Magazines: Media Language- Barthes/Strauss

Magazines: Media Language- Barthes/Strauss

Roland Barthes

  • Roland Barthes was a French theorist who significantly influenced the understanding of media language. He provided critical tools to analyse and decipher the intended meanings in various forms of media, including magazines.

  • Barthes introduced two orders of signification, denotation and connotation.

  • The denotative meaning is the literal meaning of a sign or image. In the context of a magazine, examples might include words written in articles or the pictures used.

  • The connotative meaning is the secondary, associated meaning of a sign or image. For example, the colour red in a fashion magazine might denote a specific dress, but it could connotate passion, love, or anger.

  • He also conceptualised the idea of myth, a form of connotation, where signs are consumed as natural, not constructed. For example, a magazine cover might perpetuate the myth of the ‘ideal’ body shape, suggesting it is a natural standard.

Levi Strauss

  • Levi Strauss brought the concept of binary oppositions into media discourse. This theory explores the way media texts suggest meaning through contrasting terms such as good/evil, past/future, urban/rural.

  • In magazine content, binary opposites sometimes serve as the foundation of stories or articles. For example, a beauty magazine might have articles juxtaposing old/young or natural/artificial beauty techniques.

  • The resolution of a binary opposition often imposes a particular ideology or worldview, indicating one side of the binary as superior or more desirable.

Analyzing a Magazine Page

  • Key elements to consider include headline, captions, body text, images, colour, font, and layout. Each contributes not just to the denotative meaning but also to the connotative message of the page.

  • Evaluate the semiotics (the study of signs and symbols) of the content. For example, what does the main image connote? Are there any ‘myths’ being communicated?

  • Look for any binary oppositions. Are they resolved in the content, and if so, what underlying ideology is being suggested?

  • Consider the target audience as this will inform your understanding of the connotations and myths present.

Remember, understanding how media language works in magazines, particularly through the lenses of Barthes and Strauss, is key to decoding the layers of meaning within the content and the wider ideologies represented.