the i	the daily mail
first introduced: 26th of October 2010	first introduced: 1896
owned by daily mail and general trust – sister paper – “The i Sunday”	owned by daily mail trust
balanced political view	aims more towards the right wing of the political stance
focuses on inequality, social and political views	focuses on the news on celebrities (produces gossip and hot topics)
owner:  Sultan Muhammad Abuljadayel editor: christian Broughton	founder: Alfred Harmsworth + Harold Harmsoworth publisher: DMG Media editor: Georgie Greig

do they have a similar readership reach?

daily mail – 2.2m, the i – target audience

do they have a similar readership profile / target audience?

the i – 60% male, 40% female, the daily mail- 54% female, 46% male

How are they currently doing? Increasing or decreasing sales and revenue?

due to corona virus, the daily mail has gone down 16.5%

The I- 400,000 people a week over 35 in 2014, 100,000 below 35.

daily Mail – 29% are AB Adults 629,000

How are they looking to embrace new media technologies?

both have online editions of the newspaper

Do they have a similar layout and design?

 a British daily middle-market newspaper published in London

target audience of lower middle class British women

sister paper is the daily mail on sunday – which was launched in 1882

owned by the daily mail and general trust

co founded by jonathon harmsworth and viscount rothermere

the average reader is 58

it has a lowest demographic for 15 -44 year

It had an average daily circulation of 1,134,184 copies in February 2020

in 2019 it has an average dailiy readership of aproximatley 2 million, where about 1 million were in the ABC1 demographic (upper, middle, lower)- other number of readers were C2DE demogrpahic. (skilled wokring class,working class,non working)

Jugen Habermas – concept of the public sphere

The Public Sphere is where people come to discuss societies problems. Habermas came up with the idea of the public sphere. Through this public discussion, it therefore influences the political action, such as the news. The idea of the public sphere is that it allows people to connect horizontally rather than vertically, and help society change.

James Curran and Jean Seaton – the theory of the liberal free press

• the freedom to publish in the free market ensures that the press reflects a wide range of opinions and interests in society.
• the free market makes the press a representative institution.

Noam Chomsky – the 5 filters that manufacture consent

• ownership of the medium – the dominant mass media outlets are large profit based companies – they must cater to the financial interests of the owners, such as corporations and controlling investors.

• advertising – advertisers are paying for audiences
• links with establishment / sourcing – the establishment manages the media through the third filter.
• flak – if journalist, whistle blowers, sources want to challenge the press, you will be pushed to the margins – when the story is inconvenient for the powers, you get “flak”
• anti – communism / fear ideology – to manufacture consent, you need an enemy: communism, terrorist, emigrants – this helps corral public opinion

• this determines the type of news that is presented in the news media

Louis Althusser – interpellation and ideological state apparatus

Judith butler describe gender as “an identity instituted though a stylized repletion of acts”. In other words, it is something learnt through repeated performance.

How useful is this idea in understanding how gender is represented? Compare and contrast our ideas in terms of both print media and music videos

Refer in detail to your chosen music video style models, Men’s Health and Oh… (20)

The statement that Judith butler claims, is known as “gender as performativity.” rather gender being part of our nature we “act it out” and the gender is constructed, which is represented in music videos. She suggests that gender is fluid, changeable and plural, meaning society can have the ability to change the way genders should be preserved.

The music video “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke, published in 2013, was a massive controversy, around the third wave of feminism in the mid 1990s. The music video portrays women as highly sexualised passive sex objects. They have constructed a music video in order to get a message across about how women are represented. Society was not happy with this, and decided that this idea of women needed to change, by not taking the video down, but changing its culture of racism and sexism.

According to Barker and Jane, english fiction writers, the third wave feminism is the ‘rebellion of younger women against what was perceived as the prescriptive, pushy and ‘sex negative’ approach of older feminists’ and enhance to characteristics of “sex positive” and the “reappropriation of derogatory terms such as ‘slut’ and ‘bitch’ for liberatory purposes”.

The forth wave feminism began around 2012. The only difference compared to the 3rd wave feminism, is that the forth wave feminism was more active, as there were multiple foundations to suport it, such as the “free the nipple” campaign, where miley cyrus got involved and gave her surport.

In response to the “Blurred Lines” music video, Auckland Uni produced a “parody” version, in order to provoke/enhance the message of how women were represented. The video is a role reversal, where the women act like the men and the men act like the women from the original music video. The aim of the parody was to show how bizarre it is to see men portrayed as women in music videos. This was able to show that the use of new media technologies have been a clear demarcation for broadening out the discussion and arguments that are played out within feminism.

The magazine “Oh Comely” was published by the independent publisher, Iceberg Press, a London based publisher. This magazine is about new ways of looking inside ourselves and out the world. It is a reimagination of women’s magazine, that constructs a representation of femininity with its focus on creativity and quickness. Their front covers show a major theme of empowerment, as they stand with a strong, bold posture, with full face shots. We can apply Stuart halls theory of representation as the absence of men, creates an identity for the brand as they are doing something different and showing how women can have different representations and aren’t just objects, as you would see in various magazines and music videos, such as “Blurred Lines” music video.

From looking at the magazine “Oh Comely”, we can see a major contrast in the Men’s Health magazine, published by the company Hearst communications, where it focuses on the representation of men. This magazine supports Judith Butlers theory considering “a repertoire of acts”, suggesting that something is learnt through a repeated action. Hearst is a large conglomerate, owning other magazines such as Maire Claire and Elle, and with Men’s Health being one of the world’s largest men’s magazine brands, it plays a big role in presenting genders and stereotypes. With its repetitive Men’s Health magazines, with all the men standing in the same position in each magazine (strong, bulky, strong) it creates an ideology of the way men should be perceived. Overtime, when the magazines reach all audiences, it gives the audience an intended message on how they should look. This is enhanced by the various bold text that are featured in the front cover, “blast body fat” “new year muscle” etc.

In conclusion, Judith Butlers theory allows us to understand how gender is presented through media institutions, and how societies stereotype gender. Furthermore, the way gender is constructed through media can majorly contrast each other. In the music video “Blurred lines”, it is seen that the women have been overly sexualized. The theorist Laura Muvely focuses on the Male Gaze, and how women are objectified. The Male Gaze is the act of depicting women in the visual arts, from a masculine perspective that presents and represents women as sexual objects for the pleasure of the male view. This is clearly seen in “Blurred Lines”, through the use of minimal clothing and close up shots, making them be identified as “sex symbols”. Alternatively, with the magazine “Oh Comely”, as it introduces women with long sleeved clothing and minimal makeup. Furthermore, it takes us away from the representation of women being seen as sex objects, therefore creating a radical text for the reader, as they are used to large conglomerates and artists, such as Hearst, more specifically Men’s Health, creating a dominant ideology of how men and women should be seen.

oh comely is A independent magazine published by IceBerg (small London publisher)

• being an independent company means that they have to fend for themselves, they don’t have other companies helping them publish

• shows how developments in new technology means that small companies can also use the internet to communicate and target audiences.

• niche audience can be targeted more precisely
• Iceberg’s branding includes a commitment to print over other media forms.

media representations

• oh comely constructs a representation of femininity with its focus on creativity

• The focus is on women as artists, entrepreneurs, athletes and musicians and female empowerment is a major theme.

• The absence of men as part of the representation of masculinity in Oh Comely magazine.
• focuses on creativity and quikiness

feminist critical thinking: theory of representation:

• stuart hall –
• bell hooks –
• van zoonen – a feminism who looks at the theory of patriarchy
• gender perfromativity – Butler

the absence of men, creates an identity for the brand as they are doing something different and showing how women can have different representations and aren’t just objects

• they have control over feminism market
• this magazine can affect the representations of men
• shows how women don’t need men – they can stand alone

Oh ~ previously Oh Comely

Oh Comely is part of a development in lifestyle and environmental movements of the early twenty first century which rebrand consumerism as an ethical movement. Its representation of femininity reflects an aspect of the feminist movement which celebrates authenticity and empowerment.

In contrast to Men’s Health magazine, Oh Comely is an independent magazine published by Iceberg Press, a small London publisher which publishes only one other title.

Media products often challenge the social and cultural contexts in which they are created.

To what extent does an analysis of the close study products Ghost town and the Letter to the Free support this view.

In some ways, social, historical and cultural contexts are important, as it not only connects to media studies, it allows society to grasp a better understanding of postcolonialism, and how races are constructed as different, opposite or other. Looking at Commons Letter to the Free, which is a song wrote as a soundtrack to the 13^th, a documentary by Ava DuVernay, named after the American 13^th amendment, which was the abolition of slavery. The song implies how black people are seen different to others. This is evident through his lyrics, “we aint seen as humans”, suggesting that society see Black people as different, not even human beings. Furthermore, the lyric “will the U.S ever be with us” constructs an ideology of U.S almost seeing them as opposites and choose to stand against them.

The theorist J. McDougall analyses the notion of “fake news and media Studies”. In his book, he states “I do spend long periods of time with my gaze turned away from the media, because I’m seeking to understand what’s going on out there, and then the role of the media in that context. I’m always putting the social, the political and the economic (contexts) first.” 

If we look at War of the Worlds, it is a science fiction novel, where aliens invade, and the story is told through the narrative’s diary. The conventions of news reports were used for dramatic realism, to create suspend disbelief for the audience. The reason why it is important not just to focus on the media/not just to focus on society, is the notion of “interpellation”, meaning society can eventually make us into a certain person. The theorist Louis Althusser talks about the ISA’s and the idea of interpellation (ideology state apparatus). They construct an idea, that is connected to the state, in a way of which individuals are interpellated into society. The way in which your subject identity is formed and which, more often than not, corresponds to the dominant ideology. Linking this the War of the Worlds, we can say that the audience listened into the media (radio broadcasters, who were potentially controlled what to say by the “ISA”) and they were educated about what happened. Due to the suspend disbelief, the majority of the audience were interpellated into the “fake news”. McDougall’s claims that “I do spend long periods of time with my gaze turned away from the media, because I’m seeking to understand what’s going on out there, and then the role of the media in that context. I’m always putting the social, the political and the economic (contexts) first.” So, it is important to acknowledge not only the media, but also society, as they are interdependent and allow us to have better understanding of the realism of the world. Furthermore, we can link the theory of interpellation to Roger Ailes and Fox News. Roger Ailes was an American executive and media consultant, and the chairman/CEO of Fox News, allowing him to be In control of the company, by what information their address on the media. He and Donald Trump could be described as gate keepers, as they filter out the information, they want the public to hear. They are people who exert power, making them have the ability to construct an idea, where individuals are interpellated into society.

Music videos are a great source of media to address information about the society. If we look at The Ghost Town by The Specials, it educates the audience about the economic depression and lack of employment in London. It involves hybridization, as two genres of music merge together: reggae and ska. Alternatively, Commons Letter to the Free, with its hip-hop rap style, it sends the audience a message that black lives matter, as it talks about ending slavery and generating equal rights for everyone.

The similar between these two music videos, is that it gives awareness of the current situations that took place in those eras. This is where post colonialism links in, as it creates the emergence of critical thinking. The arguments around post-colonialism critical thought “constituted a fundamentally important political act” (MacLeod). Theorist Edward Siad, developed orientalism, where he states that the power to narrate, or to block other narratives from forming or emerging, is very important to culture and imperialism. Linking to Letter to the Free, which was made in 2016, the power of its narrative aided and encouraged the Protests for Black Lives Matter in 2020. In his book “orientalism”, Edward Siad points out the “the Orient has helped to define Europe”. So, we could say that music videos i,e Letter to the Free, has helped define society, through protests, to make the world a better place.

To understand the term “other” in “the orient in other”, Jacques Lacan, a French philosopher,  developed the mirror stage of child development, which points out that we cannot actually see ourselves as whole, we use a reflection to understand who we are and who we are not. Lacan’s theory of the mirror stage talks about when we first see each other, that’s when the recognition occurs. So, applying this theory to media studies, communications and culture, the reason why we consume the media so much, is to not only identify and understand the “other”, but explore ourselves. Linking to the music video Letter to the Free it allows audience/society, to reflect on themselves and think how they are as a person – are they discriminating the black? Society consume media and reflects on themselves. As it allows them to understand society and culture, it gives them the opportunity to make a change, such as joining protests to try and get rid of poor equality.

Paul Gilroy believes that we have a double consciousness, which is the internal conflict experienced by a group of dominant people in an oppressive society. The theme of double consciousness was developed from W.E.B Dubois. In his book “Black Atlantic” he talks about stiving to be both European and Black. However, the 13^th amendment suggests that black people are only seen as lawbreakers who are not even classed as human. As a way to push past this ideology, Letter to the Free is a song black people calling out to the ones who are free, to tell them that slavery should end. They will not be subjected as objects who work and make money for America. If we continue with this type of media being sent out to society (about how slavery needs to stop) the community will eventually agree with it, and prevent itself from happen in any way possible, such as protests. This would occur through the use of George Gerbner’s theory of cultivation, where exposure to media over time, eventually cultivates the viewers perceptions of reality.

Music videos can have the ability to change our understanding of cultures. Gramsci, is a theorist who came up with the idea of hegemony, meaning the dominance of certain aspects of life and thought by the penetration of a dominant culture and its values into social life. So, as a whole, hegemony serves as a crucial shaper of culture, values and ideology of society, which is constructed through the use of music videos and other platforms. If we link hegemony to Letter to the Free, it is clear that there is a struggle with hegemony, due to the lack of equality and negotiation black people have.

In conclusion, Letter to the Free and Ghost Town can be applied to the concept of post colonialism. Furthermore, it is understandable that media, such as music videos can influence and be influenced by society and culture. This is evident through Letter to the free, as they talk about how hegemony is a struggle, as there’s a lack of equality. Also, Ghost town aims to bring awareness of the employment rates and violence that occurred through the UK, specifically East London. Overall, music videos can change cultures and show the struggles they are facing/have faced.

• critically analyses the relationship between media work and the media industry.

his book “The Culture industries” (2019) suggests:

“the distinctive organisational form of the cultural industries has considerable implications for the conditions under which symbolic creativity is carried out’

he also states in a article:

“there must be serious concerns about the extent to which this business-driven, economic agenda is compatible with the quality of working life and of human well-being in the creative industries.“

the individualising discourses of ‘talent’ and ‘celebrity’ and the promise of future fame or consecration, have special purchase in creative work, and are often instrumental in ensuring compliance with the sometimes invidious demands of managers, organisations and the industry (Banks & Hesmondhalgh, p. 420).

creative work is now imagined only as a self-actualising pleasure, rather than a potentially arduous or problematic obligation undertaken through material necessity (2009, p. 417) 

the value of (family) connections in the industry, provide a sobering counterweight to the attributes of ‘determination and commitment’. As does the role of luck, chance and coincidence