Preferred Reading, The Male Gaze & Voyeurism

When attempting to understand the creation of music videos, three theorists may come to mind; Stuart Hall, Laura Mulvey and Andrew Goodwin. Each media expert came up with their own vision of how the industry and audience react to certain products, whether that is the way it is created or the way that it is absorbed.

Stuart Hall - Preferred Reading

This theory is that there are three different readings that we, as an audience, can interpret.

These are the dominant reading, negotiated reading and the oppositional reading.

Dominant Reading - The reading that somebody that is fond of the work has on the production. This is typically a positive view.

Negotiated Reading - Part of the reading that the institution has delivered is accepted by the consumer. However from personal beliefs, position, experiences and interests, the consumer modifies it.

Oppositional Reading - The consumer understands the dominant code but does not share this view on the product. They tend to add personal beliefs (such as radical, feminist etc.) to their view. This is always the complete opposite to the dominant reading.

To explain this I have used Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball" music video, which can be seen below:

Dominant Reading - The idea of using a wrecking ball and breaking walls is symbolic of a destructive love; the one that she shared with her finacé. The hammer, a harmful object, which is then licked, an intimate gesture, is then used to symbolise how Miley likes the pain of the relationship as it would give her pleasure as well as hell. The white used during the video is to showcase how Miley is an innocent being, as white is typically associated with such symoblism. Finally, the nudity is to highlight how vulnerable Miley feels as being unclothed has been proven to make somebody feel intimidated and under the control of somebody else.

Negotiated Reading - Although the video can be seen as quite symbolic, like the way I have described above, some may view this as being that but also to be a way of Miley breaking the stereotype of where she found her fame. As she was apart of the Disney Channel, a network built for kids and young teenagers, many assume that every actor/singer that comes from the channel should remain celibate and abstain from anything that may offend younger viewers. As Miley has decided to lick hammers and wear no clothes whatsoever, we can understand that this is not something a typical actor from the Disney Channel would do, thus showcasing how she is breaking the stereotype of people from this network.

Oppositional Reading - Many may view this as a way of the singer to just act promiscuous. After her first song from her new album was about partying and having fun, many may find it odd that she has written a song that is so meaningful. After seeing the video for this song they may have the mindset to believe that she just wants to continue that 'wild child' side of herself but hide it behind something that may be quite deep so that she does not get the negative feedback she would have normally received.

Laura Mulvey - The Male Gaze

This theorist believed that central active characters in films are male and that the audience of the same gender identify with them i their viewing of the passive females. With music videos in particular, she argued that the camera would linger on women's bodies and that this is proof that females were being viewed as sex objects purely for the gratification of men. Those watching, despite their gender, would then view the production from the male point of view.

I have made a powerpoint explaining how and why certain music video makers create videos that objectify/empower particular genders. This can be viewed below:

Andrew Goodwin - Voyeurism
This is the understanding that one person would receive sexual gratification from watching somebody else on screen being presented in a certain light. Goodwin believed that in the music industry, this was mainly present with females.

To showcase my thoughts on this I have put together a few photos of women to prove that they tend to be exploited by the media. The photo can be seen below:


Here you can see that each body part is not from the same woman. In fact they are from her, her, her and her. Put together they summarise the voyeurism expressed in today's media industry.