Feminist readings of Woman magazine

What is a woman? Even a seemingly straightforward question can have many potentially contentious answers!

• Someone who identifies as a woman
• A female 
• A collection of stereotypes!
• It can be biological or cultural
• Being feminine 
• A human!
• Something to do with having a uterus? 
• XX chromosome array 
• Long hair, breasts, makeup, high pitched voice…
• There is a difference between sex and gender
• Sex: is what you’re born as. Biological differences…
• Gender: what you become…

It’s complicated!

However, in woman magazine, the representation of women is clear, stereotypical, hegemonic, straightforward and simple!

Symbolic annihilation: where a representational group is completely missed out or omitted 

What groups are completely omitted from Woman magazine?

• Queer women/LGBTQ+ women 
• POC - people of colour 
• Women with disabilities 
• Very few older women 
• Hegemonically non-attractive women
• Non-gender conforming women
• Larger women 
• ‘Religious women’

bell hooks - ‘feminism is for everyone’!

• Feminism is a struggle to end patriarchal hegemony and the domination of women 
• Feminism is not a lifestyle choice: it is a political commitment 
• Race, class and gender all determine the extent to which individuals are exploited and oppressed
• Intersectional feminism

Feminist readings of Woman magazine: in what ways does the Extra Special On Men page offer audiences a complex series of identities?

The 'EXTRA SPECIAL ON MEN' feature adopts a playful and perhaps even subtly feminist mode of address, that lightly criticises patriarchal hegemonic values and even includes some mildly sexually fetishistic imagery! This is about as explicit as a mainstream mass market magazine could get in 1964

• “Man is creation’s  masterpiece… but who says so? Man” - The lexis of this quote is rhetorical, and presents a cheeky and undermining mode of address, poking fun at men and the patriarchy 
• “He'll buy most on Mondays after talking it over at the weekend with his wife” - The assumption that a man must consult with a woman to make the ‘right’ decision heavily infers that men are useless and incapable of making decisions
• The MES of the main image of the woman standing on the man’s head is striking and heavily connotative. The MES of the woman’s casual pose connotes her power and dominance over a male figure. She is wearing a fashionable and exciting midi dress, which reinforces her hegemonic femininity. Her expression is full of pride and her chin is raised, which anchors her sense of power and authority. Additionally, she is clearly extremely happy, which emphasises her pleasure in crushing this man’s head with her foot. She is not wearing shoes, which forms a binary opposition between power and vulnerability. Her lack of footwear connotes a gentle and feminine form of domination. There is a fetishistic aspect to this image, and for certain audiences, it may be sexually provocative. The male model has his legs crossed in a feminine manner, which forms a binary opposition with his suit. A number of binary oppositions are constructed, between male and female, suit and dress, upright and lying down, and dominant and submissive. The male model's facial expression is exaggerated and silly, which makes him seem even more ridiculous. The image may be deeply humorous to the target audience, and it may also be inspiring and aspirational. This subtle nod to feminism would appeal to a female target audience who are fed up with patriarchal power. 
• Lexis - that’s where we differ! - The article explicitly points out, in a humorous way, the hierarchy that exists between men and women in society. It takes an informal and comedic mode of address, bringing light to the fact that there are differences that culturally exist between men and women, and it subtly challenges social stereotypes.
• Eye catching graphic in centre of page - “man is creations masterpiece - but who says so? Man!” A deliberate and direct attack on patriarchy and the hypocrisy of patriarchal hegemony. An ironic mode of address 
• The MES the male model’s suit creates a binary opposition with the woman’s fashionable dress drawing attention to and challenging the difference between men and women. Her power is anchored through the MES of the female model standing on the head of the male model, forming a proairetic code of power and domination. Her arm is on her hip, a powerful and even masculine pose that makes intertextual reference to hunting photographs, with the man taking the submissive role of a captured animal. His submissive status is reinforced through his feminine pose, with the MES of his crossed legs, and his annoyed facial expression constructing a humorous mode of address. A highly ironic mode of address is constructed, challenging the respective statuses of men and women. Finally, the image has fetishistic connotations which may be an exciting mode of address for the adult female target audience.

Plus time - unseen newspaper analysis

Question - Explore how this newspaper reflects the ideologies of the producer

Underline the key terms

Explore how the representations in this newspaper reflect the ideologies of the producer

Knee jerk reaction

The producer is using representations to reflect right wing ideological perspectives, to appeal to a right wing, middle class audience

Plan

MES

Lexis

Shot types (low angle!)

Headlines

Serif font

Images

Polysemic

Point of view/ideology

Gender binary

bell hooks - feminism

Stuart Hall - stereotypes 

Van Zoonen - the male gaze 

Formal language 

Mode of address

Intertextuality

Narrative

Introduction - DAC

Definition, argument, context

Representation refers to how a group, issue or event is re-presented by the producer to reflect their ideology. Furthermore, the producers of media products are profit incentivised, and can use stereotypical representations to minimise risk and to maximise profit. Additionally, a representation is a reflection of reality, and can  shape the ideology of the audience. In this essay, I shall argue that the producers of the Daily Telegraph use a complex system of representations to construct a right wing ideology for their middle class, right wing target audience. By presenting a biased, right wing point of view to a right wing target audience, The Daily Telegraph reinforces it's ideological perspective. The Daily Telegraph is a British right wing broadsheet.

Paragraphs - PEA

Point, evidence, argument

Example paragraph

 p - One way that the DT uses representations to reinforce their ideology is through the main image of Liz Truss...

e - Truss's representation is constructed through MES of the background. The Union Flag has connotations of patriotism and nationalism, and reinforces Truss's approval of British values. This patriotic mode of address is further reinforced through a secondary image, depicting Margaret Thatcher, also in front of a union flag. This combination of images makes clear to the audience that Truss is very right wing in her ideology, and the audience is likely to agree with this viewpoint. Truss's positive representation is reinforced through the use of a low angle shot. This functions as a proairetic code, and suggests that Truss's leadership will be strong and powerful, which aligns with the ideologies of the producer. Furthermore, a headline above this image reads "Truss wins telegraph readers poll". The function of this lexis suggests to the audience of the Telegraph that Truss is popular with the readers of the telegraph, which of course reinforces the ideological perspective of the newspaper.

• MES of smiling face
• The dress is well fitted and luxurious
• The colour of the dress is symbolic of wealth 
• Anchorage 

a - The Telegraph is clearly presenting a biased and limited representation of Truss. This highly manipulative mode of address presents a clear desire for this right wing candidate to be politically successful. By cultivating a right wing audience, the Telegraph can maximise their profit, as the right wing audience are more likely to align with the values of the newspaper, and even more importantly, to buy it. 

Other points

p - Another way in which the DT constructs representations is through its use of lexis, which constructs a middle class audience [the DT uses a middle class lexis to not only position audiences, but also to construct them. It cultivates middle class, right wing hegemonic representations and asks the audience to identify with them!!] 

p - Yet another way in which the DT uses representations to present it's ideology is through it's deeply biased representation of Boris Johnson [the puff piece about Boris Johnson represents him in an overwhelmingly positive way, and the anchorage of the golden MES and the MES of 'fairy tale crowns' even constructs him as some kind of romantic hero! Johnson is/was a controversial figure, and to represent him in such a stereotypical and straightforward way clearly demonstrates an OVERWHEMING political bias!]

p - However, there are examples of unconventional representations of gender. For example [ you could discuss how Truss actually challenges stereotypical representations of passive, highly sexualised women through the power and dominance of her construction. Why? To appeal to the middle aged, middle class female audience! The ideology of the producer here is that Truss is an aspirational figure: and this reinforces the significant right wing bias of the newspaper!]

An introduction to online media

 This post covers some talking points regarding online media that is important from a contextual perspective. Use this information in the 'context' section of your introduction to help structure an excellent response!

Please note this information comes from two separate classes, so there is some repetition/revision going on here!

Introduction to online media 

What is online media?

• Media that’s online!
• It’s so broad that it’s difficult to define! Online media completely shapes the lives of many people 
• It can involve social media, but this is just one small part of it!
• A combination of different forms of media… but what is it that makes this possible?
• Online media is often defined by a community, or a linked set of media and ideas
• Online media is made possible through the internet 
• But what is the internet?
• The world wide web functions as a digital infrastructure 
• The internet is a series of interconnected networks and computers that host and exchange information around the world 
• Online media refers to media that uses the internet, or rather a series of networked computers sharing media and ideas across an enormous network 
• Computers can refer to mobile phones, laptops, digital hardware, smartwatches, satnavs, gaming consoles, tablets, music players…
• However, the functionality of many of these products has now been replaced through mobile phones
• This simplification of online access is referred to as digital convergence
• Convergence refers to the merging of two previously separate industries
• A classic example of convergence is music videos, which combine TV and music
• However, we now live in a completely convergent media dominated world 
• Examples include TV (now digital streaming services!), the music industry (now very much online), videogames (now generally moved online), news and newspaper (now online…), reading (ebooks, kindle etc), food shopping and retail in general, socialising 
• In short, all media is now online media, and differentiating between different forms of media is now outdated and old fashioned 
• A series of platforms?
• Media made accessible through the internet
• Content accessed through a range of different devices
• Can take many different forms
• Online media can be accessed through smartphones, computers, laptops, smart TVs, video game consoles, kindles, iPads, tablets, smart watches 

The age of digital convergence 

• Digital convergences is the coming together of previously separate industries thanks to digital technologies
• What is digital technology? Any technology that involves computers! 
• What is convergence? When previously separate industries come together! So music + online = music streaming! Music + television = music videos!
• However, today (in 2023), media is generally accessed exclusively through digitally convergent technology. In  effect, digitally convergent media technologies have completely disrupted the study of media, as now all media formats are accessed, distributed, consumed and produced using exactly the same technologies. Therefore from this we can conclude that the consumption and production of media is now far more complex and nuanced than before.

Vlogging

• Vlogging refers to the act of keeping and publishing a video blog
• A blog is an online written diary. It is short for ‘web log’
• The recording of videos to document either one’s daily life, or something along those lines
• Vlog = video blog 
• Blog = Web log, an online journal or diary 
• Vlogging is a new media that is only made possible through digital technologies 

Genres and topics of vlog

• Universities
• Travel
• Conventions
• Retro videogames
• Cycling
• Food 
• Gym
• Family
• Fashion
• ‘A day in the life’
• Unboxing
• War and current conflicts 
• Arts and crafts
• Dungeons and dragons 
• Horror
• Ghost hunters
• Competitive eating 

Why are vlogs so resonant with 16-24 year old audiences?

• Highly relatable 
• Extremely specific subgenres 
• Easily accessible through mobile phone technology 
• Often passively consumed, often while doing something else …
• Often informative while being entertaining 
• Often aspirational in terms of modes of address 
• Produced by people with similar lifestyles, highly relatable 
• Para-social relationships
• Free at the point of access

Ownership and the Assassin's Creed franchise

Explain how ownership shapes media products. Refer to Assassin’s Creed to support your points

How does ownership 'shape' a media product? Students often have an issue with the wording of this question. However, if we boil things down nice and simply, it just refers to how a media product is the product of the production context. To put this even more simply, a big company is more likely to produce a BIG product. A small, indie company is more likely to producer a smaller product, with less resources. Ubisoft are a huge multinational media conglomerate that specialise in making BIG, AAA games. So what are some examples of Assassin's creed being the product of a huge conglomerate?

• Huge funding and resources give their games high production values, including high quality lighting, high render distance, detailed textures, NPC quality, sound quality 
• Specific audience targeting. The assassin’s creed series targets a vast audience through high profile advertising campaigns 
• Ubisoft are a conglomerate and an established brand. Consumers are more likely to buy games from companies they trust, which gives Ubisoft more revenue
• Multiplatform! Can be played on many different consoles, which creates substantially more work 
• Political bias: the AC games lack a political bias! This allows the games to appeal to huge target audiences 
• Multinational developer creates multinational games. A variety of different cultures, languages and other elements 
• Diversification. AC has been spun off in to many different media 
• High production values, excellent graphics. Realism, textures, sharpness, movement and animation, voice acting, sound effects, soundtrack 
• Extremely large budget 
• Multiplatform - makes games significantly harder to develop for!
• Multinational ownership leads to a multinational product that can appeal to consumers from around the world. A range of different languages and cultures
• Inclusive representation: allows Ubisoft to minimise risk and to maximise profit
• Presold audiences. The AC series has big brand identity, which is only possible for a big studio 
• Uncomplicated political perspectives which ill not alienate audiences 

A textual analysis of the Alfred Hitchcock interview

What is media studies? It's using media language to suggest meaning!

Print key terminology

• Mise en scene - put in scene
• Lexis - the choice of language
• Long shot 
• Close up 
• Mid shot
• Two shot 
• Extreme CU/LS
• Colour
• Performance 
• Composition - how everything is placed on the page
• Font: serif and san serif 
• Proairetic codes
• Hermeneutic 
• Symbolic
• Referential/intertextuality 
• Mode of address
• Anchorage
• Narrative
• Main image 
• Camera angle 

Examples of media language in the Hitchcock interview

• The MES of Grace Kelly's hair reinforces her status as a hegemonically attractive woman. This is further anchored through the MES of her eyes, which are seductively framed in mascara. This combination elements form a definite conclusion, the Kelly’s inclusion in this magazine is primarily to appeal to a heterosexual male audience. While the audience for this magazine is clearly heterosexual working class women, the somewhat sexualised and exotic representation of Kelly’s provides an aspirational goal to the target audience which they are unlikely to achieve…
• The lexis of the pull quote, “they’re like snow capped volcanoes "has deep and even sexually vulgar connotations. Referring to British women as ‘snow capped’ suggests that on the outside, they are sexually inactive. However, a binary opposition is formed between the term snow and volcano, and Hitchcock explicitly suggests that deep down. British women deeply desire sexually activity. This deeply sexist language may have been typical in the 1960’s, and reflects the fact that mainstream attitudes towards women have changed significantly
• The MES of Kelly’s eye shadow draws attention to the fact that this woman is particularly hegemonically attractive. This is further anchored through her dark, rich lipstick, which has connotations of wealth, power, and sexuality. Further anchorage is provided through the caption, which asserts her “tantalising beauty”. Ultimately, Kelley is presented as a spectacle for a perceived heterosexual male audience, which reinforces patriarchal hegemony. However, it must be noted that the target audience for this magazine is heterosexual women. In this case, Kelly would appeal as an aspirational role model for the target audience, though this goal would be impossible for many of the target audience to achieve. By repeating and reinforcing images of beautiful and hegemonically attractive women, Woman magazine cultivates the dominant patriarchal ideology that in order to be successful, one must be attractive.  By placing unrealistic beauty on women, Woman magazine cultivates a sense of insecurity for it;s target audience. This is purely for the reasons of power and profit, as by making the target audience upset, it ensures that they will continue to buy the magazine.
• Her slightly parted lips function as a proairetic code, placing the audience in a romantic and even sexual mode of address. 
• The bold and sans serif headline is exciting and striking, and communicates explicitly to the target audience that Hitchcock is an important man
• The sequence CU shots of Hitchcock emphasises his status as a hegemonically unattractive man. However, if anything this reinforces his power and privilege. Hitchcock is under no obligation to be sexually attractive, which reinforces a double standard that exists between men and women

Deeper analysis of the Hitchcock interview

• Sexism and sexual exploitation is facilitated on an institutional level. It is not something that ‘happened in a different time’, as current high profile allegations against men such as Harvey Weinstein, Justin Roiland, Woody Allen, Roman Polanski, and staff members at Activision Blizzard and Ubisoft have proved.
• Van Zoonen argues that media products encode deeply unequal relationships between men and women, and reinforce hierarchical differences. Men are consistently presented in a position of power, and women are represented as subordinates. Curran and Seaton argue that every media industry is dictated by the principles of power and profit. Their book Power without Responsibility explores the implications of unexplored and unchallenged power. Simply put, with unregulated power, the media industries are open to exploitation, including sexual exploitation. Power in the media industries reinforces hegemonic norms, of powerful men in charge, which may serve to ‘excuse’ this behaviour in the eyes of those who make the rules.
• Hitchcock discusses British women, their sexual attractiveness and why they make good actresses. Hitchcock clearly fetishizes certain qualities, such as hair colour, and he is keen to share his sexual preferences with the target audience. He compares British women to women of different nationalities, and compares their strengths and weaknesses. His mode of address is xenophobic, stereotypical, objectifying, and even racist. 
• Why an interview with a man the cover story of this edition of Woman magazine? Perhaps it’s because Hitchcock is discussing women. In this article, Hitchcock rambles on about what makes British women particularly beautiful. He discusses different women, yet he doesn’t discuss his films or his film making in any detail. 
• The combination of various shot types, including mid shots, long shots and close ups constructs an interesting narrative or mode of address for the target audience
• The double page spread utilises a conventional z line composition, that allows the working class target audience to easily make sense of what’s on the page
• The headline constructs a dominant ideology that Alfred Hitchcock is important to the target audience. This is further reinforced through the procession of four CU images of Hitchcock, arranged as a film strip. This arrangement symbolically references cinema, which is of course essential to Hitchcock’s personality
• The main image of this double page spread features Grace Kelly, represented through a mid shot. Her representation is constructed through the MES of her enigmatic facial expression, which has romantic connotations. This is further reinforced through her low cut dress which has sexual connotations, and her seductive, heavily applied makeup. These elements combine to create a highly suggestive and sexualised representation of women, which is highly typical of the time when this magazine was released. By presenting this highly leading representation of women, the producers of Woman are clearly communicating that in order to be successful, the working class female target audience must be hegemonically attractive. 
• The pull quote “they're like snow capped volcanoes” is explicitly referring to British women. The lexis here has many polysemic interpretations. He may be referring to British women’s fiery tempers. However, the phrase has even more problematic connotations. The lexis 'snow capped’ suggests that on the outside, British women are cold and sexually unavailable. However, on the inside, British women are both sexually available and sexually active. 
  

Quotes - lexis

• “I understand that Nottingham has a thriving industry in  pretty flirty girls” - Hitchcock is clearly excited by the amount of attractive women in Nottingham. This sexist metaphor infers that women are essentially falling off of a factory line. The word ‘girls’ is degrading and diminutive. 
• “To me, they are the most unobtrusively seductive creatures” (In reference to English women) Hitchcock infers that British women are ‘easy’, and are sexually open. This blatant stereotype is particularly intimidating, yet the preferred response is flattery. Hitchcock is asserting his power. Presenting this as a compliment he reinforces patriarchal hegemony
• “Perhaps it is because I am such a happily married man, I am able to look at women objectively” - Mentioning his wife reinforces Hitchcock’s status as a respectable and happily married man. This in his view validates what he is saying
• “The time I have spent grooming actresses has never been wasted” - Hitchcock’s use of the word grooming here has sexist and belittling connotations. He goes on to discuss girts that he has given women, which again legitimises (in his mind) his abuse
• “I’ve come to these conclusions after years of selecting, grooming and directing some of the most beautiful actresses alive” - Hitchcock does not refer to working with his actresses, but instead sees his role as selecting them. This reduces them to the role of chess pieces, which again is a highly sexist mode of address
• “They’re like snow capped volcanoes' ' - This symbolic analogy suggests that British women appear as one thing, yet deep down are something else. On the surface, British women are innocent and uninterested in sex. Yet deep down, they are fiery volcanoes, sexually available and adventurous. 
• Throughout this interview, Hitchcock's lexis and mode of address reinforces the ideological perspective that women exist for the purpose of fulfilling the desires of a heterosexual audience. This in turn reinforces patriarchal hegemony. 
• Audiences at the time would have noticed the sexist mode of address of this article. Additionally, the article is completely at odds with feminist movements such as the women’s liberation movement. 
• However, the article sets in explicit detail exactly what is necessary to be successful as an actress in major motion pictures. It sets out exact beauty standards and the need to be sexually available. It sells a lifestyle to the target audience where they have the potential to be powerful and successful, as long as they are hegemonically beautiful and sexually active. 
• Hitchcock is a powerful and popular draw for audiences. The intertextual reference to his films will appeal to the working class target audience. 
• “I’ve come to this conclusion after years of selecting, grooming and directing…and directed some of the most beautiful actresses in the world” 
• The word ‘grooming’ here refers to how Hitchcock ‘shapes’ women, and clearly it has highly problematic overtones. He is openly stating that he manipulates actresses in order to fulfil his desires.
• “The most unobtrusively seductive creatures in the world” [in reference to British women]
• By referring to women as ‘creatures’, Hitchcock essentially dehumanises and objectifies women. He is being explicit in his ideological perspective that the function of women in his films is to be looked at. This is a perfect example of Van Zoonen’s concept of the Male gaze. He infers that British women have an underlying nature about them that Hitchcock can expertly see. 
• “But that potent kind of sex appeal certainly isn't the private property of the stars”
• Arguably, Hitchcock here is inferring that sex appeal and sexualisation should be shared with everyone. This is also a shout-out/ address to the audience, reminding them that they are British, and therefore beautiful. This ‘compliment’ reminds the audience they have ‘something special’ and should share their gift..  With Alfred Hitchcock…
• “The sort of woman you’d go to for an animated discussion about horses, the weather and the outrageous price of brussels sprouts”
• Hitchcock reinforces his stereotypical and patriarchal ideological perspectives, and reinforces the stereotype that all women talk about is cooking, cleaning and animals
• “English girl’s sudden revelation of seductive depths”
• The lexis of the word ‘girl’ implies youth, naivety and innocence. It is a belittling word. 
• “They’re like snow capped volcanoes”
• Hitchcock is specifically referring to British women here. The use of the word ‘they’ is a subtle example of othering, and suggesting that women, in this case British women, are different. The simile ‘snow capped volcanoes’. This infers that while on the outside British women are uninterested in sex, deep down they are sexually available. This highly problematic language suggests that British women are sexually available to Hitchcock through his ‘grooming’ 
• Hitchcock’s language is poetic but hardly subtle. He continually makes reference to the ‘deep down’ sexual desires of women. This reinforces patriarchal hegemony, as it infers that in order to be successful, women but be attractive, young, British, and sexually available.