Section A LR

Q1.

In product one,the video is overall edited very quickly. By condensing the video, it would definitely show that it is catered for this generation. Commonly, if a video is too long, audiences lose focus and skip to watch another video. This therefore shows, by keeping the video short, it can maintain the already short attention span of today's generation. Furthering this, the shortness of the video makes it much more shareable. Moreover, in the introduction of the clip, the voice over effects used make it sound robotic. Coupled with the monotonous tone, the voice over futuristic element, the prominence of new and digital media in this day and age. The bold typography creates a a very playful and light-hearted feel to the video, and would also attract a much more youth based demographic. The iconic pictures coupled with the text makes the video very informative, but also adds a visual representation of what is communicated through the voice over. By this visual aid, it presents the modern generation to be 'dumbing down'. The pictures also make it very easy for the audience to relate it to campaigners and a political movement through the choice of image portraying the applicability of Medhurts' 'Shorthand'. 

On the other hand, product two is much more inclined to traditional media, as it constructed in a typical broadcast form. From the outset of the bulletin, the audience is exposed to the binary opposition between the protesters and police. However, we are positioned to associate the police as villains and the protesters, the 'princess' that need saving' (Propp). This is because we are given the first hand thoughts through the interview of fellow protesters. In on instance, a protester said that they are "fighting for basic freedoms", and another said "this is all we have". This primary information expresses the disequilibrium, thus making it more news worthy through the news value, 'negativity (Galtung and Ruge). Furthering this, when we saw the two sides fighting, Sky utelised a birds eye view shot. This can be interpreted it is from God's perspective, hence connoting a sense of unbiased, which links to the ofcom standard Sky have to adhere to. 

Q2

Youtube and other social media platforms could well be perceived a medium in which audience's ideologies and cultural understanding could be shaped and even altered. This is as, opinion leaders carry dominance on sites such as Twitter and Instagram, and set the agenda on what is and what isn't trendy. This view of point would support the two step flow model, but then also portray how the online community is structured wherein the minority serve the majority (Pareto's Law). Also, in contrast, it is also credible to argue that the fact that audiences are in control of setting their own agenda in how they represent themselves online. It is arguable that the audience can "accept, reject or challenge" what is presented to them online. Similarly to this, audience can choose what theey want and don't want to publish onlince, and in some instances, people have been misleading people into believing that they're someone they are not. An example of this would be MTV's programme, 'Catfish'. This is where Nev and Karruche Tran uncover the mysteries of who the 'contestant/guest' is talking to and ulitmately identify who the online live interest really is. This programme highlights the lack of credibility of the accuracy of the truth of how people represent themselves online. 

Social media has also broken the boundaries of coutries and boarders in sense that the world is connected on this platform. (Global villiage, Mcluhen) This therefore makes room for cultural imperialism. This is where cultures interchange and other cultures take crtain aspects of their culture. A prime example of this is seen with the now growing popularity of well established American urban brands in the UK. Brands such as Bape and Supreme would embody the 'Americanisation' of this generation. 

Section B

New and digital media offers media institutions different ways of reaching audiences.
Consider how and why media institutions are using these techniques. (48 Marks)

As technology and new and digital media advances, both the news and music industry have been forced to adapt to the changes from traditional means of distribution to digital. Both industries have employed various new methods utilising digital media to survive and remain relevant. Some would argue that new and digital media has opened an avenue wherein the audience and the institution carry a symbiotic relationship. Utilising the digital sphere offers both positives and negatives to both industries.

Firstly, it is evident in the changes that institutions are forced by new and digital media to discover different ways of reaching their audience. In recent years, news audiences have witnessed the decline of the newspapers. This especially evident as we have institutions like 'The Independent' cease their printing of newspapers and function solely as an online website. This is a prime example of the paradigm shift from traditional media, to digital media. Furthering this, many other institutions have been affected, consequently suffering. The Daily Mirror's sales fell 7.7%, Daily Mail down 7.4% and the Sun fell 9.4%. These statistics provided from June 2015, definitely illustrate the decline in the newspaper. However, it isn't just the news industry affected by ever changing means of distribution. The music industry has also seen and experienced a decline in CD sales and download. The Wall Street Journal has stated published that CD sales from 2009 to 2014, have decreased a massive 40 million sales. Furthering this, Universal Music Group's downloads figure dropped a 13% in 2015. This portrays how both the music and news industry have been forced to venture in finding a new method in distributing their content to an audience.

Interestingly, the music industry has been able to utilise the advances in technology and provide music streaming services. Applications such as Spotify, Tidal and the recent Apple Music has made the access of music easier than ever, and has also been proven to be very popular amongst consumers. In 2015, Universal Music Group published that they had made the biggest revenue in the past decade, grossing $5.6 billion. They saw a significant growth in subscription and streaming. With their streaming income going up 56%. This shows how the music industry have taken a turn away from the traditional methods of selling CD's and downloads. With the benefits of streaming, listening to music has become much more accessible for consumers which would link to the changed mind-set of consumers wanting the latest immediately, and streaming services provide this expectation.

Also, news industries have also began to employ different ways of reaching audiences. A new method used for generating revenue in recent years is paywall. This is where consumers pay subscription to access the online content. An article written by director and former journalist, David Simon, called 'Build the Wall' accentuates the importance of placing monetary value on the news we receive, and challenges the view of news being a commodity that is free. He explains that if this expectation of news being free continues, the quality of news that we receive would deteriorate, hence highlighting the importance of the paywall. Also, with the availability of new technology, the access of news has become much easier for consumers. With technological convergence, provided with the use of apps and smartphones, consumers are able to access content for numerous institutions. Previously, to do this, consumers needed to buy several newspapers, but now with the advances in technology, consumers can access different institution's content all from their smartphone.     

Moreover, with the ever increasing popularity in social media, news institutions have now began to utilise this platform to reach audiences. In recent years, social media site Twitter has been utilised by institutions to publish headlines and bring exposure to their content. Consequently, the phrase 'News on the Tweet' has been coined. With this new method utilised by news institutions, it has driven traffic to their sites, hence providing them a healthier revenue. Also, with the use of social media, it portrays how institutions are able to increase their audience demographic to the youths. As the popularity of social media amongst youngsters is ever increasing, it shows how news is becoming more available and accessible for the youth of today. Interestingly, news brands online are reliant on their previous successes, as gaining a verified account makes their posts online much more credible and trustworthy. This portrays how the traditional model institutions had has helped them in gaining credibility and shouldn't be overlooked and undermined.

In addition, the new way news institutions reaching consumers has allowed more room for them to become more active in the way they respond to news. Audience are able to comment and express their personal views on particular news stories with the aid of technology. A significant example of this is the 'I cant breathe' phenomena which arose in response to the Eric Garner case. When the footage of what happened to Garner was made public, users took to Twitter to express their grief. This therefore assisted the '#blacklivesmatter' movement previously founded in 2013.  

     

SEC A

Q1. An interesting way in which Channel 4 utelises narrative techniques in 'Educating Yorkshire' is through the structure of the narrative. In the beginning, we see our protagonist suffer from a speech impediment, but then develop into being capable in delivering a speech to his fellow peers. This would demonstrate Todorov's narrative theory of 'Equilibrium'. This would attract the attention of audiences because it presents how the Channel 4 series portrays the development of students in school. This would be a unique selling point because it informs audiences with the standard of the education system and the ethos of the teachers. Additionally, another way in which audiences are attracted is through the editing. By Channel 4 using cut a away shots of multiple students crying, it positions the audience in a sphere where they are most likely to respond emotionally. This would interest the audience as people do enjoy heart warming programmes.     

Likewise, in 'Waterloo Road' BBC 1 employ narrative techniques, namely Barthes' 'Enigma code' to attract audiences. When the character 'Gabby' arrives at school in her parents' car, there is a change in the music portraying a change in mood. Also, when she comes out the car, there is a use of a tilt movement in the camera, hence making her appearance being revealed much more dramatic. These contributing devices all create an enigma code which would attract an audience as they would be intrigued to see how the plot would resolve. 

Q2 Firstly, in Educating Yorkshire, Channel 4 presents school life as a positive experience, where teacher support the need of the student. This is specifically when the teacher aids our protagonists stammer. Thus implying that the school environment is nurturing. This positive representation would demonstrate Perkin's 'positive stereotypes. As it is commonly believes that the school is the place where the teachers cater to the needs of the students, by Channel 4 constructing the representation in the documentary to be parallel with the stereotypical vie it demonstrates Perkins stereotypes are also positive. As the student was an ethnic minority specifically from the East and the teacher helping him wa white and from the west, it portrays Said's 'Orientalism; that the West help educate the East to become un-civilised. This would therefore present the school not to be discriminating. 

In contrast, BBC 1's 'Waterloo Road' doesn't represent school life in quite the same light of positivity. Through the segregation of the groups in school, it presents how there is a binary opposition between the popular and the non-popular. Also, through the manner in which the students wear their uniform, it prestos how the students are trying to set their own agenda with the school rules. This therefore presents how school life is full of students trying to change the rules and in some instances, break them. 

MEST3 mock exam - Learner Response

1) Type up your feedback in full (you do not need to write mark/grade if you do not wish to).

Section A 14/32
-More focus to the question
-Other side of the argument 

Section B 33/48 
-Some great points + examples, and you generally stay very well focused on the question
-You could take some debates further
-Need more Marxism/Pluralism
-Need independent case study

2) Read through the mark scheme. Pay particular attention to page 9 that has suggested content for each of the questions in Section A. How many of these potential points did you make? Did you successfully answer the questions?

Q1.
• Fast editing
• Direct address of the “Who are you?” questioning
• Use of text on screen to provide a very contemporary scene
• One text creates the desire to own a product, while the other encourages self-realisation

Q2 
• Identification with celebrity
• Creation of personal spectacle
• Pros and cons of social networks
• Increased opportunity for members of the public to control their own representations

Q3
• Illusion of empowerment
• Cross media promotion
• Direct audience feedback


3) Now look at page 15 of the mark scheme. How many of the broad areas suggested by AQA did you cover in your Section B essay? Did you successfully answer the question?

• Exemplification via case study
• Globalisation and media manipulation
• Agenda setting via production


4) Read the Examiner's Report in full. For each question, would you classify your response as one of the stronger answers or one of the weaker answers the Chief Examiner discusses? Why? What could you do differently next time? Write a reflection for EACH question in the paper.

Q1. Weaker 'simple points of analysis, in some cases being limited to brief references to one or two media language examples, such as the use of a particular camera shot or soundtrack.

Next time I will use theoretical and conceptual frameworks to reveal detailed knowledge and show understanding of how media products are constructed and what impact they are likely to have upon an audience.

Q2. Weaker, next time I need to talk about the effect on the audiences and include the wording in the question.

Stronger responses revealed a very real awareness of how individuals are increasingly able to reveal their identity in ways that were unavailable even a decade ago.
Higher level responses showed some excellent critical autonomy in debating whether technological developments, while enabling individuals to express themselves more fully.

Q3 I should talk about my examples in greater detail and depth. Show a broad knowledge of media theory. The highest performing students showed some excellent critical autonomy in debating whether technological developments, while enabling individuals to express themselves more fully. Talk about both sides of the argument. 



5) Choose your weakest question in Section A and re-write an answer in full based on the suggested content from the Examiner's Report. This answer needs to be comprehensive and meet the criteria for Level 4 of the mark scheme. This will be somewhere between 3-6 well-developed paragraphs (depending on the number of marks).

Q2 In what ways are issues of personal identity presented in the media?

Firstly, with terrorism being prevalent in this day and age, Muslims are now generally categorised as terrorists. The view point of society would mirror Edward Said's 'Orientalism', that the East is uncivilised and the West is civilised. Last year, The Guardian released footage of an English woman screaming abuse at a group of Muslim women on public transport. This women's abusive behaviour would accentuate this view on the Muslim community as terrorists and asylum seekers. This shows how the media has created an unfair generalisation towards this specific group of people therefore presenting the issues of personal identity in the media. 

Similarly, the unfair representation of a specific group could further be seen in the representation of youth in the 2011 London riots. During the heat of the riots, the youth of London were immediately labelled, 'Morons', 'dangerous' and 'mindless'. Interestingly, the creators of these labels were the people in power and those is authority. This would be parallel with Bathe's stereotyping, that those in power stereotype the less powerful. The demonisation of the youth would be considered unfair because the reasoning - that the youth had for rioting, wasn't mentioned. This shows the issue of how the media unfairly generalises a group of people thus highlighting the issues of personal identity in the media. This would also portray how the identities that are presented in the media could be untrue and should not always be trusted.  

NDM News

Why we use adblockers: 'We need to have more control over what we're exposed to'

‘Familiarity breeds contempt’ - Lorrie Beauchamp (58), writer, Montreal, Canada

 Lorrie Beauchamp

I worked in the advertising world for 30 years. It’s an industry that profits from mindless consuming but, if they don’t change their tune and their business model, the industry will perish. Consumers are getting smarter, and the “tricks” used to influence us are becoming increasingly obvious.

‘Ads should be designed around the user’ - Courtney Allen (28), digital communications, London

‘For every free item a company gives away, someone somewhere is being robbed to pay for it’ - Ben Lloyd (37), copywriter, Essex, UK

‘Companies need to start vetting those who want to advertise and start respecting the customer’ - Sam Fleming (27), Educator, Manchester

‘I told Facebook I’m 106, and now only get ads for bingo and late life love’ - Kate (45), freelance writer, Yorkshire

‘I imagine a return to a more traditional system in a new format’ - Sadie (25), student, Sydney, Australia

‘The consumer needs to have control over the type of adverts they are exposed to while browsing’ Louise (23), Horsham, UK

The trouble with getting the BBC to be less popular

It will be a fight to get rid of the BBC. Of the nearly 200,000 people who responded to a government consultation also published last week, 81% said the BBC was serving its audience “well or very well”. People still like it, they still consume its services more than any other broadcaster’s and so, crucially, they would miss it. This report is in favour of reducing its audience — but, according to Mark Oliver, one of the study’s authors, “would still leave BBC reach at a level that would be sufficient to maintain support for the licence”.

NDM News

Ireland's fascinating election gets too little UK media coverage

There is a general election in Ireland tomorrow, although it is very doubtful that many people in Britain know that. UK newspaper coverage has not so much been muted as virtually non-existent. Yet, in so many ways, it is a fascinating election that could well have a far-reaching impact in Britain. The polls suggest that no party will obtain a sufficient majority to govern alone. There is nothing new in that after a succession of coalition governments. The researcher asked if I would talk about how the election result would be regarded here. The answer is clear: no impact of any kind.

Mexican journalist and media owner stabbed to death

Mexican journalist Moisés Dagdug Lutzow, media company owner and former politician, was stabbed to death in his home on Saturday (20 February). Dagdug had previously received threats, said colleagues, who also pointed out that he had been critical on his radio show of the Tabasco state government and its governor, Arturo Nuñez Jimenez.

“This means vigorously investigating Moisés Dagdug Lutzow’s murder and considering all possible motives, including that he might have been killed in reprisal for his work.” Two weeks ago, the body of Mexican journalist Anabel Flores Salazar was found on a highway in Puebla the day after she had been abducted from her home in the neighbouring the state of Veracruz.

Case study research tasks

The basics

Your chosen industry: Music Industry  

Your chosen case study (i.e. text/institution etc.): 

Have you received approval for this case study from your teacher? Yes/No

http://www.youredm.com/2016/02/24/universal-music-group-sees-its-highest-revenue-in-a-decade/ 

MEST3 NDM/Identity: updated indexes

1) Reading the riots

2) Post-colonialism: Destiny Ekaragwa film analysis

3) Post-colonialism: theory and clip task

4) Feminism: post-feminism article and No More Page 3 research
5) Feminism: Feminist theory and Beyonce video analysis

6) Feminism: waves and feminism and online activism
7) Identity and Film - Media Factsheet task

8) Collective identity and the media

Collective identity

Collective identity: blog task

Read the Media Magazine article on collective identity: Self-image and the Media (MM41 - page 6). Our Media Magazine archive is here.

Complete the following tasks on your blog:

1) Read the article and summarise each section in one sentence, starting with the section 'Who are you?' 

-We are all involved in constructing an image to communicate our identity.

thinking. 
-Consumer goods were about creating and then satisfying desires; and advertising informed people about what they could, and indeed, should want.
-Advertisers sell the personality rather than the product, so that people will choose products that match their own self-image.

2) List five brands you are happy to be associated with and explain how they reflect your sense of identity.

Nike- Nike would reflect my identity because I enjoy living an active lifestyle. I also, like the creativity and timelessness that is associated with Nike. 

Apple- Apple would reflect my identity through it's innovative and creative brand values. 

Fender-Being a musician, the Fender brand has evolved to being amongst the most prestigious brands in instruments. Fender offer a sense of reliability and creativity which I'd be happy to be associated with. 

BMW- BMW's brand would represent reliability and class. As well as these things, the brand would also connote innovation and luxury.
River Island- River Islands brand is all about iconic casual wear. Trendy and sophisticated apparel for a reasonably affordable price. 

3) Do you agree with the view that modern media is all about 'style over substance'? What does this expression mean?

 This expression would imply that ones aesthetic hold more authority and prominence than intellect and personality. I would whole heartedly believe in this expression. In today's pop culture, especially the music industry, through the developments in digital audio workstations artists can easily get away with auto tune when in the recording studio. This shows how singers can get away with a mediocre voice and substandard creativity, but be signed to a label because they look the part.  

4) Explain Baudrillard's theory of 'media saturation' in one paragraph. You may need to research it online to find out more.

5) Is your presence on social media an accurate reflection of who you are? Have you ever added or removed a picture from a social media site purely because of what it says about the type of person you are?

Your presence on social media is an accurate representation to an extent. However, it is easy for people to alter their personas online and construct the most ideal version of themselves. But then again, representation of yourself online would, for the most part, be based on truth. Personally, I haven't done that however I see why people do that. I think the reasoning behind people removing pictures, as it contributes to my argument that people are constructing the most ideal version of themselves, removing pictures that may shed light on their flaws and choosing which photos they would want to represent themselves. 

6) What is your opinion on 'data mining'? Are you happy for companies to sell you products based on your social media presence and online search terms? Is this an invasion of privacy?

For me personally, I don't have a problem with it. In fact, it helps me become more aware with whats trendy, as well as new releases. It could even be seen as a help because, the products advertised would be tailored to your interests and hobbies. I don't think that it's an invasion of privacy. 

Identities and Film: blog task

1) Read Media Factsheet 142: Identity and Film.

2) Complete the Twenty Statements Test yourself. This means answering the question ‘Who am I?’ 20 times with 20 different answers. What do they say about your identity? Write the 20 answers in full on your blog.

I am:

A musician  

A Christian 

A Filipino 

A student

A man

A gamer

A member of a band

An optimistic person 

A guy who wears skinny jeans

A Chelsea fan

Aspiring to go to university this year 

A lover of chocolate 

An older brother 

An introvert 

Attracted to girls with intellect 
Studying Media A level 
Aspiring to one day travel the whole world 
A creative individual 
A big dreamer

Addicted to Nandos 

3) Classify your answers into the categories listed  on the Factsheet: Social groups, ideological beliefs, interests etc.

4) Go back to your favourite film (as identified in the lesson). What does this choice of film say about your identity? Are there any identities within the film (e.g. certain characters) that particularly resonated with your values and beliefs?

My favourite film was 'Batman Begins'. The character of Bruce Wayne particularly resonated as he  nonchalant amongst times of conflict and complication. This would represent me, as I'd say it would take the weight of the world to get me to worry and anxious, I like to be positive and optimistic.  

5) Watch the trailers for the five films highlighted as examples of gay/lesbian representation in mainstream film. How are LGBT identities constructed in the trailers and how are audiences encouraged to respond to these representations?

NDM News

Let a woman join the Top Gear team? Not so fast, ladies

Don’t women drive and didn’t Top Gear famously have a high number of female viewers? What happened to a possible brave, newly emancipated dawn? When the gear sticks were crunched, was it considered just too much of a brand risk? The secondary sexual characteristics of the main presenters, for instance – don’t change those! You’ve got to hand it to the former Top Gear team, because this is what they proved seemingly beyond marketing doubt – undiluted masculinity sells, whoever happens to be watching.

BBC websites dominate the market in online news views

A survey reveals that the top 10 biggest media publishers are responsible for nearly two-thirds of the news consumed by British people online. An analysis, based on the desktop and mobile page views in the UK in 2015, shows that they generated 65.1% of the traffic share compared to the next 140 biggest publishers. And the study, conducted by the digital market intelligence company, SimilarWeb, found that the BBC dominated digital news last year by generating a 30% market share. In third place was DMG Media, whose sites include Mail Online, generated a 6.6% market share (4.1bn page views). Fourth was Trinity Mirror, which has 31 news sites, and in fifth place was theguardian.com. The rest of the top 10 were the Telegraph, Sky, Polish publisher Wirtualna Polska’s wp.pl, another Polish site, onet.pl, which is published by Germany’s Axel Springer, and the aggregator NewsNow.

Identities: Feminism and new/digital media

A silent feminist Twitter protest gets mixed support

What was the initial incident or situation that sparked this example?
In protest of women's inability to speak out on Twitter without incurring some form of abuse. However, it seems many Twitter users, are skeptical that a day of silence is the appropriate response to bullying. Other women have responded on Twitter with more pro-active tags: #shoutback,#inspiringwomen, and #nosilence. 

Ched Evans: Who is 'Jean Hatchet' leading petitions against his return to football?

What was the initial incident or situation that sparked this example?

Ched Evans, the footballer convicted of rape, has faced criticism from fans and women's groups alike over his potential return to the sport. Ched Evans is a convicted rapist," she writes. "He does not deserve to return to a high profile and highly visible role in football whilst he still refuses to acknowledge his guilt, apologise to his victim and attempt to make clear his views to the fans who look up to him that what he did was wrong and they should not traumatise her or other rape victims.

NDM News

How Facebook changed our friendships

Maybe in some senses this is the new face of friendship. I would like to send more physical letters. I would like to do the emotional work required to stay involved with my “real” friends. But Facebook makes it so easy to keep in touch with and to have brief but genuinely meaningful contact with the people I care about that for once, no one gets forgotten, and the list of people who actively matter in my life just gets longer and longer.

Five facts that show how the advertising industry fails women

• Females make 85% of all purchasing decisions, yet are woefully underrepresented in creative jobs in advertising
• 88% of young female creatives say they lack role models

• 70% of young female creatives says they have never worked with a female creative director or executive creative director

•  70% of young female creatives are working in a 75% male-dominated department

• 60% of young females say they believe advertising is a career that doesn’t support young families

• 10% of young male creative are working in an all-male department

No More Page 3

1) Research the No More Page 3 campaign. Who started it and why?

2) What are the six reasons the campaign gives for why Page 3 has to go?

3) Read this debate in the Guardian regarding whether the campaign should be dropped. What are Barbara Ellen and Susan Boniface's contrasting opinions in the debate?

Barbara Ellen:
The problem with the No More Page 3 campaign is it began at a point where society was evolving. To carry on the campaign now will just mean that Page 3 carries on, if only infrequently. And there, arguably, a lot of other far more serious, demeaning or damaging things in the world that women don’t consent to we could be campaigning about.

Susan Boniface:
t’s bizarre to defend it on the basis that there are “worse things” – there’s no sliding scale for institutionalised sexism. Nor does it matter that, compared to other pornography, the photos are “tame” or “lame” – women’s bodies are neither lame nor tame.

4) How can the No More Page 3 campaign be linked to the idea of post-feminism?

The No More Page 3 campaign would be linked to the idea of post-feminism because it is a step in which women are being empowered as they are no longer being sexualised in the paper. However, this empowerment is short-lived due to the fact those images would be accessible online. 

5) What are your OWN views on the No More Page 3 campaign. Do you agree with the campaign's aims? Should the campaign continue?

I think that the eradication of Page 3 would be a positive thing in society as it would alter the perspectives of women published in newspapers. When Page 3 comes in topic of conversation, the immediate thought would be nude women. By this being removed, it would face post-feminism in the right direction. The campaign should continue and the reason for there being more important issues isn't a good enough reason to abandon the campaign. The fact is, there will always be inequalities and problems, but we should create solutions and fix problems arising one at a time, no matter how big or small. 

6) Do you agree that we are in a post-feminist state or is there still a need for feminism?

There is definitely a need for feminism. We live amongst a culture where audiences are desensitised from the objectification of women. The representation of women in music videos alone show how women are seen as a trophy or a sex object. 

Media Magazine: Feminism

1) Read Playing With The Past: Post-feminism and the Media (MM40, page 64 - our Media Magazine archive is here).

2) What are the two texts the article focuses on?

• Pan Am 
• Beyonce-Why Dont you love me?

3) What examples are provided from the two texts of the 'male gaze' (Mulvey)?

Beyonce's star construction perfectly encapsulates the contradictions of post-feminist culture, simultaneously declaring herself as an independent woman, whilst objectifying herself for the camera and the ‘male gaze’. Dress codes are highly sexualised, e.g. high waisted knickers which not only allow audiences, mainly men to appreciate or gaze at Beyonce's 'credentials' but also the vintage fashion on offer. 

 The drama Pam Am does has it's characters objectify themselves by using their looks and outfits to overpower the men in the series. Whilst the show was aware of the struggles of women in the 1960's, it glosses over it and still upholds the mainstream views of women that oppress and restrict them to their bodies being used for the male gaze. 

4) Do texts such as these show there is no longer a need for feminism or are they simply sexism in a different form?

I think that there is still a need for feminist groups because of the representation of women in these texts. These texts present how in this day and age, women are still being objectified in the media through the flaunting of their bodies as well as their sex appeal. Furthermore, I think that this illusion that women empower themselves through embracing their sexuality and therefore portraying it openly like in this case Beyonce, would not help the mind sets of audiences. In fact, it would desensitise the objectification of women, and could be interpret as a cultural norm.  

5) Choose three words/phrases from the glossary of the article and write their definitions on your blog.

Feminism – A movement aimed at defining,establishing, and defending women’s rights and equality to men. 

Third wave feminism – Was a movement that redefined and encouraged women to be dominant and sexually assertive.

Post-feminism – An ideology in culture and society that society is somehow past needing feminism and that the attitudes and arguments of feminism are no longer needed. 

Beyonce-Why don't you love me

1) How might this video contribute to Butler’s idea that gender roles are a ‘performance’?

Gender roles as a performance would be seen in Beyonce satirising traditional female roles. For example, her burning the cooking, and her sweeping and dusting the house. Moreover, Beyonce takes up this 'femme fatale' persona seen when she is smoking the cigarette and drinking liquor. This portrays how women are able to create a more masculine image. This contributes to Butler's theory as it shows how gender isn't down to biology but an ideal constructed by society.

2) Would McRobbie view Beyonce as an empowering role model for women?

McRobbie could view Beyonce as an empowering model for women. This is down to her success as a female artist in the music industry. But not only her success, but her ability to remain relevant, and constant in releasing music that is creative and memorable. Furthermore, Beyonce's confidence in wearing such outfits would definitely show how she's an empowering model for women as she is shown to embrace her femininity.  

3) What are your OWN views on this debate – does Beyonce empower women or reinforce the traditional ‘male gaze’ (Mulvey)?

Using Beyonce as an example is difficult because she could fit on both sides of the argument. On one side yes, she reinforces the male gaze through the clothes she wears and the choreography on her shows and music videos. However, she is empowering because she is a woman with unbelievable talent. She could even be seen as an inspiration because she made a good life for her and her family even when she wasn't born into big money. 

NDM News

Twitter tackles the free speech conundrum

When Twitter last week removed the blue tick of a writer (Breitbart contributor Milo Yiannopoulos) for breaching its newly created guidelines for speech and conduct on the platform, it pointed the way to a different future for social speech. Anything no longer goes. Protection of and respect for dissent and free speech is one of the key tenets of democracy. It is an important balancing of rights and responsibilities which deserves searching and lengthy debate, even on Twitter. 



By Twitter becoming stricter in its guidelines to tackle hostile and offensive behaviour, it in turn has sparked debate whether users are still able to utilise their freedom of speech or if Twitter has become too strict. Graphic video's will also begin to get censored for example the corps of the child on the beach and the IS executions. However, the distinguishing line is still very vague and unclear.  

Daily Mail takes full control of Australian  

The Daily Mail has ended its joint venture with Nine Entertainment and taken full control of its Australian news and entertainment website.e two companies, which described the decision as mutual, announced the joint venture in 2013 with the newsroom opening in Sydney on 1 January 2014. Martin Clarke, the chief executive of the Mail Online’s global operation, said the fast-changing digital market meant 100% ownership was the best model. The Daily Mail Australia has approximately 2 million monthly readers and has operations in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Taking full control of the Australian business brings it in line with the Daily Mail’s US and UK digital operations, which are wholly owned by DMGT.

By the Daily Mail accumulating this Australian site, it would present Pareto's Law that the minority of producers serve the majority of consumers. Moreover, it would present Marxism as the big companies get bigger and dont allow small business to grow.