Tag: Oral Session 2C

Pepe the Frog: Challenging Cultural Hegemony with Internet Memes

Presenter(s): Ben Pettis − Media Studies, Cinema Studies

Faculty Mentor(s): Peter Alilunas

Oral Session 2C

Research Area: Humanities

This thesis examines Internet memes as a unique medium that has the capability to easily and seamlessly transfer ideologies between groups, and potentially enable subcultures to challenge, and possibly overthrow, hegemonic power structures that maintain the dominance of a mainstream culture. Dick Hebdige provides a model by which a dominant culture can reclaim the images and symbols used by a subculture through the process of commodification. Using the Pepe the Frog meme as a case study, I argue that Hebdige’s commodification model does not apply to Internet memes, because traditional concepts of ownership and control affect Internet memes differently. As such, the medium enables subcultures to claim and redefine an image to challenge a dominant culture. I trace the meme from its creation by Matt Furie in 2005 to its appearance in the 2016 US Presidential Election and examine how its meaning has changed throughout its history. I define the difference between a meme instance and the meme as a whole, and conclude that the meaning of the overall meme is formed by the sum of its numerous meme instances. This structure is unique to the medium of Internet memes and is what enables subcultures to use them to easily transfer ideologies in order to challenge the hegemony of dominant cultures. Unlike with other forms of media, it is difficult for the dominant culture to exert its power or control over Internet memes. Internet memes, therefore, have significant real-world implications and potential to empower subcultures.

The Power of America’s Most Watched Show: How Entertainment Television Can Change Social Behaviors

Presenter(s): Kyle Heiner − Journalism: Advertising

Faculty Mentor(s): Kim Sheehan, Erin Hanna

Oral Session 2C

Research Area: Media Studies and Advertising

This thesis examines the effects entertainment television can have on audiences beyond simply making them laugh, scream, or cry. In an era where the public has become increasingly untrustworthy of traditional broadcast news and advertising, I argue that ideas that prompt social change can be communicated through entertainment television, specifically, America’s most watched shows. In this thesis, I focus on how America’s current highest rated show, The Big Bang Theory, a scientifically- accurate sitcom centered around a group of young male scientists and their new blonde neighbor, can incorporate the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals into its storyline to promote their message to a majority of Americans. Using theories such as Uses and Gratifications, Parasocial Interaction, and Agenda Setting, as well as analyzing case studies about product placement, public service announcements, and media partnerships, the study suggests that integration with television storylines can increase knowledge and spur action among audiences. Importantly, I argue that episodes that contain a message central to the storyline, ease seamlessly into the narrative, and are open with their external partnership, are the most successful in getting their message across. A ‘spec’ script, which is a speculative screenplay for a series written by someone outside of the production, that illustrates these techniques is provided.

Controversies around Al Jazeera 

Presenter(s): Arunima Bhattacharjee – Public Relations

Faculty Mentor(s): HyeRyoung Ok

Oral Session 2C

Research Area: Media and Human Rights

Al Jazeera, the pan-Arab 24-hour satellite news channel located in Doha, Qatar, has faced major discontent due to its news coverage that is controversial to some countries in the Middle East and abroad. In a region where the press is predominantly controlled by the state, Al Jazeera aims to have a freedom of the press to educate the Arab nation on subjects that prompt discussions and open debates about critical issues. However, this has had major repercussion for the channel as it has been banned from many countries in the region. During the Iraq war, the pan-Arab news channel has also faced critiques from
the United States for creating anti-American sentiment towards its viewers in the Middle East. Since the Gulf war, many journalists from the channel has faced life-threatening challenges due to the news that was being broadcasted which were against the political opinions of many of the powerful regimes in the region. Many journalists have been imprisoned in
Egypt since 2013 due to allegations of causing unrest in their nation by providing the people with news that is pro Muslim Brotherhood. This research will be focusing on the challenges faced by the news company, how it is benefitting the middle east through their freedom of the press and also creating danger for its journalists by broadcasting controversial issues. It will also look at the ways Al Jazeera portrays the news and where its real intentions lie when it is trying to convey the story to its viewers.

College Students and Online Streaming Services: Piracy and Suggestions for the Future of Content Distribution

Presenter(s): Mai Amalie Bak − Journalism

Faculty Mentor(s): Heather Shoenberger

Oral Session 2C

Research Area: Media Studies

This study aims to understand how American undergraduate university students make decisions about the entertainment media they stream, including the motivations in choosing a particular streaming service and their attitudes and actual engagement with piracy. In recent years, the entertainment media industry has been evolving more quickly than ever before, and a significant factor in this change is the ever-accelerating transition to online streaming services. These services, including Netflix, Hulu, and Spotify, offer films, television shows and music which can be streamed and downloaded through the Internet on most digital devices. Increasing methods of piracy and peer to peer password sharing has made it more difficult to regulate how entertainment media is distributed, and determine whether consumers use legal methods to obtain the media they consume. This project will use semi-structured individual interviews of 30 undergraduates at the University of Oregon with the goal to be to illuminate their understanding of/participation in piracy, and media streaming motivations and habits. The results of this study seek to offer empirical evidence of college student awareness of piracy policies, use of online streaming and offer suggestions for content providers looking to avoid piracy in the changing entertainment media landscape.