Clay Shirky: End of audience blog tasks

Media Magazine reading

Media Magazine 55 has an overview of technology journalist Bill Thompson’s conference presentation on ‘What has the internet ever done for me?’ It’s an excellent summary of the internet’s brief history and its impact on society. Go to our Media Magazine archive, click on MM55 and scroll to page 13 to read the article ‘What has the internet ever done for me?’ Answer the following questions:

1) Looking over the article as a whole, what are some of the positive developments due to the internet highlighted by Bill Thompson?

"The network connects us to other people, it provides a great source of information, it can be used for campaigning and political action, to draw attention to abuses and fight for human rights. It’s a great place for gaming and education, which can also be used to make a lot of money (for a few people) as well as a place where you can meet your friends."

2) What are the negatives or dangers linked to the development of the internet?

"A lot of bullying and abuse takes place there. There’s pornography that you don’t want to see, and illegal images of child abuse that you might come across. Extremists and radicals can use the network to try to influence people to join their cause, and fraud, scams, ripoffs and malicious software are everywhere. Then

there’s the dark web, made up of websites and online services accessed via specialised browsers and tools that make it very hard to identify who is using them, which is used to sell drugs and for other illegal activity."

3) What does ‘open technology’ refer to? Do you agree with the idea of ‘open technology’?

Does it mean an internet built around the

‘end-to-end’ principle, where any connected

computer can exchange data with any other

computer, while the network itself is unaware

of the ‘meaning’ of the bits exchanged?

• Does it mean computers that will run

any program written for them, rather

than requiring them to be vetted and

approved by gateway companies?

• Does it mean free software that can be

used, changed and redistributed by anyone

without payment or permission?

4) Bill Thompson outlines some of the challenges and questions for the future of the internet. What are they?

what could the internet do for you and your friends, and what could you make it do?

We know you want to understand the world and engage with it, so how do we deliver news media that can operate effectively online and still make money?

5) Where do you stand on the use and regulation of the internet? Should there be more control or more openness? Why?

I believe there should be a degree of openness that allows freedom of information and free speech,  whilst also protecting personal data. 

Clay Shirky: Here Comes Everybody

Clay Shirky’s book Here Comes Everybody charts the way social media and connectivity is changing the world. Read Chapter 3 of his book, ‘Everyone is a media outlet’, and answer the following questions:

1) How does Shirky define a ‘profession’ and why does it apply to the traditional newspaper industry?

Shirky defines a profession as a specialist job that fulfills a need not everyone can do. This applies to the newspaper industry because it fulfills a mass need for news while also monetizing the spreading of it.  

2) What is the question facing the newspaper industry now the internet has created a “new ecosystem”?

By destroying the means for monetization, the internet has endangered the industry. News has become widely available through mass amateurization. 

3) Why did Trent Lott’s speech in 2002 become news?

Despite mainstream media's aversion to the story when it first came to light, the internet's ability to share information meant that traditional bottle-necking of news was subverted. Outraged by the undercurrent of racism, liberal and conservative bloggers alike brought the story to the masses. 

4) What is ‘mass amateurisation’?

The mass influx of amateur content in a previously specialized profession, such as the News or Music industries. 

5) Shirky suggests that: “The same idea, published in dozens or hundreds of places, can have an amplifying effect that outweighs the verdict from the smaller number of professional outlets.” How can this be linked to the current media landscape and particularly ‘fake news’?

Facebook's infestation of false Corona-virus conspiracies can be viewed as exemplar to the spread of fake news online.  

6) What does Shirky suggest about the social effects of technological change? Does this mean we are currently in the midst of the internet “revolution” or “chaos” Shirky mentions?

The social effects of Technological change are beneficial for greater society but disadvantage professionals already in the field. 

7) Shirky says that “anyone can be a publisher… [and] anyone can be a journalist”. What does this mean and why is it important?

The internet allows anybody to create content and for others to equally consume/ believe it. 

8) What does Shirky suggest regarding the hundred years following the printing press revolution? Is there any evidence of this “intellectual and political chaos” in recent global events following the internet revolution?

Evidence of "intellectual and political chaos" can be seen in the 2020 US election where fake news and political debate could spread across the world as opposed to staying in America. 

9) Why is photography a good example of ‘mass amateurisation’?

Anyone with a smartphone ("84% of UK adults") is capable of taking pictures and sharing them online, eliminating the need for it to be considered a viable industry. 

10) What do you think of Shirky’s ideas on the ‘End of audience’? Is this era of ‘mass amateurisation’ a positive thing? Or are we in a period of “intellectual and political chaos” where things are more broken than fixed? 

I believe that taking the power over information from the rich and distributing it to the masses provides a better balance of experiences and stories we are exposed to daily. However, the new system is only as strong as its weakest link: nut-jobs. 

OSP: Paul Gilroy - Diasporic identity

Paul Gilroy - blog task

Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet 170: Gilroy – Ethnicity and Postcolonial Theory. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets or you can access it online here using your Greenford Google login.

Read the Factsheet and complete the following questions/tasks:

1) How does Gilroy suggest racial identities are constructed?

Race’ [is not] the eternal cause of racism [but is] its complex, unstable product. I should probably emphasise at this point that neither race nor racism are the exclusive historical property of the minorities who are their primary victims. (Gilroy, 2004)

2) What does Gilroy suggest regarding the causes and history of racism?

Here Gilroy is saying that racism isn’t caused by race, racism causes race. Racism is not caused by the clash of two or more races – racism is not a natural phenomenon. Instead, Gilroy states that racial difference and racial identities are the product of racial oppression.

3) What is ethnic absolutism and why is Gilroy opposed to it?

Ethnic absolutism is a line of thinking which sees humans are part of different ethnic compartments

Gilroy is opposed to ethnic absolutism as it is counter to his argument that racism causes race.

4) How does Gilroy view diasporic identity?

The classic diaspora is the position from which Gilroy develops his concepts of diaspora. The classic diaspora considers the originating place for those displaced as the original source of unity and permanence for the diasporic identity. The means that the country a group have been forced to leave will always be the place that defines the cultural or ethnic identity for those individuals.

5) What did Gilroy suggest was the dominant representation of black Britons in the 1980s (when the Voice newspaper was first launched)?

At the time, the dominant representation of black Britons was as “external and estranged from the imagined community that is the nation.” As such, to accept the role of slavery into the cultural identities of Britain would be to challenge the negative stereotype of black Britons at the time, and reverse the “external and estranged” relationship with the nation.

6) Gilroy argues diaspora challenges national ideologies. What are some of the negative effects of this?

Diaspora challenges national ideologies, through the commitment and loyalty to the origin nation or place. However, diasporic identities can also become trapped within a national ideology; diasporic cultural ideologies and practices exist within a national ideology based upon its social, economic and cultural integrations and as such there is a cultural difference with the diasporic identities.

7) Complete the first activity on page 3: How might diasporic communities use the media to stay connected to their cultural identity? E.g. digital media - offer specific examples.

By using social media, they can discuss good and bad representations of their community.

8) Why does Gilroy suggest slavery is important in diasporic identity?

The modern world was built upon a normalised view of slavery, particularly plantation slavery. Slavery was only rejected when it was revealed as incompatible with enlightened rationality and capitalist production. Gilroy argues that the figure of the black slave of ‘the Negro’ provided enlightened thinkers and philosophers an insight into concepts of property rights, consciousness and art.

9) How might representations in the media reinforce the idea of ‘double consciousness’ for black people in the UK or US?

The dominant representations of black males, primarily in the US, is

either a rapper, criminal or gang member, or an athlete. These representations then serve to reinforce the double consciousness of the black male, that he is not anything more than what he sees in the media.

10) Finally, complete the second activity on page 3: Watch the trailer for Hidden Figures and discuss how the film attempts to challenge ‘double consciousness’ and the stereotypical representation of black American women.

By having the film focus on black women working for NASA, it closer represents the wide variety of black identities that exist, subverting stereotypes about education and gender politics. 

Further feminist theory: blog tasks

 Further feminist theory: blog tasks

Use our Media Factsheet archive on the M: drive Media Shared (M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets) or here using your Greenford Google login. Find Media Factsheet #169 Further Feminist Theory, read the whole of the Factsheet and answer the following questions:

1) What definitions are offered by the factsheet for ‘feminism ‘and ‘patriarchy’?

"Feminism is a movement which aims for equality for women – to be treated as equal to men socially, economically, and politically. It is a movement that is focused not on ‘hating’ men, or suggesting that women are superior. Instead, feminism is focused on highlighting the power and suppressive nature of the patriarchy (male dominance in society). Feminists see the patriarchy as a limitation to women receiving the same treatment and benefits as their male counterparts."

2) Why did bell hooks publish her 1984 book ‘Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center’?

“Women in lower class and poor groups, particularly those that are non-white, would not have defined women’s liberation as women gaining social equality with men since they are continually reminded in their everyday lives that all women do not share a common social status.”

3) What aspects of feminism and oppression are the focus for a lot of bell hooks’s work?

Intersectionality 

4) What is intersectionality and what does hooks argue regarding this?

hooks argues that class and race also plays into the debate with feminism

5) What did Liesbet van Zoonen conclude regarding the relationship between gender roles and the mass media?

"Van Zoonen concludes that there is a strong relationship between gender (stereotypes, pornography and ideology) and communication, but it is also the mass media that leads to much of the observable gender identity structures in advertising, film and TV."

6) Liesbet van Zoonen sees gender as socially constructed. What does this mean and which other media theorist we have studied does this link to?

Gilroy's double consciousness

7) How do feminists view women’s lifestyle magazines in different ways? Which view do you agree with?

"For many years, feminists have criticised women’s magazines as commercial sites exaggerated femininity"

8) In looking at the history of the colours pink and blue, van Zoonen suggests ideas gender ideas can evolve over time. Which other media theorist we have studied argues this and do you agree that gender roles are in a process of constant change? Can you suggest examples to support your view?

Pink symbolises different gender identities depending on the time and location. Therefore, there are only socially constructed expectations of what a woman is or should be.

9) What are the five aspects van Zoonen suggests are significant in determining the influence of the media?

Van Zoonen argues that the influence of the media is dependent on:

• Whether the institution is commercial or public

• The platform upon which they operate (print versus digital media)

• Genre (drama versus news)

• Target audiences

• The place the media text holds within the audiences’ daily lives

10) What other media theorist can be linked to van Zoonen’s readings of the media?

Stuart Hall’s negotiated readings

11) Van Zoonen discusses ‘transmission models of communication’. She suggests women are oppressed by the dominant culture and therefore take in representations that do not reflect their view of the world. What other theory and idea (that we have studied recently) can this be linked to?

Gilroy's double consciousness 

12) Finally, van Zoonen has built on the work of bell hooks by exploring power and feminism. She suggests that power is not a binary male/female issue but reflects the “multiplicity of relations of subordination”. How does this link to bell hooks views on feminism and intersectionality?

bell hooks believes gender inequality cannot be solved without addressing the effects class and race have on the treatment of women.

Women and videogames: blog tasks

 Women and videogames: blog tasks

Work through the following blog tasks to complete this introduction to women in videogames.

Part 1: Medium article - Is Female Representation in Video Games Finally Changing?

Read this Medium feature on whether female representation in videogames is finally changing. Answer the following questions:

1) How have women traditionally been represented in videogames?

"typically either objectified or “damsels in distress”"

2) What percentage of the video game audience is female?

"but based on the survey “Distribution of Computer and Video Gamers in the United States from 2006 to 2017 by Gender”, 42% of the video game demographic is female"

3) What recent games have signalled a change in the industry and what qualities do the female protagonists offer?

"women are starting to be presented as strong, independent, intelligent, willful and compassionate"

4) Do you agree with the idea that audiences reject media products if they feel they are misrepresented within them?

I do agree that women would reject the game industry as it comically exaggerates femininity. Women have to watch themselves being looked at. 

5) What does the writer suggest has changed regarding recent versions of Lara Croft and who does she credit for this development?

The new Lara is given depth of character that previous iterations have not been treated with thanks to the company striving for better sales.   

Part 2: Tropes vs Women in Video Games – further analysis

Visit Anita Sarkeesian’s ‘Tropes vs Women in Video Games Series 2’ YouTube playlist and watch ONE other video in the series (your choice - and feel free to choose a video from season 1 if you prefer). Write a 100 word summary of the video you watch:

Title of video: 

Ms. Male Character - Tropes vs Women in Video Games

100 word summary: 
Through femenisation of symbols, male characters become women characters and reinforce gender roles. Bows, high heels and eyelashes are examples of "superficial gendered signifiers". The female version of the character is also seen as lesser.

Part 3: Anita Sarkeesian Gamespot interview

Finally, read this Gamespot interview with Anita Sarkeesian of Feminist Frequency and answer the following questions:

1) What reaction did Anita Sarkeesian receive when she published her videos on women in videogames? You can find more information on this on Sarkeesian’s Kickstarter fundraising page.

misogyny and hate speech

2) How does Sarkeesian summarise feminism?

"Feminism is the radical notion that women are human beings." 

3) Why do stories matter?

They're culturally important.

4) How does Sarkeesian view Samus Aran and Lara Croft (the two protagonists from our upcoming CSPs)?

"Samus is handled problematically...  The quicker you complete the game, the more of her suit she takes off at the end; her femaleness is presented as a reward, something for players to ogle"

5) How has the videogame landscape changed with regards to the representation of women?

"the ubersexualized yet violent female character--and today this trope has basically become the default representation for women in much of the gaming industry. On top of that, we've also seen a resurgence of the "Damsel in Distress" in recent years as developers rush to remake or reboot many of the classic 1980s games"

6) Why are Mirror’s Edge and Portal held up as examples of more progressive representations of women?

"both characters are women of color, and both serve as the protagonists of their own games without being overly sexualized or objectified"

7) What are the qualities that Sarkeesian lists for developers to work on creating more positive female characters?

"protagonists with agency not tied directly to their sex appeal; transformative story arcs where characters are struggling with or overcoming personal flaws; and some emotional depth and expression."

8) What is the impact of the videogames industry being male-dominated?

"The fact that the gaming industry has historically been and is still so male dominated does play a big role in the types of games, narratives, and characters produced"

9) What did Sarkeesian hope to achieve through her ‘Tropes vs Women in Video Games’ series?

 "I want to promote media literacy and give people some tools to look critically at the games we play"

"We can recognize and point out the more problematic representations without necessarily throwing the whole game out"

10) What media debates did Sarkeesian hope to spark with her video series?

To question the treatment of women in the gaming industry

Assessment

David Gauntlett has argued against the idea that masculinity is 'in crisis’. To what extent do you believe masculinity is 'in crisis'?

In your response you should refer to your Advertising and Marketing Close Study Products: the Score hair cream advert (1967) and the Maybelline ‘That Boss Life’ YouTube advert (2017).

[20 marks]


On one hand, the idea of masculinity in crisis could hold some weight in relation to the changing views of British society. 

The score advert, a relic of it's time, uses anchorage text to stroke the viewer's manliness. At the time it was printed, the UK was going through huge social and political change thanks to the decriminalization of homosexuality, threatening traditional masculinity as it was known. This meant advertising had to stroke the fragile egos of men in order to maintain the status quo. The tag line "get what you've always wanted" implies men want sexy women in a general, sweeping statement addressed to all men. In the 60s, there was a solid definition of what a man should be, protected by adverts such as Score Cream. The introduction to new liberal ideologies threatened their masculinity, perhaps suggesting a crisis. 

However, it can be argued, according to Gauntlett, that masculinity has simply evolved as a concept. This is exemplified in the Maybelline 'That Boss Life' advert. The lead actor to the advert is in sharp contrast to the traditional man presented in the Score Cream advert. The use of Manny Gutierrez shows how fluid the idea of masculinity has become in the modern age, going so far as to encouraging men to play with makeup and embrace their sexuality in mainstream media. This shift in ideology could be seen as a very good thing. Men are no longer forced into moulds and characters they must play. Butler discussed this concept in her book "Gender Trouble", describing gender as performance. This could further suggest the more advanced we become, the more evolved our view of gender becomes, the less we feel the need to create labels for ourselves. This goes against the idea that masculinity is in crisis as we are simply becoming more accepting of people not like ourselves. 

Therefore, masculinity was perhaps in crisis at one point in time, but not any more.

Men's Health - Audience blog tasks

Read the Men's Health Media Pack in full to get a good idea of the demographics and psychographics for the Men's Health target audience then answer the following questions:

1) How does the magazine introduce itself?
"Men’s Health is the biggest-selling men’s lifestyle
magazine, both in the UK and worldwide.

It’s success is built on a winning editorial formula which
combines visually-engaging health, wellbeing and
nutrition features with premium content covering
fashion, grooming, watches, tech and travel."

2) What does the introduction suggest about the representation of masculinity in Men's Health's?

They provide traditionally masculine topics for the everyday gentleman.  

3) How do the print statistics for Men's Health compare to GQ and Esquire?

It has a higher Circulation and the readership is higher class.

4) What is the difference between circulation and readership?

Circulation- How many copies are being sold
readership- who reads the magazine 

5) What was the circulation of Men's Health in thousands at the time this Media Pack was published? What about the readership for ABC1 men? AB men? [Note: this Media Pack was published in 2016 and some of the figures have fallen since then. Up to date circulation figures can be found at the top of this blog post].

"Men’s Health (UK edition) has a circulation of around 120,000 (down 16% year-on-year and including 40k free copies) and a readership of closer to 1 million."


6) How do readers generally interact with the digital version of the magazine?

562,000 monthly users (comscore)
1,200,000 monthly users (GA)
1,924,000 monthly page views


7) How many people do Men's Health reach across social media platforms?

FACEBOOK
944K

TWITTER
285K

INSTAGRAM

66K

8) What is the audience profile for Men's Health readers? 

 905K ARE ABC1, AGED 25-44
 700K HAVE A DEGREE


 200K EARN OVER £50K

9) What is the Men's Health fashion philosophy? How much do Men's Health readers collectively spend on fashion?

Men’s Health readers spend £1.1bn on

fashion a year (more than 3 times that of GQ)*

OUR FASHION PHILOSOPHY
STYLISH
INDIVIDUAL
CONTEMPORARY

WEARABLE

10) What is the average watch collection value for the Men's Health audience? What do the statistics about watches suggest about the Men's Health audience demographics and psychographics?  

Suggests they're aspirers in the ABC1 bracket. 

£4,123 

11) What percentage of Men's Health readers use moisturiser daily? What does this suggest about Men's Health readers' view of masculinity?

73% 

Readers are not toxic in their masculinity. 

12) What does the media pack suggest regarding the Men's Health audience for fitness and technology?

Men’s Health readers are fitness evangelists and

early adopters of tech.

13) Men's Health luxe is a series of magazines distributed with Men's Health targeting a specific aspect of the Men's Health audience. What are these three brand extension magazines called and what do they cover?

URBAN ACTIVE
Sports-luxe fashion magazine produced in
partnership with Harrods showcasing the
continuing trend for high-end performance
fashion apparel

SYNCHRONISED
Now in it’s 8th year, our annual watch special
is produced with the industries leading
horologists and is a must have buyers-guide
for amateurs and aficionados

EPICURE
Showcasing the best in food, drink,
restaurants and kitchen skills for the man
interested in cooking from scratch,
provenance and fine dining



14) What do the Men's Health luxe magazines suggest about the demographics and psychographics of the Men's Health audience?

They enjoy all the finer things in life, meaning they're achievers and succeeders.

15) What additional brand extensions do Men's Health offer?

They have a fitness and health product range. 

16) What are the global statistics for Men's Health?

Global Statistics:
International Editions 37
Countries Published 60
Global Circulation 4.5M
Global Readership 26.7M
Websites 25
Uniques 23.7M

Social Media Footprint 19.3M

17) What does the 2017 calendar editorial specials suggest about the Men's Health audience?

They care about their appearance more than a traditional man would.

March Feb 32pp bound in Guide to Style               August Jul Adventure Special
April Mar 32pp bound in Urban Active                   Sept Aug 32pp bound in Guide to Style
May Apr Tech Special                                           Oct Sep + Urban Active Mag
June May + Gym-free Transformation Guide          Nov Oct + Epicure Mag
July Jun 30-Day Beach Ready Countdown              Dec Nov + Synchronised Mag


18) What audience pleasures are offered by the magazine?

information/ surveillance about health 
distraction
personal identity with the lifestyle on show
personal relationship with the mag itself 

19) What lifestyle and job would you expect the average Men's Health reader to have?

high paying job, perhaps a bachelor with disposable income.  

20) Why do you think Men's Health has managed to (just) remain profitable when many other magazines have struggled due to the rise of digital media?

Because they diversified into digital media instead of remaining just print.