JODIE'S MEDIA: March 2019

COMPONENT 1A
MEDIA LANGUAGE AND REPRESENTATION

2 PIECES OF UNSEEN TEXT
NEWSPAPERS, MUSIC VIDEOS, ADVERTISING

COMPONENT 1B

INDUSTRY AND AUDIENCE

ADVERTISING, NEWSPAPERS, FILM INDUSTRY, VIDEO GAMES, RADIO

COMPONENT 2

TV, ONLINE MEDIA, MAGAZINES (100% WILL COME UP)

ADVERTISING

Explore the ways in which these adverts use representation to position audiences (30)

You should make reference to

how groups are represented
intertextuality
genre conventions
viewpoints and ideologies

'KISS OF THE VAMPIRE' POSTER

'US' THEATRICAL TRAILER

NOTES:

binary opposition of rabbits, BME family, set in exotic location,

1) underline

2) knee-jerk reaction - there are similarities in how representations position audience through genre paradigms, however US focuses primarily on a black family (atypical)

3) plan - write down all keywords, ideas, theories

binary opposition levi strauss, character archetypes, genre paradigms, subversive representations, token white characters, establishing shot, stereotypical, MES, feminist theory, ethnicity, hermeneutic codes, symbolic codes, symbolism of rabbits, exotic location, modern, close up, intertextuality of rap song, intertextual reference to Jaws on tshirt, stuart hall representation, lowkey lighting, paul gilroy postcolonial

4) DAC - definition, audience, context

positioning - an essential technique for producers, as it allows the audience to be placed in a particular situation, one of the most effective ways of doing this is through representation (a re-presentation of a group, issue or event)

KOTV - theatrical poster, 1963, produced by Hammer, horror

US - 2019, theatrical trailer, thriller/horror, distributed by Universal

KISS OF THE VAMPIRE

REPRESENTATION AND IDEOLOGIES

all white actors - set in exotic eastern europe, reinforces patriotic viewpoints
females represented as vulnerable - wearing short, fair dresses, connotes being delicate
male gaze - females show a lot of skin, stereotypically attractive, appeals to heterosexual male audience, reinforces ideas of patriarchy
gesture and performance of the women reinforces their patriarchal, hegemonic role within the film

INTERTEXTUALITY AND GENRE CONVENTIONS

very stereotypical genre paradigms through MES and iconography - bats, blood, full moon, positions audience through hermeneutic codes
hermeneutic codes - mise en scene of stormy background, connotes horror genre, positions the audience as fans of the horror genre

REPRESENTATION AND IDEOLOGIES

females aren't sexualised - on beach but not in bikinis, subversive of a lot of film trailers
almost exclusively black cast - would have been unthinkable in 1963 because it would have been financially unviable, atypical
dad wears a Harvard shirt - connotes wisdom and intelligence, rich, middle class identity, subverts stereotypical middle class family

INTERTEXTUALITY AND GENRE CONVENTIONS

reference to 'Jaws' on tshirt
proairetic code - over the shoulder shot of child walking on beach, lowkey lighting, what is he walking towards?
ink stains function as a hermeneutic code - highly paradigmatic of psychological horror genre, important to demonstrate the sub-genre to target a specific audience
ECU of woman's crying face - positions the target audience directly with the young, black protagonist

Explore how audiences can use or interact with the advertisements you have studied (8/12)

1) underline
2) knee-jerk reaction - the adverts offer their target audiences several uses and interactions, though primarily this is motivated by power and profit
3) plan -

MES, selling lifestyle, community, diegetic sound, close-up, statistics, housewife character, empathy, desensitised, anchorage, positioning, stereotyping, hegemonic, patriarchy, cultivation theory gerbner, reception theory stuart hall, binary opposition, guilt-tripping, identity gauntlet, positivity, intertextuality

Intro - the adverts offer their target audiences several uses and interactions, though primarily, this is motivated by power and profit.

WATERAID

uses positivity to subvert stereotypically charity adverts - no guilt-tripping, "sunshine" is symbolic code of hope, slow motion editing of children playing brings joy to the advert, audience can interact with this as they might be more likely to donate because of the different take on charity advert, may be desensitised from negative adverts, shows impact of donation
english/ working class audience can interact with the advert as they are positioned into the world of claudia through binary opposition- Levi Strauss, rainy day in england and long shot of Zambia's dry land, anchored with diegetic sound, grasshoppers, sympathetic preferred reading
extreme close up of claudia - positions the audience like they know her, want to help her
on screen graphics - gives the audience a number to text at the end of the advert, use of the word 'sunny' as it has utopian connotations, definitive interaction
symbolic code of bucket - poverty, African identity
capital of Zambia is Lusaka - the representation of Zambia is misleading

TIDE

builds sense of community - "you women", direct mode of address, female audience can interact as they feel like they are a community, positivity, gives them hope in a patriarchal society, can be achieved through buying the product
"world's whitest" and "world's cleanest" - tells the audience that they would be stupid to not buy the washing powder, audience can use this as they are likely to buy the product
audience may use the advert for aspirational purposes - 'housewife' wears makeup for doing the washing, she is also slim and attractive, glamourises their 'housewife' lifestyle, polysemic as it also has a negative reading, cultivates the idea that women need to wear makeup in order to impress men in hegemonic patriarchal society, multiple housewife characters all in makeup
z-line creates a structure for the audience on how to use it - gives a use and interaction for the audience, instructions, creates narrative of falling in love with the product, hearts above head

THE FILM INDUSTRY

Curran and Seaton - power and media industries ( a small group of big companies own the media industries, which limits ideologies that are presented to the audiences)
Hesmondhalgh - cultural industries (companies horizontally and vertically integrate in order to eliminate competition)
Livingstone and Lunt - regulation (BBFC in film industry)

How have the films you have studied been shaped by economic factors? (8/12)

1) underline
2) knee-jerk reaction - Both films have been influenced by economic factors; with I, Daniel Blake being an independently produced films and Straight Outta Compton being a major release, with a mass market appeal
3) plan -

independant, major, N.W.A, curran and seaton, cultural industries, universal pictures, social-realism film, grants national lottery, high budget, blockbuster, bbfc, ken loach, political themes, low budget, hashtag campaign, actors, comedian, lower/working class audience, eOne films, conglomeration, social media, 15.8m vs 201.6m,

I, DANIEL BLAKE

tickets sold for £3.50 to appeal to its primary target audience - lower/working class target audience, focuses on themes and issues relating to benefit system, subsidised
however, film predominantly attracts white, middle class audience - typical of Loach's films
social realism film - Ken Loach chose to make film to present his ideologies, rather than to make a huge profit, therefore its focus isn't on making as much money as possible, much more depressing/hard-hitting
co-produced by many smaller organisations - British, French and Belgian
risky from an economic perspective - heavily political message, left-wing labour party, lacks star appeal, it's a hard sell
low production values - as a result of low budget

STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON

large budget of $50 million - needs to make a lot of profit, focus is on appealing to mass market, film has high production values (e.g. soundtrack, high quality, expensive MES)
produced by legendary pictures, which is a vertically integrated major - conglomerates' main focus is to make money, curran and seaton, specialise in making huge-budget blockbusters (e.g. Jurassic World)
hip-hop genre has previous success - film reflects this genre because they know it will make money
mentions N.W.A names in trailer - rather than actor's names, appeals to pre-existing fans, using their popularity in order to sell, has star appeal
trailer uses remixed versions or original N.W.A songs - targets existing fanbase and also a new audience
teaser photos released days before the release - downloaded 6 million times, example of viral marketing
15 age certificate when released theatrically - BBFC, livingstone and lunt, was 18 in its initial cut, film was re-edited to ensure a lower rating, to reach a larger audience, have a higher expendable income
distributed through Netflix - reaches a larger, home audience, needs to be as profitable as possible

NEWSPAPERS

How do these products make use of intertextuality and genre conventions in order to reflect the ideology of the producer? (15/30)

1) underline
2) knee-jerk reaction - both newspapers are heavily influenced by their favoured political party, which is shown through the use of intertextual references and genre conventions. The Daily Mirror favours the left-wing labour party, whilst the Daily Mail is a particularly right-wing newspaper. Intertextuality is when a media product references another media product in order to engage the audience. Genre conventions are the typical aspects of a genre of a media product, and are vital to a producer to allow them to target a specific audience. An ideology refers to the beliefs and ideas of a producer, and is used primarily to allow the audience to relate to the media product
3) plan -

intertextuality, agenda, mise en scene, positioning, anchorage, headings, genre paradigms, steave neale genre theory (repetition and difference), masthead, stereotypes, stuart hall representations, tabloid, sans-serif, serif, captions, working class, levi struass BO, barthes semiotics, language/lexis, reach plc, IPSO,

DAILY MIRROR

intertextual reference to American frat party in main image, mid shot - rowdy men, anchored by costume and symbolic code of red white and blue, represents Americans as incompetent, reflects ideology of producer that Americans have made the wrong decision
"America's Brexit" - reference to brexit, a British issue that audience can relate to
intertextual reference to popular action films with both a protagonist and antagonist (e.g. Dr No) - Clinton and Trump have a binary opposition as they are shown on opposite sides of the spread, anchored by their gestures (Clinton looks formal and proud, whilst Trump's image has been selected to make him look like he's got a disability), reflects ideology that voting Trump was the wrong decision
colour of red text - symbolic code of American patriotism

DAILY MAIL

intertextual reference to French royalty - need prior knowledge to understand, targets middle class audience, anchored by formal lexis "jaunt", reflects conservative/ stereotypical middle-class ideology
Theresa May is shown to have 'saved the day' - "radical rethink", positive representation, shows that it is a right-wing newspaper
dehumanisation of criminals - referred to as a "disease", need to be wiped out, "hooded thug" is hyperbolic lexis that anchors audience to think that young people are murderers, highly conventional of newspapers to create a moral panic, targets Mail's conservative audience who are likely to agree with tough measures for crime
conflict between soft and hard news - allows Mail to provide Conservative audience with a range of pleasures
headline is clear intertextual reference to crime dramas - takes advantage of target audience's love for the genre, construction of an exciting and dangerous world, manipulation targets mass audience

How do specific processes of production, distribution and circulation shape The Times and The Mirror? (12)

The Times

owned by News UK, a subsidiary of News International (owned by Rupert Murdoch); an enormous media conglomerate
sister paper - The Sunday Times
established in 1785
circulation 2019 - 417,298
compact format - easier to read
vertically integrated industry
currently £1.80
daily newspaper
right-wing ideology
middle class, older audience

The Mirror

tabloid newspaper / redtop
working class audience
owned by Reach PLC (previously Trinity Mirror) - since early 2018
established in 1903
circulation 2017 - 587,803
sister paper - Sunday Mirror
Reach also publishes a range of local newpapers - diversification
currently 80p
"The Intelligent tabloid #madeuthink"

1) underline
2) knee-jerk reaction - both these newspapers are heavily shaped by their production, distribution and circulation; they are both mass produced and distributed in order to target a mass audience.

Tuesday, 2nd April 2019

both newspapers are produced daily, which mean they have an extremely short production cycle - more emphasis on quantity over quality
they are both example of a highly specialised industry, with a hierarchal structure

THE TIMES

advert for 1st class holiday to Budapest - stereotypically middle class holiday, £3000, The Times makes lots of money through advertising revenue because of the vast reach
"speaking truth unto power over a nice G&T" - middle class connotations, gives the audience gratification, soft news
cricket articles on page 3 - usually soft news, middle class sport
"kidney beans vs lentils" - very soft story, demonstrates a middle class mass audience
big focus on brexit and british politics - demonstrates its newsworthiness to its mass target audience, cant afford a copy that doesn't sell, industry driven by profit and power
higher level of reading comprehension - about 15YO

THE MIRROR

mcdonalds advert on front page - monopoly campaign, specifically targets working class audience, form of gambling
double page spread on brexit - image of theresa may skewering someone with her nose, extremely left wing
Mick Jagger having heart operation on page 6&7 and front page skyline - suggests need to cater to mass audience, celebrity gossip, working class
both celeb and politics - appeals to mass audiences
tips for a good nights sleep - soft news, appealing to mass audience, cyclical story
80% of sports coverage dedicated to football - hegemonically accepted, need to appeal to mass audience or they will lose sales and profit
use of slang and informal lexis - "lad", "gazza", "paedo "appeals to as many people as possible, average reading age in UK is 9, doesn't exclude anyone
horoscope - pseudoscience, stereotypically working class

How do The Times and The Daily Mirror attract and maintain their audiences both locally and globally?

1)underline

2)knee-jerk reaction - both these newspapers attract and maintain their audiences ,both locally and globally, in order to ensure financial success, which is essential in their industry. Both British newspapers primarily target a British, local audience, with an international audience as an afterthought.

THE TIMES

subscription offers - 3 months for the price of 1, maintains audience, appeals especially to older audiences for the convenience, requires setting up a direct debit
"World" section on pages 30-36 - short section which shows its an afterthought, but still there
articles about Trump - appeals to British audience in America, global audience
broadly pro-May - the times will shift their ideology in order to suit their audience, industry is dominated by profit and power
set edition: "shockwaves around the world" - covers Trump's inauguration from an international perspective, but reinforced British audience that it will effect them
"The isis bride" - former british citizen, particularly emotive issue to british audiences that encourages debate and discussion, encourages audience to buy every week
"boy 7 electrocuted" - page 19 demonstrates comparative lack of importance of the children, in comparison to Mick Jagger, possibly sidelined because of working class

THE MIRROR

horoscope near the back - audience will want to keep buying in order to keep checking them
"how to make the most out of your GP appointment" - practical, providing the audience with the gratification of information,
"Brexit crisis continues" - daily updates will maintain the audience, "crisis' concerns the audience so they will want to find out more
puzzle solutions published the next day - audience members that interact with the puzzles will be maintained
cultivates a left wing ideology - constructs a left-wing audience that will show brand loyalty
Jordan Pickford (english footballer) involved in street brawl - 'if it bleeds, it leads', especially important to working class, british audience, who are stereotypically fascinated by football and fighting
set edition: "U.S. turns on itself at the ballot box" - metonymic language helps to simplify the situation for the working class audience

MUSIC VIDEOS

How do the representations in these products show the values, attitudes, and beliefs of the producer?

'Formation' by Beyonce

BlackPink

representation - a re-presentation, where a group/issue/event is 'shown again' by the producer

1) underline
2) knee-jerk reaction - both the music videos for 'Formation' by Beyonce and BlackPink's 'ddu du ddu' reinforce and challenge stereotypes of women.
3) plan -

mise en scene, costume, stereotypes, reinforces, hegemony, sexualisation, binary opposition, antebellum, shot type, fast-paced editing, anchorage, mid shot, beat matching, intertextuality, dancing, 2016, new orleans, hurricane katrina, bounce, L/AS, americanisation, police car, rebellion, C/US, celebrity status, tank, gang signs, video-tape effect, police intertextuality, men in balaclavas, swinging from chandelier, aggression, little mix, bricolage, pink, professor MES, education, bell hooks, postcolonial gilroy, shopping bags, commodity fetishism, emphasis on women, weave shop positions audience where they are not meant to be, intimidating mode of address

FORMATION

MES to show ideology that women are sexual objects - antebellum costume has been altered to show more skin, male gaze theory, conforms to patriarchal hegemonic norms
MES of police car and camera footage effect - connotes rebellion, anchored by carefree expression, subversive of feminine stereotypes as she is making a stand, belief that women are strong
zooming shot of beyonce dancing surrounded by other BME women - focus on women, 'women support women', empowerment, direct mode of address includes the audience, belief that women should support each other
aggressive dancing represents women as strong - anchored by beat-matching, emphasises their foot-stomps, connotes anger, no longer submissive
BME women represented as being of a lesser hierarchal status - postcolonial theory paul gilroy, police camera footage, carpark shows lack of glamour, antebellum costume symbolises slavery
ownership of black slavery narrative - strong gesture, L/A shot demonstrates her dominance, represents BME women as equal, no longer controlled by past

DDU DU

MES of pink and shopping bags - commodity fetishism, stereotypically feminine, ideology that women should care about how they look
intertextual reference to miley cyrus wrecking ball - singer swings from chandelier, empowering role model for the teenage girl target audience, challenges stereotypes, empowerment of women
only a few shots with men - they were balaclavas, shows their unimportance within the video, similar to formations ideology that women are important, zoonens feminist theory, appeals to female target audience,
binarry oppositions in MES - setting of fire followed by blossoms, shopping bags draped over tank, belief that women are all different, not just one representation, there is not just one type of woman

Distribution - how a media product reaches its audience

Vertical integration - when a media institution buys another institution that is in a different stage of the industry

Convergence - the coming together of previously separate media industries

Horizontal integration - when a media institution owns other institutions in the same stage of the industry

Institution - a company that has its own identity

Synergy - when 2 media products work well together

Globalisation - the process of the world coming together and getting smaller

Digital technology - any technology that involves a computer

Multimedia integration - the use of digital technology to bring together different industries (digital convergence)

Conglomeration - when one business buys another business

VIDEO GAMES

Explore how ownership has shaped Assassins Creed 3 Liberation? (12)

1)underline

2)knee-jerk reaction - major production company means it has to make lots of money, due to its large budget, curran and seaton, most specialised industry

3)plan -

produced by ubisoft montreal, pegi, 18, playstation vita sold 600,000, rereleased on xbox 360 and ps3, most specialised industry, major, AC franchise, 2012, slavery backstory, high quality graphics, high production values, generalised and specialised audience, 'double-dipping', cultivation theory, iconography, ineffective regulation, latest AC release gives out AC3 as a bonus item(!), digital technology, digital convergence, portable platform

high production values in trailer - dramatic, non-diegetic soundtrack, voiceover, high quality graphics, proairetic codes, appeals to a generalised audience
multi-platform rerelease on PS3 and Xbox 360 - more popular consoles widens potential buyers, had to be rereleased because it originally sold only 600,000 copies
trailer advertises "new missions" - encourages 'double-dipping' from specialised audience, which means that people will buy the game twice for the new missions, more profit
trailer and other advertising campaigns feature same AC iconography - e.g. weaponry and violence, people will buy the game because it is part of the franchise, using the iconography will ensure more copies are sold because it is an established game, brand image
tackles ideology issues about race, slavery, female protagonist - pushes boundaries and increases word-of-mouth sales, may appeal to a wider audience that may be intrigued by these themes
videogame cover appeals to a mass market audience - proairetic codes of violence, repetition and difference of genre conventions
rated PEGI 18 - audience knows there will be violence
option to change languages - widens target audience, usually only a feature of major companies

Explore the ways in which audiences can use and take pleasure from video games? Make explicit reference to Assassins Creed 3 Liberation

1)underline

2)knee-jerk reaction - video games are so popular because of they offer lots of audience gratification

hand-help consoles offer emersion - AC3 originally released on PS Vita, audience can get close to the game
based in exotic and unusual locations - escapism, set in new orleans
violence is common in most video games - may help with letting out anger, AC3 franchise features weaponry
part of a franchise - previous players take pleasure from new releases
high production values in AS3 - easier to play and offers gratification, different to 'The Silver Case' which is an indie with low production values
soundtrack available to buy - niche audiences can take the pleasure further than playing the game
allows audience to identify and to play as a black woman
breaks the 4th wall - simulation
historical information during loading screens - audience can learn something factual whilst playing, may encourage them to keep playing, offers educational gratification
social interaction and cultural capital of owning the game - things that can only be achieved when buying it, allows you to get involved in the conversations

Section B: Understanding Media Industries and Audiences

3. (a) Briefly explain what is meant by diversification in media industries. [2]

Where an organisation has many different industries in it
(b) Explain the impact of recent technological changes on the video games industry. Refer to Assassin's Creed III: Liberation to support your points. [8]

In Question 3(c), you will be rewarded for drawing together knowledge and understanding from across your full course of study, including different areas of the theoretical framework and media contexts.

(c) Explain how the producers of video games ensure their financial success. Refer to Assassin's Creed III: Liberation to support your points. [15]

4. (a) Explain how advertisements target audiences. Refer to the WaterAid advertisement you have studied to support your points. [8]

(b) Explain how historical contexts influence audience interpretations of media products. Refer to the Tide advertisement you have studied to support your points. [12]

TV

Explore how Humans and Les Revenants uses marketing and promotional campaigns to maintain both global and local audiences? (30)

1)underline
2)knee-jerk reaction - humans and LR use a range of innovative and viral marketing techniques in order to attract and maintain their audiences
3)plan -

4)intro -

D - Marketing is a vital aspect in ensuring that media products reach their intended audiences. To ensure that this happens, producers are increasingly relying on digital technologies in order to efficiently promote media products both on a local and global level.
A - In this essay, i shall argue that it is possible to ensure both local and global success through the use of digitally convergent advertising and promotional techniques. LR tended to rely on traditional forms of advertising to target its audience
C - In order to explore this, I shall be using the examples of Humans, a 2015 Channel 4 sci-fi UKTV series, based off the Swedish sci-fi show Real Humans, and Les Revenants , a French supernatural drama/zombie show, first broadcast in 2012 on Canal Plus. and based on 2004 film of the same name. Both shows have been distributed to a number of audiences in other countries.

LES REVENANTS (french, chic)

quoting British newspapers, such as Sunday Times, targets a global audience as these newspapers are trusted - "the best drama of the year"
english text targets global audience
fast paced editing and montages makes the show look exciting and filled with actions - widens target audience to action fans
establishing shot of french alps appeals mainly to local french audience - funding from french tourism encouraging them to promote alps, exotic location for global audience can offer escapism
mogwai soundtrack targets pre-exiting mogwai fans - scottish post-rock band means it targets an international audience
broadcasted on channel 4 - popular british channel
poster campaign is traditional - features a range of different characters and themes

HUMANS (atypical sci-fi, raises philosophical questions, hyperreality)

oxford street marketing campaign invites people to talk about it - fake shop where actors pretended to be synths, postmodernism as a marketing technique, word of mouth sales
distributed on youtube, rather than traditional platforms - viral marketing, easier to share with friends, popular amongst younger audience
'product recall' trailer doesn't mention the product - encourages audience involvement (shirky end of audience) to find out what its promoting, helps it to maintain niche audience
diegetic trailer - in the world of the media product, subversive advertising technique reflects the ideology of the show (what is real?)
magazine covers - 'Total TV guide' aimed at a working class british audience, allows producers to target mainstream audience
twitter account offers an extra level of immersion - global and interactive, allows the cult fandom that is targeted to take pleasure from interacting with the diegetic world of the narrative
similar to viral marketing for blair witch project (1999)

Explore how audiences are positioned by the representation of social issues in Humans and Les Revenants?

1)underline

2)knee-jerk reaction -

3)plan -

stereotypes, consent and female autonomy, allegories, slavery, sex workers, holocaust, societal fears, moral panic, AI, death, grief, violence, alcohol, sex robots, ' mass immigration', teenage sex, stuart hall readings, disabilities

HUMANS

ending montage

close-up/2 shot of lauras concerned face looking at anita - questioning her autonomy, anchored by synthesised non-diegetic soundtrack which builds tension, C/U positions the audience with the characters so that they will also ask these questions
sci-fi soundtrack is a proairetic code which tells the audience that they will be dealing with problems with the synths
diegetic news report on channel 4 - intertextual reference adds to the realism of the show, proairetic code that something bad is going to happen "no way a robot could ever harm anybody"
positioned with nishka (C/U) in brothel scene, rather than man - uncomfortable direct mode of address forces the audience to come to their old conclusion on the issue (preferred reading)
binary opposition from girl tucked in bed to brothel scene - used to emphasises the fact that she is 'someones daughter', raises ethical issues
the audience can get involved with philosophical debates and discussions (fandom)

MAGAZINES

Explore how the set editions of Woman and Adbusters reflect the historical context of which they were made?

1)underline
2)knee-jerk reaction - Woman offers singular and straightforward representations of women, which reflects its historical context, as it is targeting a mass audience. However, Adbusters is a not-for-profit magazine, ....

hegemonic expectations, 2016, 1964, no paid ads, commodity fetishism, sexism, not-for-profit, anti capitalist, anti consumerism,

4)intro -

D-
A-
C-

WOMAN

advert for soap presents a sexualised representation of women - MES of hair and makeup presents the ideology that men will find them attractive if they use the product, anchored by lexis, "darling" could be men speaking to them, reflects the patriarchal society at the time it was made
model on the front cover wears a traditional, floral dress and is wearing makeup - reinforces hegemonic expectations of how women should look, not trying to inspire women to branch out, reflects the historical context as women were expected to look a certain way
lexis in soap advert represents women as delicate - "gentlest lather", emphasised by feminine gesture
the importance of makeup is reflected throughout the magazine, the max factor advert especially shows its importance - mid shot of woman smiling at her makeup whist ignoring the man behind her shows its importance because it is worth ignoring a man for, "beauty as a moments notice" tells audience how easy it is to put on, therefore, there is no excuse not to be wearing it, this ideology reflects the historical context of 1964 as it was a hegemonic expectation to wear makeup
cultivation theory (gerbner) that women should wear makeup - no images of women without it, even in makeup advert she is wearing it before putting more on

ADBUSTERS

audience isn't given the whole image of the model, it is covered by image of refugees - presents the ideology that the model isn't important, which is very unconventional for a magazine, reflects the historical context as women are not only included for audience gratification (criticises male gaze theory)
image of woman in bath is very different to woman magazine - she is hunched over and has tattoos, audience can mainly just see her hands and knees, not sexualised at all
binary opposition between previous image and the zuccetti tap anchores the audience to not see her in a sexual way, instead the tap is sexualised - dutch tilt connotes mystery and drama, water is glamourised/commodified, reflects the historical context where everyone is looking for cultural capital
MES of angry gesture and army jacket is symbolic of anarchy and destruction - reflects historical context as magazine was released in 2016, not long after Trump was elected, demonstrates a left-wing ideology

CURRAN AND SEATON - industries are motivated by power and profit; this power is held between a few extremely wealthy corporations, making it difficult for independent corporations to compete.

LIVINGSTONE AND LUNT - regulation is becoming more and more ineffective because of digital technologies

"All media products are purely created to ensure financial success". To what extent do you support this statement?

1)underline

2)knee-jerk reaction - I partially agree with this statement, as although most magazines are driven by power and profit, such as Woman magazine, Adbusters is a clear exception to this

3)plan -

80p, £10.99, culture-jamming, bi-monthly, weekly, 120,000, 3 million, ipso, 1964, 2016, niche, mass, non-profit, anticapitalist, merchandise, working class, capitalist hegemonic norms, advertising, horizontally integrated, broadly left-wing ideology, middle class, indepedent, adbusters media foundation

WOMAN

sold magazine for 80p equivalent (7 old pennies), making it easily accessible for their working class target audience - this allows for as many copies as possible to be sold, mass market (this is clearly shown on the front cover, just above the masthead)
reflects the sociohistorical context of the time - not trying to challenge hegemonic norms, singular and stereotypical representations of women, appeals to a mass audience (mature model on the cover conforms to stereotypical hegemonic expectations, as she wears makeup, has her hair done, traditional and stereotypical dress)
25% market share (3million out of 12million)
IPC is horizontally integrated which shows it is driven by profit and power (currant and seaton), as they are trying to reduce competition, this leads to a lack of creativity
clear ideology perspective is constructed, which is highly appropriate to the socio-historical context of the time it was made - relentless promotion of a hegemonically acceptable heterosexual, working class lifestyle - advert for breeze soap, which features a midshot of a stereotypically attractive, young woman who is wearing no clothes, body is emphasised through MES of soap suds, this is included with the means of manipulating a singular and mass market audience, this is a clear attempt of constructing a mass, target audience.
magazine attempts to create a community to ensure that they maintain their readership and increase their power and profit - "woman" masthead is large and bright, which might empower the target audience, it also is inclusive of all women, rather than using "lady" or "girl" - creating a community would have been especially important in 1964 as the stereotypical role of women would have been to stay at home, therefore, this magazine allows them to feel included.
woman magazine is creating a standardised product for a standardised audience - it ensures financial success by constructing it audience
by constructing a specialised and specific audience, it can make more money through advertising, as they are selling this audience

ADBUSTERS

clearly targets a niche audience through lack of anchorage - no clear genre or content aside from being 'culture-jamming', this shows that they are not trying to sell the magazine to as many people as possible (most pages lack copy, if they do, they try and make the audience think about what it means, "red soles are always in season")
not for profit magazine means they aim to make enough money to cover their costs
no clear brand identity - front cover changes every issue, making it difficult for the magazine to become established as there is no recognisable features (masthead is defaced with mud, and stands out less than 'post-west' coverline)
nothing on the front cover explicitly suggests the preferred reading, instead the audience is positioned in a way where they must make their own opinions - this makes adbusters highly unconventional and goes against the notion that all magazines are made solely for profit and power
risky content as it is likely to annoy a lot of people - makes fun of people who buy designer heels, which may be common within their middle class target audience - takes these risks even though it could result in less sales, shows they are not solely motivated by power and profit, "save the planet, kills yourselves" is another example of controversial content
aggressive, anti-commercial ideology
to a mass, mainstream audience, the magazine looks cheap and low quality - messy pages, large gutters, dirty splatters

Explore how the set editions to Woman and Adbusters appeal to their target audience?

WOMAN

empowerment of women through the gesture of her standing on man's head, anchored by gesture of hands on hips as it connotes confidence - appeals to female target audience as
lighthearted mode of address - not feminist but tries to push boundaries
woman is aspirational for mature target audience - stereotypically attractive, but not unobtainable
presents men as hyper-masculine and mysterious, "man-sized bottles", masculinity is power - appealing to audience by creating a gender binary, in 1964 this would have been the preferred reading and hegemonically appealing, anchored by "that's where we differ"
insider information of men, "we've been snooping round the barbers" - trying to appeal to audience by giving them the information they 'need' to know
audience can pick and mix their own ideology (david gauntlet) - feminist audiences can take pleasure in explicit image of a woman standing on a man's head

ADBUSTERS

presents an agreeable political message that there is a discrepancy between rich and poor, which is causing climate change
sophisticated lexis e.g "disintegration of the polar ice sheets" and assumed knowledge of climate change - targets a middle class audience
rejection of commodity fetishism through rough post-production techniques, steve neale's genre theory (repetition and difference) - reinforces anti-consumerist beliefs
pick and mix theory - audience can enjoy the magazine from a design and aesthetic perspective, rather than the political content

ONLINE MEDIA

Explore the extent to which emergent digital convergent technology has allowed producers to communicate complex meanings? Make reference to Zoella and Attitude

digital technology - any technology that involves a computer

convergence - the coming together of 2 previously separate media industries

digital convergence technology - the coming together of 2 previously separate media industries through digital technology

1)underline

2)knee-jerk reaction -

3)plan -

hyper-modality, algorithmic marketing, clickbait, hyperlinks, gender performativity, midshot, synergy, representation, stereotype, identity, commodity fetishism, consumerism, capitalist, social media, instagram, hyperreality, postmodernism, interactivity, UX, anchorage

ZOELLA

mid-hot of zoella smiling in bed with a cup of tea and her dog - not immediately obvious that the post is an advert but hyperlinks to asos at the bottom create hyper-modality to sell the products
mes of colour pink, fairy lights, and high-key lighting functions as symbolic codes of innocence and femininity - appeals to teenage girl target audience
presents herself very childish - mid-shot of her hiding behind duvet with a sleeping mask on - this helps her target audience to relate to her, even though she is 27 at this stage (binary opposition) - audience is far more likely to relate to the mode of address of a lifestyle blogger
gesture of pulling open pyjamas has slight connotations of sexuality, this is emphasised through the symbolic code of the love hearts and costume, however, there is a lack of explicit reference to sexuality
high production values contradict with the intended atmosphere of reality
"my wardrobe consists of quite a substantial collection of pyjamas" - cultivation of a desirable lifestyle
utilisation of hyper-modality allows young, female target audience the gratification of interactivity
zoella is a hyperreal construction to make money off teenage girls

ATTITUDE

social media icons create hyper-modality e.g. instagram and twitter - allows the audience to relate to the brand identity - helps to differentiate it from other gay, lifestyle websites
hyperlinks at the bottom of each article linked to clickbait - using algorithmic marketing techniques to manipulate and entice their target audiences with promises to exciting content
thumbnails images are stylised and easily accessible for target audience, which cultivates a stereotypical ideology - allows producer to construct an audience that wears certain clothes and look a certain way in order to make money through targeted content and ads (e.g. gay packaged holidays) - exploits the idea of the 'pink pound'

How significant is the role of individual producers in online media industries? Make reference to Zoella to support your argument (15)

1)underline

2)knee-jerk reaction - individual producers are very significant in online media industries, and increasingly so, as digital media becomes ever more convergent. However, while zoella presents herself as an amateur internet user who is relatable to her fans, .....

3)plan -

clay shirky, opposite of industrially produced media, digital technology, digital convergence, tanya burr's lifestyle blog is more mature, my little pony, henry jenkins, amateur, ghost writer, mistakes left in, relatable, hyperreal construction, £50 advent calendar, multimedia integration, vertically integrated, makes use of digital convergence, 11 million, over 1 billion views, 50% of 16-24 year olds watched vlog in last month, young target audience with higher disposable income, digitally active audience, second channel, morezoella, brand endorsement, 'advertorials', motivated by power and profit, youtube pays her £15,000 a month, however a vast majority of other producers are payed nothing, £4000 a month from ads on blog, capitalism

To what extent do the representations in Attitude make claims about realism? (15)

1)underline

2)knee-jerk reaction - while representations often make claims about reality, it is worth noting that representation can never be real, because they are a reflection of the ideology of the producer. However, the representation of a certain group will also not only effect the target audience, but also the people being represented.

3)plan -

who is being represented?
how is this representation constructed?
what message is presented to the target audience?
how does this effect the group being represented?

Attitude presents a hyperreal representation of gay, young men to their target audience of gay, young men. By making claims about reality, this raises many issues

represented as rich and young
represented as out, proud, and confident
represented as particularly interested in style and fashion

One way in which the representations of gay men in Attitude make claims about realism is through the representation that gay men are out, proud and confident with their sexuality. For example, in the article about Elton John, he is represented as a proud and confident gay icon; this is shown through the flamboyant costume, direct mode of address, and celebrity status. This article creates a stereotypical representation of gay men for the target gay audience. Stuart Hall considered stereotypes as a self-fulfilling prophesy, when cultivated through constant repetition. Additionally, over time stereotypes can change, as homosexuality is now more widely accepted. However, there is a discrepancy between the representation and the reality, meaning a hyperreal 'reality' is constructed for the target audience.

why?

escapist fantasy for a marginalised and discriminated group
confidence through normalisation
gives a sense of identity - the issue with this is that is represents gay people are hyper-sexualised, and only interested in a singular and specific body type

JODIE'S MEDIA

Tuesday, 26 March 2019

REVISIONNNNNN

Section B: Understanding Media Industries and Audiences

Friday, 22 March 2019

mock