theme 3 - changing popular culture Flashcards
(10 cards)
how do sports teams make money?
generate income through ticket sales, broadcasting deals, sponsorships, merchandise sales, and concession stands at events
how did commercialisation change sport?
shifted sport into a profit-driven industry
resulted in greater financial inflows, the rise of professional athletes with high salaries, media impact on scheduling and presentation, deep integration of brand sponsorships, and the expansion of sports’ global fan bases
why did some athletes cheat in the 1970s?
intense pressure to win
state-supporting doping programmes
less developed drug detection methods
suspicion that competitors were also cheating
substantial financial and prestige awards associated with winning
how did music change during the 1970s?
popular music fragmented into different genres
there was growing tension between commercialisation as music was made to sell, and music that was seen as authentic or artistically pure
reflected wider social conflict over materialism and conformity
what new genres of music became popular in the 1970s?
rock developed in 60s and dominated the mainstream in the 70s - anti-mass culture, rejected easy-listening pop music for its commercialisation
heavy metal - (e.g Grand Funk Railroad), outsider status, Alice Cooper (band) challenged gender roles
punk - rejected pretentious elements of rock culture, believed commercialisation has ruined American music (e.g The Ramones)
hip-hop - a black musical form, originating in NYCs Harlem ghetto (e.g The Sugarhill Gang’s ‘Rapper’s Delight’)
singer-songwriters - considered authentic (e.g Carole King, Bruce Springsteen)
what impact did change in music have on American culture?
many of the youth sought to differentiate themselves from other young people, and from adults
- music reflected a wide variety of tastes and lifestyles
also reflected wider social conflict over consumerism and materialism
why was there so much fragmentation in film and TV?
increased individuality within society - meant people had different needs, and so different channels provided for this
how did film and TV highlight social consciousness?
filmmakers used cinema to explore ideas of society and politics - people wanted realism and confrontation rather than escapism
e.g Taxi Driver showed the impact of being a veteran in Vietnam
e.g Maude (1972-78) had a feminist central character
how did film and TV provide escapism?
American Graffiti (1973) and Grease (1978) looked back affectionately to teenage life in the 50s
- great box-office hits
science fiction popular in film (Star Wars, 1977) and TV (The Incredible Hulk, 1978-82)
- reflected how society tired of social consciousness by mid-70s
how did the role of the news and media change in the 1970s?
news became more investigative journalism, especially surrounding the credibility gap regarding Vietnam and Watergate
