Martha Kenny Media

Tuesday 24th march 2020 Attitude and Zoella - industry and David Gauntlett theory David Gauntlett: Argues that audiences are not passive but instead construct their identities through picking and mixing the ideologies of the producer in whatever way they want to choose. He believes indentity is just a concept in media studies, as we as audiences respond to texts in a mixture of different ways. This enables the potential for the producer to manipulate their target audience through ideology. Task 1: Explore how Zoella and Attitude online manipulate audiences through ideology. Heavy use of instagram , snapchat and youtube - these sites fit with the social media applications most prominently used by this age group.  Youthful co-presenters Deliberate amteur aesthetic suggests authenticity to this media saturated audience segment. Everyday activities of this demographic are incooperated into narratives to create connections with the target audience.  Fan connecti

Monday 23 march 2020  Attitude online and the online magazine industry What is the point of Attitude online and how does it work? Attitude.co.uk is a simple and straightforward website and targets a 'simple and straightforward audience'  It presents stereotypical and straightforward representations of gay men to construct a stereotypical, specific target Audience. The sole reason that Attitude.co.uk exists is to advertise the magazine to the target audience and to increase its profit through advertising revenue. Attitude is a digitally convergent media product, multimedia integrated media product which utilizes hyper modality in order to exploit a range of push/pull factors, in order to maximizese its revenue. Key terms;  Key term - digital convergence - the coming together of previously separate media industries thanks to the benefits of digital technology. For example Netflix is an example of the convergence (coming together) of film, TV and the inte

Specialized Industry  interactivity  huge expenditure of resources  much higher RRP significantly longer length  a dedicated 'core' target audience, more specific  games developed for specific hardware, or released multi platform  Example: Assassins Cred 111 - liberation  Published by Ubisoft in 2012 for the playstation vita, with a subsequent HD re-release for playstation 3  and Xbox 360. How does the trailer for Assassins Creed target a specialised audience and generalized audience? Mass audience  the rating being 18 having a female lead character with different ethnicity  cinematic - similar to a film trailer  Hermeneutic code (questions must be answered) soundtrack - non diegetic drama music - intensifies as trailer progresses  The narrative is clearly one of the main aspects that is used to sell the game/product the cinematography - closeups, low angles, establishing shots, slow mo effects. genre - stealth genre familiar to audiences Spec

Invention of video games  The  history of video games  goes as far back as the early 1950s, when academic  computer scientists  began designing simple games and simulations as part of their research or just for fun. At  M.I.T.  in the 1960s, professors and students played games such as 3D tic-tac-toe and Moon Landing.  Video gaming did not reach mainstream popularity until the 1970s and 1980s, when arcade and consoles were introduced.  Video gaming has become a popular form of entertainment and a part of modern  popular culture  in most parts of the world.  Japanese Arcade Boom  Video gaming in Japan  is a major industry.  Japanese  game development is often identified with the  golden age of video games , including  Nintendo . Both space invaders and Pac man were Japanese. Example:  Sega Games Co., Ltd. [a]  is a Japanese  multinational  video game  developer  and publisher headquartered in  Shinagawa , Tokyo.  American Arcade Boom 'The golden age' was a ti

Vlogging Vlogging and online video has become one of the biggest influential forms of media. Recent research shows 42% of internet users said they have watched a vlog within the last month rising to 50% for 16-17year olds (guardian 2015) Aims: Aspirational  Personal identity Identification Unscripted narrative  Authenticity  Direct mode of address Audience interaction 

How has it been shaped by economic factors: Trailer - Uses remixed, modernised versions of the original songs, targeting not only an existing fanbase, but also a new audience. Primarily for financial purposes Budget of 28-50 million is a mid to huge budget Hollywood film. High stakes in terms of budget Trailer - 7.5 million views, indicates a viral online success Targeting a mass, generalised audience, with particular focus on young, black men.  Predominantly black cast, and a black director  Teaser photos released days before the film's release, on social media. Downloaded 6 million times. Innovative marketing strategy and an example of viral marketing Regulation: BBFC 15 certificate when released theatrically. Film was re-edited to ensure a lower age certificate to reach a bigger audience and teenagers with expendable income. Film also released as an 18 rated directors cut Distributed through Netflix reaching a larger home audience. Also Now TV Produced by Legendary

What viewpoints and ideologies does Zoella incorporate into her videos Easter catch up video Inclusive/ tries to target many different audiences  family friendly  Very innocent behaviour, evolving the topic around 'catching up with an old friend'  Promotes aspirational consumption Feminine Personalization Amateur aesthetic  Natural/effortless filming Realistic Star connectivity Vlogging community Middle class lifestyle  Uses middle brands and wealthy consumerist comapanies. this promotes this lifestyle and makes the audience want to follow her steps Influencer aspirational relationships best friend characterization star connectivity

Zoella UK based Zoells is the world's second most popular beauty vlogger, with 12 million fans subscribed to her youtube channel at this current time. She has over 13.6 million followers on twitter and over 10.9 million on instagram. The cliched bedroom/home setting reinforces codes of realism and takes audiences into the private space  of the youtuber, where their seemingly unscripted narratives generate a sense of sponteneity.

Influencer documentary - Agency have started to reach out for large influencers to control their content and their image that they are promoting. It has now became important for large influencers to provide clarity for their audiences by making it obvious when promoting a brand. Influencers have to choose what sort of content to promote, from promoting gambling, alcohol.  Youtubers have to go by guidelines by law. DJ Khalads posts were not labelled or had any disclosure to show that it was an advert. ASA creates guidelines and keeps an eye on companies that don't abide by the guidelines. however sometimes they are not successful in doing so. The ASA - advertising Standards Authority. No regulation within the advertising and social media industry, regulating systems are not able to keep up with the rapid growth of modern technology. 

Key theory 10 - Judith Butler - theories of gender performativity. Identity is a performance, and it is contructed through a series of acts and expressions that we perform every day. While there are biological differences dictated by sex, our gender is defined through this series of acts. These may include the ways we walk, talk, dress and so on. Therefore, there is no gender identity behind these expressions of gender.

How far are the representations constructed in the set texts of Zoella and Attitude stereotypical? Stereotypes - definition  A widely held belief and vastly held idea regarding a group of image of image of a certain individual.  these are created when knowledge is lacking or unattainable and the substitution of thoughts and opinions are implemented. This often leads to misjudgment and unfair discrimination towards certain groups (hall)  In media products, they have the potential to impact the mindset of audiences, often sub-staining, perpetuating and creating stereotypes. Media products portray the unspoken norms of an ideology Intellectually and globally  The misrepresentation LGBT community in the mainstream media The representation of the LGBT community is often narrow and stereotypical. gay men are often represented as camp, effeminate, theatrical, or flamboyant, functioning as visible markers of difference in relation to heterosexuality and masculinity. while thi

Facts: Niche audience  Gender: female  Age: 12-16 Ethnicity: white  Class: middle class Female audience: emotive content - the show appeals to its female audience through narrative that engage with subject matter emotionally. Zoella continuously tells us how she feels about the problems she faces herself. Zoella foregrounds stereotypical female based activities in her presentation: fashion, makeup, relationships. Consume stereotypically female - female colour palette deployed in the mis-en scene Use of pets and pet orientated references. Presenter constructs a version of ideal beauty - highly stylised, lots of makeup, attention paid to costume. Intimate confessional tone - creates a relatable female character. A quiet/passive presentation style that fits with target audience expectations and female presenter stereotypes.  How does she reach a 12-16 year old audience?  Heavy use of instagram , snapchat and youtube - these sites fit with the social media applicatio

Paul Gilroy - Post colonial theory Post- colonialism is the study of the impact that being under direct rule has had on former colonies. For example, despite being a tiny island, Britain colonised and declared ownership of many countries, including India and Australia etc. These ideas and attitudes continue to shape contemporary attitudes to race and ethnicity in the postcolonial era. These postcolonial attitudes have constructed racial hierarchies in our society, where for example, white people are by and large given more positive and important roles than BAME people. Media producers are also guilty of using binary oppositions to reinforce BME people and characters as 'others'  Zoella has the lack of representation for an ethnic minority, showing the lack of regard and placing this minority. Teaching the audience nothing regarding ethnic minorities, teaching them lack of beauty 

Algorithm = An algorithm can be defined as a set of rules or calculations to used to solve problems and deliver a result. Algorithms are used in social media to deliver to content to the user. News feeds use algorithms to determine the content to show you based on interests, activity and interactions on the platform. To what extent does Zoella use youtube algorithms in order to manipulate her own audience? Much like a machine just churning out content not by choice but by choice of her own significance on youtube now  Zoella no longer targets an audience but a specific algorithm, She's like a machine fabricated audience. 'We are living in a particularly boring and utterly incomprehensible science fiction novel. David Hesmondhalgh: cultural industries and online media Hesmondhalgh argues that major cultural organisations create products for different industries in order to maximise chances of commercial success. in relation to online products, he argues that majo