Woman Magazine Industry, Audiences, and Theorists

Question 1

Woman Magazine publisher

Answer 1

• Published by the IPC (international Publishing Company)

Question 2

Economic factors (Industry)

Answer 2

• Conglomerate
• Weekly costs of 7d
• Advertising revenue
• Mainstream and presents typical societal norms

Question 3

What is the average audience?

Answer 3

• Age 20-40
• Female
• White middle class to working class
• Interests in makeup, fashion, children, cooking, romance, domestic etc
• Mainstreamers

Question 4

Power and Media industries theory (Curran and Seaton)

Answer 4

The IPC is profit driven and produces very stereotypical content, reducing the creativity of the industry

Question 5

Cultural Industries theory (Hesmondhalgh)

Answer 5

• Conglomerate and mainstream company with many titles, this minimises risk and maximises
• The use of a stereotypical ‘ideal’ housewife sells more copies and is safe and conforming to social norms
• Profit is also made through advertising (Breeze and Creme Puff)

Question 6

Semiotics (Barthes)

Answer 6

• Feminine elements are conveyed through semiotics, i.e. the pastel pink front cover, words such as ‘soft’ and ‘puff’
• Floral dress on the woman in the central image

Question 7

Representation theory (Stuart Hall)

Answer 7

• A clear stereotype is shown of 1960s housewives
• Through the domestic articles this stereotype is reinforced as a gender norm for women

Question 8

Pick and Mix theory (Gauntlett)

Answer 8

• Woman is a historical product which does convey mostly singular straightforward messages about the ideal type of female identity
• Supporting the point that the past offered singular messages

Question 9

Feminist theory (Van Zoonen)

Answer 9

• The women are not particularly sexualised however can been seen as objects for men, especially in the Creme Puff advert

Question 10

Feminist theory (bell hooks)

Answer 10

• Only white women in the magazine which supports the idea of a hierarchy

Question 11

Gender performativity (Butler)

Answer 11

• Reinforces gender stereotypes through the content of fashion, makeup and a domestic lifestyle
• The magazine also reinforces the idea of a female having children and being a nurturing figure
• This product was current in the 1960s, showing that gender stereotypes have been reinforced for a long time, and that our understanding for each gender is not surprising as it’s been taught to us from a young age

Question 12

Reception theory preferred reading (Stuart Hall)

Answer 12

• Historical reader finds the articles helpful

Question 13

Reception theory negotiated reading (Stuart Hall)

Answer 13

• Historical reader that doesn’t find the articles applicable

Question 14

Reception theory oppositional reading (Stuart Hall)

Answer 14

• Modern reader may disagree with the presentation of women

Question 15

Cultivation theory (Gerbner)

Answer 15

• Continuous viewing of the magazine may reinforce gender norms about women and how they belong as housewives
• Some elements of how women are represented are still evident now showing they have become the norm and we are desensitised from it