Weekly News

Top journalists sign up as Words By Women judges

A new awards ceremony taking aim at a lack of women nominated for the UK’s Press Awards has signed up some of the country’s top journalists to serve on its judging panel.

Sky’s Kay Burley, BuzzFeed UK editor-in-chief Janine Gibson and Independent on Sunday editor Lisa Markwell have joined the judging panel for the Words By Women awards. A shortlist for 13 categories will be announced on 29 February, with a ceremony at the Groucho Club scheduled for 21 March, the day before the Press Awards take place. 

I think that this is a good scheme in order to raise awareness that there is a lack of woman nominated for UK's press awards. Also, i think that this is a good opportunity too spread equality and give women just as much of a chance as male journalists

Top Gear's Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc: start of a special relationship?

The Anglo-American Top Gear presenting duo of Chris Evans and Matt LeBlancseem to be forming a special relationship already as they were see filming scenes for the new series of the hit motoring show.

LeBlanc may be wondering what he had let himself in for, because rather than zooming about in expensive supercars, one of his first assignments was to chug along in a three-wheeled Reliant Robin outside the BBC’s Broadcasting House headquarters in central London.

I think that this is a very interesting story because many would want to see how the new top gear cast will cope when the show airs. I think that there would have to be something special in order to compete or even match the last top gear cast with the likes of Jeremy Clarkson. This will create a lot of controversy and many people will compare the two.

Index

1) Reading the riots

2) Post-colonialism: Destiny Ekaragwa film analysis

3) Post-colonialism: theory and clip task

4) Feminism: post-feminism article and No More Page 3 research
5) Feminism: Feminist theory and Beyonce video analysis

6) Identity and Film - Media Factsheet task

7) Collective identity and the media

Identities and Film: blog task

In 1954, the researchers Manfred Kuhn and Thomas McPartland conducted an experiment, known as the TST (Twenty Statements Test) in which they asked the participants to answer the question “Who am I?” twenty times. People would be encouraged to think of all the different roles they have in their lives. The test reveals that people don’t have one single identity, but many identities that they move in and out of depending on the situation they find themselves in.

I am a male (Social groups and classifications)
I am a teenager (Social groups and classifications)
I am a student (Social groups and classifications)
I am a footballer (Interests)
I am a brother (Social groups and classifications)
I am creative (Self-evaluations)
I am interested in music (Interests)
I am interested in sports (Interests)
I am friendly (Self-evaluations)
I am funny (Self-evaluations)
I am ambitious (Ambitions)
I am lively (Self-evaluations)
I am fun (Self-evaluations)
I am kind (Self-evaluations)
I am laid back (Self-evaluations)
I am someone who enjoys solving problems (interests)
I am religious (Ideological beliefs)
I am helpful (Self-evaluations)
I am appreciative (Self-evaluations)
I am loyal (Self-evaluations)

My favorite film is Boyz N the Hood because of it's realism. I think that this says something about my character because i am into those types of movies. I think that the reason it is one of my favorite movies is that it shows a refreshing change in the typical stereotypes with one of the main characters Ricky being a successful black college student. It also addresses some of the issues that are still going on today such as police brutality and black inferiority. 

LGBT Films:

Wilde (1997, dir. Brian Gilbert)

Philadelphia (1993, dir. Jonathan Demme) 

The Wedding Banquet (1993, dir. Ang Lee) 

The Kids are Alright (2010, dir. Lisa Cholodenko) 

Pride (2014, dir. Matthew Warchus)

Weekly News

Time Inc buys what is left of MySpace for its user data

Time Inc has acquired what is left of social media pioneer MySpace in a move designed to hoover up user data to help it target digital ads more effectively.

The publisher of magazines including Time, People and in the UK, NME and Ideal Home announced in a statement it had acquired Viant, a group of companies that includes advertising network Specific Media, which purchased MySpace for $35m in 2011.

Time chief executive and chairman Joe Ripp described the deal as a “game changer”.

He said: “Marketers are selecting media partners that have either data-driven capabilities or premium content; we will be able to deliver both in a single platform, and will stand apart from those that offer just one or the other.”

MySpace was one of the first wave of social networks to emerge at the start of the century. It was acquired in 2005 by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp for $580m and peaked in December 2008 with 75.9 million monthly unique visitors.

I think that this is a good idea and is likely to benefit Time Inc in the long term. This is because Time Inc will be able to target digital ads effectively which could help them gain more revenue.

Marketing firm posts 'only dyslexics need apply' job advert

A marketing firm has released a job advertisement that stipulates applicants must be dyslexic as it wants employees who think differently.

The ad – which features a photograph of the Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who was dyslexic – says: “We require people with a unique mind, so only dyslexics (like Steve) should apply.”

It was released by the Garage, which aims to provide “innovative thinking” for businesses. The new marketing consultancy was founded by Chris Arnold, a former creative director at the advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi who describes himself as a “dyslexic entrepreneur”.

I think this is an interesting article because it circles out dyslexics which is surprising. Also it is at benefit to them and possibly a good idea because it gives less able people a chance to thrive in a department they enjoy.

Collective identity: blog task

1) Read the article and summarise each section in one sentence, starting with the section 'Who are you?'

Who are you- This section talks about constructing our identity through the media i.e. fashion statements etc.

I think therefore I am- our identity use to be pre-determined with class, age, gender and ethnicity however we are able to construct our own identity now.

The rise of the individual- identities became more of an individual factor rather than collective where people were able to form their own identities and uniqueness.

From citizen to consumer- This speaks about how advertising and the media were able to convince people to buy what they wanted not what they needed which played a role in constructing identities.

Branding and lifestyle- This links to the idea that branding and the brands you use and associate with play a role in forming your personality/identity.

Who will be?- A persons identity can be determined through their 'homepage' or their social media profile, this shows how they portray themselves publicly.

2) List five brands you are happy to be associated with and explain how they reflect your sense of identity.

Apple- I am happy to be associated with apple because they bring across the idea of innovation and creativity which can reflect to ones personality as a user of their products.

Nike- Nike is a huge worldwide brand that is extremely successful and this reflects my identity as being sporty or having an active lifestyle.

LG- LG is a huge technology brand with the slogan 'life's good' which can reflect my identity as being happy and satisfied with my lifestyle.

Mercedes- This gives off the idea of luxury and a comfortable lifestyle which I am happy to be associated with.

PlayStation- This is a growing brand that I am happy to be associated with because it gives off the idea of having a 'fun' lifestyle due to their advanced gaming features.

3) Do you agree with the view that modern media is all about 'style over substance'? What does this expression mean?

Yes, I agree with this expression to an extent because modern media shows peoples identities through their style and what they choose to shown people in their profile pictures, tweets etc. However, I also believe that substance is important in modern media because following someone will allow you to get to 'know them' or see some of their views through their posts and social media page.

This expression means modern media concentrates strictly on a person outside features and what they choose to show people rather than their personal features and views in terms of popular topics.

4) Explain Baudrillard's theory of 'media saturation' in one paragraph. You may need to research it online to find out more.

'External superficial value exceeds all that is substantial under the veneer of glitter and pretty garlands of flowers.'

5) Is your presence on social media an accurate reflection of who you are? Have you ever added or removed a picture from a social media site purely because of what it says about the type of person you are?

I think that my social media pages are a reflection of who I am to an extent because my posts/tweets etc are coming from me and how i feel about certain issues. I feel that social media is a good way to share your opinion sometimes because of the wide variety of views. However I also think that I cannot be completely judged or summed up though my social media because it is sometimes used as a sense of escapism.

6) What is your opinion on 'data mining'? Are you happy for companies to sell you products based on your social media presence and online search terms? Is this an invasion of privacy?

I think it isn't an invasion of your privacy because it usually and automated service that offers you these products which means there is no real invasion. Also, many may find this useful because they can get products that they want or are interested in according to their searches.

Beyonce video

1) How might this video contribute to Butler’s idea that gender roles are a ‘performance’?

The media influences performance roles because it reinforces the idea that women are there to do housework and look after children. The Beyonce video seems to reinforce the idea that women just work around the house which is a common stereotype about women.

2) Would McRobbie view Beyonce as an empowering role model for women?

McRobbie would view this as an empowering factor for women to an extent because the whole idea of the glamour shown throughout the video makes women seem powerful and luxurious in the music video. However, Beyonce working in the kitchen may also degrade women to an extent because of the typical stereotypes.

3) What are your OWN views on this debate – does Beyonce empower women or reinforce the traditional ‘male gaze’ (Mulvey)?

I personally think that Beyonce reinforces the male gaze and other stereotypes to an extent. When looking strictly at the lyric 'why dont you love me' you can instantly see that she needs a man to support and lover her which degrades women and show them not to be independent. Also the revealing clothing reinforces the male gaze and allows men watching the video to sexualise her and look at her for their own purposes and pleasures.

Identities and the Media: Feminism

Media Magazine reading

1) What are the two texts the article focuses on?

the article focuses on Beyonce and her representations in her video 'why dont you love me' and how the music video reinforces some stereotypes  that women are just the typical housewives. This shows women stereotypes and reinforces them to an extent.

2) What examples are provided from the two texts of the 'male gaze' (Mulvey)?

Beyonce- Why dont you love me'
Pan Am

3) Do texts such as these show there is no longer a need for feminism or are they simply sexism in a different form?

I think texts such as these show some form of sexism and stereotypes because it gives the idea that women should stick to housework. These texts make men superior to women in many things and doesn't allow women to do what men do.

No More Page 3

1) How can the No More Page 3 campaign be linked to the idea of post-feminism?

page 3 would challenge feminism because the whole image and idea of it objectifies women. Feminists will look at this and look to argue that this doesn't show equality because the male is looking at the female in a sexual way.

2) What are your OWN views on the No More Page 3 campaign. Do you agree with the campaign's aims? Should the campaign continue?

I think that the campaign should continue this is simply because page 3 reinforces many stereotypes. Also,  page 3 objectifies women because they are simply there for the male gaze.

3) Do you agree that we are in a post-feminist state or is there still a need for feminism?

I think there is a need for feminism to an extent because the idea of equality is important in society. Also, with men objectifying and sexualising women in music videos this still shows that feminism is needed to an extent to ensure men and women are equal in society and how they are viewed.

Post-colonialism: Edward Said blog task

1) Summarise the three theorists we have looked at: Alvarado, Fanon and Said.

Fanon- Infantilize, Primitivize, Decivilize, Essentialize

Alvarado- Dangerous, Exotic, Humorous, Pitied 

Said- 'Civilized' and 'Uncivilized' 

2) Watch the opening of Yasmin (2004) again. Does it offer a positive or negative view of British Muslims? To what extent does it reinforce or challenge Edward Said's theory of Orientalism - that the west is superior to the exotic or uncivilised east?

The opening sequence both shows positive and negative views of British Muslims. The opening sequence shows the main character Yasmin changing from her hijab and modest clothing into tight jeans which shows that she attempts to hide her culture and identity by changing in private where her family is not aware of this. However the sequence also shows a young disciplined boy trying to learn the Quran and his religion with his father. Also the father in the clip works as an engineer of some sort which subverts the idea of Muslims gaining benefits and being pitied.

I think that the clip subverts the Said's theory because it shows the characters as being civilized normal people with Yasmin and her father both working as normal British citizens. This subverts the theory because it shows the exotic to be as superior as the west.

Weekly News

ITV's Elaine Bedell to step down after seven years

ITV director of entertainment Elaine Bedell is to leave the broadcaster after seven years. Bedell is following in the footsteps of ITV director of television Peter Fincham who announced earlier this month he is stepping down.

During her time at ITV, Bedell has been responsible for overseeing some of ITV’s biggest shows such as Britain’s Got Talent, The X Factor, Benidorm and I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!, as well as commissioning new series including Ninja Warrior UK and Plebs.

Fincham, who worked with Bedell when he was BBC1 controller and she was BBC entertainment commissioner, said: “Elaine has been a tremendous colleague over the past seven years and has led the entertainment and comedy team with unswerving commitment and enormous flair. I can completely understand why she wants to seek new pastures and I wish her the very best of luck. I’ve had such fun working with Elaine and her team – she’s a class act.”

I think that ITV may find difficulties replacing her due to her long period at ITV of seven years. Also, they may feel demotivated due to her big role in ITV such as overseeing big shows such as BGT and X Factor.

Jeremy Clarkson comments about trans people are 'damaging', says Stonewall

Campaigning charity Stonewall has slammed Jeremy Clarkson’s Sunday Times column about transgender people as “damaging and ridiculous”.

Clarkson has come under fire for his column, which ridiculed the transgender community, saying “we must now all turn our attention to the plight of people who want to change their name from Stan to Loretta, and fight for the right for men to have babies”.

A spokesperson for Stonewall, which campaigns for the equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people across Britain, said: “Vitriol like this shows how much work we have left to do – and is extremely hurtful not just to trans people, but their friends and families, and no doubt most people with a moral compass.”

This clearly shows how careful influential people such as Jeremy Clarkson have to be because stating his opinion on such a strong topic such as transsexuals could cause controversy. This could also effect Sunday Times because their reputation could be at stake with such huge statements. The Sunday Times may look to fix this to ensure their reputation is kept and their brand image isn't destroyed or not valued as much.

Weekly news

Sun website traffic falls by more than 5% despite axing of paywall

The Sun saw a more than 5% fall in its audience in December, despite dropping its paywall fully for the first time on 30 November.

A spokesperson attributed the decline to “certain apps being turned off to unify the Sun online presence and the expected seasonal lull in Dream Team”. Much of the site’s content was also already free before the paywall was officially dropped, as the site began relaxing its approach to charging for online content last summer.

However, the Sun outperformed the rest of the UK’s national newspapers, which saw bigger falls during the month. Their Christmas traffic declines followed gains made in November, which were partly driven by public interest in stories such as the Paris attacks.

In my opinion I would have thought the paywall would have caused a decline due to the audience not wanting to pay for the site. However it shows that even after the paywall was removed, there still showed declines in visits. I think that this is bound to happen and is almost inevitable with social media and people gaining information and news from different sources on the internet and probably social networking sites such as Twitter which provide news pages that are easily accessible. 

BBC staff are still afraid to speak out, four years after Jimmy Savile's death

Contact author

@janemartinson

Thursday 21 January 2016 14.50 GMTLast modified on Thursday 21 January 201616.24 GMT

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In all major sex abuse scandals – from Rotherham to the Catholic church as well as Jimmy Savile – the perpetrators are aided by a culture of silence. And the most searing indictment in the report into the BBC’s handling of the Jimmy Savile abuse scandal is that this culture of silence continues.

Decades after children who spoke out about abuse by Savile were bustled out of the studio, BBC employees still feel too scared to speak out about their workplace in case they lose their job or fail to get promoted, according to Dame Janet Smith’s draft report. Extraordinarily, the draft report records that one teenager abused on camera was told it was “just Jimmy fooling about”.

Even after Savile’s death, those who chose to talk to the officially sanctioned review did so in the main if they were allowed to remain anonymous. They spoke of their fear that they would suffer the consequences for doing so.

I think that the BBC refuse to touch on this subject because they believe that this is a big issue that may affect their brand image. BBC are a strong brand but talking about such as huge story and a popular one that has brought many opinions in the past may cause controversy and people to doubt and maybe question the BBC which is something they wish to avoid in order to keep their brand image and reputation high.

Identities and the Media: Reading the riots

How did the language and selection of images in the coverage create a particular representation of young people? 

Most of the images that were selected featured young people, which created an idea that the main people involved were 'wild youth' or uncontrollable young people. Many of the images showed similar features such as the fire background which gave an idea of a 'war zone'. This highlighted the importance and seriousness of this issue. The fire in the background of these images also gave a sense of exaggeration to the situation which has given it an 'alert' or 'attention' sign for the audiences of these newspapers.

What is the typical representation of young people – and teenage boys in particular? What did the 2005 IPSOS/MORI survey find?

The typical representation is that the youth now are all 'morons' or ignorant kids that like causing havoc. The newspaper articles demonstrated that the youth are rioting aggressively with no purpose when in fact this was a protest that kicked off due to police shooting and innocent man.

How can Stanley Cohen’s work on Moral Panic be linked to the coverage of the riots?

The coverage clearly shows a sense of moral panic in society that the youth are being aggressive and senseless where society show anxiety and fear because of the youth that are causing damage all over Britain. 

How was social media blamed for the riots? What was interesting about the discussion of social media when compared to the Arab Spring in 2011?

Social media showed to be very dangerous and partly the reason for the riots because that is what was used by the youth to communicate with one another in order to meet up and cause trouble and loot stores.

Alternatively, how might media scholars like Henry Jenkins view the 'tsunami' of blogs, forums and social media comments? Do you agree that this shows the democratisation of the media?

The media scholars will view this as a silly accusation because they would believe that the shooting triggered the riots although social media was being used to communicate, it doesn't and shouldn't put blame on such a platform that has brought many advantages to society over the years. 

What are your views on the main causes of the riots?

I think that what triggered the riots was the shooting of the innocent man however, it then grew out to become for many different reasons that the youth may have felt hard-done by. Some youth may have rioted and looted because they're fed up of their treatment and stereotypes in society that come naturally to them even when being innocent.

Were people involved in the riots given a voice in the media to explain their participation?

No, people involved in the riots were not given a voice to express why they done such things but instead were called morons and idiotic youth for participating in such aggressive behavior which doesn't seem to be fair.

In the Guardian website's investigation into the causes of the riots, they did interview rioters themselves. Read this Guardian article from their Reading the Riots academic research project - what causes are outlined by those involved in the disturbances?

Many say the main cause of the riots was due to the rioters anger towards the police department and their treatment to communities. Rioters relationship with the police is what caused the riots and the looting's to happen. Rioters feel that the police do not show sympathy or understanding for the youth and how they are treated. 

What is your own opinion on the riots? Do you have sympathy with those involved or do you believe strong prison sentences are the right approach to prevent such events happening in future?

I think that the shooting by the police caused and sparked the riots to happen. I definitely feel sympathy towards the rioters because I believe that the riots occurred because of a reason behind them and not headless youth trying to cause trouble. I believe that the mistreatment of the youth and people in communities in general has cause the anger to build up and has caused the riots to take place. I think that prison sentences will not prevent this from happening because the youth will still feel anger but this may also anger them more due to them feeling hard-done by and not listened to by society. I think instead the police and governments should work on creating youth clubs and activities for children in order to discipline them but also give them a voice in their community which is what they're seeking for.

NDM case study: News on the Tweet

Why are respected news brands good news for Twitter?

Respected news brand are huge benefit to twitter because the allow the audience to access their news through social media such as Twitter. This beneficial because NDM has developed massively over the years which has made news accessible through the internet and social media sites. This is a benefit because news brands such as the guardian or the sun are now able to tweet their news through Twitter allowing consumers to gain information through the internet.

Why in turn is Twitter good for respected news brands?

Also Twitter is good for respected news brands because with the decline of the newspaper industry this has put news organisations down. However with Twitter institutions such as the guardian can post and tweet their news which still allows their news to be distributed and consumed in a different format which is still beneficial because of the popularity of their institution on Twitter.

The report suggests that old and new media “are not, in fact, in direct competition, but often work extremely well together to enhance both the media eco-system and the consumer experience”. What evidence do they provide to support this idea? Do you agree with it?

‘Better together’ is becoming a familiar phrase in media – ever since we learned that online and legacy media are not, in fact, in direct competition, but often work extremely well together to enhance both the media eco-system and the consumer experience." This is a quote from the article which suggests that new media and old media are 'better together' which suggests that old media and new media work well together instead of being competitors against each other they have helped each other to both strive. An example of this is how a site such as Twitter has allowed the news industry to post articles for consumers. This is a prime example because it shows how they have helped each other instead of competing. 

Do you think the increasing amount of 'gossip' or 'banter' is harming the reputation of news and journalists?

Yes, I think the increasing amount of gossip or banter is harming the reputation of news because news traditionally is supposed to be serious. This means that news industries provide news with a certain amount of seriousness with stabbings, murders etc. Meaning the increase in banter has taken away the serious element of news making the reputation decline heavily. However, it can be argued that this has also enhanced news because it has allowed consumers to interact more with the news due to its light banter. This is beneficial for news industries to an extent because it has given them that connection with their audience allowing them to create good but respected relationships with consumers.

Weekly News

BBC risks excluding viewers by prioritising online content

BBC3 move to online-only, fears over future of traditional broadcasting and corporation being too ‘overtly political’ among public’s concerns, study finds.
Older, poorer and rural viewers could all be excluded by the BBC’s plans for the future, according to warnings published by the BBC Trust.A consultation of more than 10,000 people revealed that many older licence-fee payers said they feared being forgotten and left behind by “the prioritisation of online content over traditional broadcasting” given in the BBC’s own proposals to create a “British, bold and creative” broadcaster.
The BBC are chasing after to receive more viewers especially the younger generation because they access everything through their phone and tablets which has made BBC's viewers decrease. However, the BBC should focus on the older generation as an audience so they are able to deliver quality news to them.

New York Times

The New York Times has named Jim Rutenberg as its new media columnist, filling the role left vacant after the sudden death of David Carr almost a year ago.

Rutenberg is currently the chief political correspondent for the newspaper’s Sunday magazine, having joined the NYT from the New York Observer as a media correspondent in 2000.

A joint memo to staff from executive editor Dean Bacquet and business editor Dean Murphy said the hunt for someone to take on the prestigious role had been “exhaustive” and taken in both internal and external candidates.

I think that the New York times audience will realise the difference in writing because of they would notice that the loss of David Carr who was a significant journalist for the New York times. The change in journalists may cause the audience to go to other competitors due to a difference that they may not like.

weekly news

Netflix, Spotify and Apple power UK entertainment revenue to record £6.1bn

UK revenue from music, TV shows, films and video games hit an all-time high of £6.1bn in 2015 thanks to the booming popularity of digital services offered by players including Netflix, Amazon, Spotify and Apple.

A surge in digital spending combined with the mega-selling new album by Adelehauled the total UK music market to its first growth in at least a decade, up 3.5% to £1.06bn. The UK music industry saw the number of streams almost double to 27m and physical sales, while flat, were greater than they have been for a decade.

Having sold 2.6m copies of 25 in just six weeks after its November launch, Adele even pipped big-seller Fifa 16 to become the biggest entertainment hit of the year, according to figures released on Tuesday. The football game sold 2.5m units between its release in September and the end of the year.

Netflix: from DVD rentals to the verge of world domination

When Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings took to the stage in Las Vegas on Wednesday to announce the streaming service’s expansion into a further 130 countries, he told the audience they were “witnessing the birth of a global TV network”.

It was a grand statement for a company that started out as a US mail-order DVD rental business, but one it has backed by attracting about 74 million subscribers around the world and making huge investments in TV programming.

Hastings’ words were chosen carefully: his list of countries that could now access Netflix ranged from the obscure (Azerbaijan) through to the massive (India). Even if China remains one of the few places not on the list, Hastings said the company “hopes to be there soon”. At more than 190 territories, Netflix is within a whisker of the 200 it promised to have by this time in 2017, and not far off the global tag it wants to claim.