Friday 12 February 2016
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.
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?
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?
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.
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.
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.
Monday 8 February 2016
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.
- 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.
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?
3) What examples are provided from the two texts of the 'male gaze' (Mulvey)?
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.
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.
Monday 1 February 2016
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.
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.
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.
NDM News
Diversity on television is not just a black and white issue
The fact that men outnumber women two to one on television, that women disappear almost completely after the age of 50, that there are hardly any disabled presenters on air of any age, or that black men are only listened to about the industry’s lack of diversity once they’ve become really famous in America; none of it is all that funny. Actors moaning about racism and women about sexism – none of it is new. After a campaign led by Sir Lenny Henry, the BBC pledged to increase the number of black, Asian and minority ethnic people on air by more than 40% as long ago as June 2014, as well as to almost double the number of senior managers from those groups who work at the corporation by 2020. Women have long made up 50% of the population, but 40% of Londoners are now from an ethnic minority, and other minorities – whether disabled, transgender or just other – are making their voices heard. And where better to get your voice heard than in the media?
The tech industry needs to stop being so dunderheaded about technology for the elderly. For the past decade, the industry has been laser-focused on transforming life and work for one rocketing market segment: 25-year-olds with money. It has routinely avoided, underestimated or remained ignorant about the world's other rocketing market segment: old people and the family members who take care of them.Combine technology such as Hearbuds with GPS and facial recognition technology, and older people could get reminders in their ears about where they are and who they are talking to. Driverless cars should be a giant leap for older people. To stop driving is to give up the freedom to go out to lunch or visit a friend at any time; that limitation ends with driverless cars. You could be 100, nearly blind and have the reflexes of a Galápagos tortoise, but you could whistle for your Google car and tell it to take you to the nearest speakeasy. Put these developments together, and it's possible to make the experience of getting old radically different a decade from now – as different as it is to be young in 2016 compared with being young in the dark ages of 2006, pre-iPhone. Imagine existing as a teenager when all you could do on a phone was text.
Post Colonialism
Post-colonialism: Edward Said blog task
To complete our work on post-colonial theory, work through the following tasks:
1) Summarise the three theorists we have looked at: Alvarado, Fanon and Said.
Alvarado: Black representation in the media is put into 4 categories: exotic, humorous, dangerous, pitied
Fanon: 'Putting on a white mask'
Said: Exotic and dangerous east vs Civilised west, Them and us
2) Watch the opening of Yasmin (2004) again. Does it offer a positive or negative view of British Muslims? To what extent does it reinforce or challenge Edward Said's theory of Orientalism - that the west is superior to the exotic or uncivilised east?
Positive/Negative representation:
Lack of violent behaviour-positive muslim
Asylum seeker-The guy eating peanut butter-uncivilied
Protagonist stopped by the police-Criminal, negative
Religion-community
Reinforce:
White male symbolise superior west, the female symbolises dangerous east
Challenge:
Yasmine is working with the white driver-doesn't present a binary opposition
3) Finally, choose THREE clips for EACH of the theorists and explain how you could apply that theory to the clip. Pick a selection of clips on YouTube from TV, film, music video or advertising and embed them in your blog before writing your analysis under each clip. Note: this means you need NINE clips in total on this blogpost.
Alvarado
Alvarado
The representation of black people in this film would go under Alvarado's theory 'dangerous'. This is because the 4 african men in the film are criminal masterminds that rob banks and hold up trucks transporting millions of dollars. The representation of the African men could be interpreted as positive too. This is because the men are shown to be intellectually superior to the white cops trying to stop them. Furthermore, the lavish houses and the sports cars that the African men own, would go against Alvarado's 'pitied' because they are represented as wealthy and not in poverty and in need.
Alvarado's 'humorous' would be applicable in this excerpt through the parody of what's seen as tough and the expectation of being a rapper. By Kevin Hart showing why he isn't intimidating and doesn't fit the prescription of the tough guy, it goes against 'dangerous' and rather accentuate the humour. By Hart playing on the stereotypes of a tough African male, it enforces the preconception of African representation of 'dangerous' not explicitly but through the imagery Hart paints.
Alvarado's 'pitied' would be applicable in this film because the representation of the African people is shown that they are in poverty, this is done through the manual labour job that they are doing and seen through the rags that they are wearing. Alvarado's 'exotic' would also be applicable because the white people visiting are seen holding cameras, showing that they are documenting life in third world Africa. The representation of 'dangerous' is also seen through the guns and the explosions seen as well as the rebel army seen.
Said
'Them and Us' and 'East vs West' is definitely seen in this trailer. The binary opposition between the east and west is seen on screen as the terrorists vs the heroes. The west is represented as the heroes as they are protecting the civilians by diffusing the bombs planted by the terrorists. The audience can definitely interpret that the east is represented as 'dangerous', as they are trying to detonate bombs causing casualties and destruction.
The representation of the middle eastern protagonists in this film is interesting because they aren't dangerous and intimidating by nature but they are trying to fit in and try to become dangerous. The protagonists trying to be terrorists create humour as it is obvious that they are trying to be someone that they're not. However, the protagonists are represented as 'exotic' through their facial features. But they are also westernised, through their London accents.
Fanon
Will Smith in this film is presented as a father raising a child in poverty. The fact that the film resolves in Will Smith becoming wealthy as a stock broker at the end of the film would enforce Fanon's theory of putting on the white mask. This is because Will Smith is portraying what would be expected from a white man working his way up to success.
Idris Elba, an African British man in this film plays the commander of the special forces team combating the alien trying to consume Earth. By being the commander, a person with authority and power, it could be interpreted that he is 'putting on the white mask'. This is because positions in the work place that hold power and command would generally be with a white person.
By Bolt acting as Richard Branson through sticking on a goatee identical to Branson's, it would be that he's putting on the white mask. However, this could be seen as a parody through the use of humour at the end as well as Blot locking the Richard Branson outside. Fanon's exotic would be applicable here as Bolt is considered a sporting prowess.
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