Define postmodern media, with examples.

Postmodern media came from the postmodernism movement; a reaction to the previous era of modernism. Postmodern media tends to defy rules that other texts would use such as those of time, context and meaning. Postmodern media texts make use of intertextuality and are therefore aimed at a literate audience. Through its references and recycling of the past it seems to be making a statement though postmodernism has also been defined as ‘weird for the sake of weird’.  

Kirby Ferguson summed up that postmodern media can be regarded as unoriginal by suggesting ‘everything is a remix’. This concept could be created in many different ways, ways that have now become recognisable features of postmodern media such as bricolage. Bricolage is creating a new piece of work from old parts, perhaps without consideration to the original meaning and taking the original work completely out of context. Another feature is pastiche, a self-conscious imitation or parody such as in 'Hobo with a Shotgun', a text highly dependent on the mocking of other films and exaggeration.

 Within music R&B and electrnic music is a mass production of postmodern media as these genres often use sampling or remixes. An exampleof this is 'Goldigga' by Kanye West which sampled 'I Gotta Woman' by ray Charles which in turn took parts from the gospel song 'It Must Be Jesus'. Through this the original meaning was not only changed but completely lost.

Postmodernism also often uses irony to express itself and this means that it can challenge boundaries between genres, art forms and the class of high and low art. The constructs in society such as gender, race and sexuality are often also explored in postmodern texts; they are questioned and reassessed. ‘Being John Malkovich’ directed by Spike Jonze is a great example of a lot of these features. Predominantly it is a fantasy film and the fantastical elements are clear however there are many genres that this film could fit into partly because of the awkward humour which could lead you to believe it is a comedy and the dramatic tension which is a feature of action films. The main source of irony theme to this film is that the main character is a puppeteer and that he happens to be the one to find a portal that leads into the head of actor, John Malkovich, making it possible for him to control him, like a puppet. Another ironic part of the film is the relationship between the main character, his wife and his new love interest. If this were a romantic comedy or a romance film then the plot involving this love triangle would be predictable but instead his wife and love interest end up together, leaving him alone. The lesbian relationship is also used as a device to question and explore constructs of sexuality. At first their relationship is only possible through the use of John Malkovich’s body and makes the audience wonder whether they can ever be together properly if Maxine is not attracted to Lotte’s physical appearance. This blurs the edges of the labels given to differing sexual orientations.

Some have criticised postmodern media for its lack or originality but while postmodernism was once just a movement but now it seems that today’s media is almost destined to be post-modern without much real effort or thought.  Nearly all work is influenced in some way by something and it is hard to be completely original.