Politics in the 1970's

Winter of discontent 

This was when various strikes took place due to the labour government , the unemployment rate was high and the trade unions and public sector were demanding pay rises. The strikes were due to the labour government attempt to control inflation.

The weather turned very cold in the early months of 1979 with blizzards and deep snow, the coldest since 1962–63, rendering some jobs impossible, reducing retail spending and worsening the economy.


The photo shows the strike by council employees in 1979 London. 

This shows that the government effected the economy in the 1970's with inflation at a high rate and the economy at it's worst state.










This then led to necessary public services also striking effecting not only the public but the Health service of the UK.

This forced Callaghan to hold a General Election that May. Margaret Thatcher's Tories gained 63 seats while Labour lost 51, leaving the Conservatives in power with a majority of 44 - the third time in the 1970s that power had changed hands. This was not a trend that would continue, however; Thatcher made herself quite at home in Downing Street, and was not to leave for some 11 years.

How does Shane Meadows make the scene in Combo's flat significant

How does Shane Meadows make the scene in Combo's flat significant.




Shane Meadows uses this scene to draw a line. This is also emphasised by the physical line drawn on the ground by combo using this to get Shaun and also the others to support racism and the national front.

the scene is a vital point where the film does make two stories. Before this scene Shaun was seen as just as average kid from a working class background. We see when Shaun first enter's Sandhu's shop early on in the movie he is just a cheeky kid. But after the flat scene the racism is brought into it when he returns and also threatens Sandhu.

Combo also talks about the Falklands war which makes Shaun angry as his father died, this then leads to combo taking advantage of the situation by convincing him then by joining national front is the right thing to do.

Woody was also a father figure to Shaun , but Combo want's to replace him by asking which side he wants to join. They both are the head of the group and so they have to chose which side.


Both shop scenes at the start of the movie and after the combo's flat are different.

This was Shaun before he was a skinhead , and before he met the others. He seems just an average cheeky kid from a working class background.

This is Shaun after the scene in combo's flat. This is totally different to the first impression we get of him at the start of the movie. In this scene the cheekiness isn't present and instead the racial abuse influenced by Combo is used. Everything about him is different compared to the last scene his clothes for example make him look much older than he is , and could be said that he has the stereotypical look of a gangster. This shows the influence  from combo's flat scene has a had massive impact on Shaun and this is where the movie changes.

Moral Panics

Moral Panic

Book by Kenneth Thompson

Published by Routledge 1998



"Almost anything can spark off a panic , so the initial event can range as something as serious as children killing another child , to an incident of school bullying"



Moral Panics and The British Media

By Ian Marsh and Gaynor Melville

Internet Journal of Criminology

"A moral Panic refers to an exaggerated reaction , from the media police or wider public , to the activities of particular social groups"

"Such reporting and publicity has then led to an increase in general anxiety and concern about those activities"

"Young people are the usual target of moral panics, their behaviour is regarded as a barometer to test the health or sickness of a society"

"A condition , episode , person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat"

"Sometimes the panic passes over and is forgotten , except in folk-lore and collective memory"

"Since the term has been regularly used in the media to refer to all sorts of anti social and/or criminal behaviours"

"Societies appear to be subject , every now and then , to periods of moral panic"

" it's nature is presented in a stylized and stereotypical fashion by mass media"

"Moral Panics occur when the media turn a reasonably ordinary event and present it extraordinary"

"Moral Panics clarify the moral boundaries of the society in which they occur"

"Moral Panics occur during periods of rapid social change and anxiety"

"Moral panics are often exaggerated to create a 'buzz' or trend' within the media;specifically targeting certain groups of people and/or controversial issues"

"In a media saturated world , moral panics have less impact and nothing shocks us anymore"

"An approach with a strong focus on how society labels rule-breakers as belonging to particular deviant groups and how once a person or group is labelled, the actions they undertake are viewed and interpreted in terms of this label." 


Dangerous Games Play , Pleasure and Panics

Media Magazine


"New cultural forms have often been seen as potentially 'dangerous' - especially forms that are radically different from previous ones , or those that use new technologies"

"Today the release of a computer game or film still has the potential to generate controversy , and different media forms are monitored , reported on and at times censured should any media text be judged to be inappropriate , too rude , too violent or offensive"

"Pop music has often been a site for moral panic - particularly regarding adolescent sexuality"

"The panics generally come from an irrational fear , which ironically , is in part generated by the media itself"

"The fear and panic is often amplified by the media themselves"

Photo analysis

The photo shows 2 different cultures , in one country. The farmer indicates that because the photo has been taken in china farmers are typically very poor and this image is showing the extreme lengths that they have to go to , to survive and earn a living. By farming near a sculpture and tourist attraction , it is also showing how the grass land isn't really any good it looks rough and not really farm material and again shows the extreme lengths of people.  The replica of the Eiffel tower shows that they are trying to make china like Paris where it's a tourist attraction , and the 2 different cultures in the picture contrast and don't mix very well. The juxtaposition of the photo is slightly tilted and the camera is pointing from the ground up , this may be to get all of the tower in the background but also get the farmer in the foreground to make a contrast.

Active & Passive Audiences.

2 a/b) The Hypodermic syringe model tells us that the media is dangerous an can influence other people to do things. I good example of this is a video game awhile back which was released in 2005 named "Bully". It involved being a teenager in a school campus , in america who would "Bully" other students and play pranks. There was some uproar in the media that this game had influenced children to commit such acts and even though it was just a comical game made by Rockstar Games , some say it had still influenced children in society to do bad things.

Another example of this , is the school shootings in america , and because the person who killed those children had a gun it was seem to have been to do with Call Of Duty , which is a popular First Person Shooter war game , which in my opinion had nothing to do with what actually happened but going back to the Hypodermic Syringe model , it says the media is "dangerous" because of the influences caused but in this case it had absolutely nothing to do with the actual game Call Of Duty.

Another theory is the Cultivation Model. This theory has been portrayed as believing everything what the media says. For example when the Hillsborough disaster happened back in 1989 , The sun newspaper made up lies saying the fans caused the disaster. Which then made people around the country believe it , just because a popular newspaper had written it. I think that this is a theory which in some aspects is quite scary because the media can get lies , to become a true story.

3. Active audience reception is an audience who has their own opinions , on a text and doesn't go off what other people say for example if it was a film , a reviewer on the internet. They would have to find out for themselves. This is an audience who are also free-willed.

Passive audience is an audience who is controlled by what other people , do and think. Never have their own opinion on something , and always go off what someone else says , again for example if a film was reviewed bad , they would also take that review and say it was bad themselves without even seeing it.

4. I think violence on television doesn't influence people in society to go and commit the same acts. But TV and video games are often blamed for doing this for no reason. For example when I play Grand Theft Auto , I don't get the need to steal a strangers car , or shoot someone. But because TV and video games are sometimes based around violence , they're often an easy target to blame , when in my opinion I think that it's stupid.

5. I think Active audiences are more acceptable than passive audiences , because your own opinion matters , you can't live life by going of what other people think , without trying it yourself , and being part of a passive audience in society , you're not being normal ,  everybody has a right to have their own opinion on something , and shouldn't go off what other people think. Because a well known passive audiences is readers of the sun newspaper , back in 1989 , the newspaper saying "All Scousers were thieves" and the audience believed it , just because it was a popular newspaper which had been around for awhile so going off what other people think isn't a good idea.

6.

A media text I enjoy is a program for car enthusiasts by the BBC named "Top Gear". Using the Uses and Gratifications Model I think Top Gear is in the Information / Surveillance category and also the Escapism/Entertainment. Firstly Top Gear gives the information to people in Facts. Because this is a car reviewing program it will often include what the top speed of the car they're reviewing is , who it's built by and how much it costs. They also have a news section of the program which talks about the latest cars coming in later years and again how much they cost etc. Also I chose the entertainment category because they often have to do little tasks which are sometimes done for seasonal specials. For example , Go to America and buy a car for $1000 , and then the audience is watching how they embark on a road trip ,and the challenges they face on the way. This is engaging the audience , and the audience will want to carry on watching to find out what antics will they face next.

7. a ) A preferred reading to this advert would be to not smoke or stop smoking , because it's using shock tactics to scare the average smoking into stopping. The advert shows a man with a hook coming out of his mouth and the slogan "Get unhooked " is there , implying to get unhooked from smoking , because there is then a fact which is provided "The average smoker needs over five thousand cigarettes a year" which is another scare tactic used by the NHS.


b) An oppositional reading to this advert would be that the hook is the mans mouth in the ad , doesn't give us a message to do anything . You have to read the slogan to gather what it is actually about. It's providing help but some smokers may ignore it , as smoking adverts are usually graphic and show lungs , so not that good shock tactics are used in this one.

Armani Advert Analysis

Armani Advert

David & Victoria Beckham are positioned in a sexual way in this advert to promote underwear. Alot of passion has gone into the advert and in my opinion I think that is why they chose them to do the advert , because they're married they can express passion very well through the media  , and because they are celebrities , it will make people buy the product , because if celebrities are wearing the product , in society today it's seen as "trendy" and will appeal to couples also. They are also both quite famous in the media , as David is a famous footballer and Victoria is a model which also makes them both photogenic , and are noticed by the media. Although this advert has been photographed in a passionate and sexual way , it's not distasteful and doesn't step over the line.

Armani want to show that their products are being worn by top end celebrities , who are both famous from various things. This also creates good business and makes the brand looks expensive , which makes the consumers think "if they're wearing it , then it's good enough for me" , which then generates a massive amount of sales for the product , so Armani have been very clever by using a sexual and passionate celebrity couple for the advertising of their product. They also have used both a man & woman to show the underwear ranges from women to men , so it appeals to both gender audiences , and at any age.

Armani have also used a black and white theme , which gives a retro 1950's vintage look , which also very popular amongst society today as most people now think it's trendy to go back to retro themed things. and both David and Victoria Represent this well.

Audience

1a) The Mainstream is the general public.  People who are mainstreamers are most likely to be of any  age, and follow what everyone else does in society , and  try and blend in with others. Mainstream is being what society thinks you should be and what you should look like.

The Aspirer is someone who goes off another persons opinion of them than what they think of themselves. They will take action against what others say , and usually do what they say. 

The Succeeder leads a life of control. They have confidence , goals  and know what they want. They are people with high expectations , and usually are going to do well out of life , this includes , getting a good job , being financially secure , and being able to provide.

The Explorer is someone who has a need in discovery and a person who likes to be different. They often like taking on new experiences and don't like being equal to anyone else. Explorer's are usually people who are young , and just want to be different in society.

B) In my opinion , I think these categories exist in society today , because "The Main streamer" category in 2013 , with technology has reached an all time high. For example when Apple release their new iPhone's every year , "main streamers" will take the trouble to upgrade from a previous model which is only usually around a year old , just to have the latest trend and show off to everyone else around them.

C)
Name of text : The inbetweeners
Audience Gender : Male/Female
Audience Age range : 16-25
Stereotypical Viewer : Student , or young person who typically watches the program for it's comedy side , as it's about an every day life , and what students go through.

D) The apprentice is in the innovators and cowboys category , The apprentice is also a show about making profit , and typically appeals to young entrepreneurs. 

Media Diary 2

Fast and Furious 6

Name of text : Fast & Furious 6

Date/Time : Monday 17th September 2013 , 11PM

Genre : Action

Insitution producing the text : Universal Studios

Where I found it : TV advertising , YouTube trailers , as I have seen 1-5 already , and this was the 6th installment of the fast & furious series.

Purpose of the text : To entertain the target audience , which is from 15 - 30 years old.


My reaction to the text :
This is the 6th installment in the fast & furious series , and in my opinion I thought it was much better than number 5 in the series. The 5th one in the series seemed to concentrate more on giving a special action experience , more than what the fast & furious series is about , before 5 there was no use of gun's or any military equipment in it ,  and focused mainly on the car racing scene , than an action packed experience , and as a consumer , I thought the newer fast and furious series was a huge let down , until now , the 6th installment has absolutely amazed me , and by far one of the best films I've seen this year. It focuses more on the old story line of the original film , were a character was killed , and the racing aspect , more than a gun , action packed experience.

Why people would chose to consume the text :  The fast & furious series of films are very popular amongst young people. Since it's first film Fast and furious 1 was a success , people keep watching to see what will happen next , and so they will want to watch this one , the 6th one in the series. But because it's first film was a success , this is the reason why these movies are so popular , and get millions and millions of views. The films are always left on a cliffhanger , which also gets people to consume the text.

Might some people react different to the text :
 Some people might only have seen the 5th one in the series as the original came out in 2001 , and not many people might have been around to see it , or just not seen it at all. and the 5th one in the series focused more on action so by watching the 6th , may get quite a shock as it's not got much in the way of action in it , and also may dislike the movie for this particular reason.

Media Diary 1 - Game Review

GRAN TURISMO 5 - REVIEW

Gran Turismo 5 the fifth game in the Gran Turismo simulator racing video game series. Developed by Polyphony Digital and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, it was released for PlayStation 3 on November 24, 2010. As of 2013, it is currently the best-selling PS3 game with over 10 million copies sold.

This game in my opinion , is the future of simulator games.With realistic cars , to realistic tracks Gran Turismo 5 has it all and delivers the best simulator racing game experience to date. For example the Nürburgring in Germany is a famous motorsport circuit , which many racing games have , but not as realistic as this , every single corner on the track in the game is matched to the real one , with exact measurements of how long each one is. This really shows how technology and game designing has developed by creating a realistic driving experience right in the consumer's home.

For example here is the game with a BMW M3 E92 , VS the real Nürburgring in Germany with a Real M3 E92. The track in game is exactly the same as the real physical one.

Gran Turismo 5 allows players to drive 31 different locations or "scenery" and 81 different  realistic track layouts as shown. Gran Turismo 5 , also provides a total of 1,083 cars to chose from all with realistic interior views , and also exterior views.

Also , the Nissan GT-R , which is one of the fastest supercars in the world had it's in-car electronic gauges based on the design of Gran Turismo 5 , which really shows how good this game really is , if the designs are used in a £70,000 supercar in real life.

Overall I think that this game is very good , and I'm sure most people would agree. It's amazing how technology in games has advanced over the years , and this game proves it. I would give this a 5 star rating , because it is one of the best realistic games I have ever played to date , and the 6th installment of the Gran Turismo series which is due out shortly should improve the previous game even more.