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. Online, social and participatory: Fashion, lifestyle, political and campaigning website and social media sites. The different sites should be studied in detail including the home page of the website and the ‘Culture’ section.
What needs to be studied? Key Questions and Issues
This product relates to the theoretical framework by providing a focus for the study of:
Media Language
How are the codes and conventions of a website used in the product? How are these conventions used to influence meaning?
The website should be analysed in terms of:
• the composition of the images, positioning, layout, typography, language and mode of address
The application of a semiotic approach will aid the analysis of the way in which the website creates a narrative about the world it is constructing – often to do with age, beauty and social and
political issues.
The genre conventions of websites will be studied and the genre approach should also include reference to the content of lifestyle websites.
Narrative in the context of online material can refer to the way that the images and the selection of stories construct a narrative about the world – one which is likely to be ideological.
Media Representations
The choice of this online product provides a wide range of representational issues. These include the representation of the target audience of young women in the United States but also globally.
The focus on representation will build on work done in the analysis of visual images and can also be used to explore target audiences and ideological readings
• Representation of particular groups (age, gender, race), construction of a young female identity.
• Who is constructing the representation and to what purpose? (Stuart Hall)
• The focus on politics, social issues and technology (in addition to fashion and celebrity) suggests a new representation of young women.
• Analysis of the construction and function of stereotypes
• Representation and news values – how do the stories selected construct a particular representation of the world and particular groups and places in it? (‘Rise, Resist. Raise your
Voice’ is the slogan for the website).
Media Industries
Teen Vogue is a commercial media product but could also be seen as fulfilling a public service through its political reporting and social campaigns. The website also demonstrates the way that publishing institutions (in this case Conde Nast) have developed their reach through new technology and convergence.
• Teen Vogue’s web and social media sites show how institutions respond to changes in consumption
• The use of digital platforms to expand the output and reach of the products demonstrates how institutions have responded to the impact of new technology
Media Audiences
The close study product provides an example of a clearly targeted, primary audience through demographics of gender and age which should encourage the study of issues of identity. Related to this would be a discussion of the changing relationship between producers and audiences in
the context of participatory media. (Clay Shirky ‘End of audience’ theories).
• Definitions of mass and minority or specialised audiences.
• Debates around the idea of targeting specialised audiences (by age, gender, lifestyle etc.) and how successful that targeting is.
• Differing interpretations by different groups – those belonging to and outside the primary
audience. (Stuart Hall – reception theory)
• Opportunities for audience interactivity and creativity.
Social, political, cultural and economic contexts
Teen Vogue is culturally significant in its marrying of the political with fashion and lifestyle to target a young female audience more traditionally seen as interested in more superficial issues. Its explicit feminist stance and reporting on the Trump presidency has made it a relatively radical voice in the context of mainstream US media. The social and economic contexts can be addressed in terms of how the product has been received and how it has succeeded when other
magazines (online) are struggling to maintain audiences.
Ownership
Published by Condé Nast (Owns Vogue, The New Yorker, Architectural Digest), & Advance Publications. Vogue also sells mid-high end clothes.
Target Audience
Obviously primarily teens, but 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. Teen vogue uses means specific to their audience such as popular opinion leaders (Two Step Flow) to engage their readers.
The CSP Teen Vogue, although it is clearly aimed at teens they do cater to a rather large demographic. Over the years their readers have broadened. quote from ABC News
“When Teen Vogue started out, Teen Vogue was an aspirational fashion magazine for fashion lovers. You know it was the little sister to Vogue. And over the years we’ve realized that our mission was really to become more focused on making this an inclusive community, that speaks to every kind of young person,” Elaine Welteroth, Teen Vogue’s 31-year-old editor-in-chief, told ABC News’ “Nightline.”
The digital magazine, now primarily online, is filling more of its page with stories that appeal to its socially conscious audiences on topics including: immigration, race, wellness and politics.
You can see that they cater to a large demographic through their articles: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/teens-angola-prison-louisiana – (formal article.) In a article I found in the Politics section of the website, formal language was used as was discussing what older viewers may find as a serious matter. The article from January 20th title reads: Teens Are Being Sent to Louisiana’s Angola Prison and Held on Its Former Death Row by Yasmin Cader. This Teen Vogue writer has written this article with formal language to convey the importance of the contents of the article. It is in this place of despair — this site of racial oppression, punishment, and brutality — that Louisiana is now detaining children, most of whom are Black. This quote from the article suggests the writer is using this language to produce an ideology of what shocking actions are taking place.
On the contrary, another article I have found an article in the style section titled 41 Best Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas That’ll Spoil Your BFF from January 9th by Shauna Beni and Bianca Nieves. This article includes language that a reader may decide to be informal. “#showertok, besties, goodies”
