavy and tired. The octopus connotes the
blood that flows back in the vein and pulls in the leg tissue, causing swelling, pain
and discomfort. The bags carried by the woman connotes heavy and swollen legs.
The box of antistax active leg tablets is a connotation for healing. An impression that
antistax active leg tablets promotes healing and relieves symptoms is promoted by
the purple caption which states that ‘’antistax is clinically proven to relieve these
symptoms over a 12- week period. It contains a unique extract of Red Vine Leaf AS
195 (Bio-Active Flaven) which strengthens and protects the vein walls thereby
improving blood flow”. Fourie (2009: 67) states that connotation is dependent on an
individual’s subjective interpretation of a sign, hence my analysis of the connotative
meaning behind the antistax active leg tablets advertisement.
Ideology
Fourie (2009: 70) states that ideology has to do with how the social background,
culture, knowledge and the education of the recipient shapes the meaning attached
to a sign.
The advertisement has a caption that says ‘’listen to your legs - Take Antistax’’. This
caption encourages the consumer to take antistax active leg tablets as the tablets
6
