Anchorage

Mwe - 19/09/12

Anchorage:

 

A somewhat clear definition of Anchorage: How a meaning is fixed - For example, how a caption fixes the meaning of a picture.

Of course, there is no such thing as a completely fixed meaning. Therfore, everything is slightly 'loose' or has some sort of leverage over the chosen subject or topic.   

 

You may want to see it as an anchor from a boat.

 

 

The anchor is the key thing, the key topic that everything moves around. It does not move but allows "The Boat" to move as long as it has some connection with "The Anchor".

 

 

 

 

 

The most clear example of this is seen with headlines and pictures. -

 

 

 

With this picture alone, you may think that it's adversing the christmas season, shopping, holidays ect. This has no real fixed subject or point because it has no anchor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter Shopping Deals!            

 

This headline is the picture's anchor, as there is now a chosen topic that pictures and texts can revolve around. The chosen picture could have been mittens, someone skiing, fluffy jumpers ect. These would all have worked because they have a connection with the headline, but without this text the pictures could have multiple meanings!

 

So, the best a media producer can do is to "Anchor" the viewer/audience around prefered readings. This process is known as anchorage!

 

 

 This has been my interpretation of anchorage in media. I have tried to explain as fully as I can and hope that everything is clear and precise.