1) Men's Health - Audience
2) Men's Health - booklet blog summary
3) Men's Health - Representation journal article and questions
4) Magazine production task - learner response
5) Men's Health - Industries and the impact of digital media
6) Oh Comely - Audience
7) Oh Comely - Close-textual analysis
8) Oh Comely - Representation
9) Oh Comely - Industry case study
10) End of Year 1 exam - learner response
Thursday, July 11, 2019
End of Year 1 exam learner response
1) Type up your feedback in full (you do not
need to write mark/grade if you do not wish to).
WWW:
EBI:
2) Read the mark scheme for this exam carefully, paying particular attention to the 'indicative content' for each question. This is some of the best learning you can do all year as it gives you an idea of what the exam board is expecting. For your LR blogpost, identify ONE point you could have added for the first three questions in Section A:
Q1 additional point/theory: Intertextuality.
Q2 additional point/theory/CSP reference: Bell Hook's 'Normalised traumatisation'
Q3 additional point/theory/CSP reference: Van Zoonen sees gender as negotiated and dependent on social and historical context. She wrote that the meaning of gender is a “discursive struggle and negotiation, the outcome having far-reaching socio-cultural implications.”
3) The final question in Section A was a 20-mark essay that required an extended response containing a coherent argument. Using the suggested content in the mark scheme, write anessay plan containing five paragraphs/points that answer the music video and postmodernism question.
4) Section B began with two questions testing your knowledge of industry terminology. Make sure you know the answers to these (get the answers from the mark scheme if you have to):
Two benefits of vertical integration: Vertical integration allow audience to lower costs and higher profits, there is a greater control of the production process.
Definition of diversification: Diversification is when a media company branches out into a different area of the media industries.
5) Question 8 (TV industry) was arguably the hardest question on the exam. Write a new paragraph that answers the question referring to either Capital or Deutschland 83 and the global TV industry. Use the indicative content in the mark scheme to help you.
Capital is a reflection of the global nature that reflects London. Capital is a British TV drama series. Capital is the 'state-of-the-nation' drama. That is aimed at mostly the British BBC audience. Alternatively, some of the issues taken on by the drama could be seen as global. this would be through the financial crisis that the country is having. The houses prices are increasing. Capital was distributed by Fremantle Media, an international distributor that is part of the RTL group conglomerate.
WWW:
- You start pretty well in the opening questions, just lacking a little question focus which is an exam technique issue and easily improved.
EBI:
- However, the rest of the exam is concerning. Nothing for 20-mark music video question, very little for 25 mark TV Question. This is over half the paper and suggests a lack of knowledge/revision.
- Much more detailed reference to CSPs required.
- Revision theories and terminology.
2) Read the mark scheme for this exam carefully, paying particular attention to the 'indicative content' for each question. This is some of the best learning you can do all year as it gives you an idea of what the exam board is expecting. For your LR blogpost, identify ONE point you could have added for the first three questions in Section A:
Q1 additional point/theory: Intertextuality.
Q2 additional point/theory/CSP reference: Bell Hook's 'Normalised traumatisation'
Q3 additional point/theory/CSP reference: Van Zoonen sees gender as negotiated and dependent on social and historical context. She wrote that the meaning of gender is a “discursive struggle and negotiation, the outcome having far-reaching socio-cultural implications.”
3) The final question in Section A was a 20-mark essay that required an extended response containing a coherent argument. Using the suggested content in the mark scheme, write anessay plan containing five paragraphs/points that answer the music video and postmodernism question.
- Introduction.
- Billie Jean's music video is an example of bricolage.
- Billie Jean's narrative links with the lyrics an allegations in newspapers.
- Common- letter to the free editing and you know.
- Common- the black box, the connotations of it.
- Conclusion.
4) Section B began with two questions testing your knowledge of industry terminology. Make sure you know the answers to these (get the answers from the mark scheme if you have to):
Two benefits of vertical integration: Vertical integration allow audience to lower costs and higher profits, there is a greater control of the production process.
Definition of diversification: Diversification is when a media company branches out into a different area of the media industries.
5) Question 8 (TV industry) was arguably the hardest question on the exam. Write a new paragraph that answers the question referring to either Capital or Deutschland 83 and the global TV industry. Use the indicative content in the mark scheme to help you.
Capital is a reflection of the global nature that reflects London. Capital is a British TV drama series. Capital is the 'state-of-the-nation' drama. That is aimed at mostly the British BBC audience. Alternatively, some of the issues taken on by the drama could be seen as global. this would be through the financial crisis that the country is having. The houses prices are increasing. Capital was distributed by Fremantle Media, an international distributor that is part of the RTL group conglomerate.
Oh Comely Industries
Our final concept for Oh Comely magazine is industry.
This is crucial concept because Oh Comely is a small, niche independent magazine - completely different from the global brand that is Men's Health. We need to explore the surprising rise in independent publishing in recent years and why small print magazines seem to be surviving and thriving in the digital age.
Lesson notes
The independent print magazine is characterised as:
“…published without the financial support of a large corporation or institution in which the makers control publication and distribution…'independent' in spirit due to a maverick editor or publisher who leads the magazine in an exploratory, noncommercial direction” (Thomas 2007).
Oh Comely Industries case study - blog tasks
Work through the following tasks to complete your work on the Oh Comely magazine CSP. There are plenty of questions here but you will be given lesson time to start this and will find the reading gives you a brilliant insight into a vital aspect of media - the power of independent institutions.
Iceberg Press
Visit the Iceberg Press website - particularly the Who Are We page and the Why Are We Here page. Read the content and then answer the following questions:
1) Why did the people behind Iceberg Press set it up?
" We are proudly independent and put the reader at the heart of everything we do."
2) What is the Iceberg Press mission statement? (It's on the Why Are We Here page and is a series of statements).
Oh Comely and The Simple Things.
4) What similarities do you notice between The Simple Things magazine and Oh Comely?
They both target a female target audience.
5) What differences can you find between Hearst UK, publisher of Men's Health, and Iceberg Press?
Hearst UK is a much bigger publication institution than Iceberg Press.
Writer's Edit journal article
Read this excellent Writer's Edit academic journal article on the independent magazine industry and answer the following questions:
1) What is the definition of an independent print magazine?
An independent print magazine characterised as “published without the financial support of a large corporation or institution.
2) What does Hamilton (2013) suggest about independent magazines in the digital age?
Small printed magazines are thriving and gaining wider audiences benefiting them, however newspapers and the books industry are decreasing as a business due to the digital age.
3) What is the aim of Kinfolk magazine and what similarities can you draw with Oh Comely?
Kinfolk aims to help readers find ways to simplify their lives.
4) Why does the article suggest that independent magazines might be succeeding while global magazine publishers such as Bauer are struggling?
In contrast, those behind independent magazines use digital developments to their advantage, and have a strong online presence. These creators set their own terms and rely on collaboration to achieve them.
5) How do independent magazines launch? Look at the example of Alphabet Family Journal.
Relies entirely on its online crowdfunding campaign for print publication.
6) What does the article suggest about how independent publishers use digital media to target their niche audiences?
This is because on the digital media it is faster way of communicating to a wider audience.
7) Why is it significant that independent magazines are owned and created by the same people? How does this change the creative process and direction of the magazine?
This is because they share a similar creative vision.
8) What does the article suggest regarding the benefits of a 'do-it-yourself' approach to creating independent magazines?
"Emphasises semiotic self-determination in how citizens formulate and live out their identities and actions as citizens".
9) The article discusses the audience appeal of print. Why might audiences love the printed form in the digital age?
"Something real [that] will never go away. Because nothing beats the experience of print. There is beauty in the ritual of holding a physical magazine in front of you”
10) What are the challenges in terms of funding and distributing an independent magazine?
Creators rely on subscriptions and high cover prices to continue to produce, while not necessarily making a profit from each print run.The high quality of the print and unique nature of independent magazines' content and design justifies to buyers the high price relative to mainstream weekly and monthly magazines.
Irish Times feature
Now read this short feature in the Irish Times on the growth of independent magazines and answer the following questions:
1) Why are independent magazines so popular?
Their subject matter is as diverse as their production techniques.
2) Why is the magazine publishing industry set up to favour the big global conglomerates?
This is because big global conglomerate have a much larger circulation than independent magazine.
3) What does the article suggest regarding finding an audience for an independent magazine?
It’s easier than ever to build an audience.
4) What are the challenges for magazine distributors?
Shipping boxes of magazines is expensive, and with publishers taking all the risk.
5) The article suggests that many independent magazines only make money by diversifying into other products. What examples do they give?
Set up that League of Ireland fan culture magazine, you can host events, sell graphic prints, T-shirts and maybe set up a Patreon account where you can host football podcasts.
TCO interview with Ruth Jamieson
Finally, read this excellent interview on the TCO London website with Ruth Jamieson, who has written a book on the renaissance of the independent magazine sector. Answer the following questions:
1) Why does Ruth Jamieson suggest there's a renaissance in independent publishing?
Independent magazine tends to be more popular as they are more diverse in what they put in their magazine.
2) What are the common themes for successful independent magazines?
Something no one else is doing, and offering something digital media can’t offer.
3) How many of these aspects can you find in Oh Comely? Make specific reference to the CSP pages where possible.
Oh Comley is not like a typical traditional magazine front cover. They do not have much cover lines like most magazines would have. The magazine connotes themes of an arthouse.
4) How does Jamieson see the future for the magazine industry?
We’ll see more magazines come and go. But that the standard will continue to rise.
5) How might this future impact Oh Comely? Do you think Oh Comely will survive the next five years - and why?
I think that Oh Comley will if they carry on with their unique arthouse design.
This is crucial concept because Oh Comely is a small, niche independent magazine - completely different from the global brand that is Men's Health. We need to explore the surprising rise in independent publishing in recent years and why small print magazines seem to be surviving and thriving in the digital age.
Lesson notes
The independent print magazine is characterised as:
“…published without the financial support of a large corporation or institution in which the makers control publication and distribution…'independent' in spirit due to a maverick editor or publisher who leads the magazine in an exploratory, noncommercial direction” (Thomas 2007).
Despite the renaissance of print through independent magazines, there are still huge challenges:
- Distribution: finding distributor, risk of unsold stock
- Lack of advertising revenue: meaning high cover price (all over £5, many around £10 or more)
- Audience: finding and targeting a viable audience
Ironically, the internet has proved an unlikely saviour for independent magazines – it facilitates direct sales and subscriptions and allows magazines to find niche communities, crowdfunding and contributors.
Iceberg Press: an independent publisher
Iceberg Press is completely different to Hearst UK – the publisher of Men’s Health and subsidiary of global conglomerate Hearst.
It publishes just two magazines: Oh Comely and The Simple Things.
Oh Comely Industries case study - blog tasks
Work through the following tasks to complete your work on the Oh Comely magazine CSP. There are plenty of questions here but you will be given lesson time to start this and will find the reading gives you a brilliant insight into a vital aspect of media - the power of independent institutions.
Iceberg Press
Visit the Iceberg Press website - particularly the Who Are We page and the Why Are We Here page. Read the content and then answer the following questions:
1) Why did the people behind Iceberg Press set it up?
" We are proudly independent and put the reader at the heart of everything we do."
2) What is the Iceberg Press mission statement? (It's on the Why Are We Here page and is a series of statements).
- It's all about the audience
- Chase the work, not the money
- Compromise isn't our friend
- We will always make time for ideas
- We are stronger when we work with others
- We want good people to work in a good place
- Every year we will help a cause that matters
- We believe in a thing called print.
Oh Comely and The Simple Things.
4) What similarities do you notice between The Simple Things magazine and Oh Comely?
They both target a female target audience.
5) What differences can you find between Hearst UK, publisher of Men's Health, and Iceberg Press?
Hearst UK is a much bigger publication institution than Iceberg Press.
Writer's Edit journal article
Read this excellent Writer's Edit academic journal article on the independent magazine industry and answer the following questions:
1) What is the definition of an independent print magazine?
An independent print magazine characterised as “published without the financial support of a large corporation or institution.
2) What does Hamilton (2013) suggest about independent magazines in the digital age?
Small printed magazines are thriving and gaining wider audiences benefiting them, however newspapers and the books industry are decreasing as a business due to the digital age.
3) What is the aim of Kinfolk magazine and what similarities can you draw with Oh Comely?
Kinfolk aims to help readers find ways to simplify their lives.
4) Why does the article suggest that independent magazines might be succeeding while global magazine publishers such as Bauer are struggling?
In contrast, those behind independent magazines use digital developments to their advantage, and have a strong online presence. These creators set their own terms and rely on collaboration to achieve them.
5) How do independent magazines launch? Look at the example of Alphabet Family Journal.
Relies entirely on its online crowdfunding campaign for print publication.
6) What does the article suggest about how independent publishers use digital media to target their niche audiences?
This is because on the digital media it is faster way of communicating to a wider audience.
7) Why is it significant that independent magazines are owned and created by the same people? How does this change the creative process and direction of the magazine?
This is because they share a similar creative vision.
8) What does the article suggest regarding the benefits of a 'do-it-yourself' approach to creating independent magazines?
"Emphasises semiotic self-determination in how citizens formulate and live out their identities and actions as citizens".
9) The article discusses the audience appeal of print. Why might audiences love the printed form in the digital age?
"Something real [that] will never go away. Because nothing beats the experience of print. There is beauty in the ritual of holding a physical magazine in front of you”
10) What are the challenges in terms of funding and distributing an independent magazine?
Creators rely on subscriptions and high cover prices to continue to produce, while not necessarily making a profit from each print run.The high quality of the print and unique nature of independent magazines' content and design justifies to buyers the high price relative to mainstream weekly and monthly magazines.
Irish Times feature
Now read this short feature in the Irish Times on the growth of independent magazines and answer the following questions:
1) Why are independent magazines so popular?
Their subject matter is as diverse as their production techniques.
2) Why is the magazine publishing industry set up to favour the big global conglomerates?
This is because big global conglomerate have a much larger circulation than independent magazine.
3) What does the article suggest regarding finding an audience for an independent magazine?
It’s easier than ever to build an audience.
4) What are the challenges for magazine distributors?
Shipping boxes of magazines is expensive, and with publishers taking all the risk.
5) The article suggests that many independent magazines only make money by diversifying into other products. What examples do they give?
Set up that League of Ireland fan culture magazine, you can host events, sell graphic prints, T-shirts and maybe set up a Patreon account where you can host football podcasts.
TCO interview with Ruth Jamieson
Finally, read this excellent interview on the TCO London website with Ruth Jamieson, who has written a book on the renaissance of the independent magazine sector. Answer the following questions:
1) Why does Ruth Jamieson suggest there's a renaissance in independent publishing?
Independent magazine tends to be more popular as they are more diverse in what they put in their magazine.
2) What are the common themes for successful independent magazines?
Something no one else is doing, and offering something digital media can’t offer.
3) How many of these aspects can you find in Oh Comely? Make specific reference to the CSP pages where possible.
Oh Comley is not like a typical traditional magazine front cover. They do not have much cover lines like most magazines would have. The magazine connotes themes of an arthouse.
4) How does Jamieson see the future for the magazine industry?
We’ll see more magazines come and go. But that the standard will continue to rise.
5) How might this future impact Oh Comely? Do you think Oh Comely will survive the next five years - and why?
I think that Oh Comley will if they carry on with their unique arthouse design.
Oh Comely Language and Representation
Oh Comely deliberately offers an alternative version of the women's lifestyle magazine genre and we need to explore how page design, content and conventions are used or subverted to create this effect. We also need to consider the different representations that can be found in these features.
Oh Comely Language and Representation: blog tasks
Language: close-textual analysis
Work through the following tasks to complete your close-textual analysis of the Oh Comely CSP pages:
Front cover
1) What do the typefaces used on the front cover suggest to an audience?
The cursive writing at the top suggests this is a more of a non-traditional magazine as many magazines have very bold letters on the front cover.
2) The words under the title introduce the content and topics addressed. What do these suggest about the potential audience of Oh Comely?
The words under the title suggest that the target audience for this magazine is females.
3) How do the cover lines use narrative to create enigma? What do the cover lines suggest about the magazine's content and audience?
The cover lines suggests the magazine empowering females.
4) Write an analysis of the central image.
The central image the women in the centre is wearing very upper class, non-traditional costumes and the use of the earring with the coat suggests a very old-fashion theme.
5) What representation of gender can be found on this front cover?
There is very minimum makeup which is not a very conventional magazine that would be aimed at females.
Feature: Speaking Out
1) What does the headline and standfirst suggest about Oh Comely's feminist perspective?
The stand-first outlines the primary standards of the magazine - enabling ladies and urging them to accomplish extraordinary things/change their general surroundings.
2) What do the interviewees in this feature suggest about the values and ideologies that underpin this magazine?
The interviewees highlight ladies who might not really be met or celebrated in standard magazines.
3) How conventional is the page design in this feature? Why?
The majority of the content is focused and is limited by the white outskirt.
4) Pick out specific aspects of this feature that subvert the stereotypical representation of women in the media. Are they different to what we may find in conventional women's lifestyle magazines such as Glamour or Cosmopolitan? Why is the absence of men a key feature of Oh Comely?
The ladies aren't presenting in a flirty manner.
5) How does the photography offer a fresh or unusual perspective on women?
The photos all give off an impression of being in a kind of real style shot.
Feature: More than gender
1) How does this feature offer a fresh perspective on gender and identity?
This article gives us another portrayal of sexual orientation and way of life as the individual that this article is about changes sex and way of life as the individual in the article changes relying upon how he/she needs to be seen.
2) What is the significance of the writer and photographer? How does this fit with the Oh Comelybrand?
The writer and photographer of the article is likewise a editor of the magazine "Entitle," which spreads comparative topic to that of Oh Comely.
3) What style of photography is used in this feature?
There is some nature photography in the component, with various streets and pathways, these can be allude to that of the various pathways and decision that we make in life just as relate in all respects intimately with the decisions that the sexual orientation liquid individual in the article.
4) What representations of the transgender lifestyle can be found in this feature?
A pessimistic portrayal could be that the individual is very ambivalent and can't make his brain up about something so noteworthy as sexual orientation.
5) Why is the biographical information at the end of the article significant? (Clue: the writer is also an editor of a niche, creative magazine called Entitle).
Adds to the moderate feel of the magazine and the possibility that it is gone for a sensibly specialty group of spectators.
Representation and identity
Work through the following questions on representation and Oh Comely:
1) How do representations in Oh Comely challenge stereotypes?
The magazine empowers women and makes them seen very powerful in this magazine.
2) What representations of race, ethnicity and nationality can be found in the 'Speaking Out' feature?
There is a diversity in the cultures on the 'speaking out' feature.
3) What representation of women and femininity can be found in Oh Comely?
They are presented very strong and brave. Very powerful.
4) Why might Oh Comely deliberately under-represent men? (The absence of men in the magazine appears to be a largely deliberate move by the editors).
To demonstrate how men are not required and that lady can be similarly as incredible and inspiring without men. Disclosing to us how society has changed after some time.
5) Does Oh Comely fit into the possible fourth wave of feminism? Or is it evidence of post-feminism - that feminism is no longer needed?
7) Judith Butler argues gender is a performance. How does Oh Comely challenge traditional gender roles? You should refer to both the cover and the selected CSP features.
They totally subvert these conventional gender roles due tot he explicit meetings where they demonstrate the assorted variety between the lady and the decent variety between the occupations they have. This shows how lady have changed throughout the years and they have turned out to be more dedicated as opposed to being house wifes.
8) Angela McRobbie explored the empowering nature of women's lifestyle magazines in the 1990s. Oh Comely seeks female empowerment in a different way. What differences can you find between Oh Comely and more traditional women's lifestyle magazines such as Cosmopolitan or Glamour?
Excitement's statement of purpose says that it centers around furnishing the present new extravagance purchaser with motivational and open style and shopping thoughts.
9) David Gauntlett argues that identity is becoming more fluid, media representations change over time and that there are generational differences. Does Oh Comely support this viewpoint?
This is obvious in the ' More than Gender' area of the magazine the possibility of Andrew(a man) changing and getting to be Ash( a ladies). The transforming himself and going between the two sexual orientations as he gradually finds himself. The spread model likewise indicates the possibility of non-twofold and gender ambiguous styling.
10) It has been argued that Oh Comely is a far more open text (Stuart Hall - encoding and decoding/reception theory) with more room for negotiation in interpretation. Do you agree with this view? Why?
This can be valid because of the absence of coverlines. This reveals to us how the magazine is less unequivocal with points and perspectives, making more miracle for the crowd, contemplating what the magazine could be about.
We recommend you buy your own copy of Issue 35 of Oh Comely - the selected CSP issue. You can order this from the Oh Comely website here. Alternatively, selected pages of the magazine are currently available to view online through the website Issuu here.
Oh Comely Language and Representation: blog tasks
Language: close-textual analysis
Work through the following tasks to complete your close-textual analysis of the Oh Comely CSP pages:
Front cover
1) What do the typefaces used on the front cover suggest to an audience?
The cursive writing at the top suggests this is a more of a non-traditional magazine as many magazines have very bold letters on the front cover.
2) The words under the title introduce the content and topics addressed. What do these suggest about the potential audience of Oh Comely?
The words under the title suggest that the target audience for this magazine is females.
3) How do the cover lines use narrative to create enigma? What do the cover lines suggest about the magazine's content and audience?
The cover lines suggests the magazine empowering females.
4) Write an analysis of the central image.
The central image the women in the centre is wearing very upper class, non-traditional costumes and the use of the earring with the coat suggests a very old-fashion theme.
5) What representation of gender can be found on this front cover?
There is very minimum makeup which is not a very conventional magazine that would be aimed at females.
Feature: Speaking Out
1) What does the headline and standfirst suggest about Oh Comely's feminist perspective?
The stand-first outlines the primary standards of the magazine - enabling ladies and urging them to accomplish extraordinary things/change their general surroundings.
2) What do the interviewees in this feature suggest about the values and ideologies that underpin this magazine?
The interviewees highlight ladies who might not really be met or celebrated in standard magazines.
3) How conventional is the page design in this feature? Why?
The majority of the content is focused and is limited by the white outskirt.
4) Pick out specific aspects of this feature that subvert the stereotypical representation of women in the media. Are they different to what we may find in conventional women's lifestyle magazines such as Glamour or Cosmopolitan? Why is the absence of men a key feature of Oh Comely?
The ladies aren't presenting in a flirty manner.
5) How does the photography offer a fresh or unusual perspective on women?
The photos all give off an impression of being in a kind of real style shot.
Feature: More than gender
1) How does this feature offer a fresh perspective on gender and identity?
This article gives us another portrayal of sexual orientation and way of life as the individual that this article is about changes sex and way of life as the individual in the article changes relying upon how he/she needs to be seen.
2) What is the significance of the writer and photographer? How does this fit with the Oh Comelybrand?
The writer and photographer of the article is likewise a editor of the magazine "Entitle," which spreads comparative topic to that of Oh Comely.
3) What style of photography is used in this feature?
There is some nature photography in the component, with various streets and pathways, these can be allude to that of the various pathways and decision that we make in life just as relate in all respects intimately with the decisions that the sexual orientation liquid individual in the article.
A pessimistic portrayal could be that the individual is very ambivalent and can't make his brain up about something so noteworthy as sexual orientation.
5) Why is the biographical information at the end of the article significant? (Clue: the writer is also an editor of a niche, creative magazine called Entitle).
Adds to the moderate feel of the magazine and the possibility that it is gone for a sensibly specialty group of spectators.
Representation and identity
Work through the following questions on representation and Oh Comely:
1) How do representations in Oh Comely challenge stereotypes?
The magazine empowers women and makes them seen very powerful in this magazine.
2) What representations of race, ethnicity and nationality can be found in the 'Speaking Out' feature?
There is a diversity in the cultures on the 'speaking out' feature.
3) What representation of women and femininity can be found in Oh Comely?
They are presented very strong and brave. Very powerful.
4) Why might Oh Comely deliberately under-represent men? (The absence of men in the magazine appears to be a largely deliberate move by the editors).
To demonstrate how men are not required and that lady can be similarly as incredible and inspiring without men. Disclosing to us how society has changed after some time.
Fourth-wave woman's rights is a period of women's liberation described by an emphasis on the strengthening of ladies and the utilization of web instruments. Goodness attractive most disobediently fits into this wave if women's liberation because of the inspiration through the magazine.
6) How does the 'More than gender' feature challenge Levi-Strauss's structuralist theory of binary opposition?Reveals to us how there are no contrary energies among sexual orientations and that anybody can change sexes in the event that they decide to.7) Judith Butler argues gender is a performance. How does Oh Comely challenge traditional gender roles? You should refer to both the cover and the selected CSP features.
They totally subvert these conventional gender roles due tot he explicit meetings where they demonstrate the assorted variety between the lady and the decent variety between the occupations they have. This shows how lady have changed throughout the years and they have turned out to be more dedicated as opposed to being house wifes.
8) Angela McRobbie explored the empowering nature of women's lifestyle magazines in the 1990s. Oh Comely seeks female empowerment in a different way. What differences can you find between Oh Comely and more traditional women's lifestyle magazines such as Cosmopolitan or Glamour?
Excitement's statement of purpose says that it centers around furnishing the present new extravagance purchaser with motivational and open style and shopping thoughts.
9) David Gauntlett argues that identity is becoming more fluid, media representations change over time and that there are generational differences. Does Oh Comely support this viewpoint?
This is obvious in the ' More than Gender' area of the magazine the possibility of Andrew(a man) changing and getting to be Ash( a ladies). The transforming himself and going between the two sexual orientations as he gradually finds himself. The spread model likewise indicates the possibility of non-twofold and gender ambiguous styling.
10) It has been argued that Oh Comely is a far more open text (Stuart Hall - encoding and decoding/reception theory) with more room for negotiation in interpretation. Do you agree with this view? Why?
This can be valid because of the absence of coverlines. This reveals to us how the magazine is less unequivocal with points and perspectives, making more miracle for the crowd, contemplating what the magazine could be about.
Oh Comely - Audience
Oh Comely magazine is a niche women’s lifestyle publication with a strong feminist perspective. It launched in 2010 and publishes six issues a year. It describes itself:
“Oh Comely is a curious, honest and playful independent magazine. It’s a place to meet strangers, hear their stories and look at life a little differently – where our readers are our writers and our models, too.
“Each issue we pick a theme and see where it takes us. We try something old, something new and something that scares us a bit. Then we present our findings in a beautiful, artbook style, putting new writing, photography and illustration talent at the heart of it.”
Psychographics
Oh Comely magazine's description of itself would suggest targeting the Reformer and Explorer psychographic groups with an emphasis on creativity, self-discovery and a rejection of consumerism and commercialism.
Oh Comely - Audience blog tasks
Read the Oh Comely website page on advertising and audience to get a good idea of the demographics and psychographics for the Oh Comely target audience then answer the following questions:
1) How does Oh Comely introduce itself?Oh Comely introduces itself as an eccentric and innovative women lifestyle magazine, which spotlights on women's activist articles and can be portrayed as excessively upper middle class.
2) How do the print circulation/readership statistics for Oh Comely compare to Men's Health?
The print and distrbution insights are a great deal lower than the measurements for Men's Health. This could possibly feature the way that Oh Comely focus on a smaller group of audience which make the magazine more specialty.
3) How is Oh Comely distributed to the audience?
Oh Comely is distributed through independents, WHSmith and international outlets.
4) What do you think the target audience demographics for Oh Comely might be? Some details are provided by the magazine (e.g. average age 27) but make an educated guess on further demographic details.
The target audience demographic for Oh Comely might be ages 27-36, mainly upper class( ABC1 demographic).
5) What psychographic groups might be attracted to Oh Comely?
I think the psychographics that Oh Comley attracts reformers and explorers as they would find the magazine interesting as they explore new things.
6) What social class classification would you expect most Oh Comely readers to be? Why?
I think the social class would be AB.
7) What level of education would you expect for most Oh Comely readers? Why?
I think that the level of education that Oh Comley's audience would have is very high university degree/level.
8) What audience pleasures are offered by Oh Comely?
The audience pleasures that are offered by Oh Comley is personal identity, diversion, personal relationship.
9) It has been suggested Oh Comely is a “magazine about people, their quirks and creativity rather than money and what it can buy”. How does the design and advertising content of Oh Comely support this view?
The design and cover lines on the front cover are very interesting and unique it is not a traditional way of seeing a magazine's front cover.
10) Why do you think Oh Comely has been able to build a loyal audience of subscribers in the eight years since it launched? Think about audience demand, rival magazines and the overall media landscape in the digital age.
Oh Comley has empowered women which has not been done in the previous generations as much as now and not many magazines have still come with that idea.
“Oh Comely is a curious, honest and playful independent magazine. It’s a place to meet strangers, hear their stories and look at life a little differently – where our readers are our writers and our models, too.
“Each issue we pick a theme and see where it takes us. We try something old, something new and something that scares us a bit. Then we present our findings in a beautiful, artbook style, putting new writing, photography and illustration talent at the heart of it.”
[Source: Oh Comely magazine website]
Oh Comely audience
Social Media Reach: 100,000
Readers Per Issue: 25,000
Average Age of reader: 27
Sold through independents, WHSmith and international outlets
Oh Comely offers: “Access to a difficult to reach and highly-targeted niche demographic of creative women who spend money on the things they love.”
“Oh Comely is a powerful mix of words and pictures, stylishly presented and much loved by its readers. It provides an alternative to the ‘pile-it-high-sell-it-cheap’ aesthetic of mainstream magazines for young women, and this is why it has carved a loyal niche of fans. It is a breath of fresh air for a creative audience desperate to find something that speaks to them directly in an accessible, intelligent and interesting voice.”
[Source: ohcomely.co.uk/advertise]
Social Media Reach: 100,000
Readers Per Issue: 25,000
Average Age of reader: 27
Sold through independents, WHSmith and international outlets
Oh Comely offers: “Access to a difficult to reach and highly-targeted niche demographic of creative women who spend money on the things they love.”
Oh Comely magazine's description of itself would suggest targeting the Reformer and Explorer psychographic groups with an emphasis on creativity, self-discovery and a rejection of consumerism and commercialism.
Audience pleasures
There are many potential audience pleasures for Oh Comely readers. Applying Blumler & Katz’s Uses & Gratifications theory, three in particular would be:
Personal identity: Readers enjoy having their quirky, creative lifestyle and feminist viewpoint endorsed and reflected by the magazine.
Personal relationships: Oh Comely is presented in a particularly personal way. It is the creation of three university friends, the magazine offers background on the contributors and readers are encouraged to ‘get to know’ the editorial team.
Surveillance: Oh Comely deliberately looks to inform its readers about niche stories, events and people.
Personal identity: Readers enjoy having their quirky, creative lifestyle and feminist viewpoint endorsed and reflected by the magazine.
Personal relationships: Oh Comely is presented in a particularly personal way. It is the creation of three university friends, the magazine offers background on the contributors and readers are encouraged to ‘get to know’ the editorial team.
Surveillance: Oh Comely deliberately looks to inform its readers about niche stories, events and people.
Oh Comely - Audience blog tasks
Read the Oh Comely website page on advertising and audience to get a good idea of the demographics and psychographics for the Oh Comely target audience then answer the following questions:
1) How does Oh Comely introduce itself?Oh Comely introduces itself as an eccentric and innovative women lifestyle magazine, which spotlights on women's activist articles and can be portrayed as excessively upper middle class.
2) How do the print circulation/readership statistics for Oh Comely compare to Men's Health?
The print and distrbution insights are a great deal lower than the measurements for Men's Health. This could possibly feature the way that Oh Comely focus on a smaller group of audience which make the magazine more specialty.
3) How is Oh Comely distributed to the audience?
Oh Comely is distributed through independents, WHSmith and international outlets.
4) What do you think the target audience demographics for Oh Comely might be? Some details are provided by the magazine (e.g. average age 27) but make an educated guess on further demographic details.
The target audience demographic for Oh Comely might be ages 27-36, mainly upper class( ABC1 demographic).
5) What psychographic groups might be attracted to Oh Comely?
I think the psychographics that Oh Comley attracts reformers and explorers as they would find the magazine interesting as they explore new things.
6) What social class classification would you expect most Oh Comely readers to be? Why?
I think the social class would be AB.
7) What level of education would you expect for most Oh Comely readers? Why?
I think that the level of education that Oh Comley's audience would have is very high university degree/level.
8) What audience pleasures are offered by Oh Comely?
The audience pleasures that are offered by Oh Comley is personal identity, diversion, personal relationship.
9) It has been suggested Oh Comely is a “magazine about people, their quirks and creativity rather than money and what it can buy”. How does the design and advertising content of Oh Comely support this view?
The design and cover lines on the front cover are very interesting and unique it is not a traditional way of seeing a magazine's front cover.
10) Why do you think Oh Comely has been able to build a loyal audience of subscribers in the eight years since it launched? Think about audience demand, rival magazines and the overall media landscape in the digital age.
Oh Comley has empowered women which has not been done in the previous generations as much as now and not many magazines have still come with that idea.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
-
Videogames: Introduction - Women in videogames Our final in-depth media topic is Videogames. Our Videogames CSPs are Tomb Raider ...
-
As part of our study of women in videogames, we need to develop our understanding of feminist theory. We have looked at a range of feminist...
-
1) Videogames: Women in videogames 2) Videogames: Further feminist theory 3) Learner response: OSP assessment 4) Videogames: Tomb Raide...
