Reception Theory/ LOOK magazine.

This is the Look magazine, which focuses more on celebrity gossip, women's fashion and beauty tips.The target audience for this magazine is mainly women ,aged 16-35 ,with lifestyle categories of Egoists. These are people who are mainly concerned to the most for themselves out of life but could also include Groupies, these type of people want to be accepted by those around them. This is ideal for them as the magazine tells people how to dress like others.

For the preferred reading of this piece of media the encoders are trying to suggest that all of the items included on the cover of this magazine are the only things that women are interested in ,in their life. There is a high use of celebrities within this magazine, this suggests that to every consumer of LOOK magazine, celebrities have a higher status than them and are their role models. It could also suggest that every woman that buys this magazine, their life revolves around the gossip or the 'truth' of certain celebrities lives.  When interviewing Cheryl the 'gate keepers' pinpoint certain parts of her interview to include on the cover. 'I Was At Breaking Point. How Her New Husband Saved Her' Cheryl but also women are being presented as emotional people and that for a woman to survive they need a man or a husband to support them. The use of cheap fashion that is spread around the cover of the magazine highlights that this magazine is aimed at working class, people who are placed on the level B and lower on the Income/ Status model.

For the oppositional reading of this piece of media many who consume it may reject some of the ideas that are being presented on the cover and within it. For example, the Cheryl interview. The part of the interview that is included on the cover on the magazine quotes 'How Her New Husband Saved Her' , many women will reject this and bring about the issue of feminism and how they don't need a boyfriend  or to be married to be able to survive , this is reinforcing an outdated view of a woman's place in society. This however may vary between different cultures and their views on what women should be in society. With low priced fashion on the front of the magazine suggests that women who buy this magazine can only afford cheep clothes. However women may tend to buy higher priced clothes for special occasions such as weddings and christenings.

For the negotiated reading and audiences situated culture may effect how they view this media. For example, a women or man who has a religion such as Islam or Catholicism will view this magazine negatively due to their belief that women are the ones who provide a family and look after the family and husband. With a woman on the cover of a popular magazine , this goes against their beliefs. Age could also have an effect on how people view the magazine. As stated earlier, the magazine is aimed at women aged around 16-35, thus magazine wouldn't appeal to young girls around the ages 10 -14 as their are alternative magazines for that specific age such as Girl Talk.  Gender also can contribute towards the negotiated reading, for example males are not expected to buy this magazine as it is specifically aimed at women and only includes women's fashion and beauty tips.

The consumers of this magazine can use it to better their lives. For example

• Personal Identity, comparing own life with characters and situations portrayed to explore individual problems and perspectives. A women many turn to this magazine if their are certain issues included in the magazine that she is experiencing. The magazine would provide advice on how to tackle these issues. But it can also be consumed to compare her life with a celebrities. For example Cheryl's and her 'breaking point'.
• Information/surveillance, information about 'why is going on' in the world. Information about celebrities would fall into this category, for example, the troubles that are occurred in Cheryl's. Women will buy this magazine for that information and to keep up to date with what people are talking about. This links in with Social Interaction.
• Social Interaction, sociability through discussion about TV with other people. After reading the gossip on the magazine, the consumers of this media may choose to talk to colleagues, family and friends about it.
• Escapism/ Entertainment, A form of escape from everyday pressures. A source of entertainment. Women will buy this for the gossip about celebrities and for the fashion and beauty tips, this will be a form of entertainment.