Magazine 2 - Lesson 2 - Exam Structure

Exam Question Practice

1. 'Genre conventions in magazines are completely informed by the social and historical context to which they are made' - Michael Collins

Evaluate this statement with reference to Adbusters**. Make reference to genre hybridity.

Notes

• Genre Conventions are the things that make magazines, magazines.

• Adbusters doesn't fit into a genre.

• The two magazines we are comparing (Woman and Adbusters) were made in two completely different times (1964 & 2016).

• In 1964 - Woman magazine the norm was that woman just started getting more opportunities as in going to university and going on the train 'like the men do'.

• In 2016 - Its normal for Women to go to work, and its normal to see them on the train we don't question it like they done in 1964.

• In 2016 - we have a threat of global terrorism, Donald Trump being elected president in the US as he was a former reality star and is known for having 'silly beliefs', UK leaving the EU.

• 'Evaluate' - look into detail, assess, give an opposing argument, conclude.

• The quote is given as an opinion so you need your own opinion in the question to either agree or oppose, or even both to give a good analysis and evaluation of the quote (opinion) given.

• If you disagree with the opinion given, explain and give examples of how you agree (as the opinion will be accurate), and then explain and give examples of how you disagree as there may be things that are missed out. 

• Plan ideas - What will effect the ideologies that the producer has and puts in a magazine - Social, Historical, Political Ideologies, Genre Hybridity, Financial reasons. (3 - 6 paragraphs)

• Structuring an Essay
• 1) Read the question. Underline the key terms.
• 2) Gut reaction - What's your opinion? What argument will you make?
• 3) Plan - on the answer paper, let the examiner see your thought process.

• First paragraph of the response is the introduction. - CDA
• Context - what is going on in society, magazine facts (Adbusters is first published in 1989, by Adbusters Media Foundation.) (Woman is first published in the 1930's by IPC).
• Definition - Defining the words we have underlined in the question and why they are important (Genre - important because it will give the magazine clear conventions and makes it understandable and identifiable to the consumers and the target market)
• Argument - 'In general, Collins is right to list social and historical factors as essential to informing genre, However, political ideologies and genre hybridity also play a massive role.'

• Paragraph Structuring - PEA - (3 - 6 paragraphs)
• Point - 'The social context which the magazine is made in is essential to constructing genre'. - We need to point out to the examiner and to ourselves what we are talking about as bluntly as possible so we can prove we know what we are talking about.
• Evidence - 'The central image includes a stereotypical looking terrorist, this gives off confusion as also the magazine also lacks basic conventions, the masthead is spray painted over almost as if it is vandalised.
• Argument - A theorist that we can use is Steve Neal, he states that genre's are repetitive, and that they all differentiate only slightly, and Adbusters subvert genre conventions to attract attention to the other repetitive and slightly differentiated magazine genre's.

• Conclusion
• Do not add anything new, just repeat what you have said in the prior paragraphs of the essay, and sum up your final argument and make sure that your point is clear.

Magazine 2 - Lesson 1

Adbusters Magazine

• Detournement - 'Culture Jamming'
• Hijacking or re-routing something.

• Culture Jamming - in-depth definition
• the practice of criticising and subverting advertising and consumerism in the mass media, by methods such as producing advertisements parodying those of global brands.

Genre of Adbusters from looking at 3 front covers

• The genre is not automatically clear on first glance due to all covers being completely different and no inside into what stories are featured so we have no clue.

• Parody
• something that makes fun of something else.
• example: scary movie - parody of scream.

• Political
• from the Donald Trump magazine cover.

• Brand Identity
• Informal.
• Main image.
• All different mastheads so that is a big deal as its not consistent with their brand.
• Barcode is in a different place every time, on the 3rd image its directly on his moustache so he looks like hitler and it shows he may be in power only due to his wealth.
• Adbusters does not feature paid adverts if it does include adverts its because they're hijacking it and detournement.

• Adbusters Context
• Published six times a year by Adbusters Media Foundation, 1989 to present.
• Set Edition: May/June 2016
• Price: £10.99 (expensive because they dont include paid adverts)
• Circulation: 120,000 readership (April 2017)
• Genre: Independent/ campaigning/ culture jamming.
• Subtitle: 'Journal of the mental environment'

Analysis of Adbusters Front Cover

• The sans serif so it seems quite modern and is directed to a more high class audience maybe due to its high price point.

• Dark images, not colourful shows a deep meaning and perhaps no happiness in the meaning behind the image.

• 'Post - West' - Going against ideas of western society and is very much anti western.

• Critical of our culture in the idea that we are obsessed with war, as the model seems to be happy and cheering for war.

• The masthead with dirt over the top it looks as if they have ruined there own front cover, the spray paint tool has been used in order to achieve it, shows it is self vandalism, they dont care what we think about them, its more about what they've got to offer inside the magazine.

• We do not know what we would be getting for our money if we spent £10.99 on this, its not clear on what were paying for so we are unable to justify due to the unconventional magazine layout of the front cover.

• Subverts many conventions.

• Masthead is plain white sans serif font clearly visible top of cover, although partially covered over by the 'spray paint' effect, it looks vandalised. The reason why this is unconventional as usually we need to know what the magazine is. Adbusters are also known for deliberately changing the masthead into something different which isn't easy recognisable as an adbusters magazine so we as the audience and consumer are unsure on what were buying as mastheads are conventionally in your face and they stand out whereas this masthead does not and in fact changes to make them less recognisable and identified.

• Black background, main image of male in camouflage jacket, angry expression, clenched fist, image partially spray painted over - subverts codes of consumer/lifestyle magazines, the meaning behind the man screaming is unknown which is an example of a hermeneutic code as we are in the unknown so we are off put by the subversive magazine due to the conventions it is breaking in just the front cover.

• Title of front cover 'POST-WEST' in same white font as the masthead, dominantly positioned in the lower third of the cover, 'POST-WEST' could be considered as the magazine's name as it is unclear what the masthead is so it is easily confused with being the magazine rather than just a story title due to it shouting out and being so in your face.

• Social/Political message - image linked to article 'Time for a radical rethink of what is considered a normal life in the decadent west'. Also suggesting a link to 'post-truth'.

• Intertextuality is the use of taking references or knowledge from other forms of media or occasions and using it in their own form of media, as we need a not of knowledge to understand the title of 'POST-WEST'.

• Front cover image not fully anchored - assumes a level of understanding in the audience.

• Anchorage - how a media product fixes its meaning. We see poor anchorage in this media product as we have no idea there is no meaning behind anything and we have to make assumptions about the magazine rather than knowing for sure due to what the producer is giving us, but the producer gives us nothing and leaves us questioning.