News Values...


Aston Martin sold to UK-led group

The new buyers are looking to polish Aston Martin's performanceLuxury car firm Aston Martin is heading back into British hands after being sold by Ford for £479m ($924m). Oxford-based Dave Richards, boss of motorsport firm Prodrive, is heading the UK-led consortium buying Aston. Kuwaiti investors are also involved. Ford is selling off the marque - made famous by James Bond - as it tackles its own financial woes, but the group is holding onto a £40m stake. Ford bought a 75% stake in Aston Martin in 1987, and bought the rest later. Aston Martin will remain at its purpose-built factory in Gaydon in Warwickshire, which employs 1,800 people.


Minister quits over Trident plans

Mr Griffiths had been deputy commons leader since 2005Deputy leader of the Commons Nigel Griffiths has quit the government in protest at plans to renew the UK's Trident nuclear weapons system. He resigned "with a heavy heart but a clear conscience" ahead of Wednesday's House of Commons vote on the plan. Although a Labour rebellion is expected the Tories back renewal of Trident, making a government defeat unlikely. Jim Devine, a parliamentary private secretary, has also indicated he will resign over the issue.


Baby died from an MRSA infection

Luke died two days after his birth in Ipswich HospitalA baby died 36 hours after his birth as a result of contracting the superbug MRSA, a coroner has concluded. An inquest heard Ipswich Hospital staff missed signs showing Luke Day was ill before he died in February 2005. The baby, whose parents lived at Woodbridge, Suffolk, is thought to be the youngest victim of the bug. Suffolk coroner Peter Dean, giving a narrative verdict, said though experts could not agree it was probable Luke died as a result of contracting MRSA. Experts had said he died of an infection and the pathologist found traces of MRSA in his organs - but other specialists said they could not be sure MRSA caused the fatal infection.


Rivals in battle for green votes

Chancellor Gordon Brown and Tory leader David Cameron are setting out rival visions for tackling climate change as they grapple for leadership of the "green" agenda.The two men, who are expected to lead their parties into the next General Election, were both delivering keynote speeches on the environment - seen by party strategists on both sides as one of the defining electoral battlegrounds.Addressing a meeting of business leaders in the City, Mr Cameron said it was vital to "open up a second front in the green revolution" to create a "greener earth" as well as less contaminated skies.His words came after his party unveiled plans to increase taxes on flying, but he said it was vital also to look at issues such as endangered species.


Tesco in green 'mass movement' bid

The UK is on the brink of a revolution in "green" consumption, according to the head of Britain's largest supermarket chain.Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy said a low-carbon economy could be achieved without harming economic growth. Harnessing shoppers' buying power is the key to turning green consumption into a mass movement, he told the Green City Initiative in London.
Sir Terry outlined Tesco's plans to create a clear labelling system showing products' carbon footprints.

Module 1 Preperation: The Xbox symbol is very large on scale of the magazine cover, reinforcing the importance of it being the official Xbox magazine, giving it a form of exclusivity or classification making it stand out and be better than the rest. The bold, black capital letters spelling out Ghost Recon a new long awaited game on Xbox has been made the main attraction, placed at the top of the page next to the Xbox symbol. The computer image of a soldier is the main image on the page, it is attracting to the reader as the computer made soldier looks so realistic, highlighting the great graphics of Xbox as their unique selling point. This technique is also repeated in the other image on th page, of a boxing match which is so fascinating it actually looks real. The extra at the bottom of the page says '12 hot previews inside!' once again attracting the reader. The images on the cover are of stereotypically strong, true men, the soldier and boxers help to promote the patriarchal society associated with the technological industry, resulting in the audience most probably being young males who are heavily interested in spending time on computer games of a high standard, as the Xbox 360 is very expensive and games are very expensive, i expect the magazine to also be expensive.

Module 1 Preperation: Big, bold masthead that's eye catching, however it is being slighty covered by Ashanti which suggests the major success and credability of 'The Source' magazine that people know of it without having to see the whole name also showing how big 'The Source' is as an institution. Central to the magazine cover is a mdeium long shot of R & B star Ashanti who is posed in a seductive position in a bikini, the magazine is playing on the fact that it's readership is mainly males and using sex to sell, however reinforcing the patriarchal society of women conforming to Mulvey's male gaze theory. The word sex is part of the most eye catching pug as it is in bold, capital letters once again trying to attract the male readers. Big name musicians are also used to sell the magazine; Sean Paul, ODB, Joe Budden and Ashanti clearly showing this is a music magazine are all names 'dropped' onto the front cover to give a 'sneak peak' into what the magazine consists of. Representation of ethnic minorities is predominant as only one image is on the front cover and that is of a black woman, however this is suited as the magazine is devoted to R & B and Hip Hop. The magazine also uses more teasers to persuade readers to buy the magazine by stating that it has the '2003 music preview' at the top of the page just above the masthead, attention is drawn to the exclusivity of the magazine. The audience for this magazine is probably young, black males as their interests will are Hip Hop music and the beautiful women associated with it.

Module 1 Preperation: Good representation of ethnic minorities, black male dominates poster and the only other character on the screen is hispanic woman, could show that in society both men and women are equal rejecting patriarchal ideologies within the movie. Denzel washington is seen a close up shot looking directly at the audience, this engages with the reader and catches their attention. The fusion of many different aqua style colour gives a very modern feel to the poster and the film its promoting. The text spelling the name of the film is central in the poster highlighting its importance however the picture of protaganist Denzel Washington is bigger then the text suggesting he is 'selling' the film. The eroded style lettering combined with the explosion in the main image, suggests the film is action or sci-fi genre. The contrast of the orange coloured explosion and the water coloured background is very eye catching and is also a technique that attracts the reader. Cant quite see the instiution but you can imagine that it is a big hollywood institution with a large budget due to the special effects that can be seen and the A list actor, Denzel Washington.

Summary of audience theory...

Uses and Gratification Summary: This theory suggests that the audience is active and that they have a choice over the texts they choose. Also, the audience has several reasons for choosing the text they have chosen. Diversion Information, Personal Relationships, Learning Personal Identity, Surveillance Integration and Social Interaction and Entertainment.

Reception Theory Summary: Reception theory concentrates on how the audience reads a text, it focuses on the basis that a text does not have one single meaning.It also states that the audience decode meanings as a result of our background, eg, class, age and gender.David Morley carried out a study on how an audience reads a text and came up with 3 main ways a text can be read, Hegemonic, which is the preffered reading, the Negotiated where the reader shares some values and ideologies and the Oppositional whereby the reader does not share the values and rejects the preffered reading.

Effects Theory: This theory argues that the audience is passive and are manipulated and influenced by hegemonic values.

Frankfurt School is where a group of researchers came up with the theory that suggested media industries in society were beginning to rise and under capitalism culture is prossesed through mass media as something which can be bought and sold. The Hypodermic needle model is closely linked to this it says the hegemonic ideologies being injected into a passive audience. The theory was linked to techniques of propaganda.

Similarities and Differences: Uses and Gratification and Reception theory both state the audience is active whereas Effects theory argues the audience is passive. Uses and Gratification and Receptions theory both ssy the audience have a choice in the media texts they consume whereas the effects theory says the audience is are forced to consume texts.

Pluralism...

Pluralists view society as a system of competing groups and interests, none more predominant then others it is a theory that can be seen as opposition the Marxist theory. The theory implies that all audiences are capable of manipulating and have access to the plural values of society, which allows them to conform, accomodate or reject the values presented to them throughout different media textts. The pluralist theory challenges the idea of hegemony and the 'hyperdermic needle' theory that suggests that their is one dominant force in society and they pump their values and ideologies out to the masses through various types of media.

The pluralist theory also believe that the media takes on the role of the fourth estate. The three estates consist of the government, legal system and the church. Each has major power and influence in our society. The media is considered by puralists as the fourth estate and it has a role to keep the public informed about what is happening in relation to the three other estates i.e. BBC question time, gives the public the information they want and need to know about politics etc.

A few examples of some programmes that could be considered fourth estate media: BBC's Question Time, Panorama and Channel 5's The Wright Stuff.

Laura Mulvey's Male Gaze Theory....

Laura mulvey is a feminist and also a media theorist. Mulvey's theory is called the male gaze and the concept of the theory suggests that women are sexually objectified in media texts for the pleasure of men, helping to maintain the patriarchal society. The theory explains that by objectifying the female in the media text, the female viewer alienates themselves from their female identity and identifies with the male viewer and is encouraged to experience the male's viewing pleasures. This transition during the viewing of a media text is called cross gender referencing or audience positioning, where the audience have been shown something to make them feel a particular way in this instance the female audience are positioned to see things from a male's perspective.

Some key words that are regularly associated with Mulvey's male gaze theory:

Patriarchy: Male dominated society.

Misogyny: The hatred of women.

Phallic symbolism: An object that represents or symbolizes the male penis.

Objectification: Denying a person of human qualities and seeing them only as an object that has one sole purpose.

Identification: Feeling what the character in the narrative is feeling, emphathising with them and putting yourself in their shoes.

Audience positioning: Being shown a text that allows you to identify with the certain perspective, the text wants you to see it from.

Castration: The emasculation or removing of the male reproductive organs.

Voyeurism: Sexual pleasure out of watching someone's business without their consent.

Erotic pleasure: Sexual arousal through images, videos, sounds or sexual activities.

Fetishizlation: The requirement of specific objects to endure sexual arousal.

Sadism: Pleasure from people experiencing pain.

Scophilia: The pleasure gained in looking.

I feel that Laura Mulvey's theory is very valid and although it was written in 1975, the theory is still relevant and if anything has been strengthed as time has gone on. I think that everywhere you look you see women as part of the male gaze and i disagree with those women that appear sexually objectified but claim they are the ones in control over the men and they know that men are fantisising about them but they feel that this is due to their power and control.

3 Adverts showing various representations of women....

Link:http://www.visit4info.com/details.cfm?adid=39130 (Iceland)

Iceland supermarket advert shows a conventional or traditional representation of women, by its slogan...'That's why mum's go to Iceland'. Strictly associating the woman with the stereotypical role of house wife as she takes on her 'shopping role'.


Link:http://www.visit4info.com/details.cfm?adid=14215 (Adidas)

This advert challenges the stereotypes of the passive female character and allows the female to take on an active role. The women is portrayed as a successful sports women, which is unusual as successful sports personalities in the media are mostly males. However this women is successful in what's considered a mans sport, boxing. The advert subverts strereotypes by giving the woman power.


Link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSwyncna1Qg (Lynx)

This advertisement shows the 'whore' female character, that could be classed as part of the male gaze. The women in this ad are sexually objectified for the viewing of men, and the whole message behind the product suggests that if you buy Lynx spray women will be all over you, which is reinforcing the whore stereotypes implying women need men.

MARXISM....

Marxism is a political practice and social theory based on the works of Karl Marx.

Marx argues that capitalism is based on the profit motive and that under capitalism, profits are generated by exploiting workers. Examples are 'sweat shops', where workers have to work in slave like conditions and provide cheap labour for products that are then sold on for much more money.

Capitalist society is divided into two groups:

the working class (proletariat) who sell their labour and dont own the means of production.

the middle to higher classes: (bourgeosie) who own the means of production and employ the proletariat. However within the bourgeosie are two sub groups: the wealthy bourgeosie who do not also need to work themselves and the petty bourgeosie who employ others, but must also work themselves.

Adorno - 'Culture indistries'

Bigger audiences because of the profit motive, therefore the media institutions construct texts intended to generate mass audiences, by dumbing down thier output so it can appeal to all.

Mass media are seen as a way of entertaining the works whilst also drip feeding them ideologies and beliefs.

Althusser

Ideological state appuratuses (ISAs), which work alongside the Repressive State Appuratuses(military, police, etc) to maintain the bourgoesie ideologies.

Religion, Education, Family, Legal and political system, Political system and Cutural and communications system.

To a certain extent these all interpellate an audience (position the audience in such a way that they presume that these ideologies are correct).

Gramsci

Hegemony - the dominance of ideologies of the ruling class, with all the beliefs and values that they incorporate. The hegemeonies influcence is so powerful their values and ideologies become common sense within the majority of the population, allowing them to be overlooked and maintaining the ruling classes hegemonic control.

Eisenstein and montage

Comdemned narrative structure, as a soviet film maker in the 1920s and believed capitalist propoganda and ideologies were being portrayed through fim makers i.e. camera angles being used to give power to important characters etc. He elimated one single protagonist and constantly used montage to remove any emotional connection ebtween the audience and the film, ensuring the audience are never lulled into believing that they are watching something that is real.

Williams

Low culture - Suitable for workers i.e. cinema and tv shows, the more popular but less socially sophisticated forms of entertainment.

High culture - Theratre, Opera and Ballet, for the bourgeosie, the less popular but more sophisticated choice of entertainment.

Globalisation...

I would consider the media that i consume as very global. Most of the music i listen to is Reggae, coming from the Caribbean, most of the television media i consume, shows such as Prison Break, My Wife and Kids and Lost are from the USA, however i also consume British television media like Hollyoaks. The internet sites i visit are generally British as regularly visit the BBC website, however i am a frequent user of Youtube which trully is a globalised media text.