3 Approaches- Using Family Guy's British Episode

Reflective approach is presented through mirroring the real world as the audience sees it. However, it has limitations, not accounting for whole ranges of variations in text readings, whilst also ignoring mediation processes. The approach is suggesting that real life is the reason for what we see and hear through the media, due to the reflection. The producers lead the audience to believe that something is being recreated in the mind of the audience. For example, in the British episode of Family Guy, a lot of stereotypes are used to present the British in a certain way, but also has a purpose to entertain. A lot of the aspects incorporated within the episode are taken from traditional British values, such as the Queen riding in a horse-drawn carriage, which reflects reality in British society. Another clear representation of the British within the episode is depicted in the Queen herself, Elizabeth II. In the episode, she is represented just as she is in real life, posh, upper class and her appearance appears to match what she looks like in real life, showing the clear example taken from reflective approach, as the Family Guy producers will have wanted to present Britain in a way that reflects it’s true meaning, has accuracy but has certain aspects of the truth being bent or exaggerated as a way to entertain the audience.

Intentional approach is constructed by the producer of the text, who see the world in their eyes and force the audience to accept the values that they present to them from within the text. Sign systems can be open to interpretations, mainly due to the fact that signs are polysemic and can have several different meanings. In this approach, there is no room for negotiated or oppositional reading. The approach is suggesting that all of the representations are loaded with intent that comes from the producers who created it. It differs from the reflective approach because the most important details are not shown, instead who is showing it is more important. The producers are effectively presenting their own view and what they want the words and images to mean are shown like this. To sum it up, all media content relating to the intentional approach represents the intention from within the producer themselves. A good example of the intentional approach would be propaganda, since the producer has some intent, such as to persuade the audience about something. Another example would be within the British episode of Family Guy, where the British are presented in a way that has been suited and decided by the producer, with the intent to entertain the audience and for the audience to be influenced by their decisions and approach to the episode and the presentation of it. The producers typically represented the British in the episode as having big front teeth, the same Cockney accent and to all drink tea and act a certain way, which in a way shapes the audience’s view and opinion, due to the producer’s intent within the intentional approach.

The constructionist approach is described as being believed to be the relationship between representations and reality. The audience play a larger role within their interpretation within this approach, however concepts and signs do both have some shared meaning, despite not being all inherent. The constructionist approach has been said to be a mixture of the reflective and intentional approaches. This approach is suggesting that the mind of the audience constructs the meaning and representation of the media product, as this approach is usually seen a being a response to the weaknesses found within the other two approaches, with some people arguing that the other two approaches are too simplistic. People who support the constructionist approach would usually say that a representation can never be what the absolute truth is, nor can it only be the producer’s version of the truth, implying that this approach can be viewed as being bias. For example, in the British episode of Family Guy, the audience can make their own interpretation of how the British are presented within the episode and can therefore form their own opinion and own reaction on how they perceive the product that has been presented to them and whether or not they take note that Family Guy falls into the comedy genre and is there with the purpose to entertain. However, using the constructionist approach may be difficult for the audience, since the approach ignores the one thing that all audiences have in common- the ability to make up their own minds, which adds to the fact that there can be external influences imposed on the audience that the text, nor the producer have any control over, this is known as society, as it shapes who we are and influences our journeys and beliefs.