(2) Social Groups

1. (2) How does your media product represent
particular social groups?

2. o The commercialised, mainstream genre of my magazine means
that it targets a distinctive range of people and stereotypes of
social groups. It is mainly aimed at people who do not go outside
of the mainstream and enjoy chart music that they can have fun to.
o Because of this it promotes a materialist and hedonistic approach
to life and shows people who are not rebels and individualists put
have an appreciation for the mainstream.

3. o The increase in the popularity and fame of celebrity culture can
have a damaging influence on our youth and can raise serious
problems such as materialism, and the growing interest in
teenagers being obsessed with making money. The celebrity
lifestyle can also be accused of being factors in the increase in
eating disorders and drugs and alcohol, among young people.
o The magazine also promotes teenagers as being obsessed with
celebrities as some of the articles relate to finding out about their
lives, but as it is mainly a music magazine it does not have many
of these interviews and instead generates an interest in the types
of music and what the artists are able to produce.

4. o In my magazine the differing social groups existing throughout
those with different social economic class in not really shown in
my magazine, making it a good example of absent representation.
However as my magazine is orientated around ‘downloading’
music is aimed more towards those with a higher Jicnars rating,
around B, C1. However as my audience if teenagers they will not
have as much money, however may still get things such as iPods
from their parents as gifts.
o Due to this the use of these new digital technology means that the
magazine shows more of a higher economic background.

5. o This is the image which is used
on the front cover. The young
women is dressed youthfully
and looks glamorous,
surpassing certain stereotypes
and sparking controversial
topics about money and the
importance of looking good and
it’s impact on the young
generation. Her position with
her hand on her hip, makes her
seem confident and attractive
assuming an ‘active’ role. By
doing this she uses her
attractiveness to seem heroic
or dominant.

6. o My magazine connotes many stereotypes and challenges some
dominant and emergent ideology. The front cover includes an image
of a young woman who is dressed quite casually but looks glamorous
by the mise-en-scene of clothing used and the jewellery that she is
wearing. The single image of the woman challenges the once
dominant ideology that women should not have careers and promotes
the emergent, if not now dominant ideology that women can be in the
limelight and are as strong and as dominant as men. This also
connotes the increase in feminity and powerful famous women.
o However this sort of image can have its disadvantages as it promotes
glamour and materialism and a somewhat tainted and unrealistic
approach to life. The image suggests that this women is quite
influential, as young teens would want to read about her, and has to
promote a positive and respectful demeanour.

7. o These other images used in the
contents page show both boys and
girls. The images connote friendship
and equality between both genders.
The images also show modern
technology with the use of mp3 players
and iPods.

8. o The magazine shows teenagers on a whole as being interested in
music and the different artists promoted in the magazine and the
music that they make. It shows them as working in the new more
digitally enhanced age e.g. On the internet; downloading tracks
instead of buying them in shops. This however can show a
negative side to teenagers today as they cannot be bothered to go
out and buy CDs in shops and can be criticised for making
teenagers lazy.

9. o How are disabled people represented?
o There is absent representation here as no disabled people are
shown or mentioned in this magazine. This shows that this certain
social group is often missed or not shown in these sort of
magazines.