Teen Vogue is an American online publication, formerly in print, launched in January 2003, as a sister publication to Vogue, targeted at teenagers. Like Vogue, it included stories about fashion and celebrities.
What is Teen Vogue? – Teen Vogue is an American online publication, formerly in print, launched in January 2003, as a sister publication to Vogue, targeted at teenagers. Like Vogue, it included stories about fashion and celebrities but also includes features on politics, culture, identity etc.
Ownership: Condé Nast
Audience
Although the brand name suggests a teenage audience, the typical Teen Vogue reader has evolved in recent years. The move to more political content has broadened the appeal and changed the genre – young women now expect more from their media.
The ‘Campus Life’ section in Lifestyle also suggests an older readership.
Although, the audience is still interested in celebrity content and beauty – which Teen Vogue addresses by featuring the ‘opinion leaders’ (two-step flow *LAZARSFELD*) of social media.
Teen Vogue: political positioning
Teen Vogue generally takes a liberal, left-wing political stance and positions its readers to become active in their support:
Pro-feminist
Pro-gender fluidity and gender identity
Supports LGBT equality
Pro-multiculturalism
Supports Black Lives Matter
Pro-environment (accepting science on climate change)
Pro-choice (abortion)
Ideas and themes of new media can be represented through Teen Vogue through their political positionings and an interesting target audience of young people, specifically female teens mainly. They feature sections within their website such as ‘shopping’, ‘culture’ and ‘identity’.
Theorists to mention
Marshall McLuhan:
“The Medium is the Message” – a good theorist to quote in your exam.
“Societies have always been shaped more by the nature of the media by which men communicate than by the content of the communication”
New media and the shaping the thoughts and behaviours of the new generation.
Means that the important thing about media is not the messages they carry but the way the medium itself affects human consciousness and society at large. In other words owning a TV that we watch is more significant that anything we watch on it.
Youth Gun Violence Activists Can’t Be Asked to Save the World
Overview: New media always creates change (printing press, telgram etc)
Q: so how has recent technology changed (society, individuals, organisations, ideas, beliefs etc etc)
CSP 1 – show knowledge of CSP
characteristics of new media (in reference to CSP 1)
theoretical / conceptual analysis of new media (loop theory, network theory, Dunbar number, McLuhan, Krotoski)
Critically thinking about new media (Baudrillard, McLuhan, Krotoski, B. F. Skinner, Zuboff, Lanier – are all essentially critical of new media technologies. But Gauntlett, Shirky, Jenkins are all very positive about new media technologies)
CSP 2 – show knowledge
Draw parallels and conclusions
Suggest future pathways / developments
Some themes and discussion points from Great Hack:
Data has surpassed oil as the world’s most valuable asset
The Exchange of Data
Search for Truth
Behaviour Management
Propaganda / Persuasion
Regulation
Digital Behaviour management: A Threat to Democracy?
Artificial Intelligence – the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages.
To start off with, prioritise the notion of CHANGE & TRANSFORMATION as a way of thinking about NEW MEDIA which can be linked to the key ideas of a media syllabus. For example,
the transformation of social interaction (audiences);
the transformation of individual identity (audiences and representation);
the transformation of institutional structures (industry); and the changes in textual content and structure (language).
she looks at the pioneering work of Vannevar Bush – ‘As we may Think‘ (1945) that describes a memory machine that would make knowledge (and thereby understanding?) more accessible.
TOPIC
NOTE / COMMENT
The Printing Press (Gutenburg) in the Medieval period mid 1400’s
the impact of new technology
Impact of new technology in South Korea as a result of promoting greater digital interaction (speed, connectivity, spread etc)
mental health internet addiction? Choices made? ‘A world without consequences’ ‘Senses over meaning’
On-line / digital connection stats
According to recent social media data, the number of people using social media worldwide is 4.59 billion—which equates to about 57 percent of the total global population.
Reports estimate that the number of global smartphone users will continue to increase and hit 6.8 billion by 2023.
In 2023, the number of smartphone users in the world today is 6.92 Billion, which translates to 86.41% of the world’s population owning a smartphone (Source)
8.39 hours is the average daily use for screens, ages 13-24.
Facebook is still the leading social media. 2.93 billion users.
16 million new members on Netflix during the pandemic.
The Dunbar number suggests that connectivity for individuals, communities or groups is typically 5 o 6, with an upper limit of 150. So who benefits from greater connectivity? Companies, organisations, institutions – ‘small elites dominate’ (Andrew Kean)
American writer, consultant and teacher on the social and economic effects of Internet technologies and journalism.
Argued audience behaviour has progressed from the passive consumption of media texts to a much more interactive experience with the products and each other. Source (Media Studies Website)
Clay Shirky shows how Facebook, Twitter and TXTs help citizens in repressive regimes to report on real news, bypassing censors (however briefly). The end of top-down control of news is changing the nature of politics.
associative not linear thinking the demise of long form reading So changing rules for logic, rationality, truth, understanding, knowledge. Baudrillard implosion (a culture imploding in on itself rather than expanding and developing?)
the inventor / creator of the World Wide Web – developed and given to everybody for free?!! Why? What did he hope it would achieve? Is he satisfied or disappointed with how it has developed and made an impact on society?
Berners-Lee understood that the Web needed to be unfettered by patents, fees, royalties, or any other controls in order to thrive
Marshall McLuhan
The Global Village – ‘a sophisticated interactive culture’
The impact on political and economic decision making
Conclusions, suggestions, reflections and predictions
B.F Skinner: American psychologist, behaviorist, author, inventor, and social philosopher.
The theory of B.F. Skinner is based upon the idea that learning is a function of change in overt behavior. Changes in behavior are the result of an individual’s response to events (stimuli) that occur in the environment
Pastiche = a work of art, drama, literature, music, or architecture that imitates the work of a previous artist.
Parody = a work of art, drama, literature or music that imitates/mocks the work of a previous artist with ridicule or irony.
Bricolage = In art, bricolage is a technique or creative mode, where works are constructed from various materials available or on hand, and is often seen as a characteristic of postmodern art practice.
Intertextuality = can be a reference or parallel to another literary work, an extended discussion of a work, or the adoption of a style.
Referential
Surface and style over substance and content
Metanarrative
Hyperreality = It is a threat to contemporary society in association with reality and its copies. Illusions of reality are always formed, and they pretend as the originals.
Simulation (sometimes termed by Baudrillard as ‘Simulacrum’) = Baudrillard claims that our current society has replaced all reality and meaning with symbols and signs, and that human experience is a simulation of reality.
Consumerist Society = A society in which people often buy new goods, especially goods that they do not need, and in which a high value is placed on owning many things.
Fragmentary Identities
Alienation
Implosion
cultural appropriation
Reflexivity
Deconstructive postmodernism = expresses the consequences of an idealism that has taken the linguistic turn and then has seen through the language
Postmodernism:
The rework and copy of other works that may or may not be adapted to differ slightly. An emphasis on ideologies as a motive to maintain political power.
It may even be ironic, joking, or literally, ‘just playing’. However, it is always a deliberate copy (of the old). Therefore, the old has been re-worked into something new, which clearly entails a recognition (a nod and a wink) to what it was and where it came from.
An example of this postmodernism is through the parody “The Love Box in Your Living Room“. Proven through quotes such as “this was the olden days”, an ironic description of the timeframe being mock-documentarized. A purpose to entertain as well as inform.
“And the generals realised that if they had these devices, they would no longer need telephones to ask their men to kill millions of Germans… after breakfast” dysphemistic humour, dark descriptions of the introduction with non-wired radio transmitters.
Fragmentary individuals:
The process of fragmentation is a key element of POSTMODERN CULTURE. The notion of separating, splitting up and dividing previously homogeneous groups such as, friends, the family, the neighbourhood, the local community, the town, the county, the country and importantly, is often linked to the process of fragmented identity construction.
Fragmentary communities:In 1959, Richard Hoggart (Uses of Literacy) noted the shift in modern societies particularly the impact on our ‘neighborhood lives’, which was ‘an extremely local life, in which everything is remarkably near‘.
BBC Board of Trustees, DG (Lord Reith), Multimedia, transnational, not a monopoly, concentration of ownership
– owned by the public, everyone is a shareholder.
CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System), Private Company, Multimedia conglomerate, transnational(Yes), monopoly(No),
U.S. COMPANY
example of concentration of ownership i.e. a few companies own everything – oligopoly / cartel (??), vertical & horizontal integration (??)
HABERMAS
Transformation of the public sphere, media is constantly changing – BBC is adapting, BBC intention enshrined in their ethos, profit is not a priority – they put money back into programmes so Quality is important.
Fits notion of transforming the public. Therefore more paternalistic, give you what you need instead of what you want.
Private business, likely to prioritise making profit. Quality is not as important as long as a profit is made. This profit will not go back into programmes. Does not fit the notion of transforming the public. Less paternalistic, gives you what you want if it makes them money.
CHOMSKY
Second filter (advertising) The BBC does not run ads in the UK
Second filter (advertising) CBS runs ads which helps them accrue profit
REGULATION
OFCOM, BBC Charter governed by parliament, license fee regulates BBC, BBC Ethos – educate, inform and entertain (Reith)
BBC has a left wing, libertarian ideology (??)
Federal Communications Commission regulates private businesses i.e. not necessarily in public interest
AUDIENCE (ACTIVE/PASSIVE)
Audiences are more active, they are not just given programmes that they want but are given what they need (Paternalism)
Audiences are more passive, they are only shown the programmes that they want to allow in order for CBS to make a profit.
AUDIENCE (LAZARSFELD)
The two-step flow of communication model hypothesizes that ideas flow from mass media to opinion leaders, and from them, to a wider population. It was first introduced by sociologist Paul Lazarsfeld in 1944
This relates to the specific textual example of Prince William and Kate presenting a special newsbeat edition on mental health
The mass media flow ideas into the PSB BBC, flowing their ideas through various outlets as they are a multimedia convergence. They help promote their message through various opinion leaders such as Stormzy, Prince William and Kate presenting a special newsbeat edition on mental health
Can use opinion leaders to make message more relevant
SPECIFIC TEXTUAL EXAMLES
Prince William and Kate presenting a special newsbeat edition on mental health Kanye article.
^ This proves that the BBC care more about the viewers and want to supply a service that is educational, informal and entertaining
blurred codes of drama and news. Programme starts with title music, announcer introduction ‘Mercury Theatre Company presents . . . ‘ followed by Orson Welles prologue to War of the Worlds .. .
AUDIENCE (HALL)
Reception Theory –
GERBNER
The Cultivation Theory suggests heavy television exposure will have a significant influence on our perception of the real world. The more we see a version of reality being depicted on the screen, the more we will believe it is an accurate reflection of society.
Cultivation theory links as the newly heavy influence of new media productions, through the introduction of radio, shows an example of this theory as it could have affected the public in a large way as a lack of knowledge and an imbedded naiveness that may of allowed the public to be victim to this hysteria produced by War of the worlds.
NEW TECHNOLOGY
New Technologies mean that the BBC is faced with more competition.
Newsbeat is on social media, internet radio and apps.
Radio
CROSS MEDIA CONVERGENCE
CURRAN
– “depended on a set of linked and radical expansions” – “the BBC creating an image of its audience as ‘participants’ in the great affairs of the nation…”
– Since the BBC is a PSB it uses the money it makes to improve itself and further benefit the public with a massive majority of different opinions straying away from lack of creativity that large conglomerates supply in which only function as a motive to generate a profit, which differs from the BBC.
– Private Company, Multimedia conglomerate. This means that CBS only operates as a function to generate a profit and please the shareholders, in which can lack creativity and care for the public. It will generate any kind of story in hopes to generate a profit, meaning they can lack integrity.
SEATON
Seaton makes us aware of the power of the media in terms of big companies who own too much.
– Commercial broadcasters selling audiences to products NOT audiences to programs like the BBC. (ie no adverts on BBC). Meaning that the BBC are not chasing big exaggerated stories and appeals to informed citizens who want knowledge.
Seaton talks about rise and inevitable need for competition with new technologies. – Providing choice and more entertainment for wider audiences perhaps.
the allusion of Choice – “Choice, without positive direction is a myth, all too often the market will deliver more -but only more of the same”
CBS, as well as other businesses, create different media products as a sole motive to generate a profit. Meaning that when they produce programs, they will only generate products that they know will perform well, creating this idea on the illusion of choice, whereas in reality it is a well thought out process which involves repeated actions and choices in which have been largely successful in practice.
The War of the Worlds was an episode of the radio series “The Mercury Theatre on the Air”, this was a radio series of live dramas which were created and hosted by Orson Welles in the United States and was originally released on July 11th to December 4th 1938.
“The War of the Worlds” was specifically a Halloween radio episode which was performed and broadcasted live at 8pm until 9pm on October 30th 1938 and ran for 60 minutes (1 hour).
“The War of the Worlds” episode instigated panic by convincing members of the public that specific events were taking place such as a Martian invasion although the episode only had few listeners so this did not become a global panic.
According to Wikipedia, 6 million people heard the episode and caused 1.2 million to be frightened and disturbed. Although 30 minutes into the show before its first break, people still believed this.
Media Institutions:
The episode was broadcasted over the CBS (Columbia Broadcasting company Radio Network. This radio network provided news to more than 1,000 radio stations throughout the United States and is owned by Paramount Global. CBS Radio was launched in 1927.
Linked Theories
Gerbner cultivation theory and behavioural psychology.
Mean World Syndrome, War of the worlds illustrates an example of this theory, it cultivates a heightened sense of fear in society. A society still relatively new to radio, many people would be listening with blind naiveness, watching and consuming this form of media not knowing what is true or not, so the more they listened to it, the more likely they were to hold a view of reality that is closer to radios depiction, to unsuspecting listeners, they were victims to fake news and a deception of reality.
The radio drama episode believed the stories which were mentioned were true, by interrupting music mid broadcast for strange alien encounters.
The hypodermic needle theory links to war of the worlds as it supports the idea that people are passive consumers and are victims to the tremendous influence of the early stages of media. Proven by quotations such as: “rushed out of their houses” to escape the “gas raid”.
Cultivation theory links as the newly heavy influence of new media production has had a large influence on the public as people actually rose to believe the radio and it’s scary nature. It can explain the nature of the hysteria. Gerbner’s research suggested heavy users of television become more susceptible to its messages, especially if the texts resonate with the viewer.
Newsbeat is a Public Service Broadcast (PSB) – The policy and standards board confront you if you break a bylaw.
It is a multimedia production; there are stories written on the website as well as radios to tune into with video.
Newsbeat is an example of a traditional media product which reflects changes
Media Audiences
Newsbeat has its BBC News product with bulletins that are broadcast on BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 1 Xtra and BBC Asian Network
How do they appeal to the younger audience?
Target audience of younger people – teenagers and ‘twentysomethings’ [16-25 years old]
84% are 12 – 15 ages
Not specific to either gender
The fifteen-minute Newsbeat programme is broadcast at 12:45 and 17:45 during the week
Newsbeat allows traditional broadcast times as well as being available viewing after the broadcast, which is relevant to the target audience who consume media online mainly.
The target audience is for young people, so it is interesting to note that the programme only lasts 15 minutes which is relevant as the younger generations consume media in short amounts otherwise they may not be interested in watching. Also the times the radio start is relevant as they both begin afternoon which is relevant as it shows how the radio is targeted to a younger audience, an audience that stereotypically do not like waking in the morning.
Social Media Marketing and Gen Z attention span apparently “the average attention span of someone born into Gen Z is about 8 seconds”
Changed their sound and brought in younger hosts to relate to the audience more and feature more slang language
Tries to show relatable stories that are more interesting, creative and exciting
Less formal English speaking
Using more social media platforms – new technology for the younger audience to interact with
The stories Newsbeat include stories on things like TikTok, education and celebrities such as Stormzy and Kanye West. Clearly appealing to a younger audience.
Media Industries
Newsbeat was launched on 10 September 1973 in response to the launch of a network of commercial radio stations across the UK which supplied a news service very different from the style of traditional BBC News
REGULATION – The question subject
Since Newsbeat is targeted at a much younger audience, it arises the question about the regulations of the news radio and how different are the news reported on this radio. So even though the news being reported may be different to the regular radio it doesn’t really matter as they are feeding content to the younger audience in a way that still benefits them, it may be a different radio but it is still owned and regulated by the same people.
As such it has it’s own governing body and is regulated by OFCOM. It’s the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications and postal industries of the United Kingdom
Mention:
Gerbener
Stuart Hall – Appeals to younger peoples dominant ideology to maintain interest for its target audience. Younger audience have different consumption patterns so the use of online streaming and websites appeals to this form of consumption.
Preferred reading – there is a certain understanding and idea Newsbeat wants the younger audience to take away
Possible Questions:
How does the BBC attract new audiences with radios like Newsbeat
Assess how Newsbeat appeals to modern media audiences
How does Newsbeat appeal to younger audiences
How is Newsbeat regulated
Facts about Newsbeat
BBC is funded by TV licences from the public through hypothecated tax
Newsbeat is a Public Service Broadcast (PSB)
Target audience of younger people – teenagers and ‘twentysomethings’ – 84% are 12 – 15 ages
The fifteen-minute Newsbeat programme is broadcast at 12:45 and 17:45 during the week
John Reith was the BBC’s first general manager when it was set up as the British Broadcasting Company in 1922
Newsbeat is also available to watch online afterwards
The stories Newsbeat include stories on things like TikTok, education and celebrities such as Stormzy and Kanye West. Clearly appealing to a younger audience.
Regulated by Ofcom.
Ethos of the BBC – To educate, Inform, Entertain
How new technologies are used to upkeep with modern social and physical advancements
Interesting characters with quality, interesting character development
Good editing to keep flow of the production professional and easy to understand
Good cinematography
Good lighting
Intriguing, well-written story and script
Unpredictable and unique
Memorable
Emotional connection
Captivating story line
Broadcasting and Narrowcasting
Broad – For everyone
Narrow – A niche target audience
BBC Charter
The Royal Charter is the constitutional basis for the BBC. It sets out the BBC’s Object, Mission and Public Purposes. The Charter also outlines the Corporation’s governance and regulatory arrangements, including the role and composition of the BBC Board.
Was radio during early stages
Made 1922
First director: Lord John Reith – set and made its ethos
He was an engineer
The ethos had 3 main principals : Educate, Entertain, Inform
Ethos of the BBC
“opening up new worlds to people” Cecil Lewis
Populism vs Paternalism
Populism: Giving people what want and enjoy. Populism refers to a range of political stances that emphasize the idea of “the people” and often juxtapose this group against “the elite”. It is frequently associated with anti-establishment and anti-political sentiment.
Paternalism: Giving the people something that other people believe is good for you. What people need.
Grace Wyndham Goldie
Particularly in the fields of politics and current affairs. During her career at the BBC, she was one of the few senior women in an establishment dominated by men.
Changing the nature of modern communication, essentially by transforming time and space
BBC became social cement, British culture was centered around the BBC
Habermas, transformation of the public sphere
The public sphere is a realm of communication and is the reality of the world vs private realm.
BBC was a realm for communication and was the first instance where the public was involved and included in political debate as well as being able to further educate and inform themselves and it being a source for free entertainment, allowed this massive transformation of the public sphere to occur. A shared knowledge of the world through advancements in technology and became social cement, inbedded in British culture.
Habermas argues that the development of early modern capitalism brought into being an autonomous arena of public debate.
Can be seen as an arena for public debate
A new public engaged in critical political discussion
Jean Seaton PSB
“depended on a set of linked and radical expansions”
“the BBC creating an image of its audience as ‘participants’ in the great affairs of the nation…”
Broadcasting in Britain – Monopoly or Duopoly?
The BBC held a monopoly on television in Britain from its introduction until 1954 and on radio until 1972
“Depends on an assumption of commitment to an undivided public good”
1977 Annan Report says:
“became a…. free market place in which balance could be achieved through the competition of multiplicity of independent voices.”
Double think, according to George Orwell, illustrates peoples views on broadcasting at the time
Owner:Iceberg Press, an independent publisher, bought Oh Comely (which pivoted from the women’s lifestyle sector to the growing mindfulness sector and renamed Oh)
‘Oh is a reimagination of Oh Comely magazine and is still a place to meet new people, hear their stories and hopefully leave you looking at life a little differently.’
Lisa Sykes is the editor, used to work at Hearst UK.
Sykes recalls. “We didn’t like the fact that print dying was becoming a self fulfilling prophecy”
First issue 2010
Final issue was published September 2021
Feminist magazine
Niche target market
Made 6 copies a year, one every 2 months
Average reader age of 27
Institution – who owns it
Examples of specific pages
Language, how it’s laid up, representation
Audiences – who reads it, who it’s for
Lazarsfeld
Ideas of the two-step flow of communication, supplied by Lazarsfeld, says that ideas flow from mass media to opinion leaders, and from them, to a wider population.
In Oh Comely, there is a radical and apposed representation of women, following ideas of Stuart Hall’s theory on the 3 categories of media representation, it empowers them and not sexualising them like most mass media products such as Men’s Health. But in modern times there is an active conversation on feminism and fighting against the patriarchy, so the two-step model can still be applied here. Modern mass media ideas on feminism is being represented and promoted widely throughout the world and being supported by opinion leaders such as Ariana Grande who support ideas on feminism, which in turn allows this product to be relevant, granted, to a niche market with an average reader age of 27, but it still circles back to the same concept, although these ideas can be considered radical, overall, nothing is really radical as the ideas always flow from someone in power, someone who’s opinion is more relevant to someone else’s, and in evaluation, the magazine only exists to generate a profit. A flow of communication used only to profit off the wider population.
More on this:
Use of empowering and active words such as ‘power’, ‘wisdom’, ‘strong’ is used in a feminist manner to empower their readers.
There is a conventional representation of the dominant signifier on the front cover in the fact that she is being posed for the camera and wearing makeup — but on the other hand, it could be considered unconventional as she is wearing light, more natural makeup, nothing that changes her looks much and has a more radical style; short hair and clothes that do not show any skin or show off her body, tackling usual focus on sexualisation on most magazines.
On pages 14-15 it demonstrates a woman who is wearing an ethnic turban which is radical in terms of repressing and going against mainstream, common representations within magazines. This magazine tries to go against control and leaning into repressing the common ideologies in which represent women negatively, this magazine does not represent women in a sexualised way and strays away from Laura Mulvey’s theory on the ‘male gaze’ in which this magazine does not appeal to. It works against the mainstream representations of women who are usually used as tools for promotion and greater sales with the over-sexualisation of women. Further proven on page on all other pages where no sexualisation is featured.
Also the word ‘comely’, an old fashioned word means pretty, but is used as a more modest and subtle way to compliment a woman, in a way that doesn’t sexualise them but rather positively represents them.
This magazine follows an active form of Lasswell’s model of communication and supply’s its readers with a magazine every 2 months, so just 6 a year. Also supporting a self confidence and self-esteem almost escapism feature of one’s personal and and social needs following of the Uses and Gratifications theory of Katz, Hass and Gerevitch.
