In our ever-evolving world, where we’re constantly transitioning from medium to medium from screens to pages, from voices to images, and from physical interactions to virtual experiences, it’s becoming clear that it’s not just what we say that shapes us. The very mediums through which we communicate quietly redefine our lives, influence our societies, and mould our minds. These mediums are far from being mere passive channels; they are active forces that impact how messages are perceived, understood, and integrated into the fabric of society. This concept lies at the heart of Marshall McLuhan’s medium theory, encapsulated in his famous assertion that “the medium is the message.”
But what unfolds when the same person, or group of people, conveys an identical message across different mediums? The Kardashians, a family of media personalities who operate across nearly every medium, exemplify how choosing a different medium can entirely change the interpretation of the exact same message. Their ability to shape public perception through various channels underscores the profound effect mediums have on messaging.
The medium that the Kardashians are most known for is the hit reality television shows “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” and “The Kardashians”. It is important to note that this form of television contradicts the medium McLuhan had discussed in his original work. While McLuhan saw television as a complex medium that required viewers to actively piece together plot points and process lower-quality visuals, modern reality TV presents a different experience. With its high-quality visuals and fast-paced editing, reality TV serves up narratives that audiences can consume passively, aligning more with Adorno’s ideas. The messages the Kardishans produce in this medium tend to be more subtle. They rarely look at a camera and tell their audience to physically do or believe something, at least not directly. Rather, their messaging tends to tell their viewers how to interpret the world by giving them a lens through to which view it. And because there’s little to no audience engagement, the interpretations of this messaging only minimally differ. As a result, long-term engagement with this media leads to consumers fully adopting the worldview shown to them. For example, the Kardashians have been critiqued for appropriating black culture as an aesthetic, something their audience quickly adopted into a new beauty standard following the messaging shown to them on their screens.
Of course, television is not the only medium the Kardashians use as every member of the family has and uses social media. Social media is a different medium, and it requires a different level of engagement from its audience. In line with McLuhan’s theory, audiences are required to parse an unclear message from a post with limited to no text and a single photo. And with that, every message is up for interpretation. A message about the world shown on the TV screen that an audience member passively adopts is now critically engaged with on the Instagram homepage. Thus, the same message about the world around us is now interpreted in a thousand different, though connected, ways simply by changing a medium.
Sources
Hill, A. (2015). Reality TV. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
Lang, C. (2021). The Kardashians’ Legacy of Blackfishing and Appropriation. [online] Time. Available at: https://time.com/6072750/kardashians-blackfishing-appropriation/.
M Gigi Durham and Douglas Mackay Kellner (2012). Media and cultural studies : keyWorks. Malden Etc.: Wiley-Blackwell, pp.163–173.
Perera, A. (2023). Cultivation Theory In Media. [online] Simply Psychology. Available at: https://www.simplypsychology.org/cultivation-theory.html.
This analysis presents a compelling examination of McLuhan’s medium theory as it pertains to the media presence of the Kardashians. You have effectively illustrated how various media platforms—specifically television and social media—transform the reception and interpretation of the Kardashians’ messages by their audience. The contrast between passive viewing on television and active participation on social media is particularly enlightening and aligns well with McLuhan’s assertion that the medium fundamentally influences the message.
One aspect that warrants further exploration is the impact of these mediums not only on public perception but also on the evolution of the Kardashians’ brand. For example, how does the transition from traditional television to social media alter their relationship with the audience over time? Does the more immediate and personal nature of social media foster a sense of authenticity, or does it complicate their efforts to maintain the meticulously crafted persona presented on television?
Overall, This post provides a sophisticated interpretation of how McLuhan’s theories remain relevant in the media-saturated environment, offering valuable insights into how the Kardashians have utilized various mediums to solidify their cultural prominence.
This blog shows the medium theory and provides a summarised description of the keyword based on the Kim Kardashians. As stated before, you have perfectively stated various media on different platforms – specifically television and social media.
I really liked how you started off mentioning their own TV show, aka “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” You really gave out a clear description and analysed the source clearly, making it easier for viewers such as me to know much more about the Kim Kardashians.
to break it down, this blog really explains what the medium theory really is and used a good example and analysing sources of information as well as on McLuhan’s theories also
Hello Jude,
Your blog offers insight into how the Kardashians utilise different media platforms to shape public perception, reflecting McLuhan’s theory. Expanding further on how McLuhan’s hot and cool media concepts apply to their use of reality TV and social media would be interesting. As McLuhan argues, hot media, like reality TV, are high in information and demand little engagement from the audience, providing a passive viewing experience. Keeping Up With The Kardashians offers high-quality visuals and fast-paced editing, serving up a narrative that audiences consume with minimal mental effort. This aligns with McLuhan’s view of hot media, which provides a predetermined form of communication that requires little mental effort from viewers.
In contrast, McLuhan describes cool media as offering less information and requiring more involvement from the audience. This is seen in the Kardashians’ use of social media, especially Instagram. A single image with little text encourages audiences to participate and interpret independently, leading to critical thinking and personal reflection—interactions not as prevalent in reality TV. As a cool medium, social media allows for a more fragmented, individualised interpretation of the Kardashian image. The same message about beauty, relationships, or success is now open to thousands of interpretations, shaped by each viewer’s experiences and preferences.
Another point to explore could be McLuhan’s idea that media are extensions of the human senses. Reality television extends sight, portraying Kim Kardashian’s and her family’s lives. Typically, one would expect the TV shows about the Kardashians to be limited to passive consumption by the followers. However, social media is an extension in which fans or active audiences can interact and communicate with the Kardashian family. This outlook changes because the medium also determines how the messages are encoded and the audience’s attitudes.
Moreover, McLuhan’s ‘medium is the message’ concept is especially relevant here. The Kardashians are not only communicating ideas about beauty and lifestyle; their chosen medium significantly alters how those messages are received. Beyond conveying certain notions of beauty and lifestyle, the Kardashians have been affected by the medium in which they operate. The message is more controlled, constricted and precise regarding their persona on television. At the same time, their identity on social media is quite open and allows participation from fans who can remix and transform the message.
It is fascinating to study the impact of particular media selections on the values and beliefs of a given society about cultural ramifications. For instance, mass media, in general, and reality television, in particular, impose the same standards of beauty or the concept of success and wealth to everyone. On the other hand, social networking sites offer the opportunity for more self-expression and invoke active responses, at times even against the content. These different media formats create unique cultural impacts, exemplified by how the Kardashians influence American society today through McLuhan’s theory.
Although you have included a reference list, adding in-text citations throughout the blog could strengthen your arguments. Adding links to online sources would also enhance the reading experience.
This was an insightful blog on McLuhan’s theory. I enjoyed reading it and look forward to reading more of your work. Well done!
Hello Jude,
Your blog offers insight into how the Kardashians utilise different media platforms to shape public perception, reflecting McLuhan’s theory. Expanding further on how McLuhan’s hot and cool media concepts apply to their use of reality TV and social media would be interesting. As McLuhan argues, hot media, like reality TV, are high in information and demand little engagement from the audience, providing a passive viewing experience. Keeping Up With The Kardashians offers high-quality visuals and fast-paced editing, serving up a narrative that audiences consume with minimal mental effort. This aligns with McLuhan’s view of hot media, which provides a predetermined form of communication that requires little mental effort from viewers.
In contrast, McLuhan describes cool media as offering less information and requiring more involvement from the audience. This is seen in the Kardashians’ use of social media, especially Instagram. A single image with little text encourages audiences to participate and interpret independently, leading to critical thinking and personal reflection—interactions not as prevalent in reality TV. As a cool medium, social media allows for a more fragmented, individualised interpretation of the Kardashian image. The same message about beauty, relationships, or success is now open to thousands of interpretations, shaped by each viewer’s experiences and preferences.
Another point to explore could be McLuhan’s idea that media are extensions of the human senses. Reality television extends sight, portraying Kim Kardashian’s and her family’s lives. Typically, one would expect the TV shows about the Kardashians to be limited to passive consumption by the followers. However, social media is an extension in which fans or active audiences can interact and communicate with the Kardashian family. This outlook changes because the medium also determines how the messages are encoded and the audience’s attitudes.
Moreover, McLuhan’s ‘medium is the message’ concept is especially relevant here. The Kardashians are not only communicating ideas about beauty and lifestyle; their chosen medium significantly alters how those messages are received. Beyond conveying certain notions of beauty and lifestyle, the Kardashians have been affected by the medium in which they operate. The message is more controlled, constricted and precise regarding their persona on television. At the same time, their identity on social media is quite open and allows participation from fans who can remix and transform the message.
It is fascinating to study the impact of particular media selections on the values and beliefs of a given society about cultural ramifications. For instance, mass media, in general, and reality television, in particular, impose the same standards of beauty or the concept of success and wealth to everyone. On the other hand, social networking sites offer the opportunity for more self-expression and invoke active responses, at times even against the content. These different media formats create unique cultural impacts, exemplified by how the Kardashians influence American society today through McLuhan’s theory.
This was an insightful blog on McLuhan’s theory. I enjoyed reading it and look forward to reading more of your work. Well done!