News representation (3)

Analyse the representations in sources A and B. Use any relevant feminist theory in your answer. (10)

Top band answers will: 
  • Apply the theory successfully.
  • Provide strong analysis of media language in both covers.
  • Identify how CRAIL elements effect media language- politics, genre, journalistic values, target audience.

PLAN

INTRO: Daily Mail: mid-market, right wing
Mirror: tabloid, left wing.
Van zoonen: We get our ideas about gender from media products and how different genders are portrayed. Ideas about gender are different depending on historical and social context. Women are often objectified in the media.

POINT 1: Daily Mail: Main story represents school girls as vulnerable through their headline 'school-girl self harming is surging'. The paper then adds that they are not surprised by this due to how models are portrayed in the media with their subheading ' and is it any wonder normal girls struggle when this top model's told she is too big to open the show?' This fits with van zoonen's theory as she believes that we get our ideas about gender from media and the paper is suggesting this too as they are suggesting a reason that girls are harming themselves is because they are self conscious about their body image due to what they see in the media. By the paper assuming that the reason that girls are harming themselves due to body image, shows the paper to have negative gender ideologies as they are objectifying these girls for their bodies instead of other issues that could be going on. The paper may be representing school girls in a vulnerable way to try and recognise that more needs to be done to help but is also not showing a full understanding by just assuming that the reason for their sadness is body image.Their is irony by the daily mail suggesting that girls need help due to images and comments made to women about their body image when they regularly comment on women's bodies and usually have women on the front pages of their newspapers which they do on this issue.  The long shot image shows the model's figure- objectifying her purely for her looks which again adds to van zoonen's theory. By the focus just being on girls shows a gender divide suggesting that the media is more focused on women's bodies than mens.
Daily Mirror: Instead of representing women/girls as vulnerable the paper shows women to be caring and brave. It does this through the story with the headline ' Jihadi Brit aided hurt fighters in IS' hospital'. The use of the words that identify where the lady is from shows that the paper's views on gender are swayed depending on where people are from.This conforms to van zoonen's theory as she believes that thoughts about gender can change depending on social and historical context therefore what it means to be feminine in the UK may not be the same as the middle east.

Point 2: Both papers represent Meghan Markle as being spoilt and using the power that she has around her. The daily mail does this through the sensationalised language such as 'lavished'. Would expect sensationalised language from this paper as it is mid-market. The possessive pronoun our next to Queen shows the paper to represent Britain as being with the queen and therefore highlighting Meghan as an outsider. The use of having Meghan look to have these features of just wanting to spend money objectifies her which fits with van zoonen's theory. The image used of Meghan looking away from the camera and wearing sunglasses portrays her of appearing as if she believes she is better than the press.
Daily Mirror also shows Meghan Markle to be spoilt and use the power she has through the media language used. The image of her makes her look effortlessly glamorous and very unconventional to a duchess which makes her appear as if she is an outsider but has fit in well with celebrity life. The use of the headline of the story using a figure exaggerates the story and makes it appear shocking.



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