The published work on which this submission is based examines the ways in
which deaths of popular musicians are represented in the media, offering a
critical and problematic spotlight on social values conveyed through media
discourse. In the title the term ‘representation’ is used deliberately,
acknowledging a conceptual debt to Stuart Hall (1997: 15) who articulated the
complexity of the relationship between language, culture and meaning. Going
on to set out three theories - ‘reflective’, ‘intentional’ and ‘constructionist’ - Hall’s
latter perspective is one used here to argue that media discourse is distinct in
relation to this data set. That is, that popular musicians are treated in several
distinct ways in the coverage of their deaths. These narratives reflect social
views and reinforce dominant discourses of lifestyles stereotypically associated
with popular music. Underneath these recurring narrative devices operates a
covert layer of morality and judgement, which is sometimes inaccurate, often
misleading and potentially communicates unhelpful messages to distressed and
vulnerable members of the public. At its most extreme, irresponsible reporting of
suicide and acts of self-harm may be of risk to the public (Samaritans. 2013: 7).
| Date of Award | Jul 2015 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Awarding Institution | |
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Media representations of the deaths of contemporary popular musicians (1993-2012)
Hearsum, P. (Author). Jul 2015
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis