Intersectionality (Bel Hooks) – Diversity within the online publications
Culture Industries – Risky business (David Hesmondhalgh)
Uses and gratifications- personal/social needs (Katz, bloomer)
Marginalisation
End of Audience (Clay Shirky)
Dispora
Feminist Frequency
Data Harvesting (Zuboff)
The Voice
First published 1982
No investors for a niche audience, context of 1980’s offered McCalla an opportunity. Barclays was being criticised for investments in south africa after segregation was institutionalised. McCalla secured £62,000, by one of MT’s initiatives so unemployed could start their own business’
Countertype to mainstreams negative portrayal of black people
Teen Vogue
Structure:
How media has changed – adaptations (formerly print)
Lara Croft is the dominant signifier on the front cover
Paradigm of signifiers relating to action, adventure and violence
Iconic signs such as a gun, rope, gloves and a backpack create connotations of a more masculine woman which counteracts the stereotype of women and femininity. – the gun also implies the basic stock types of ‘Good guy vs Bad guy’
Use of the colour gold could be a symbolic sign linking towards treasure and wealth whilst also implying theft
The coding engraved into the stone on the back cover could be representing a different language – typically a non-English speaking country This also creates the sense of ‘the other’ without specifically othering a specific country
The age rating is a denotation as it warns customers the game may be inappropriate for ages younger
Language links to Roland Barthes, C.S. Pierce and Ferdinand de Saussure
Representation:
The dominant signifier is a reactionary representation of women as the lack of clothing worn represents the over-sexualisation of women and women in all media platforms. Her features are also exaggerated and accentuated through the use of tightly fitted clothing which creates unrealistic standards and ideologies of women for both genders to look up to. This can increase anxieties around body image and be damaging for young girls growing up. This also teaches girls and women to base their worth off the validation they receive from their body appearance, as both genders will learn that is socially acceptable to objectify women and to compare women to others. Furthermore, this will create and even bigger gender divide as it creates a lack of understanding for other connections other than physical. Camera positioning also contributes to the way in which women are perceived, women within video games are often seen with their features in shot at all angles whilst men are not. The characteristics also vary as women are seen to ‘saunter’ with some sassy walk and men are seen to walk ‘normally’ which shows that even within a video game woman are ‘seductive’. (Feminist frequency videos) However, Tomb Raider also provides a contrasting representation of women as the dominant signifier is female rather than male. Which countertypes to the usual ‘damsel-in-distress’ stereotype of women in video games- or even sometimes they are the ‘trophy’.
Representation links to Laura Mulvey (Male Gaze) and John Berger (Ways of Seeing) + (Feminist critical thinking)
Genre:
Tomb raider’s genre consists of action and adventure. Steve Neale talks about the repetition and differences within genre and weather they follow the typical conventions. Whilst Tomb Raider does follow the typical genre conventions featuring themes of violence however it does challenge the stereotypical male lead by utilising a main character as female, which serves to maintain interest in an evolving genre. The game utilises a third-person perspective which allows the audience to look around the character without her moving.
Narrative:
Perhaps the most poignant action code is the fatal battle between Lara and Larson. In this quick time event, the player takes limited control of the character and follows the on-screen prompts to shoot Larson. Each button press seems more intimate than the last. It’s clear from the softer music and Lara’s facial expressions that she regrets having to kill the henchman.
While these hermeneutic and proairetic codes provide the internal chronology of the narrative, the representation of the hero and villain is the most obvious example of Barthes’ definition of a symbolic code. Of course, Natla is dressed in a black suit – the colour code connoting her evil intent – and Lara is in her blue top. This simple binary opposition is also established by their different hair colour and accents.
When the player takes control of the avatar we are already in the disequilibrium stage. The player must overcome obstacles, puzzle and fight beasts in order to repair the disequilibrium and create a new equilibrium linking to Todorov’s narratology theory.
Audience:
Albert Bandura’s investigations demonstrated a link between young people watching violence on television and then expressing deviant behaviour in real life. The psychologist called this process symbolic modelling “Tomb Raider: Anniversary” is an action-adventure game which rewards violence because the players use their weapons to overcome the obstacles and save the planet. That final conflict with Larson is quite direct and emotional because it is performed as a quick time event where you make a clear and conscious decision to kill the character.
We can also link this to George Gerbner and his cultivation theory and mean world index as Tomb Raider exposes players to a series of violence. Where children may be at risk of perceiving the world as more violent then reality.
Industry:
[The original “Tomb Raider” was the first game developed by Core Design. The independent company was acquired by Eidos Interactive 1996 who helped finance their projects. After further mergers and acquisitions, Eidos Interactive is now a British subsidiary of Square Enix – a Japanese entertainment conglomerate.
This level of consolidation is typical of the concentration of media ownership identified by David Hesmondhalgh who was eager to highlight how the cultural industries were dominated by a very small number of firms. Although this gives the conglomerates incredible power, some critics would also argue this business model enables the creation of increasingly complex and financially risky games. For example, Core Design needed substantial funding to complete “Tomb Raider” or the game would never have left the design board.
It is also worth noting Eidos and Sony worked together to make “Tomb Raider” exclusive to the new PlayStation console rather than developing the game for the Nintendo or Sega platforms. This marketing strategy, which Hesmondhalgh called artificial scarcity, certainly helped the PlayStation brand to dominate the industry.
The computer game industry is one of the largest sectors in the entertainment business. It might be bigger than Holywood, but there are still lots of financial and legal pressures. “Tomb Raider: Anniversary” is a good illustration of the three formatting techniques used by companies to improve their chances of success.
First, it uses the iconography of action-adventure which will appeal to audiences who are already familiar with the genre. Third-person shooters are also incredibly popular with players. Lara Croft has developed into a cultural icon with her own fanbase, so the game can rely on her star power. Finally, franchises are easier to promote because the intellectual property is firmly established and there will an audience eager for the next instalment.
Square Enix reported the game sold 1.3 million copies worldwide, falling short of the return from the previous Tomb Raider games. It’s a risky business.]
Title of the game suggests themes of space and/or science fiction – Pun for ‘meteoroid’
The iconic sign of a gun, like Tomb Raider, also implies violence
The dominant signifier is a girl (Samus Aran); however, this isn’t obvious as on the main cover she is disguised in an over-sized space suit.
Indexical signifiers such as mathematics related coding, numbers and diagrams and shapes, create a myth that displays links to action, suspense and a quest.
The symbolic sign of the white-like highlight that contours the dominant signifier, could symbolise innocence or power and goodness. – connotating to the fact that she is the ‘Good guy’
Language links to Roland Barthes, C.S. Pierce and Ferdinand de Saussure
Representation:
This character counteracts the stereotypical representation, demonstrating a radical presentation of women and video games. The character’s appearance is not revealed until the last part of the game which helps to enhance a sense of freedom from the player as they can imagine/perceive the character to fit themselves. It is also implied the relationship between fictional characters and our factual lives are to do with the influence of media from a young age. Alike Tomb Raider, the dominant signifier is female which is a radical representation of women as it shows women in a more masculine dominated area. It helps to break the stereotype of women being the weaker gender or at least less capable in comparison to men. However, at the end of the game, Samus Aran is revealed wearing a blue body suit, in which, her body is majorly exaggerated and enhanced. Presenting an idealistic and non-realistic body type. This refreshing presentation is snatched away and the game, like so many others, fall into the archaic ways of appealing to the Male Gaze as a sales strategy.
Representation links to Laura Mulvey (Male Gaze) and John Berger (Ways of Seeing) + (Feminist critical thinking)
Genre:
Metroid is a hybrid genre due to its feature of action and adventure, horror and sci-fi. Steve Neale says there’s an ‘interplay of codes’ which refers to all the features connoting to a genre which help to convey attitudes and beliefs on an ideological world. An example in Metroid is ‘If you weren’t afraid of the dark before, you will be.’ which was a tagline used in marketing the game. It is reassuring for the audience to be able to recognise these codes within the game, such as violence, fictional worlds, powers, and parallel universes are all genre conventions of sci-fi and action. However the differences within this game also helps to entice/engage audiences.
Narrative:
The main character, Samus Aran, serves as the stock character of the hero as she goes on a rescue mission to find her missing troops. Here we can see Todorov’s narratology theory containing the structure of equilibrium, disequilibrium, recognition, resolution and new equilibrium. The threat posed by the bad guys is the disequilibrium, she then flies across three planets to collect a light and return it to it’s rightful place which serves as the repair that will create peace and a new equilibrium. The game also shows Levi Strauss’ binary oppositions between the characters. As in order to have Samus Aran as the hero that foreshadows there must be a villan which interweaves with Propp’s stock characters.
Audience:
Scanning through the game, most people would assume the target audience is mainly male because of the stereotypical representations of male and female games and the symbolic link between colours such as blue and pink that are associated with gender. An advert that was used to market the game also only featured two young boys playing the game, this also connotes that the primary target audience is male. Nintendo also called their controller the ‘Game Boy’ which would also suggest a gender bias. However, an industry historical review reported that more females were becoming “video game fans” and that 27 per cent of NES players in 1988 were female. The video game is regulated by PEGI and rated a 12 due to the features of violence.
Although we are exploring a virtual world full of ridiculous signifiers, audiences are still learning values and behaviours from a game which celebrates violence. In the development of his cultivation theory, George Gerbner included cartoon depictions of violence in his research because they resonated with the audience. He says the more someone is exposed to something the more they start to recognise it and believe the world is a far more dangerous place then it really is which links to his second theory of mean world index. Aether is a fictional planet. There was no catastrophic meteor. But the violence in the game feels real to a player immersed in that experience especially as it is played through first person which still creates the same tension and adrenaline as someone living in that experience. Here we can see the links to hyperreality and simulation that connotes to Baudrillard’s theory. Albert Bandura also drew attention to television as a socialising agent. Through a process of symbolic modelling, we copy the behaviour we see on the screen, especially if there is positive reinforcement. “Metroid Prime 2: Echoes” rewards players for their skill, gaining power ups and bonus content to defeat the bosses.
Industry:
As a Nintendo game Metroid is the product of one of a handful of conglomerates which dominate the video games industry, a context which means that the study of the industry raises issues which are central to contemporary media studies: • The structure of Nintendo as a company and its control of production, distribution and circulation • The use of digital platforms to expand the output and reach of the games demonstrates how institutions have responded to the impact of new technology. • Regulation of games through PEGI • Cultural industries including Hesmondhalgh
Social and Cultural contexts:
Metroid is a Japanese, sci-fi, action adventure video game developed by Nintendo. It is one of Nintendo’s most successful franchises with 11 games available across all of the company’s platforms. Metroid is a culturally significant game in the gaming universe due to its mix of style and tone which combines Super Mario Bros style platforming with darker content, but also due to the representation of the central character, Samus Aran. Aran is a bounty hunter whose gender identity has been the subject of controversy and debate, leading some commentators to identify the character as transgender reflecting contemporary social and cultural contexts.
Article:Why Diversity Matters – Links as to why media should include more diversity in their representations. These quotes are referring to the gaming industry.
‘ The industry traditionally projects an image that is young, white, straight and male’
‘Most games feature white protagonists’
‘A scene in Pakistan displays shop signs written in Arabic, even though Pakistani people speak English and Urdu, not Arabic’
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.
Oh! was launched in 2010.
Last magazine was September 2021.
Company went bankrupt due to COVID-19.
Comely means attractive and pretty meaning women are not sexualised, making the magazine unconventional.
The magazine is very simplistic, artistic and has an aesthetic appearance to it.
Men’s Health is what you can become where as Oh! is what you are.
The magazine is very feminine and aimed towards women to start to get to know themselves rather than wanting to be someone else.
Radical representation of women in the media as on the front cover she is not over-sexualised. She is not wearing revealing/tight fitted clothing. Her make-up is light and very natural looking helping to create a humanising picture of a woman. her posture is slumped back and wide as she takes up space in the environment showing her confidence. Her hair is short which is counter typical for the stereotype of femininity. Links to Butler’s theory of gender as performance. She is not the stereotypical representation of women but rather shows some masculine features.
Encountering more diversity. Inclusion of women from different cultures and not shown in the stereotypical way. (poverty/terrorism) She is a campaigner fighting against FGM showing her as a strong independent woman. Capitalisation of the word “Sister” showing emphasis of how she wishes to unite women. Focusing on real world problems instead of common conversational topics such as fashion, cooking, cleaning, and weight gain/loss. Focusing of empowering women rather than gossiping.
Promoting body positivity and acceptance of all bodies. Counter typical to the common passive aggressive remarks which are often made towards women and their body changes. Creating emphasis around this as an inclusive magazine.
Industries:
Owned by Iceberg Press- Iceberg press set up Oh Comely in order to bridge the gap between the more mainstream magazines and the vibrant and innovative content of independent magazines. They are strictly print.
Independent media organisation
Only a few members of staff
The EDITOR, Lisa Skyes, spent further stints at Hearst Magazines UK, working as a deputy editor of coast magazine
Print Language: Her eyeline is directly at the audience, the picture is poised however it still has the quality of being candid. close up shot to draw audience to look at her face. Language used is unconventional for women and words normally associated with masculinity, e.g strong, mischief, revolution. Creating a sense of empowerment – linking with feminism. The Headline is “Oh comely” which is an old fashioned word meaning “attractive” this links into the classiness/elegance of women without sexualising them.
Representation:
Audience:
Social Media Reach: 100,000
Readers Per Issue: 25,000
Average Age of reader: 27
Sold through independents, WHSmith and international outlets
‘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. And every issue will still have beautiful photography and illustration at its heart’.
Female lifestyle magazine through the lens of a ‘strong feminist perspective’. On their instagram page, Oh Comely is described as an “indie mindful living mag with a fresh perspective”
Minimalist and simplistic style through publications.
Language
The adjective ‘comely’ means to be pretty/ attractive.
“admire, follow, and inspire your own reflection”
Diversity through representations of women. Moving away from stereotypes associated with certain ethnicities (Hall) and providing positive representations that are hardly focused on.
“Sister” – David Gauntlett, collective identity (sisterhood)
‘Speaking Out’ article – Follows the same structure for each story it focuses in on, perhaps this could singify the magazines importance on representation of equality and diversity throughout their issues.
Representation
A-typical representation of femininity. Often, women are objectified/ sexualised in print products. Through the anchorage (“power and poise” “hard-won” “strong”), the magazine challenges societal representations of females that present women as weak or passive. Radical representations which challenge mainstream media forms
Front Cover: Mid shot, muted colour palette, connection with nature? Even though she is wearing makeup, this is natural (juxtaposes the typical conventions of a front cover). Even though she is posing for the camera, she is not conforming to the male gaze because the image is not sexualised.
Masthead – Synthetic personalisation through the font which looks like cursive handwriting, implying that this magazine is handmade rather than a overly glossy, perfect production. Oh Comely is a place where many diverse voices are given a platform to share opinions.
Time of writing, during the 4th wave of feminism. This is when women were starting to hold the patriarchy accountable for misogyny and over-sexualised representation of femininity in the media.
Audience
Clearly, through their content, the magazine is trying to connect with a niche, feminist audience. The average demographic was females aged 27.
Perhaps, trying to project to such a narrow demographic, the magazine was not able to generate enough engagement, leading to it’s end.
Psychographics –
Industries
Oh Comely was founded in 2014 following the establishment of ‘Iceberg Press’ (a independent company created by 3 friends who left roles at “big media companies” to pursue a “better way” of creating magazines.
The last issue was produced in September 2021 before the company went out of business.
Each issue £5 each or a subscription (3 issues) for £14.
Iceberg Press produces The Simple Thing and Oh Comely
In an interview, editor Lisa Sykes said that “we (Iceberg press) didn’t like the fact that print dying was becoming a self fulfilling prophecy”
Clearly, Oh! magazine was for the continuation of print production, opposing the development of an “online world”
The CSP Oh Comely has changed its name to Oh. The update on the magazine’s website states: ‘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. And every issue will still have beautiful photography and illustration at its heart’.
This is an in-depth CSP and needs to be studied with reference to all four elements of the Theoretical Framework (Language, Representation, Industries, Audience) and all relevant contexts.
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
Print: Magazine (Independent). Oh Comely is an alternative magazine, aimed at a niche audience. The front pages and extracts from issue 35 must be studied are shown the pages following this information. You will also need to study the magazine in relation to Media Industries and Media Audiences. This means looking beyond the specific edition to consider issues of ownership, production, funding, technologies and regulation (Media Industries) and targeting, marketing, sales and readership, audience interpretation, fulfilment, uses and gratifications ideas and theories (Media Audiences).
Owned by Iceberg Press – an independent media organisation that just has a few members of staff
LISA SYKES, EDITOR Lisa then spent further stints at Hearst Magazines UK, working as Deputy Editor of Coast Magazine,
Sykes recalls. “We didn’t like the fact that print dying was becoming a self fulfilling prophecy”
The world of magazines has never been more vibrant and innovative, but you wouldn’t know it from the average newsstand today. From Iceberg Press website
dominant blue colour to represent the stereotypical male
negative stereotype of men having to be strong (repetition of losing fat)
constructed reality – men should be strong
collective identity = men all striving to lose weight and be strong ‘build a six pack for life’
counter-type – old people being weak – 69 year old man marathon running
blast, demolish, burn = violent language represents attitude to fat
Steve Neal – genre – genres all contain instances of repetition and differences
magazines repeat the same idolisation of the ‘standard’ man and woman
Barthes – all narratives share structural features that each narrative weaves together in different ways
Positive and negative stereotypes
Counter-types
Misrepresentation
Selective representation
Dominant ideology
Constructed reality
Hegemony
Audience positioning
Fluidity of identity
Constructed identity
Negotiated identity
Collective identity
The school of life video ‘how to be a man’ presents the ‘cool’ man and the ‘warm’ man. This links to Gauntlets notion that identity is fluid and negotiated. Aklthough this is not a theory we can see examples of the ‘cool’ man and the ‘warm’ man in Men’s Health.
For instance, on the front cover we can see Vin Deiseal positioned as the ‘cool’ man. I can tell this from his alpha-male stance and face expression. Additionally, you can see the ‘warm’ man represented in the contents page.
Men’s Health (UK edition) has a circulation of around 120,000 (down 16% year-on-year and including 40k free copies) and a readership of closer to 1 million. It began as a health magazine in the USA in 1986 and has gradually evolved into a men’s lifestyle magazine. The UK edition launched in 1995.
Although Men’s Health was founded in the US, its international editions have made it the world’s largest men’s magazine brand. These magazines reach over 71 million readers worldwide.
Hearst owns newspapers, magazines, television channels, and television stations, including the San Francisco Chronicle, the Houston Chronicle, Cosmopolitan and Esquire. It owns 50% of the A&E Networks cable network group and 20% of the sports cable network group ESPN, both in partnership with The Walt Disney Company.[4]
In the 1920s and 1930s, Hearst owned the biggest media conglomerate in the world, which included a number of magazines and newspapers in major cities. Hearst also began acquiring radio stations to complement his papers.[16] Hearst saw financial challenges in the early 1920s, when he was using company funds to build Hearst Castle in San Simeon and support movie production at Cosmopolitan Productions. This eventually led to the merger of the magazine Hearst International with Cosmopolitan in 1925.[17]
genre – Steve Neale – genres all contain instances of repetition
Barthes – all narratives share structural ideas and features
print language
representation
countertype – old people being weak – 69 year old man running a marathon
radical or reactionary, positive and negative stereotypes – of men having to be string and fit and be a certain weight
The school of life how to be a man presents the cool man and the warm man, this links to Gauntletts notion that identity is fluid and negotiated. although this is not a theory we can see examples of the cool man and the warm man in men’s health. For example on page
Positive and negative stereotypes
Counter-types
Misrepresentation
Selective representation
Dominant ideology
Constructed reality
Hegemony
Audience positioning
Fluidity of identity
Constructed identity
Negotiated identity
Collective identity
Hearst believes responsible environmental stewardship is not just an integral part of doing business; it is the core of who we are as a company. Hearst Tower Hearst Tower was the first occupied “green” commercial building in New York City to receive a LEED Gold Rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. In 2012, it earned a Platinum LEED Rating for Existing Buildings — the first building to receive both Gold and Platinum certifications. In 2018, Hearst Tower achieved a second LEED Platinum Rating, becoming the first publicly acknowledged, three-time LEED-certified building in the country. One component of Hearst Tower’s environmentally friendly design is Icefall, a three-story waterfall that commands Hearst’s atrium and lobby, circulating recycled rainwater collected from the roof. The collection of rainwater saves 1.7 million gallons of water annually that would otherwise be runoff waste. In addition, Icefall cools and humidifies the lobby and atrium space, saving additional power.
Hearst RISE (Reinforcing Inclusion, Supporting Equity) is our commitment to our colleagues and our customers. In an inclusive culture, everyone must listen, learn and take action, and through training and education, outreach and recruiting, internships, affinity groups and more, we RISE together. Diversity strengthens innovation, creativity and collaboration; it is essential to our businesses, our content and our partnerships.
At Hearst, we believe in conducting good business, looking after our people and taking care of the communities we serve. From reporting on the frontlines to bringing viewers critical information to keeping pharmacists informed and joining together to volunteer at local organizations in our communities, social good is one of our core values.
Hearst Television is a national multimedia company with operations serving nearly three dozen U.S. cities, reaching one out of every five U.S. households. It delivers local and national news, weather, information, sports and entertainment programming via every available content-delivery platform.
SEMIOTICS Dominant signifier: Vin Diesel – ready made audience, attracts fans reactionary/stereotypical representation of a man: dominant stance, muscles on show, symbolic sign, blue and black font: colour associated with male gender, connotes to manliness, signifies topic of magazine genre anchorage indexical signs, headlines about losing weight, going to the gym, dieting etc…: highlights conventional elements of what it is to be ‘manly’, also provides anchorage as to what is in the magazine, attracting implied audience genre is lifestyle magazine (aimed at men’s lifestyle) – all paradigm of signs which connote to the idea of manliness/masculinity – fulfilling genre expectations according to Neale ( genre is structured around a repertoire of elements, which attracts audience based on their predictable expectations) indexical signs ‘burn’, ‘blast’, ‘demolish’, ‘slay’, ‘wage war’: semantic field of aggression/violence symbolic sign, big bold font: signifies aggression and masculinity
NEALE He argues genre is is a mechanism which attracts audience based on their predictable expectations He suggests that each genre is structured around a repertoire of elements, which fulfil an audiences expectation of a film and creating enjoyment MH is a lifestyle magazine directed at men conventional elements of the genre include: working out tips (28-29), healthy recipes(32-33), tips on grooming (44), etc… these elements attract the target audience – a male audience interested in improving their lifestyle
REPRESENTATION
The School of Life present a video called ‘How to be a Man’ – this presents the ‘cool’ man, and the ‘warm’ man. whilst this is not an academic theory, it is still possible to apply these representations in Men’s health: ‘Meet the men traversing war-torn Israel by bike on an epic three day endurance’ – portrays cool man
GAUNTLETT suggests that identity is not fixed – instead is fluid, constructed, negotiated and/or collective MH different versions of masculinity are presented: – front cover shows stereotypical alpha male – page 6-7 shows stereotypical classy businessman – page 130-131 shows active/athletic/adventurous man – page 101 shows the unconventional older runner by using multiple representations MH can appeal to multiple audiences at once
BUTLER claims that gender is stylised by a series of repetitional acts there are stereotypical acts which make you female – wearing makeup – and stereotypical acts which make you male – playing football – and by repeating these acts on a regular basis you can construct your gender identity MH clearly presents a stereotypical masculine identity through the ideas it represents – front cover depicts stereotypical muscley alpha male who – pg 6 depicts stereotypical hardworking/punctual businessman – pg 128 depicts stereotypical adventurous/risk-taker male this allows the magazine to feel relatable for other stereotypical male readers
GILROY claims that colonialism is still present in media today through lack of representation of ethnic minorities whilst MH doesn’t directly marginalise these minorities, their lack of representation of them highlights a post-colonialist ideology as it implies that the ethnic majority are more worthy and significant there are some representations of the black community etc – eg page 25 however most representations are focused primarily on the white community – eg page 2, 6, 18, therefore creates a misrepresentation which does not embrace other ethnicities
AUDIENCE
LASSWELL hypodermic needle theory/linear model of communication passive consumption receiver simply accepting a message being given to them, rather than engage with it SENDER: Hearst communications/Mens Health MESSAGE: providing men with the tools to improve and control over their physical, mental, and emotional lives MEDIUM: print/online lifestyle magazine RECIEVER: men wanting to improve their lives, women buying for husbands/boyfriends etc… EFFECT: to buy the magazine and make money for Hearst
LAZERFELD two step flow of communication active consumption media messages are filtered through influential opinion leaders who interpret a message first and then relay it back to the mass audiences Vin Diesel acts as the opinion leader, promoting the magazine and the ideas being portrayed – getting healthy, getting fit, improving life – to make people want to buy the magazine and make Hearst money. people are more likely to buy the magazine if someone they look up to promotes it
MCQUAIL AND BLUMLER uses and gratifications active selection recognises the decision making process the audience take, highlighting how they seeking specific uses and gratifications when consuming media audience may want to EDUCATE themselves on how to get fitter/healthier/better their lives audience may want to IDENTIFY with ideas presented top them or seek a new IDENTITY – a healthier identity audience may want to be ENTERTAINED by the magazine through interviews etc
INDUSTRY
started in 1986 by Mark Bricklin largest men’s magazine brand – 35 editions in 59 countries, best selling men’s magazine on US newsstands quarterly magazine 1988 began selling subscriptions consumer magazine – general men’s lifestyle
won both Editor’s Choice and Reader’s Choice for the 2016 Hot List
average circulation per issue: 89,811, 74% from paid subscriptions (dec 2021) Men’s Health magazine had an average monthly reach of around 1.8 million individuals in the United Kingdom from April 2019 to March 2020 between Nov 2021 and Feb 2022: 9M print audience, 16.5M social media followers average reader is male with a media age of 44.7 and an income of over $92,000
result of rise in digital media: circulation high of 228,000 in 2008, dropped to 160,000 in 2016 adapted through introducing online version and social media – 4.5m twitter followers (oct 2022)
Women’s Health was founded in 2005 as a branch of Men’s Health currently has a higher circulation than Men’s Health – 96,350, (dec 2021)
in 2018 – owned by global publishing conglomerate HEARST UK – bases in NYC, ownes newspapers, magazines, TV channels, Tv stations, owns 50% of the A&E Networks cable network group and 20% of the sports cable network group ESPN, both in partnership with The Walt Disney Company Hearst UK brands reach 30% of UK men and 25% of UK women They sell over 4m magazines a month and have 17m UK digital unique users 2016, revenue $10.8B publishes over 20 magazine titles: Cosmo, Elle Hearst describe the brand as a “lifestyle manual for modern men”
HESMONDHALGH claims the ‘cultural industries are a risky business’ – audiences tastes are continuously adapting making predicting their needs very difficult to avoid this risk he claims major cultural organisations create products for different industries in order to maximise chances of commercial success – evident with regards to Hearst as they own multiple companies in multiple sectors – of one fails, they will still have other assets star formatting is another way of reducing risk as it attracts a ready made audience – evident through the use of Vin Diesel on the front cover and a 6 page article about him – fans of diesel will be urged to buy the magazine
CURRAN & SEATON highlights how the media landscape has fallen under the control of a small amount of global media conglomerates and how this type of ownership creates a lack of diversity for audience consumption MH health is owned by global media conglomerate Hearst who owns 20+ magazine titles arguable to maximise profits however creates lack of diversity for audience as all names are owned by the same company, representing the same ideas
CONTEXT
impact of digital media on magazine industry: Print sales fell by 42% from 23.8m to 13.9m between 2010 and 2017. Back in 2000, sales were over 30m – signalling a 55% decline in just 17 years. Advertising in consumer magazines has fallen from £512m in 2010 to £250m in 2017. Google and Facebook now dominate online advertising (they account for 65% of the UK digital ad market). As a result of these changes, many magazines have closed.
In a digital world, print magazines have little appeal. To what extent do you agree with this statement? You should refer to the magazine Men’s Health
ownership of MH – hearst, owns 20+ mag labels
average reader of MH – male, 45, $92,000+
circulation and drop in circulation since digital world – dropped by 68,000 in 2016
drop in circulation in mag industry as a whole – sales fell by 42% between 2010 and 2017
how they combat the drop in demand for print – interactive website and social media, appeals to contemporary audiences
hesmondhalgh – Hearst as they own multiple companies in multiple sectors – of one fails, they will still have other assets, 20+ magazines and owns 50% of A&E Networks
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Neale – genre is used to attract and maintain audience – lifestyle mag working out tips (28-29), healthy recipes(32-33), tips on grooming (44) – fulfilling audiences expectations
links to Blumler’s uses and gratifications – people read the magazine to seek education and identity
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Gilroy postcolonialism – post colonial ideology is still present in modern representations – whilst does not marginalise ethnic minorities there is certainly a lack of them – creates mis represntation
links to halls reception theory -audience will decode messages people of ehtnic majority will have a dominant response where as those in the ehtnic minorty will have an oppositional response possible effecting readership and sales
Oh Comely – Issue 35
LANGAUGE
front cover: indexical signs: ‘Comely’ – attractive but not in a de-humanising way ‘power…poise…hard-won…strong’ – unconventional way to represent women dominant signifier: close up – unconventional way to represent women, less of a focus on her body, humanising rather then dehumanising androgynous/natural looking – rather than heavy makeup and glamourous clothing gazing directly at the reader – sense of power
PG 52, 53 ‘fierce campaign’…’an unstoppable force’…’a Sister of which we can be collectively proud’
NEALE He argues genre is is a mechanism which attracts audience based on their predictable expectations He suggests that each genre is structured around a repertoire of elements, which fulfil an audience’s expectation of a film and creating enjoyment Oh! is a female lifestyle magazine aimed at women, however, is more unconventional; instead of portraying glamour, diet tips, fashion, makeup it focuses on the underrepresented aspects of female identity such as feminism, gender, body positivity, ethnic minorities
REPRESENTATION
HOOKS intersectionality – draws attention to lack of female representation in media and more specifically representation of black women, this could create misrepresentations of the black community or other ethnic minorities, as if they are not worthy of note Oh! does represent the black community on pg56 – Deanna Rodger a Jamaican-Scottish Brit is indexical signs ‘fearless’ and ‘mentor’ portrayed as powerful – radical representation of women
ZOONEN feminist theory – suggests the over sexualised presentation of female’s bodies in media is a core element of western patriarchal culture, this creates a misrepresentation of how women portray themselves as she argues it is the media where people get most ideas about gender Oh! contradicts this theory as the front cover portrays a woman who is presented as more androgenous, wearing subtle, natural makeup, who lacks any element of sexualisation she is also gazing directly as the camera, rather than the camera ‘gazing’ at her she is portrayed as powerful and more than just her body – unconventional way to represent women
GAUNTLETT identity – suggests identity is not fixed and instead is constructed, fluid, negotiated, collective, people make individual decisions about who they are, media heavily affects this Oh! presents many different identities for people to construct, negotiate, collect, adapt: the female Somali activist, the Jamaican-Scottish poet, the plus size body positivity blogger, former refugee, the women in the tech industry,
AUDIENCE
editorial staff listen to suggestions posted online “We have made a lot more of an effort with diversity in the magazine because we have quite a lot of readers in the aftermath of BLM demonstrations raising that with us,” says Sykes. “It’s so important to listen to the recommendations of your readers.” targeted affluent young women who wanted a “stylishly presented” alternative to the cheap aesthetic of mainstream magazines average reader, age 27, female (98%),
HALL reception theory – media producers encode specific messages in product in hopes of audience decoding the message have the intention of the audience absorbing/accepting a specific idea Oh! represents many different people of many different backgrounds and ethnicities Preferred reading – females, the ethnic minorities who are not typically represented in media
MCQUAIL AND BLUMLER uses and gratifications – recognises the decision making process of theory audience, highlighting how they seeking specific uses and gratifications when consuming media audience may seek to EDUCATE themselves on the type of issues portrayed EG – body positivity (55), refugee crisis (56), female right exploitation (53) and how all of these issues are being battled audience may seek to gain or explore personal identity EG – becoming more body confident (55), gender (101-105)
INDUSTRY
women’s lifestyle magazine – a “mindful magazine with a fresh perspective” published by Iceberg press, independent publishing company – ‘Iceberg exists to do things differently’ make two magazines – The Simple Things and Oh Comely – and also sell many other magazines via Pics & Link (online news stand) clever use of its digital resources – eclectic blog on The Simple Things website, newsletter, social media Pics & Ink grew during lockdown by 500 per cent, with 150 magazines, covering everything from coffee to cycling, now on board during lockdown there was a demand for niche magazines £5 in a few newsagents, independent retailers, cafes and museums also a subscription service available – £14 for six months (3 issues) the magazine was impacted by the pandemic and the final issue was published in September 2021
HESMONDHALGH claims the ‘cultural industries are a risky business’ – audiences tastes are continuously adapting making predicting their needs very difficult to avoid this risk he claims major cultural organisations create products for different industries in order to maximise chances of commercial success – evident with regards to Hearst as they own multiple companies in multiple sectors – if one fails, they will still have other assets evident in Oh! as being owned by an independent company who does not own a large portion of media products meant that the magazine went out of business in 2019
CURRAN & SEATON concerns how the media landscape has fallen under the control of a handful of global media conglomerates – creates a lack of diversity contrastingly, Oh! is owned by an independent company which only creates one other magazine meaning the magazine has the space to be as diverse as possible, as in its ideologies/representations etc wont blend in with other magazines
SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXTS
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
Media products often challenge the social and cultural contexts in which they are created. To what extent does an analysis of Oh Comely support this view?
Oh! challenges the social and cultural contexts which it is created in – it is unconventional in its productions process, genre, and representations
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Unconventional magazine in its production – independent company Iceberg Press, contrasting C&S’s belief that the media landscape has fallen under the control of a handful of global media conglomerates, creating a lack of diversity – IP only produce two magazines giving them the aptitude be as diverse and unique as possible
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unconventional of its genre – NEALE – female lifestyle magazine ‘mindful magazine with a fresh perspective, instead of presenting ideas about fashion, diets, unattainable beauty etc it focuses on feminism (53), politics (56), gender(101-105), body positivity (55)
links to MCQ&B – audience may seek to EDUCATE themselves on the type of issues portrayed or audience may seek to gain or explore personal identity
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unconventional in the way it represents female beauty – VAN ZOONEN – front cover portrays the dominant signifier – a woman -who is presented as more androgynous, wearing subtle, natural makeup, who lacks any element of sexualisation she is also gazing directly as the camera, rather than the camera ‘gazing’ at her, she is portrayed as powerful and more than just her body – challenges mainstream beauty ideals
unconventional in the way it represents ethnic minorities – HOOKS – Samali feminist activist (53), described as ‘fierce’ and an ‘unstoppable’ force’, represents a female member of the black community challenges social and cultural expectations of women as emotional and passive, instead she is portrayed as powerful
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links to to Hall – by creating representations of women that are closer to reality audiences can understand themselves more – eg pg101-5 – dominant reading – transgender people may feel empowered by this representation, negotiated reading – people comfortable in their biological gender cannot relate to their experience but can appreciate it
Print Language: The dominant signifier is a celebrity called Vin Diesel. He is looking down towards the viewer – connotating towards feelings of intimidation and superiority/dominance. The symbolic use of the shades of colour blue is stereotypical to the gender of a man creating a reactionary representation of a masculine magazine. The font is blocky and bold in order to come across stronger and more masculine. The semantic field of language used demonstrates what it is to be a man and alludes to strength. E.g. kill, demolish, blast. There is also use of a hashtag to link to social media and perhaps trying to access a younger demographic or to link with the modern digital world, in order to make it more accessible.
Representation: The Magazine print is a reactionary representation of men as it uses stereotypical semiotics that are connotated with masculinity. This connotates to Judith Butler’s theory of how we view gender in a “binary fashion”. She believes that gender is fluid.
Audience: The use of a celebrity is more appealing to the audience- connotating to Laswell’s Two-step flow communication model by influence of opinion leaders. The target audience is men who want to invest on their selves and take care of their body. The audience will also be men who are typically wealthy and have the money to afford luxuries. This is aimed at a range of men 15+.
Industries: Men’s Health was published by Hearst – the worlds largest magazine brand. Started by Mark Bricklin in the US in 1986 focusing on topics such as fitness, nutrition, relationships, travel, technology, fashion and finance. These magazines reach over 71 million readers worldwide. The magazine was criticised due to its focus on fitness which can increase men’s anxieties about their bodies and making them more prone to eating disorders and compulsive over – exercising. In 2004 Men’s Health started putting pictures of celebrities on the front cover with their shirts on. This is due to them promoting an unattainable model of a man. The price is $4.99 per magazine (monthly) or $28 for the year.
Since 2000, Men’s Health has been nominated for 17 National Magazine Awards which are administrated by Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and presented by the American Society of Magazine Editors. Won both Editor’s Choice and Reader’s Choice for the 2016 Hot List
Costs over $200,000 to feature an ad on the front cover. 708 men buy Men’s Health and 365 women buy men’s health.
The British edition of Men’s Health was founded in 1995. In March 2006, one of the UK writers, Dan Rookwood, appeared on the cover having transformed his body shape while working at the magazine.
Links to online website ‘menshealth.co.uk’, encouraging readers to move online to view the magazine- more accessible. Also prevents from going outdated
Reactionary representation of exercise, strength and fitness through links to articles within the magazine on the contents page. This is shown through image signifiers such as pictures of trainers, weights etc. Creating this unrealistic ideal that to be a ‘real’ man you must be physically at top performance. Limited radical representation through the inclusion of men of different ages and races.
Typical male characteristics displayed through linking to an article with a picture featuring spanners, lock and key, cogs – implying men are good at fixing things or building things.
Q+A style interview signposted through bold font for question and different for answers.
Iconic sign of a arrow, clearly marking that he is the topic of the conversation.
Use of alliteration “Marathon Man” making it more memorable, eye catching and easier to digest. Also has similarities with language choice alluding to this sense of a powerful ability e.g “super man”
On pages 10-11 of Men’s Health the car provides escapism and self esteem which applies to Katz’s theory of uses and gratifications and contrasts between the social and personal needs. Also relating to a typically masculine interest/hobby.
The School of Life produced a video called How to be a Man, while this is not an academic theory it nevertheless presents two versions of masculinity; the warm man and the cool man. It is possible to identify these two versions in Men’s Health, thus supporting Gauntlett’s notion of fluid, negotiated, constructed, collective identity.
For example, on the front cover of Men’s Health, Vin Diesel is standing with his posture straight and his eyeline directed down towards the viewer. Here he is demonstrating the cool man which is typically a relaxed and confident version of masculinity.
Exam Prep
Hearst UK’ is a publishing organisation (conglomerate) which publishes 21 magazines in the UK, including; ‘ELLE’, ‘Good Housekeeping’, ‘Women’s Health’ as well as ‘Men’s Health’. It is owned through horizontal integration by ‘Hearst Communications’ (an American mass media company based in New York that is over 130 years old) Women’s Health was founded in 2005 as a branch of Men’s Health. It currently has a higher circulation than Men’s Health – 96,350, (dec 2021)
Started by Mark Bricklin in the US in 1986 focusing on topics such as fitness, nutrition, relationships, travel, technology, fashion and finance.
“More than 21 million readers across social and digital platforms”
‘MH-18’ a spin-off magazine of Men’s Health was produced in August 2000 to try to engage with a teenager demographic. This links to David Hesmondhalgh idea that media companies need to find ways to find new audiences, whilst keeping the loyalty of avid readers as a way of reducing risk.
Social Media: 8.9 M – Facebook, 4.4M – Twitter, 1.7M – Instagram.
Their consumer profile states that 67% of their readers are married, engaged or with a partner. 66% of the readers are college educated. The consumer profile also highlights that 5.3 Million of readers are adventure/ thrill seekers and 11.4 Million aspire to have a healthy lifestyle.
Print sales fell by 42% from 23.8m to 13.9m between 2010 and 2017.
Statistics from Jan-Dec 2021
An average of a 89,811 circulation per issue (how many copies distributed)
