Category: Media Analysis

The role of media is crucial for human lives nowadays. Much time, efforts, and knowledge have been already spent to improve this industry, and it is hard to stop contributing such spheres like movies, literature, television, and music. The investigations of Deuze and Steward show that a variety of the existed media channels abilities influence considerably our lives, and the point is about “living a life not with but rather in media” (1).

To learn more about the world of media, it is better to focus on the news and the main themes of the articles offered to the reader. One of the most captivating current issues is the future Oscar and the nominations which can win. In this paper, the article by The New York Times’ writer, John Collins Rudolf, about the unexpected nominee Gasland will be analyzed to prove that media may influence different aspects of our life.

There are a lot of investigations which are devoted to the problems of oil or natural gas drilling (Lyons 43) and the challenges which have to be overcome by humans. Under the current technological progress and the abilities available, it is possible to inform the whole world about the most urgent issues by means of different media channels.

Documentary film is one of the forms that aims at “reporting about world” (Rollyson 1) and about world’s achievements. In the article under analysis, the author admits that the promotion of such movies and the Oscar’s nod that is possible is a unique chance for the director and the author of Gasland to attract more attention to the problem.

Though people are aware of the problems caused by drilling and natural gases, they do not want to fall into details. Nowadays many people prefer to watch movies or news online and rely on the information provided. This movie helps many families “who’ve been hurt by drilling” (Rudolf) to declare about themselves and inform future generations about possible problems and threats.

With the help of this article, the reader will learn that there are many unsolved issues which deserve our attention. It seems to be dangerous for people to discover the truth that it is possible “to light their drinking water on fire” (Gasland), and this article as well as the movie the author of the article discusses is a good source to rely on and to understand how unreliable current living conditions are.

The global content (Deuze and Steward 7) of the article helps to localize such information around the whole world. This article does teach the reader and does show that it is not always easy to disclose a particular problem to public without media interruption.

There are many nominations for the Oscar this year: Inception, The Social Network, Black Swan, etc (Chaney). Still, are any of the movies mentioned or nominated as much crucial for someone’s lives as Gasland for people suffered from natural gas drilling is? Hardly! Of course, each movie is a unique chance of the director to introduce personal evaluation of opportunities.

However, the chosen for the article documentary film Gasland should be marked in the media industry as well as in human history as an attempt to call for action and understanding. If people accept the idea that media is an integral part of their lives, it is time to use media in order to meet the necessary goals and improve the conditions people have to live under like the attempt was made by Josh Fox, the director of the movie, and John Collins Rudolf, the author of the media article.

Works Cited

“About the Film.” Gasland. 2010. Web.

Chaney, Jen. “Oscar Nominations 2011: ‘King’s Speech’ Leads with 12 Nominations; ‘True Grit’ Nets 10.” The Washington Post. 25 Jan. 2011. Web.

Deuze, Mark and Steward, Brian. “Managing Media Work.” In Managing Media Work. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, 2011.

Lyons, William. Air and Gas Drilling Manual. Burlington: Gulf Professional Publishing, 2008.

Rollyson, Carl. Documentary Film: A Primer. Lincoln: iUniverse, 2004.

Rudolf, John Collins. “Industry Boos Oscar Nod for ‘Gasland’.” The New York Post. 25 Jan. 2011. Web.

The second chapter of James Carey’s A Critical Reader discusses the historical components of media analysis, specifically through the example of works by Lewis Mumford and Marshall McLuhan. One of the first key claims to appear within the second chapter is that the roots of media analysis are in the study and understanding of “whimsy, propaganda, and truth.” Indeed, media should be perceived as an element that should be analyzed together with sociopolitical factors. In the case of Mumford and McLuhan, Carey observes that the writing and interpretation of media can result in the reconstruction of wider arguments and even the selection of an antagonistic agent. This coincides with much of the philosophy of constructing and analyzing propaganda and its utilities. In the case of McLuhan and the “nature of electrical technology”, references to Mumford were frequently made and presented him as an “antagonist” to McLuhan’s own position. While propaganda may no longer be applied to all forms of media analysis, leftover factors still informed early media studies and were highly dependent on the nature of propaganda.

Industrialism is also a topic revisited in the second chapter, as Carey describes the roles of both Mumford and McLuhan in the emergence of literacy and printing. The author characterizes the changing process and the establishment of formats such as periodicals, books, and newspapers as they are seen now to be a process of changing powers. Industrialism had similarly paved the way for long-distance communication and universality to take over short-distance and localized media. Similarly, media became an instrument in a growing economy. Socio-political concepts, such as the “man”, were given visual and cultural significance and permeated a variety of social exchanges and relationships.

While media analysis gave way to many politically-charged interpretations, it had also given room for rapid depolarization and a total focus on culture. In the first chapter, Carey notes that Lippman had led the process of depoliticizing media and McLuhan and Mumford had been found to be agents of continuous change. Mumford argued that electronic devices had largely been destructive and intense for the relationship between the consumer, the media, and technology. On the other hand, McLuhan argued that the new format of media consumption would cause a total qualitative change in society and lead to a new approach to cultural life and social organization. While their arguments clashed, both had essentially concluded that a type of depoliticization is likely to occur and the focus of mass media would shift from its early propagandist roots to be entirely founded on culture.

One of the last topics to be touched upon in both chapters is the concept of mass society and how it has become centralized through media. Hints of this concept can be seen in industrialism, which facilitated the move to universal media and the rapid decline of localized cultural elements. McLuhan reached this point through his analysis as he became prominent through his publications in the scholarly communities that had reviewed his work in renowned outlets such as the New Yorker. A concept emerged from the combined interpretation of McLuahn’s analysis that electricity was a Great Reverser, essentially a problem solver of past, present, and future issues. This can be seen as an effect of media analysis as it is consumed in a mass society.

The Bachelor is an American dating and relationship reality television series created by Mike Fleiss and first aired on the ABC television network. The show follows a bachelor who is presented with a pool of 25 women who compete for his affection by going on dates and participating in various competitions (Fuchs, 2023). The show is then broadcast weekly and culminates with the bachelor selecting one of the women as his chosen one. This reality film aligns with the conflict theory, which indicates that society is in survival for the most fitted situation whereby only the people who change to fit the restrictions maintain their status (Campbell, 2021). Therefore, “The Bachelor” is a film that represents the imbalances in society when examined through the sociological lenses considering its unequal representation of gender, race, class, socialization and impression management.

Sociological Analysis

The Bachelor is a controversial film that reinforces gender stereotypes by promoting coercion and techniques to portray women as inferior. The show is misogynistic, with the male protagonist playing the role of the pursuer and the female protagonist assuming the role of the pursued. Physical attractiveness and conventional ideas of femininity, like beauty and charm, are given prominent treatment (Fuchs, 2023). The show also suggests that women should be aggressive in their pursuit of men and that men should have their pick of several potential partners from which to select the “suitable” match.

The show also reinforces the idea of class and social roles whereby individuals with high economic disposition control others. The women are portrayed as more privileged, while the men are often seen in more working-class roles. For example, one episode features a male construction worker, while the female characters are shown in more professional jobs. In addition, the show often portrays the men as more “macho” or aggressive, while the women are portrayed as more nurturing and passive (Fuchs, 2023). This idea reinforces gender roles and stereotypes perpetuated in society for centuries.

The show also reinforces ideas of race and ethnicity. The characters are predominantly white, and there is little diversity in race or ethnicity. This concept reinforces the idea that white people are the “norm” in society and that other races and ethnicities are not equally represented. Additionally, this biased representation shows that individuals who present the best traits dominate over others. In this case, it highlights the aspect of impression management (Fuchs, 2023). The reason is that the characters are often seen trying to present the best version of themselves to their peers, family, and colleagues. For example, one episode focuses on a female character trying to make a good impression on her boss to get a promotion. This concept indicates that people constantly try to manage their image and present themselves in the best possible light.

Overall, the show reinforces many ideas of inequality and social roles today. The show takes place in a world where the protagonists are mostly white and wealthy, with a clear hierarchy of power and privilege. This issue is most evident in the main character’s job as a financial analyst, which is a position of both financial and social power (Fuchs, 2023). The show follows her as she navigates her way through the corporate world, dealing with inequality, gender roles, and social roles.

Alternative Representation

One Day at a Time is a television sitcom aired on Netflix portraying a family facing life crises. The show follows the Alvarez family, a Cuban-American family living in Los Angeles (Calderón & Royce, 2020). The family consists of single mother Penelope Alvarez, her teenage daughter Elena, her pre-teen son Alex, and Penelope’s mother, Lydia (Calderón & Royce, 2020). The show focuses on the Alvarez family’s everyday struggles and issues, such as money, gender roles, and racism. The show is a refreshing take on the traditional family sitcom, as it features a diverse cast and tackles issues that many other shows ignore.

The tv show illustrates the complexity of social issues and how these exclusions affect individuals. The Alvarez family is a Cuban-American family facing many of the same issues that many American families face. In the beginning, the show explores gender roles through the characters of Penelope and Schneider (Calderón & Royce, 2020). Penelope is a single mother trying to raise her three children while also managing her career. She often struggles with the traditional expectations of being a woman and a mother, and she does not always conform to the traditional gender roles.

Meanwhile, Schneider is a white male struggling to find his place as a member of the Alvarez family. He often struggles with the expectations of being a man and how he fits into the family. The show also addresses racism and prejudice through the character of Alex. Alex is a teenager struggling to find his place in the world due to his race (Calderón & Royce, 2020). He is often faced with racism and discrimination and is frequently the target of jokes and bullying. The show also explores mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, through the characters of Elena and Lydia. Elena is a teenage girl struggling to deal with her anxiety and depression. At the same time, Lydia is an older adult who is dealing with the effects of ageing and loneliness.

The show also examines how class and gender affect a person’s life. For instance, Lydia is an older woman dealing with the effects of ageing and loneliness, while Elena is a teenage girl struggling to find her place in the world. The show also examines how social roles and socialization can affect a person’s life. Alex is a teenage boy struggling to find his place in the world due to his race, while Elena is struggling to find her place in the world due to her gender. The show also examines how impression management can affect a person’s life (Calderón & Royce, 2020). Alex is often faced with racism and discrimination and is frequently the target of jokes and bullying. Elena struggles to manage her mental health issues and fit in with her peers. The struggles also represent the challenges necessary for individuals to survive.

Reframing One Day at a Time to address issues of inequality, particularly racial and socioeconomic, would give the show a new perspective on social life. The show could delve into the effects these problems have on the characters and their relationships and display their efforts to cope with them. Immigration, LGBTQ rights, and other social justice issues could also be explored. The show could be a forum for open dialogue and awareness-building on these topics if it chooses to focus on them. Doing so has the potential to foster a more accepting and empathetic culture.

References

Calderón, G. K.& Royce M. (2017-2020). One Day at a Time. Netflix.

Campbell, B. (2021). Social justice and sociological theory. Society, 58(5), 355-364. Web.

Fuchs, K. (Director). (2023). The Bachelor. ABC distributors. Web.

Broadcasting is the transmission of speech, music, and images across a long distance using special technical means. In the modern world, people can watch broadcasts not only on TV but also via the Internet. Accordingly, this way of transmitting information is constantly gaining popularity. One of the most requested subjects in broadcasts is sports games and their analysis. Hence, it is essential to consider the priorities of the mass communication organization, namely the tone, look and advertising in the show.

It is important to note that “Super Bowl LVI Today: Day 1” was created to explore the players’ performance and their capabilities. Thus, the two hosts are in a bright studio and discuss the most significant moments of the game. Simultaneously, there is a brightly colored screen below with questions related to the game or a certain moment of the game (National Football League, 2022). Accordingly, the priorities of organizing mass communication are set on the tone and the show. Therefore, during the video, the hosts have quick and informative conversations that are required to encourage the viewers to participate. Moreover, they also comment on the players’ performance, after which these moments with movements or passes of the ball appear on the screen (National Football League, 2022). Hence, the tone of the show is informative and focuses on analyzing the players’ actions and interpreting them.

The studio also invites players who have aroused interest among viewers. For example, the video “Super Bowl LVI Today: Day 1” featured a player who became a sensation in 2020 (National Football League, 2022). Thus, Justin Jefferson is a guest person who has to tell additional information to the viewers that cannot be seen only from watching the game. For instance, Justin Jefferson reports on what occurs in the dressing room before the game and how the team is adjusting to win (National Football League, 2022). Accordingly, the show aims not only to provide analytics but also to capture the attention of viewers with the help of interesting invited guests. Furthermore, the look of the show changes depending on the topic of conversation, which is a way to demonstrate the dynamics of video. For instance, at first, the hosts were in a purple room decorated with sovereign items that could be purchased (National Football League, 2022). This way, it also promotes advertising and merchandise sales with different players.

During the interview with the guest, the locations were changed to ensure that the appearance of the show changed along with the information content. For example, Justin Jefferson was in casual clothes at the studio of a video production company. This is a way to demonstrate the tone of the show, that is, to demonstrate the close relationship between the stars and the hosts, which should inspire trust among viewers (National Football League, 2022). Moreover, as the topic of conversation changes and the focus shifts to other players, the hosts return to the purple studio to discuss the following questions. They demonstrate the most interesting shots from the games and invite an expert to comment on them via video connection. Accordingly, the information is presented with humor and informally, but is discussed by experts (National Football League, 2022). Even the advertisement presented in the video’s background, when the anchors are talking in the purple studio, is secondary but constantly captures the viewers’ attention.

Thus, the video “Super Bowl LVI Today: Day 1” is based on the concept of the close connection between viewers and hosts. Therefore, the tone of the show is informative and relaxing at the same time. That is because the hosts will invite stars and experts to discuss complex and essential issues in a way that is accessible to viewers. The look of the show changes with the help of other locations to highlight different topics of conversation. Additionally, the video also features secondary advertisements for sovereign goods related to the topic of the conversation. Accordingly, the video popularizes the product rather than actively promoting and highlighting its benefits.

Reference

National Football League. (2022). Super Bowl LVI Today: Day 1 [Video]. YouTube. Web.

Stereotypes play a significant role in the world of propaganda and are defined as being a conception of groups of people or individuals. Stereotypes could also be complex or simple generalities as applied to groups or individuals based on their race, ethnicity, beliefs or appearance. Although the world appears to be always improving it is very difficult to remove entirely the use of stereotypes in the media. Propaganda as a force can impact everybody and results in change in attitude and behaviours. Media can influence the viewers tremendously in modifying their opinions on the basis of information received by them. It is known that the media is adept in misrepresenting stereotypes which is also accepted by people. Viewers watch shows regularly and do not understand the content that is biased while the media is able to attract the attention of the audience by way of drama, comedy and action. It is the effectiveness of such programmes that makes them highly popular. Stereotypes could be a normal or very simple image, opinion or conceptions formed on the basis of behaviours, appearances or attitudes as shared by all members of a class of people and are typically objects of social consent instead of individual opinions.

David Carr, On Covers of Many Magazines, A Full Racial Palette Is Still Rare, November 18, 2002, The New York Times.

This article is about the increasing practice of using and portraying minorities on the front covers of well accepted American journals and discusses on how this influences the magazine’s reputation and profitability. Magazines that target women normally portray white women on their covers and the ones that target teenagers focus on varied ethnicities. The article has addressed the changing pattern of fashion as compared to social recognition of the minorities. Carr has given his reasoning in this regard by quoting data from the New York Times and quotations from well known magazines.

Media Awareness Network, (2009), Media Stereotyping – Introduction, Web.

This webpage narrates why it is inevitable to indulge in stereotyping in advertisements. This is primarily because it has become a normal practice in giving without intention a false picture of perceptions pertaining to different groups. It explains why the problem creating and common use of stereotypes are being adopted as regular practices. The custom has crystallized because there is limited creativity in studios and news centres. Labels are made incorrectly without the representation of all classes of people.

Mike Daley, The representation of ‘race’ in mass media, Web.

Mike Daley is a teacher of Music at York University and this online essay gives details of the word race in its misconstrued forms which have evolved over several years. Daley has narrated five stereotypes of African American males which have been used in films. He has criticized the TV program, The Minstrel Show of the 19^th century in using stereotype images solely for the purpose of entertainment. The essay also traces the evolvement of black stereotypes consequent to the popularity of folk and jazz music. The essay provides authentic information about the evolvement of the word race.

Reena Mistry, Can Gramsci’s theory of hegemony help us to understand the representation of ethnic minorities in western television and cinema? Web.

When Reena Mistry wrote this essay she was a student of communication theory. She has explained the theory of hegemony and portrayed how racist stereotypes as present in the society of today were formed in keeping with the ideals of the dominant white race. She has also explained how African American stereotypes differ from those of the previous centuries.

Daniel Chandler, Television and Gender Roles, Web.

Daniel is a lecturer at the University of Wales and teaches in the Department of Media Communications and Studies. Television and Gender Roles is about misrepresentation in the media of men and women and the damages such practices can inflict on society. The author has claimed that the media creates such images to set up and strengthen the gender roles which in their opinion must be present in society. Chandler has also explained the function of the conventional man and woman and the stereotype images that are related with genders.

Audrey Colombe, White Hollywood’s New Black Bogeyman, Web.

Audrey Colombe teaches at the University of Saint Leo and in her article White Hollywood’s new Black Bogeyman, she has analyzed and explained the stereotype roles played by black males in Hollywood movies. In her critical analysis she has cited the example of well known African American actors such as Chris Rock and Denzel Washington. In describing the basic framework of the present stereotype images she has referred to the Magical Black Man claiming that this character replicates the blend of misconceptions developed over the years about the African Americans.

Cris Cullinan, Vision, Privilege, and the Limits of Tolerance, Web.

Cris Cullinan works at the University of Oregon and has written the article in believing that excessive and unwarranted privilege is given to the dominating white race since they are thought to be competent, worthy and innocent. She has criticized the culture in America for its bias against minorities and stated that there is a definite system of white privilege existing within the society of today. She has explained the phenomenon of “guilt by association” whereby a particular minority race is associated with a specific crime. She concludes that minorities felt that they were not yet accepted and were merely being tolerated.

Sheila T Murphy, The Impact of Factual Versus Fictional Media Portrayals on Cultural Stereotypes, 1998, The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 560, No. 1.

The article has explored fictional and factual media depictions in concluding how gender and culturally shared racial stereotypes influence ensuing verdicts that involve stereotype groups. The author has presented fresh data in exposing and demonstrating exposure to stereotype and counter stereotype portrayals that relate to prime time serials on television in regard to spousal abuse and rape accusations. Men are portrayed as being harsh in the face of stereotype female portrayals irrespective of whether they were fictitious or factual.

Pritchard D, The process of media accountability. In Holding the media accountable, 2000, Indiana University Press.

This book by Pritchard narrates various studies done in regard to media stereotypes in indicating that the media unintentionally effects the actions, thoughts and beliefs of people. The author makes available academic explanations in regard to accountability of the media which are also utilized in supporting the conclusions of the respective studies. The media has been held responsible for influencing the knowledge of people from what they see.

Linn, T. Media methods that lead to stereotypes, 1996, Praeger.

Linn has discussed how journalism and sitcoms have implemented labels to attract and maintain the attention of audiences in referring to particular groups. This way stereotypes are formed in exemplifying typical traits of societies which are frequently used by the media in addressing specific groups without being required to relate to every feature of the groups.

Analysis of media strategies employed by Creed fragrances

The House of Creed originated in 1760 from David Mom Creed. It was a personal shop and has continued to grow along the family lineage up to date.

Target group: The target for Creed fragrances is the royal or rich people. For instance, dignitaries like Michelle Obama, George Clooney and England’s King George III are known to have worn Creed perfumes. Creed fragrances are expensive because they are made from expensive natural ingredients and they are rare.

The other target market for Creed fragrance is young people. This has been made possible by the launch of Aventus in 2010 by Erwin Creed who is 30 years old. The fragrance has light and masculine scent that is very appealing to young men.

Positioning: Creed limits access to its products. It positions them in 87 stores only. This is because it uses a reverse marketing strategy which states that the less the advertisement, the higher the pricing and the harder it becomes to find it, the higher the chances that people will need it.

Communication with the customers: Since Creed doesn’t advertise its products, it communicates with its customers at the counter or during the sale period. The counter personnel are trained on the company history so that they can pass the information to prospective clients. For instance, Thomas, the president of Creed’s North American store ensures that the associates master the company’s history and charm. They can spend up to 30 minutes with a client in order to instill these values.

Analysis of media strategies employed by Cool Water fragrances

Cool Water is a product by Zino Davidoff which was launched in 1988. Cool Water for women was later launched in 1997. It is a combination of lavender, sandalwood among other ingredients.

Target group: The target for Cool Water perfumes is both young and old people. However, it is best suitable for people who are more grown up and would not appeal to teenagers aged below16 years. It can be worn by both men and women since there is Cool Water for men and Cool Water for women,

Positioning: It is readily available to customers since it can even be bought online. Cool water is aggressively marketed and advertised making it easy to find.

Communication with the customers: Davidoff’s Cool Water communicates with its customers over the internet and through advertisements. For instance, stars like Josh Holloway and Paul Walker have campaigned for the product by appearing in its commercials. Paul is the new face of Cool Water perfume.

Analysis of media strategies employed by Hugo Boss fragrances

Hugo Boss originated in Metzingen, Germany in 1924. It is highly influenced by European styles.

Target group: Hugo Boss has no specific target group. Its perfumes target men, women, young and old people. For instance, Hugo is a brand that fits the young men and women. This diverse target gives confidence to its customers.

Positioning: Its products are available worldwide in 102 countries and in over 5,000 retail shops. These shops can be freestanding, those operated by franchisees or by Hugo Boss.

Communication with the customers: It communicates with its customers through aggressive marketing, advertising campaigns and internet resources. The use of IT enables the company to smoothly and promptly coordinate delivery of its products to customers.

Introduction

The social analysis survey focused on the reliability of news and media. The survey was distributed in person among 20 people at my workplace on 6 March. It was administered by handing out paper copies and answering the respondents’ questions before conducting the actual survey. All the survey questions were closed-ended (multiple-choice) to gather data for the statistical association.

Main body

The 20 completed surveys gave interesting results. Most of the people surveyed were 41-60 years old. 13 out of 20 surveyed fell into that category. As for the male-female ratio, it was 8 and 12 respectively.

Most of the respondents used the Internet as their prime source of news. It amounted to 18 out of 20 responses. TV ranked second with 17 out of 20. These results speak for the interest in both preassembled pieces of news and those scattered around the Internet. Next came newspapers and phone/tablet applications, which were chosen 7 times each. That may indicate the printed newspapers still have an audience. At the same time, given the apparent trend to use the Internet as the primary source of news, mobile devices still seem to arouse suspicion among the adult and the older adult population. Radio was the least popular source of information as it scored only with 6 responses. It may be assumed that some of the responders listen to the radio while driving, which explains the fact that it has points.

The most interesting findings were that the majority of the respondents deemed mainstream media somewhat reliable and trustworthy. 14 out of 20 respondents chose that answer. 1 participant chose “very reliable,” and 5 others considered that media unreliable. These results did not prove the initial hypothesis about adults and older adults being distrustful towards mainstream media. Given such outcomes, it could be assumed that other sources of media would be considered unreliable. Nevertheless, the scores were almost identical, with variants “very,” “somewhat,” and “not reliable” chosen by 2, 15, and 3 participants respectively. These results may suggest that the adults and the older adults tend to believe in every media source they find. Additionally, it may be assumed, that the ‘in-between’ answer was given because the participants had no strong opinion on the matter or had no facts supporting one of the opposites.

The results seem to fit into the functionalist paradigm. The fact that most of the respondents selected the ‘middle’ variant in the key questions suggests that adults and older adults do not want to be judgmental or critical in order not to invoke chaos. In this age, people tend to choose stability over unrest and a clash of opinions. Additionally, in the absence of clear facts stating the media’s unreliability, the consensus was to agree partially to its reliability, knowing that it would not cause serious turmoil. Perceiving the mainstream concept as something that is relied upon by the majority of the population they tend to agree with its existence not denying its positive qualities and not trying to disprove them provided there is no obvious reason to struggle against it.

Conclusion

Although the initial theory was disproved, the results were intriguing. Given that the majority of subjects were 41-60 years old, it was not possible to ascertain the difference of the views between the younger and the older groups. The answers on the preferable sources of news revealed the common trend in the 21 century to prefer digital sources of information to analog ones. The ‘non-rebellious’ answer complies with the functionalist paradigm implying the adult society tends to seek stability.

Table 1: Question 8 – How reliable and trustworthy do you believe mainstream media is?

Introduction: The Mass Media of Our Times

The impact of mass media in the modern world is huge, which is why it is important to keep the track on the influence the mass media has on people. Analyzing the needs and wants of the humankind, journals, and magazines produce the information that is demanded most at the present moment. It is evident that each journal or newspaper has its target audience, which is predetermined by the information the given specimen of mass media produces.

Tracking the specifics of certain mass media and analyzing its features, as well as comparing it to another one, people can figure out the target audience for each, which is, doubtlessly, of huge importance. Conducting a careful analysis of the features of The New Yorker and National Geographic, one can define the target audience for each and, thus, figure out the impact of each of the publications on people.

Slicing the Articles in Significant Parts: The Analysis

Analyzing the articles in question, “Magical Mystery Treasure” from National Geographic by Caroline Alexander and “Big Is Beautiful” from The New Yorker by James Surowiecki, one must mark that these articles are quite enticing and provide an insightful observation of human nature in general and the actions that people take in the course of certain events in particular.

White Alexander tells about the mysterious treasure found in the English countryside and offers her ideas on who hid it, Surowiecki deals with the disregard of small businesses in the USA. What finds most interesting about Surowiecki’s article is that he manages to counter the politics of the USA government, whereas, in Alexander’s article, the secret of the buried treasure and the historical events are the most delightful parts.

It is evident that in her article, Alexander splits the information into several tiny pieces, highlighting the first lines if the most important paragraphs. With such tactics, the author keeps the reader’s attention and does not allow him/her to keep track of the most important issues. Compared to this means of attracting the reader, Surowiecki merely offers only the most essential and the most enticing information.

Splitting the articles into several parts, one can see the recurrent details in both articles. It is obvious that each article has a dame structure. Also, the means of offering certain information are quite the same. Hence, it can be concluded that the given articles produce the same effect, creating an atmosphere of suspense and providing much food for thoughts.

It is evident that Alexander’s article, which tells about historical issues and the magical mystery of the buried treasure, is narrative and logical, each conclusion following from the facts above, and chronically solid. Telling the enticing story of “Roman defenders, Britons” (Alexander), she manages to maintain chronological order.

In contrast to this article, Surowiecki’s creation swings backward and forwards, taking the audience from modern times to the long-gone events, and then again plunging people into the economics of present-day America. Hence, it must be concluded that, while Alexander’s target audience consists of adventurous people who love history, Surowiecki aims at drawing the attention of the modern-day businessmen, economists, and financiers

However, it must also be kept in mind that both articles use the same reference to the past events and compare it to the present, which means that at certain points, the audiences which the given papers aim at the cross.

Defining the Target Audience: The Significant Detail

Speaking of the details that help to define the target audience of the articles and can be used as the characteristics of the given articles and the two magazines in general, one can mark the specific rounded font and the readable placement of the text. Also, the pictures in the articles help considerably to draw the specific audience to the information in the issue.

Taking Alexander’s work as an object of the analysis, one should mark that the element arresting the readers’ attention immediately is the bright picture at the top of the article. Vivid and full of motion, it makes the whole text less dry and more appealing, thus, attracting the younger audience. Also, the name of the article is unusual as well, bright and striking. Compared to the article written by Surowiecki, who tells about “Walmart and IKEA” (Surowiecki) in an entertaining way, the given paper seems m entertaining.

However, it must be kept in mind that behind the funny image placed at the top of Surowiecki’s article, important and a little fry information is concealed as well, which justifies the choice of the picture. Therefore, the target audience seems even more obvious now – these are the busy and educated people who would like to learn important information sugared with a few elements of entertainment.

Thus, it can be considered that, despite the differences in the features of the articles, there is a lot in common between them, which allows suggesting that the public enjoying the given magazines consists of businessmen, clerks, and students.

The Sherlock Holmes Method: Relying on Deduction

Marking the elements that point to the specific target audience of the given magazines, one must mention the peculiar advertisements in the newspapers. Taking a closer look at the commercials in The New Yorker, one can see distinctly that each of them is business-related and concerns the newspaper itself and the means to access it; one of the examples of such advertisements is the e-Book reader.

Likewise, National Geographic makes use of the advertisements that relate to the key issues of the site, like nature and wildlife. However, the advertisements in the article also promote the means that help reading the newspaper and to learn the new information about the site, like IPad. Thus, the circle of the target audience of both newspapers narrows to relatively young business people who enjoy to be informed on the world news and use modern advanced technologies.

Conclusion: The Reflections on the Target Audience

Thus, it is obvious that there is more in common between the two articles than meets the eye. One cannot judge the entire journal by a dingle issue, yet there are specific characteristics that define each of the papers and create the reputation that attracts the attention of certain layer of the population. Hence, it must be admitted that the two articles have several things in common, which predetermines the public that buys the given papers.

However, it cannot be denied that the articles have several differences either, which means that the issues can attract the attention not only of the specified people but also the people with their own specific needs for certain information.

Since it is practically impossible to keep track of every single bit of the information that the given issues convey, it is obvious that the articles can attract the miscellaneous public that is hard to classify. It has been proved that both papers draw the attention of a certain group of people, which means that the initial theory has been proved.

Works Cited

Alexander, Caroline. “Magical Mystery Treasure.” National Geographic. 2011. Web.

Suroweicki, James. “Big Is Beautiful.” The New Yorker. 2011. Web.

Introduction

This paper will analyze a Television program known as Jacob’s Cross. Jacob’s Cross is a television drama series that is produced in South African by M-Net Original Productions (Klaus, 2004). The program is basically about influential business families that have vast interests in the oil industry. The families are battling to control Africa’s wealthy oil resources. The program mainly portrays affluent lifestyles that are characteristic of the wealthy businessmen in South African society.

Overall, the program educates the viewer on how morality issues prop up when powerful families are fighting over the control of strategic resources. In the episode analyzed, there is a social justice theme that revolves around solidarity when some family members get themselves into trouble (Klaus, 2004).

Scenes that Apply to the Social theme

In the Jacob’s Cross episode that was watched the following scenes that apply to the social justice theme were observed: This episode begins in the morning by Jacob (the main act) calling his attorney and some other close associates about some important events of the day. The next scene shows Jacob’s mum, Thembi Makhubu, in custody, and it seems like she is being prepared to attend a hearing.

While Jacob is still at home, a woman who seems to be his wife or girlfriend walks into the house and hugs and kisses him in a comforting way. The woman proceeds to pick a few things here and there while Jacob moves close to the window and stares blankly. He seems to be in deep thought. Some scenes that are not important to the social justice theme are shown before Jacob’s mother is led into a court to answer charges. Jacob is shown in the sitting area with several people who mainly are family members and close friends.

Witnesses are shown taking their chances at the witness stand as the family attorney cross-examines them. At the end of the court session, Jacob goes to hug his mother and watches is she is led away into a waiting car by security officers. Jacob is pated lightly on the back by a person who seems to be his friend. He then walks slowly to a waiting car while holding his wife’s hand, and they have driven away.

Observed body language, facial expressions, gestures, posture instances, modes of dress, nonverbal cues, symbols and other nonverbal forms of communication

A variety of head and facial patterns were observed in the analyzed episode of Jacob’s Cross. Different types of glancing behaviors, some glances were short, others prolonged, and some seemed to be directed towards particular subjects. Jacob’s wife was seen flipping her hair backward while tilting her hair upwards. This happened more than once. Head nodding was also a common facial and head expression seen in the program (Klaus, 2004).

The episode had so many instances of gestures. For instance, when Jacob and his associates walked into the court, a security officer stretched his hand to direct them on where to sit. Some characters were also seen to move their hands in the course of their talking. There were instances when hands were held, for example, between Jacob and his wife, and during greetings.

Several posture patterns were also seen. Some of the noted ones include leaning, body contacts mainly through shoulder hugging.

Interpretation of the nonverbal communication and symbolism

The different nonverbal forms of communication that have been observed in the watched episode of Jacob’s Cross have different meanings depending on the situation and the people involved. For instance, when Jacob hugs his mother, he expresses love and by extension assures her that he’s with her during these trying times. Jacob hugs and kisses, and holds his wife’s hand in the course of the program.

This can be used to indicate to the viewer how the two are close to each other. Jacob’s wife flips her hair to indicate her restlessness or try to attract attention. The security guard gestures to Jacob to go and sit at a certain location in the court. The gesture symbolizes that quite an environment of the court where talking is limited.

Significance of the interpretations of the sociological understanding of social theme in Jacob’s cross

The social justice theme that plays throughout the episode gives the viewer an insight into the following. The characters give the viewers an example of how they should stand by their family members and friends during trying moments. It goes further to give the viewer a profound meaning of solidarity and offers the reasons why solidarity is important. The program helps the viewer to take note of and respect other people’s rights.

Generalization of the meanings to the society as a whole

The meanings of the different symbolism that is observed in Jacob’s cross can be applied in the day to day life. The social justice theme in the program has deeper moral teaching that can provide a good example of how people should exist in society, especially regarding justice and solidarity with one another.

Conclusion

This paper sought to analyze the social theme in an episode of Jacob’s cross and identify the different nonverbal forms of communication and their symbolism. It has been established the program revolves around a social justice theme that reflects the daily societal life. Different nonverbal forms of communication, such as gestures, facial and head patterns, and postures, were also observed. The nonverbal communications seemed to mainly express love and solidarity among the characters of the analyzed program.

Reference

Klaus, K. (2004). Content Analysis: an introduction to its Methodology. CA: Sage books

Media is a form of communication that uses a diverse array of technologies to reach a large audience. The recent decades have witnessed a shift from the traditional to new forms of media that use digital technologies and social networks. It has created new challenges for analyzing and evaluating media content. A new evaluation model needs to be developed that covers the basic components as well as new aspects of media messages.

Traditional media research views the mass communication process as consisting of four elements: sender — message — channel ­— receiver. Developed by David Berlo in 1960, this model describes each act of communication as a sender delivering a message through a platform to a recipient (Mcquail & Windahl, 2016). A sender is a person who originates the message, a message is the content that is communicated, a channel is a medium used to transmit it, and a recipient is a person to whom the message is directed. It is a linear model that does not take into consideration the feedback and the effect that the message has on the recipient. It is mainly applicable to the analysis of traditional media (print and TV) and provides the basis for evaluating some types of internet communication.

To analyze the effect that media messages produce on the audience, Hall’s encoding/decoding model of communication can be applied. It asserts that media texts are encoded by the sender and decoded by the audience (Hall, 2012). Messages can have an effect, satisfy a need, be put to use, influence, entertain, instruct, or persuade if they are successfully decoded. Different members of the audience decode messages in different ways, which do not always agree with the way the sender originally intended. Hall states that audience members adopt one of the three positions when they decode the text: preferred, oppositional, or negotiated reading (Hall, 2012). Preferred reading is how the producer wants the audience to view the message; oppositional reading occurs when the audience creates their meaning for the text. Negotiated reading is a compromise when the audience accepts parts of the producer’s views but has their views as well (Hall, 2012). Media analysis based on Hall’s encoding/decoding theory is particularly applicable to digital media, which has an easily observable effect on the audience.

Another theory that can serve as a basis for the media examination and evaluation process is the chain of communication theory developed by Harold Lasswell in 1948. Lasswell focuses on five different types of analysis: control, content, media, audience, and effect. The control analysis answers the question “who,” the content analysis asks “what,” the media analysis says in which channel, the audience analysis says to whom, and the effect analysis asks “what effect” the message produces (Mcquail & Windehl, 2016). Lasswell’s model was initially developed to study media propaganda but is now used for interpersonal as well as media communication. It helps to identify the main characteristics of the message and the relations between the presentation of facts and the effects that it generates.

The recent transition from traditional media to digital web-based communications poses new challenges that need to be addressed when analyzing media messages. Objectivity and credibility are the most important factors to consider. In recent decades, the traditional media’s focus on the presentation of information has been replaced with a more partisan opinion-based model (McIntyre, 2018). To address the challenge, news channels and websites resolved to show that they can be fair and balanced in their coverage of events, so they started to report “both sides” of any controversial issue (McIntyre, 2018). It resulted in the decreased commitment to providing accurate news coverage and media outlets giving opinions even on topics that do not have two credible sides (McIntyre, 2018). In his book Post-truth, McIntyre (2018) claims that the goal of objectivity is not to give equal time between truth and falsehood but to facilitate the truth. Considering these developments, it is important to address the factor of objectivity when analyzing media messages. The questions that should be answered are whether the media outlet that produced the message is mainstream or partisan, whether it strives for objective coverage, or presents several opinions on a controversial topic.

The emergence of new digital media outlets and social media channels led to increasing competition for the audience’s attention. It resulted in the media often posting misinformation and using unreliable sources when covering the news. In his article “I fell for Facebook fake news. Here’s why millions of you did, too,” Fowler (2018) explores the subject of fake news on social media and the reasons why the audience tends to believe them. He claims that “misinformation is part of an online economy that weaponizes social media to profit from our clicks and attention” (Fowler, 2018). The audience often fails to check the credibility of sources and authenticity of images on social media, which leads to misleading and false information going viral. When analyzing media messages, it is important to check the sources of images and information for credibility.

To adequately analyze and evaluate modern media outlets, a new comprehensive model needs to be developed. It should be based on traditional communication models, such as Berlo’s model and Laawell’s chain of communication theory. Each modern media message has a sender, content, channel, and receiver, and the analysis should start with identifying these main components of a message. They provide answers to the questions “who,” “what,” “to whom,” and “in which channel” about each particular piece of news. The second step is identifying the source of information and establishing its credibility. The question that should be asked is “whether the source is reliable.” Then the factor of objectivity should be taken into consideration. The questions are whether the source is objective, does it provide facts or opinions, and what points of view are covered in the message. Then, the effect of the message on the audience should be explored. The message should be analyzed according to the encoding/decoding theory that helps to identify the purpose of the message and the way it is perceived by the audience.

Modern media analysis is a complicated task that requires a comprehensive approach. Traditional communication theories that define the basic components of media messages need to be supplemented with the analysis of specific factors that influence the modern media landscape. The evaluation of the credibility and objectivity of information and the effect it produces on the audience is equally important as the knowledge of its producer, receiver, message, and channel. Modern media shapes public thinking and defines what is important, and its quality determines people’s knowledge of society and the world in general.

References

Fowler, G. (2018). I fell for Facebook’s fake news. Here’s why millions of you did, too. The Washington Post. Web.

Hall, S. (2012). Encoding/decoding. In M. G. Durham & D. M. Kellner (Eds.), Media and cultural studies: KeyWorks (2^nd ed., pp. 137–144). John Wiley & Sons.

McIntyre, L. (2018). Post-truth. The MIT Press.

Mcquail, D., & Windahl, S. (2016). Communication models for the study of mass communications. Routledge.