Med 6: Issues and debates

My presentation

2009-04-11T10:57:00.000-07:00

WWW:
. Clear voice and projective
. Good analysis of both texts used. (Empire magazine and the website)
. Linked to wider context.

EBI:
. More analysis needed for the website version
. Could have included theorist when needed.

Targets:
. Talk more about the theorist when it seems appropriate as well as expand on the one's I already talked about.
. Even though I believe I gave a detailed analysis I think more is needed on the online version of the magazine.

Censorship vs Classification

2008-12-02T03:41:00.000-08:00

1. From where does the BBFC get its funding?

They get their funding from charging film distributors.

2. What types of texts do the BBFC classify?

They classify classify video games dvds and films.

3. What are the problems / issues that the BBFC must deal with when classifying material? Look at the types of things they classify, ability to account for all types of content, changing context etc.

Violence, rape, language, sex, use of drugs, gore, horror etc these are extreme cases in which the BBFC must deal with when classifying material, as they can not give a PG certificate when the movie shows sexual or explicit language; thus a more suitable certificate has to be shown e.g. 15 or 18.

4. Note the range of classification categories and what they mean e.g. U, PG, 12A etc.

U-It is impossible to predict what might upset any particular child. But a ‘U’ film should be suitable for audiences aged four years and over. U films should be set within a positive moral framework and should offer reassuring counterbalances to any violence, threat or horror.Videos classified 'U' are particularly suitable for pre-school children and normally raise none of the issues set out below.

PG- Mild bad language only, natural nudity, with no sexual context and moderate violence justified by its setting (eg historic, comedy or fantasy).

12 A- Suitable for 12 years and over. No-one younger than 12 may see a ‘12A’ film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult12- No-one younger than 12 may rent or buy a ‘12’ rated video or DVD. Responsibility for allowing under-12s to view lies with the accompanying or supervising adult.

15- There may be frequent use of strong language (eg 'fuck'). But the strongest terms (eg 'cunt') will be acceptable only where justified by the context. Continued aggressive use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable.

18- No-one younger than 18 may see an ‘18’ film in a cinema. No-one younger than 18 may rent or buy an ‘18’ rated video. Where material or treatment appears to the Board to risk harm to individuals or, through their behaviour, to society – e.g. any detailed portrayal of violent or dangerous acts, or of illegal drug use, which is likely to promote the activity.

5. Look at how different themes /content within texts are classified. Make notes. Why might a DVD featuring content of skateboarders and BMX bikers performing dangerous stunts be classified as 18 but a film containing a sex scene and use of the ‘f’ word only get a 15 rating?

The BBFC's current guidelines identify a number of specific areas of concern which are considered when awarding certificates. These are themed, language i.e. sex, violence, sexual violence, harmful actions. The BBFC also continues to demand cuts of any material which it considers may breach the provisions of the obscene publications act or any other legislation. Some of these materials in films that are in 15 rated one like sexual activity might not breach the publications act and that's why its rated at 15 compared to possibly lighter ones like bike moves that are rated at 18.

6 . Why might a film be given a rating of 15 upon release at the cinema but 10 years later be classified as a 12?

Because of time as things back then may have been deemed less acceptable then it is now, for instance kissing back 10 years ago films that show this was given a certificate of 15 but nowadays this is seen as much more innocent and acceptable so it is shown in 12 certificate as well as PG's.

7. Who is responsible for classifying films in the USA? How has this changed over time? (Look back to the studio system of the 1940’s).

MPPA (The Motion Picture Association of America) is the instituion that is resposonsible for classifying films in America. Before in the 60's young "directors" made films that were heavily to do with sex, drugs and violence (snuff movies), nowadays it is illegal for this type of genre film to be shown.

8. Research the following case studies exploring why they were brought to the attention of the BBFC:a. Canis Canem Edit (2006, Rockstar)b. Crash (1996, David Cronenberg)c. A Clockwork Orange (1971, Stanley Kubrick)d. Fight Club (1999, David Fincher)e. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001, Simon West)f. Sweet Sixteen (2002, Ken Loach)g. The Last Temptation of Christ (1988, Martin Scorcese)h. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974, Tobe Hooper)

Essay Plan

2008-11-09T11:02:00.000-08:00

'Heat' Magazine:

M: The red typography is seen as a logo, it eye-catching and very easy to read, so the buyers no it is a 'Heat' issue magazine. The colours in the magazine are all stereotyped "girly" colours, such as the purples, pinks, red etc. Further with the celebrities (idols) for younger people (teens) they would buy it so that they can see what their celebrities are up to in today's media. 'Heat' also relates to the current t.v schedule as well soap opera, linking to main audience.

I:'Heat'

G: Magazine

R: Women as gossip people as well as the representation of the stereotyped female due to the colours used.

A: Females aged from about 18 - 30 because of the issues involved in the magazine as well as the colours used further shows how the audience will be females.

I: Feminist ideologies as well as capitalist ideologies as the whole point of this magazine is to make money.

N: Visual as well as informative narrative.

'Cosmopolitan' magazine:

M: Typography bright pink (logo) shows it is a ladies magazine, gold background is done to emphasis glamorous people (celebrities). The heavy exaggeration of the word 'sex', portrays nature of magazine (what is going to be discussed;) again linking to audience. Main person on page is Beyonce famous celebrity (idol) people buy it to see her.

I: 'Cosmo'

G: A magazine

R: Women = sexual, as well as women = gossip "queens"

A: Older females about 18 -30+ due to sexual content (what they discuss about.)

I: Feminist ideologies as the magazine is targeted at women, as well as capitalist as the magazine is made to make money.

N: Visual as well as informative narrative.

Essay:

. Similarities of the two magazines (feminist capitalist etc)

. Differences (age gap, content, etc)

. SHEP (the social, historical, economic and political values for each) such as social = women's magazine, historical = women never in olden days had a say, economic = successful women and political = impact on women.

. Key theorists

. Link back to question after every paragraph.

. M.I.G.R.A.I.N in each paragraph angles, colours, people etc.

. Conclusion - sum up all points end with opinion of the question rephrased to your own ideas.

Globalisation ('NewsCorp')

2008-10-22T03:12:00.000-07:00

Different bands owned:

1) Newspapers:

United Kingdom:
The Sun
News of the World
The Times
Sunday Times
News Corporation Ltd.

Australia:
The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
The Sunday Telegraph (Sydney)
The Australian (national)
The Advertiser and Sunday Mail (Adelaide)
The Sunday Times (Perth)
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
Sunday Herald Sun (Melbourne)
mX (Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane)
The Courier-Mail (Brisbane)
Geelong Advertiser
Gold Coast Bulletin
The Mercury and Sunday Tasmanian (Hobart)
Northern Territory News (Darwin)
The Sunday Territorian (Darwin)

New Zealand:
Sunday Star-Times
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea Post-couier

Fiji:
The Fiji Times

United States:
New York Post
The Wall Street Journal

2) T.V:

20th Century Fox Television
bTV
BSkyB
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Sports Australia
Fox Television Stations
Foxtel
Premiere (19,9%)
Star Group Limited
Sky Latin America
SKY Network Television New Zealand
Sky Italia
Fox International Channels Italy
STAR TV
Latvijas Neatkarīgā Televīzija
TV5 Rīga
Fox Kids

Internet:

Fox Interactive Media
AmericanIdol.com
AskMen.com
Fox.com
Foxsports.com
GameSpy
Hulu.com
kSolo
IGN
Drownedinsound.com
MySpace
MyNetworktv.com
NewRoo.com
Strategicdatacorp.com
Photobucket.com
Rotten Tomatoes
Scout.com
SpringWidgets
WhatIfSports

Media Platforms:

Broadcasting - t.v - sky - skyBB - 20th Century Fox - Print - newspapers - U.K - The sun - News Of the World - Sunday Times etc - Australia - The Sunday Telegraph - Hearld Sun - Gold Coast Bulletin etc - New Zealand - Sunday Star Times - Papua New Guinea - Papua New Guinea Post Courier - Fiji - The Fiji Times - U.S - New York Post - Wall Street Journal - Internet - MySpace - Rotten Tomatoes - IGN - Fox.com etc

Recent developments...how is it responding to the 'new media' age

2008-09-21T14:35:00.000-07:00

During the late 80's News corp has been responding well to the new media age, as they have evolved during time; they try to keep up with the latest in media such as the newspaper and t.v these were the two main media consumption so they predominately brought things that were involved with these, such as buying the leading newspapers and t.v channels. However they introduced 'The Sun' which has been running since 1964, so News Corp responded by continuing with time and extending their already vast media empire. As time has gone past News Corp have involved themselves and made 'Sky' which is the dawn of digital new age, satellite television. 'Sky' is now one of the leading digital satellite t.v, as almost everyone in England has it in their homes. 'Sky' came to our screens in 1989 and is almost in every single home.

During the 90's, Murdoch began to believe in mass globalisation, trying to make his company News Corp number one in media. His empire expanded and everything he owned was based in Australia, US or the UK. Media began to be watched and used in mass numbers so News Corp began to expand in to Asia, with the countries India and China paving the way with their huge population News Corp globalised and brought in to the Asia media market and brought shares in Star TV. As a result News Corp had even more money coming in as they now had a much wider range of audience to attend to, again showing how they responded to the new media age. They have further gone and created Sky HD which is designed for the newest T.V's, this will increase their quality as the images presented on the screen will be much more clearer, they have responded by technological advancements.

Another way News Corp have began and extended in to the new media age is by the means of Internet, as they own 'My space', which is now the most successful social website. My Space is a popular social networking website offering an interactive, user-submitted network of friends, personal profiles, blogs, groups, photos, music and videos for teenagers and adults internationally. Its headquarters are in Beverly Hills, California, USA where it shares an office building with its immediate owner, Fox Interactive Media; which is owned by News Corporation, which has its headquarters in New York. In June 2006, 'My Space' was the most popular social networking site in the United States. According to 'comScore', 'My Space' has been overtaken by main competitor 'Facebook' in April 2008, based on monthly unique visitors. 'ComScore' reports that Facebook attracted 132.1 million unique visitors in June 2008, compared to My Space, which attracted 117.6 million. The company employs 300 staff and does not disclose revenues or separately from News Corporation. The 100 millionth account was created on August 6, 2006 in the Netherlands and approximately 106 million accounts on September 8, 2006,and the site attracts 230,000 new users per day. This all shows how News Corp have adapted to the new media age, as they have responded well to time and have kept up with other main competitors.

Info from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MySpace
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_Corporation

Information about its finances & income

2008-09-20T14:22:00.000-07:00

I found this stuff but I am not that sure if it right:

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?s=nws-a
http://finance.google.com/finance?fstype=ci&q=NYSE:NWS.A
http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/financials/financials.asp?symbol=NWS

These websites tell you how much they make and things like that but it doesn't really go in to proper amount of detail, it was hard finding the relevant finances and incomes.

The texts it produces

2008-09-19T14:07:00.000-07:00

Corportation:
20th Century Fox Entertainment

Newspapers:

USA
Wall Street Journal
New York Times
UK
The Times & The Sunday Times
The Sun & News Of The World
Australia
Herald Sun
The Australian

TV:
Sky
Star TV
Fox
BSkyB
ITV plc

Other:
MySpace
Photobucket
IGN Entertainment

Music:
MySpace Records

Info from:
http://www.newscorp.com/operations/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_corp

A history of the institution...how has it developed or changed

2008-09-19T13:56:00.000-07:00

Timeline:

1930s
1931 (March 11) - Rupert Keith Murdoch is born in Australia. Father, Keith Murdoch, is an established newspaper man in the country
1935 - Century Pictures and Fox Film merge to form 20th Century-Fox

1950s
1952 - Murdoch inherits Adelaide News, an Australian mid-size daily, and the Adelaide Sunday Mail

1960s
1960 - - Murdoch's Australian newspaper holdings increase with the acquisition of Cumberland Newspapers, and Mirror Newspapers, Ltd., publishers of Sydney's Daily and Sunday Mirror
1964 - Murdoch launches The Australian as the first national newspaper
1969 - Murdoch takes over News of the World and launches London Sun

1970s
1972 - Murdoch purchases Sydney Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph
1973 - Murdoch purchases his first newspaper in the U.S. - San Antonio Express and News
1974 - Enters the supermarket tabloid business by launching The National Star
1977 - Murdoch buys New York Post for $30 million from liberal socialite Dorothy Schiff. He continues his New York buying spree by purchasing New York magazine, Village Voice and New West from Clay Felker
1979 - Diversifies by acquiring Ansett Transport Industries which owns Melbourne TV station, Channel 10. Australia modifies media ownership laws to allow the deal. Critics call the move "The Murdoch Amendments"

1980s
1980 - News Corp. forms
1981 - Takes over Times and Sunday Times in London
1983 - Sky, the first satellite TV channel launches. News Corp. buys Chicago Sun Times for $90 million
1985 - Murdoch becomes United States citizen in order to purchase more American media outlets. Sells Village Voice. News Corp. buys TCF Holdings Inc., parent company of Twentieth Century Fox Film. In a related deal, News Corp. purchases seven television stations from Metromedia for $1.55 billion (WNEW-TV, New York; KTTV-TV, Los Angeles; WFLD-TV, Chicago; WTTG-TV, Washington, DC; KNBN-TV, Dallas; KRIV-TV, Houston, WFXT-TV in Boston. These stations reach 22% of all television households in the United States. These two deals help to form backbone of a new broadcast television network
1986 - Fox Broadcasting Company is established. News Corp. moves its UK newspaper printing operations to new plant in Wapping. A protracted labor strike ensues. Murdoch sells Chicago Sun-Times
1987 - News Corp. becomes world's largest newspaper publisher. News Corp. also purchases the South China Morning Post, UK newspaper Today and United States book publisher Harper and Row. Murdoch now controlled approximately sixty percent of Australian newspapers and thirty-five percent of UK newspapers
1989 - Harper Collins is formed after newly acquired William Collins Publishing is merged with Harper and Row. The Simpsons becomes Fox Network's first hit program. Satellite television provider Sky TV is launched.

1990s
1990 - - BSkyB is formed after Sky merges with British Satellite Broadcasting. Accumulation of large debts leads News Corp. down the road to bankruptcy.
Citibank, the company's prime lender, takes active role in saving News Corp.
1991 - News Corp. undergoes massive sell off to help lower corporate debt. The properties sold off include: New York, Seventeen, Soap Opera Digest, Soap Opera Weekly, Premiere, and Daily Racing Form
1992 - Buys broadcasting rights for the Premier League, an Australian rugby league, for $300 million
1993 - Gains controlling interest in Asian satellite television service, Star TV. Acquires the right to broadcast NFL games. The move shakes up American sports television as it leaves the NBC network without football coverage. Obtaining the NFL broadcasting rights costs over $1 billion but seen as a necessary investment to help promote fledging Fox Network. News Corp. reacquires New York Post
1997 - Acquires Los Angeles Dodgers and Dodgers stadium from the O'Malley family for $311 million

2000 - Present
2001 - Sells stake in Fox Family Network to Disney. Duopolies established in Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Washington D.C., and Houston
2002 - Duopolies established in Chicago and Orlando
2003 - Puts LA Dodgers up for sale. Spends $6.6 billion for stake in Hughes Electronic, the parent company of DirecTV
2004 - Los Angeles Dodgers sold to real estate developer Frank McCourt for $430
million.

info from : http://cjrarchives.org/_deprecate/newscorp-timeline.asp

NewsCorp

2008-09-19T03:02:00.000-07:00

Who Owns it and what other people or organisations are involved?

Owner: Rupert K Murdoch (on the left), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer News Corporation:

Other people involved:

1) Peter Barnes
2) Kenneth E. Cowley
3) Viet Dinh
4) Peter Chernin
5) José María Aznar
6) John L. Thornton
7) Chase Carey
8) Roderick R. Paige
9) Andrew S.B. Knight
10) Lachlan K. Murdoch
11) Sir Roderick I. Eddington
12) Thomas J. Perkins
13) Arthur M. Siskind
14) David F. DeVoe

Organisations involved :

Peter Barnes: Chariman of Ansell Limited

Kenneth E. Cowley: Chairman RM Williams Holdings Limited

José María Aznar: President of FAES - Foundation for Social Studies and Analysis

John L. Thornton: Professor of Global Leadership Tsinghua University of Beijing

Chase Carey: President and Chief Executive Officer of The DIRECTV Group, Inc.

Roderick R. Paige: Founder and Chairman of Chartwell Education Group, LLC.

Andrew S.B. Knight: Director of Rothschild Investment Trust Capital Partners Plc.

Lachlan K. Murdoch: Chief Executive of Illyria Pty Ltd.

Sir Roderick I. Eddington: Chairman of Australia and New Zealand JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A.

Thomas J. Perkins: Partner of Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers.

Websites used:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_Corporation http://www.newscorp.com/corp_gov/bod.html

Paul Dacre

2008-09-14T11:53:00.000-07:00

Paul Dacre:

Born: Paul Michael Dacre

14 November 1948 (1948-11-14) (age 59)

Nationality: British

Occupation: Journalist and newspaper editor

Employer: Daily Mail and General Trust

Known for: Editor of the Daily Mail

Paul Michael Dacre is a British journalist and current editor of the British tabloid newspaper the Daily Mail. He is also editor and chief of the Mail group titles, which also includes the London Evening Standard and The mail on Sunday. He is also a director of the Daily Mail and General Trust plc and was a member of the Press Complaints Commission from 1999 to 2008. He left in order to become chairman of the PCC's Editors’ Code of Practice Committee from April 2008. For the academic and journalist John Lloyd, Dacre is presently the only "British newspaper editor who stamps himself on his newspaper every morning" reflecting "his unique blend of libertarian-authoritarian Conservatism". His brother Nigel Dacre was editor of ITV’s news programmes from 1995 to 2002.

Dacre's father, Peter Dacre, was a prominent journalist on the Sunday Express; while Paul Dacre was educated at University College School, a private fee-paying school in Hampstead, on a state scholarship, and grew up in the London (Arnos Grove in Enfield). In his school holidays, Dacre worked as a messenger at the Sunday Express, and during his pre-university gap year as a trainee in the Daily Express. From 1967 he read English at Leeds University. Whilst at university, he became involved with the Leeds Student newspaper, rising to the position of editor. At this time he identified with the political left on issues including gay rights and drug use. "If you don’t have a left-wing period when you go to university, you should be shot", he says. On graduation in 1971 he joined the Daily Express in Manchester for a six month trial; subsequent to this he was given a full time job on the Express. He once commented that "there was never any desire to do anything other than journalism". So he was heavily influenced by his dad as his dad was a journalist himself, so he followed his fathers footsteps but also went one step further by owing and being editor for 6 other leading tabloid newspapers.

Career History:

At the Express, Dacre worked as a correspondent in a variety of locations before being sent to Washington in 1976 to cover that year's American presidential election and later moved to New York. It was at this time that his politics shifted to the right:

“I don’t see how anybody can go to America, work there for six years and not be enthralled by the energy of the free market. America taught me the power of the free market, as opposed to the State, to improve the lives of the vast majority of ordinary people.”

After spending several years at the Express bureau, Dacre was tracked down by David English to be Bureau chief for the Mail in 1980, but was brought back to the UK in 1982 after fifteen months to be deputy news editor. The following period saw Dacre work in most of the newspaper's departments as assistant editor.
He became editor of the Evening Standard in March 1991 and replaced Sir David English the following year as editor of the Daily Mail, after turning down an offer from Rupert Murdoch to edit The Times. Dacre believed "that he would not accept my desire to edit with freedom". It was his approach to the job of editor "hard-working, disciplined, and confrontational" which had led Murdoch to attempt to hire him. For the Mail Dacre was considered important enough for English to become editor and chief, a job title often seen as a means of sidelining someone considered irreplaceable. After David English's death in March 1998, Dacre himself became the Mail Group's editor-in-chief the following July, in addition to remaining as editor of the Daily Mail.

Dacre's salary is frequently cited in the British media. For the financial year ending on 1st October 2006, he was paid in total £1.23million, according to the annual report of the parent company, Daily Mail & General Trust, published on 11 January 2007. Dacre is the highest paid of the twenty national newspaper editors in the United Kingdom. For Kelvin Mackenzie, the former Editor of The Sun, he is "comfortably Britain’s finest editor" who arrives at work "determined to crush the life out of his rivals". Publicist Max Clifford has commented that "Paul Dacre is virtually a law to himself". A MORI poll in 2005 asked 30 editors from the national and regional press and from the broadcasting industry for the name of the editor they most admired. Dacre won the poll.

www.wikipedia.org