Magazines: Representation and social contexts

 Magazines: Introduction to Representation

1) Write a definition of representation in media studies

- how groups/events/people are presented in the media

2) Now look at the cover of Closer magazine above. List all different types of people and groups represented on the front cover. E.g. women, celebrities, race/ethnicity etc.

-Mainly women, female celebrities are presented like Katie Price, Cheryl, with the exception of two men if the top corner of the magazine

3) What does the representation of women on this front cover suggest female audiences are mainly interested in?

- The slogans/heading of the women are very informative of the celebrities. They create images on these women whether its negative or positive, most of the time negative. They are suggestions that female audiences love to read about gossip, people's personal information, celebrity quotes.

4) Are there any stereotypes you can identify? E.g. women and motherhood; celebrities etc.

- The magazine does contain stereotypes it portrays women as very intrusive about other women's businesses. They base it a lot on celebrities and their experiences on motherhood, fashion, body image, romance.  

5) Is there anything on the cover that subverts typical stereotypes in the media?

- Its very basic it consists of typical stereotypes like women only being interested in motherhood/babies, fashion and gossip.

6) What is the preferred reading of this magazine cover - what do the producers want audiences to think when they see it? 

-The producers want the audience to think the magazine is interesting and should appeal everyone. They want the audience to be intrigued by the magazine and feel a certain type of way towards the celebrities.

7) What is the op-positional reading of this magazine cover - how might someone criticise this magazine cover or be offended by it?

- The magazine sometimes does present women in a negative manor.

- This magazine really is stereotypical, it doesn't talk much about sports, advice or maybe masculine things its a very feminine magazine which could make the audience distance themselves from the magazine.

EXT.

1) Is British society now obsessed with celebrities? 

I feel like in magazine, adverts, media etc. British celebrities take a big part in them. Their love lifes, personal information or small things like 'what they did on a Sunday' is always included so i feel like British society is obsessed with these celebrities.

2) Is the representation of women in the media changing or do stereotypes of appearance, weight-loss and motherhood still dominate? 

- In a lot of magazines the key topics about appearance, motherhood, weight-loss do still dominate but not as much as it used to. People are changing the audience are starting to distance themselves to these magazines which is why a lot of producers are staring to make it more different.

3) How might the Closer cover line regarding the 'UK's first gay dad' offend readers today?  

- Under the reading ' UK's first gay dad', says 'Im having triplets with my daughters ex-boyfriend', the audience can take offence to that because of the fact its ' the first gay dad' and its suppose to illustrate something positive, however the magazine is represtnting them as very strange or unusual because hes with daughters ex-boyfriend which is a bad representation of them.