Advanced media session 1: an argument for every situation

An argument is different to making a point. You are essentially telling the examiner (and anyone else who's listening) that you are right, you are completely right, and this is why, with evidence.

So media studies is very different to other subjects, as you are not presenting a 'balanced' point of view (which is pointless and stupid because you just expected to parrot information without ever coming to any conclusion or showing any applied knowledge, but never mind). Presenting an argument shows that not only do you know the course material, you also have a clear point of view, and are able to present it.

So an argument is one sided. You might bring up other points, but only to criticise them. An argument is often passionate. You might sound a bit angry (this is good, as long as you don't sound mad). But an argument does NOT have to be complex, as we shall see today.

First sentences - defining your key term

Every extended response (this definitely means every response for component two) requires you to define the key term. So here's how you can start off any response:

Media language - Media language refers to the building blocks of media, and the elements that construct and encode the ideology of the producer

Representation - Representation refers to a re-presentation of a group, place or event by the producer of a media product to create or present their ideological perspective. Representations are essential as they can be used to allow audiences to identify with individuals, yet they can be controversial, and even offensive

Industry - Every media media industry is a specialised industry, which means that it is constructed in a way which is unique to that product

Audience - Audience refers to the people or individuals which use a media product. Audiences typically decode the meanings which producers create, and producers encode a variety of ideologies in order to reinforce their worldview

Notice anything? Each and every one of these generic openers actually takes on a similar structure. The reason for this is that A-level media studies is synoptic. Everything links to everything else. The representation of women could be an excellent point to make in an industry question, because it relates to how media products make profit and ensure power. Likewise, in a media language (textual analysis) question

Arguments for any situation

Let's come up with as many arguments as possible: at least one for every type of media question:

Media language

In this essay, I shall argue that the media language in this product creates an exciting and eye-catching media product that both positions and targets the intended audience for the purpose of creating exciting and innovative meanings

Representation

In this essay, I shall argue, that representations allow producers to construct hegemonic norms and values. In turn, audience's can choose to identify with these representations, or reject them and find them offensive

In this essay, I shall argue the use of stereotypes in (this media product) is by far the most important technique used by producers to cultivate certain ideologies in order to create a compelling and easy to read media product. Furthermore, producers will repeat these stereotypical ideologies in order to reinforce hegemonic norm, and force the audience to conform to very particular standards

In this essay, I shall argue that representations are solely used by the producer in order to present their own ideology, and to manipulate the target audience to agree with certain patriarchal hegemonic expectations. In doing so, this product reinforces conformity, and ensures that not only do the target audience conform to patriarchal hegemonic standards, they will also diligently buy the magazine each and every week

In this essay, I shall argue that representations reconstruct reality, and are a powerful ideological tool used by the producer to construct hierarchies of power

Industry

In this essay, I shall argue that the media industries are driven solely by profit, which limits any attempts to produce creative and challenging media content. This leads to exclusively biased and ideologically corrupt media being produced. I shall also argue that we should focus on creating media which is not for profit, and is not influenced by traditional models of power. 

Audience

In this essay, I shall argue that audiences respond to the product I have studied in a variety of different ways, based on their own beliefs, ideologies, background and culture. In turn, producers will use a range of techniques to anchor audiences, and ensure that the audience identifies fully with the media product

A brief analysis of the Zucchetti double page spread

•  Quote of investigative journalism extract describes situations of extreme poverty and water deprivation
• Advert for a tap, presented as sleek, luxurious and desirable.
• The double page spread outlines the insanity of branding water as a luxury product. While some people struggle and die, others are so wealthy they are able to afford up to £500 for a basic tap
• Cultural capital is a force which keeps us all in place. This is a Marxist idea, and is one of the many ways in which hegemonic ideologies are reinforced 
• CU, high angle, voyeuristic shot of a woman in the bath. This image is extremely notable and even subversive by lacking the explicit elements that we might expect to see. 
• From a traditional hegemonic perspective, we may expect to see the woman's body, including her breasts and curves. Van Zoonen argues that women's bodies are inherently sexual in media products, and are encoded for the sexual pleasure of heterosexual. However, a non-sexualised image of a naked woman is clearly subversive and out of the norm.
• MES of a normal and relatable bathroom scene. Bath is clearly small and relatable
• MES of model's tattoos may be symbolic of masculinity, and subverting gender norms
• Her hands are rough, wrinkled, even masculine, which might suggest an industrial, low paid job
• Her wrinkled, pruned hands suggest an excess of water. Even though this woman does not have much, she still has more than the people than the people of Sao Paulo
• Wrinkled hands could also be symbolic of a woman who needs to spend as long in the bath as possible to get her money's worth
• A complex and highly subversive collection of meanings for the audience to decode. But how many audience members will truly spend the time to analyse this spread?

Analysing the Louboutin double page spread

•  Binary opposition between rich and poor
• Complete lack of anchorage, assumption of audience knowledge of luxury brands
• Binary opposition of images combine to create themes of poverty and inequality
• Loubitons logo placed underneath shocking image of poverty and deprivation criticises this luxury brand 
• Tagline: red soles etc functions as an example of dark humour. Red soles here is symbolic of bleeding feet, and the joke is intended to criticise Loubitons and the audience for living a luxurious lifestyle and not helping 
• Preferred reading is that this is sophisticated dark humour. However, an oppositional reading might be that the advert is racist, making fun of desperately poor people in Africa
• Use of colour, black and white image of a refugee camp forms a binary opposition with the colourful image of the runway model, once more reinforcing the binary between rich and poor
• Minimalistic advert and minimalistic layout in general. Sparse layout. Reflects a minimalistic, miserable life
• Barely any use of words and language reinforces themes of misery and lacking
• MES of broken, ugly bottles symbolises desperation of the desperately poor
• Complete lack of anchorage forces audience to make stereotypical assumptions
• Extreme close up shot of feet positions the audience in an extremely close and uncomfortable mode of address. 
• Potentially belittling and even offensive for the unnamed 'African person' 
• Low angle shot of model positions the audience in a subordinate mode of address. This is a complete diametric opposition to the shot of the 'African person's' feet
• Contrast between the two both belittles the audience and forces them to feel guilty
• Extremely low production values of the 'African person' image. Looks blurry, fuzzy, pixelated
• Bottles encode a strong theme of pollution and environmental destruction. The global west tends to produce a lot more pollution and environmental destruction
• Potential reference to sweatshop labour?

Revision: online media and digitally convergent technology

Explore the ways in which newly emergent digitally convergent technologies have shaped the online media industries. Make reference to Zoella/Zoe Sugg and Attitude Online to explore your reasoning

Knee jerk reaction 

Yes!!! Industries and producers extensively use DCT to shape media products to make money and profit

Plan

Cultural industries

Self regulation

PNO readings

Postmodernism

Hesmondhalgh

Gauntlet - pick and mix

Hyperdermic needle???

Vertical and horizontal integration

Independent 

Industry control

Conglomerate

Web 2.0 

Multimedia integration 

Hypermodality

Livingstone and Lunt - regulation

Stereotypes

Audience interaction

Digital

Curran and Seaton: power

Introduction 

Digitally convergent technologies (DCT from now on) refer to the synergistic coming together of two previously separate industries thanks to modern, digital technologies. The online media industries are specialised industries, and digital technologies have allowed them to target audiences in more effective ways. In this essay, I shall argue that industries and producers extensively use and abuse DCT in order to minimise risk and maximise profit. In order to explore this idea, I shall look at Zoella, an online influencer and blogger (and author) who especially appeals to young, middle class female audiences, and Attitude Online, an online gay interest lifestyle magazine that targets young, working class gay British men.

Content

• Both websites use a standard web 2.0 layout - simple and basic
• Extensive use of clickbait adverts is a guaranteed way of using DCT to make money
• Online interaction: signing up for a newsletter or commenting on Facebook articles allows audience interaction
• Hypermodality: links to social media which allows fans opportunities to engage
• Streamlined purchases: digital shop Zoella: links to her apps and books and other junk
• Both of these websites use DCT to manipulate their simple and straightforward target audiences

Revision: online media and the cultural industries

David Hesmondhalgh has argued that while the internet initially had radical and transformative potential, this has largely been squandered by the involvement of vast corporations motivated by power and profit. Critically evaluate this theory related to the cultural industries. Make reference to Zoella/Zoe Sugg and Attitude Online to back up your argument

While Attitude Online should be commended for appealing to gay audiences, it arguably does so by presenting straightforward stereotypes. What should be a radical, exciting and challenging online magazine ends up being just as sexist as the edition of Woman we studied from 1964! Why? Hesmondhalgh would argue that corporate, profit based ownership leads to more straightforward boring products!

Knee jerk reaction

Yes! Hesmondhalgh's argument that online media's potential hasn't been realised due to large corporations favouring power and profit over art and culture. The products we have studied are solely motivated by power and profit.

The internet holds many advantages which can potentially lead to a perfect, utopian society

• The potential to easily store all human knowledge 
• Creating a new persona and identity 
• Novel ways of making money and distributing products in an ethical and environmentally responsible way
• News and information can be instantly shared 
• Revolution and social change
• A completely inclusive and universal structure 
• Voices for marginalised groups, such as LGBTQ+ and fans of obscure media like science fiction and metal music

Plan

Horizontal integration 

Conglomerate 

Companies

Mass audience/target audience

Ideologies

Hyperreality

Niche audience

Regulations

Digital convergence

Advertising

Brand identity 

Profit orientated

Rebranding

Diversification

(Representation)

Vertical integration

Stream (horizontally integrated)

Monopoly

Sponsors

Clickbait

Curran and Seaton/power Seaton

Pick and Mix

Introduction

The internet refers to a large connection of interlinked servers which allow audiences to freely access and share information. There are many platforms that can be linked and driven by digitally convergent technologies, and potentially they can present a unified and exciting set of opportunities. However, these potential advantages have been squandered by vast corporations through mass advertising, clickbait and exploitative tactics. In this exam, I shall argue that vast corporations have corrupted the creativity of the internet and the people who use it, and now most of the internet is solely motivated by profit over art. In order to explore this idea, I shall be looking at the examples of Zoella, an online blogger and influencer who is particularly appealing to teenage female audiences and more recently older female audiences, and Attitude Online, an gay mean's online magazine which is a supplementary product to the print version of Attitude. 

Content

• Attitude Online engages audience with a variety of news articles, but is solely driven by profit and greet. Overwhelming presence of advertising, including banner adverts, wrapper adverts, scrolling adverts and clickbait
• Zoella's website includes a range of hyperlinks to her own online shop and the products it features, including shoes, clothing, books and makeup
• Hypermodality in Zoella's website, linking to a variety of social media platforms, and more opportunities to advertise to her target audience
• Zoella's rebranding to Zoe Sugg is a cynical move to appeal to and manipulate older fans 
• Hypersexualisation of gay men constructs a stereotypical representation which cynically targets a gay audience