Magazines: The Gentlewoman - Language and Representations

The first part of our case study on The Gentlewoman will focus on media language and representations.

The Gentlewoman deliberately offers an alternative version of the women's fashion magazine genre and we need to explore how page design, content and conventions are used or subverted to create this effect. We also need to consider the different representations that can be found in these features.

You need to really get to know the selected CSP pages for this edition of The Gentlewoman featuring Scarlett Johansson on the cover. You can download the Gentlewoman selected CSP pages as a PDF here - you'll need to log in to your Greenford Google account to download them.

Notes from the lesson

The Gentlewoman: an introduction

The Gentlewoman is an alternative independent women’s fashion magazine aimed at a niche audience.

It was launched in 2010 and is published just twice a year with around 100,000 copies distributed worldwide. 

Social and cultural contexts

The Gentlewoman is part of a development in lifestyle and environmental movements of the early 21st century which rebrand consumerism as an ethical movement. 

Its representation of femininity reflects an aspect of the feminist movement which celebrates authenticity and empowerment. As part of the design-led, independent magazine sector, The Gentlewoman can also be seen as part of a movement responding to the idea of ‘Internet fatigue’.

The Gentlewoman editor: Penny Martin

Penny Martin has edited the magazine since its launch. "I'm interested in how modern women live, from the way they drink, dance, drive and speak to the way they sign their letters or conduct their divorces. It's about putting those women at the centre of the material world around them. That balance is important to us." 

Cover stars have ranged from 88-year-old actor Angela Lansbury to popstar Beyoncé, looking calm, strong and composed in Dior with a face free of make-up. 

What is a gentlewoman?

In the first issue – called ‘Modernist’ – Penny Martin defined the term:

The magazine’s subjects would be “stylish, intrepid, and often hilarious” contemporary women, and they would be depicted in journalism and portraits that reflected “women as they actually look, sound and dress.” 

In contrast to “the passive and cynical cool of recent decades,” Martin wrote, “The Gentlewoman champions the optimism, sincerity, and ingenuity that actually get things done.”

The Gentlewoman: Language and Representation blog tasks

Close-textual analysis

Work through the following tasks to complete your close-textual analysis of the Gentlewoman CSP pages:

Gentlewoman front cover 

1) What do the typefaces used on the front cover suggest to an audience?

2) How does the cover subvert conventional magazine cover design?

3) Write an analysis of the central image.

4) What representations of gender and celebrity can be found on this front cover?

5) What gender and representation theories can we apply to this cover of the Gentlewoman? 

Feature: Modern Punches

1) How does the feature on Ramla Ali use narrative to engage the audience? Apply narrative theories here.

2) What representations can you find in this feature - both interview and image?

3) What representation theories can we apply to the Modern Punches feature? 


Feature: Isabella Tree interview

1) Why is this feature unconventional for a women's lifestyle and fashion magazine? Comment on the use media language in these pages. 

2) How does the Isabella Tree feature reflect the social and cultural contexts of contemporary Britain? Think about AQA's discussion of lifestyle, environmental issues and ethical movements.

3) What representations of nature can be found in this feature?

Feature: Stella McCartney and vegan fashion

1) How does this feature reflect contemporary social and cultural contexts?

2) Comment on the typography and page design in this feature.

3) What representations can be found in the image accompanying this feature? 

Representations

Read this Business of Fashion interview with The Gentlewoman editor Penny Martin. If you don't want to sign up to the website (free) then you can access the text of the article on Google Drive here (you'll need your Greenford Google login). Answer the following questions: 

1) What type of magazine did Penny Martin, Gert Jonkers and Jop van Bennekom want to create? 

2) What representations of modern women did they try to construct for the magazine?

3) What examples of cover stars reflect the diversity in the magazine's content? 

4) What is Penny Martin's view on feminism and whether the magazine is feminist?

5) Look at the end of the article. How does the Gentlewoman help readers construct or reflect their identity by engaging with events and spaces beyond the magazine? 

A/A* extension tasks

Read this extended profile of editor Penny Martin in The Cut. What does it suggest about the representations in the magazine and how they might appeal to an audience?

Similarly, this Stack interview with Penny Martin has some really interesting points on pop feminism and how women are represented and addressed by the magazine.

Due date on Google Classroom

Radio: BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat

Our first CSP for radio is BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat.

Our key concepts for Radio are industries and audiences so these are the areas we need to consider when studying the texts. 

BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat notes and background

Radio 1 Newsbeat is an example of a transitional media product which reflects changes in the contemporary media landscape. Newsbeat is both a traditional radio programme with regular, scheduled broadcast times, but it is also available online after broadcast.

The broadcast itself and the use of digital platforms provides opportunities for audience interaction. Newsbeat also exemplifies the challenges facing the BBC as a public service broadcaster that needs to appeal to a youth audience within a competitive media landscape.

Listen to today's Newsbeat bulletins by using the BBC Newsbeat page on the BBC website and then linking to BBC Sounds and scrolling to 8am or 12.45pm.


BBC Radio 1: History

BBC Radio 1 launched in 1967 playing pop music and using jingles in the style of American radio. It was a significant change from previous BBC content and was hugely popular in the 1970s and 1980s (some shows had 10m+ listeners). 

It became available on DAB digital radio in 1995 but not promoted until digital radios were more popular in 2002. It is available via digital TV and online via BBC Sounds.

Radio 1 is famous for events as well as radio – summer Roadshows, Big Weekends and the annual Teen Awards. 


Industries: Radio in decline

Although the BBC still boasts impressive audience figures for BBC Radio 2 and 4, it has struggled to attract young listeners to BBC Radio 1 in recent years.

Since 2010 listeners have declined – and although BBC R1 targets 15-29 year olds the average listener in 2017 was aged 30. Radio 1 is increasingly focusing on digital and social media with 16m weekly YouTube views reached in 2018.

Radio 1 Audience profile:

• Slightly more female than male
• 58% ABC1 (against population average of 55%)
• 90% white
• 41% of audience is in target audience range of 15-29
• Median age of 32

Industries: BBC remit and regulation

In 2011, BBC Radio 1 was part of a review into what the license fee should fund. Critics suggested that the content of BBC Radio 1 and 2 should be left to the commercial sector.

In response, the BBC made major changes at BBC Radio 1, aiming to re-target a core 15-24 audience and offering more diverse programming.

Since 2017, the BBC has been regulated by Ofcom. It is responsible for BBC content and ensuring it is delivering on its remit. 

BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat: Blog tasks

Newsbeat analysis

Use BBC Sounds to listen to Radio 1. Select a Newsbeat bulletin (8am or 12.45pm are good options) and then answer the following questions: 

1) What news stories were featured in the bulletin you listened to?

2) How does Newsbeat appeal to a youth audience?

3) How might Newsbeat help fulfil the BBC's responsibilities as a public service broadcaster? 

Media Factsheet #246: BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat

Read Factsheet #246 BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat. You'll need your Greenford google login to access it. Answer the following questions:

1) How is the history and launch of Radio 1 summarised in the factsheet? If you studied this as part of GCSE Media you will already know much of this.

2) Look at page 3 of the factsheet. How is Radio 1 attempting to appeal to its 15-29 age demographic? 

3) What did young people used to get from radio? Focus on audience pleasures / Uses & Gratifications here (see top of second column on page 3).

4) How has Radio 1 and Newsbeat in particular diversified its content for the digital age? 

5) How is Newsbeat constructed to appeal to audiences? 

6) What are the three key ideas from David Hesmondhalgh and which apply to Radio 1 Newsbeat?

7) Now look at Curran and Seaton. What are their key ideas and can they be applied to Radio 1 Newsbeat? 

8) What key idea for Livingstone and Lunt is on the factsheet and how does it link to the CSP?

9) How can we apply Stuart Hall's Reception theory to Radio 1 Newsbeat?

10) Choose one other audience theory on the factsheet and explain how it links to Radio 1 Newsbeat.

Industry contexts: reading and research

Read the first five pages of this Ofcom document laying out its regulation of the BBC. 

1) Pick out three key points in the 'Summary' section.

2) Now read what the license framework will seek to do (letters a-h). Which of these points could we relate to BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat?

3) Which do you think are the three most important aspects in the a-h list? Why?

4) Read point 1.9: What do Ofcom plan to review in terms of diversity and audience? 

5) Based on your reading and research, do you think BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat offers licence fee payers good value for money?

A/A* Extension tasks

As an extension, read this Guardian interview with former BBC 1 Controller Ben Cooper. It's a few years old but has some excellent discussion of the challenges facing radio and public service broadcasting. You may want to answer the following questions:

1) What was Ben Cooper trying to do with Radio 1?

2) How does he argue that Radio 1 is doing better with younger audiences than the statistics suggest?

3) Why does he suggest Radio 1 is distinctive from commercial radio?

4) Why is Radio 1 increasingly focusing on YouTube views and digital platforms?

5) In your opinion, should the BBC’s remit include targeting young audiences via Radio 1 or should this content be left to commercial broadcasters? Explain your answer.

Due date on Google Classroom

Radio: Introduction to radio

Our final media topic on the coursework side is Radio.

We have two CSPs to study for this topic and also need to consider the place for radio in a digital media landscape. 

Radio CSPS

War of the Worlds – Columbia Broadcasting Company (1938)

Newsbeat – BBC Radio 1 

These are targeted CSPs and need to be studied with reference to two elements of the Theoretical Framework (Audiences and Industries) and all relevant contexts (Social, Cultural, Political, Historical). 

Example exam questions

Briefly define public service broadcasting. [2 marks]

Identify two strategies or techniques used by Radio 1 to attract a youth audience. Explain the reason for each. [4 marks]

Explain how regulatory contexts shape the output of media industries. You should refer to your radio Close Study Product, Newsbeat. [9 marks]

To what extent is War of the Worlds a historically significant media product? [20 marks]

Key question: Is radio still relevant in the digital age?

How does radio respond to the digital media landscape we now find ourselves in. Will younger audiences listen to the radio? Does it have influence? Are podcasts the future for younger listeners?

BBC Sounds

BBC Sounds is a relatively new app designed to bring younger listeners to BBC Radio content. It aims to fulfil its requirements as a public service broadcaster while also responding to the demands of the digital media landscape.




Introduction to radio: blog tasks

Create a new blogpost called 'Introduction to Radio' on your Media 2 Coursework blog and complete the following tasks:

Read Media Factsheet #224 Understanding the Industrial Context of Radio. This will give you a wider perspective on industry contexts for radio with particular focus on the industry theorists (Hesmondhalgh, Curran & Seaton, Livingstone & Lunt). Answer the following questions: 

1) Read the first two pages of the factsheet. How does the Factsheet argue that radio still has cultural significance in the digital age? 

2) Look at the page 4 section on media theories. Briefly summarise the ideas of Curran and Seaton, Hesmondhalgh and Livingstone and Lunt.

3) What is the definition of public service broadcasting?

4) Look at the list of eight key principles for BBC Radio on page 6 of the factsheet. Choose the three you think are most significant and explain why.

5) What does the Factsheet suggest is the future of PSB radio? Do you agree?

Due date on Google Classroom

Magazines: GQ - Audience & Industry

The second part of our GQ case study explores Audience and Industry contexts.

Audience

To explore the Audience context for GQ we need to think about who reads GQ and what audience pleasures might be linked to the brand.

GQ: numbers

GQ (UK edition) had a circulation of around 85,000 in January 2022 (a slight decline on the 89,000 in 2021) which included 33,000 free copies (e.g. provided to airport lounges/Eurostar). GQ’s total readership is around 200,000 meaning each copy is read on average by 2 or 3 people. 

Definitions: Circulation is the actual number of copies printed and distributed. Readership is an estimate of how many people read the magazine in total (also known as readers-per-copy). For GQ, copies in an airport lounge may be read by many different people.

Circulation figures are provided by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) and readership estimates by the National Readership Survey (NRS).

Demographics and psychographics

GQ has a largely middle class readership:

ABC1: 61%

With an average household income of £138k, GQ attracts wealthy readers with money to spend. This encourages top-end brands to advertise with the magazine.

The GQ Media Pack focuses on products that reflect a certain lifestyle such as fashion, watches, grooming and cars. This would suggest targeting the Aspirer and Succeeder psychographic groups.

Audience pleasures

There are many potential audience pleasures for GQ readers. Applying Blumler & Katz’s Uses & Gratifications theory, two in particular would be:

Personal identity: Readers enjoy having their lifestyle reflected and endorsed through reading the magazine.

Surveillance: GQ focuses on offering a range of content to help their readers be informed about the world – particularly in terms of politics, fashion and culture.

Industries

To explore the Industries context for GQ we need to study publisher Conde Nast and look at the impact of digital media on the print magazine industry. 

This means interrogating why the internet has had such a devastating effect on certain print brands and why some other magazines are continuing to survive in the digital age. We also need to spend some time on the GQ website and study social media and video content to see how the brand is expanding beyond print.

GQ publisher: Conde Nast

Condé Nast was founded in 1909 in New York. It describes itself: 

“Condé Nast is one of the world's most renowned media companies creating and distributing every type of media today — print, video and film, digital, audio and social – widening our influence through technological innovation and by fully leveraging the global infrastructure we've built for over a century.”

 

Its revenue was just under $2billion in 2021 but in previous years had been losing $100m a year.

Condé Nast is owned by Advance Publications which makes it a case study in conglomerate ownership. Advance Publications is also a major shareholder in website Reddit and Warner Bros. Discovery.

The impact of digital media on the magazine industry

Suggestions for SWOT analysis of the impact of digital media on magazines:

• Strengths: Magazine brands are well established to diversify online, audiences already know and like them.
• Weaknesses: Print publishers do not have the expertise or knowledge of digital – it is a very different medium.
• Opportunities: Magazines can find new audiences online.
• Threats: Audiences will stop buying paper products and expect everything online for free. 

Ultimately, it is this threat that has had the most devastating impact on the industry: 

• Print sales fell by 42% from 23.8m to 13.9m between 2010 and 2017. 
• Back in 2000, sales were over 30m – signalling a 55% decline in just 17 years.
• Advertising in consumer magazines fell from £512m in 2010 to £250m in 2017. 
• Google and Facebook now dominate online advertising (they account for 65% of the UK digital ad market).

As a result of these changes, many magazines have closed.

GQ and diversification

The decline in print media has meant traditional print publishers like Condé Nast have had to diversify on to digital platforms and live experiences.

This means social media and video and streaming content is crucial to the GQ brand alongside the GQ Heroes summit held in Oxfordshire each summer. It is described:

“GQ Heroes is a premier event for top-tier business and creative minds, bringing together some of the world's most influential figures to discuss the evolving nature of industry and creativity in a world that's changing by the second.”

 

GQ - Audience & Industries blog tasks

Audience

Look through the GQ Media Kit and answer the following questions: 

1) How does the media kit introduction describe GQ?

2) What does the media kit suggest about masculinity? 

3) Pick out three statistics from the data on page 2 and explain what they suggest about the GQ audience.

4) Look at page 3 - brand highlights. What special editions do GQ run and what do these suggest about the GQ audience?

5) Still on page 3, what does the video and social series section suggest about how magazine audiences are changing? 

Media Magazine feature: GQ

Go to our Media Magazine archive and read the article on GQ (MM82 - page 12). Answer the following questions:

1) What are the elements that go into choosing a cover stars for GQ? 

2) How is the magazine constructed to serve the target audience? 

3) What does the article suggest about GQ's advertisers and sponsorships - and what in turn does this tell us about the GQ audience? 

4) What is GQ Hype - and how does it reflect the impact of digital media on traditional print media?

 

5) Finally, what does the article say about additional revenue streams for print magazines like GQ?  

Industries

Your industries contexts are divided into three areas - Conde Nast, GQ's website and social media content and the impact of digital media on print industries.

Condé Nast

Read this Guardian news article on editorial changes at Condé Nast and answer the following questions: 

1) Who was previously GQ editor for 22 years? 

2) What happened to the 'lads' mag' boom magazines such as Nuts, Maxim and Loaded? 

3) What changes have been taking place at Condé Nast in recent years and why? 


Read this Press Gazette article on Conde Nast. Answer the following questions:

1) What does the article suggest about Condé Nast's recent strategy? 

2) How does chief executive Roger Lynch describe Condé Nast and why? 

3) What does Adam Baidawi say about Condé Nast, GQ and culture? 

Read this FIPP feature on Condé Nast diversifying into video and streaming content. Answer the following questions: 

1) How is Condé Nast moving away from traditional print products?

2) What examples are provided of Condé Nast's video and streaming content?

3) What does the end of the article suggest modern media audiences want? 

GQ website, video and social media content 

Visit the GQ website, Instagram and YouTube channel. Note that some of these may be blocked in school. Once you have looked over GQ's online content, answer the following questions:

1) What similarities do you notice between the website and the print edition of the magazine?

2) Analyse the top menu of the GQ website (e.g. Fashion / Grooming / Culture). What do the menu items suggest about GQ's audience?

3) What does GQ's Instagram feed suggest about the GQ brand? Is this appealing to a similar audience to the print version of the magazine?

4) In your opinion, is GQ's social media content designed to sell the print magazine or build a digital audience? Why?

5) Evaluate the success of the GQ brand online. Does it successfully communicate with its target audience? Will the digital platforms eventually replace the print magazine completely?

A/A* extension tasks

You can read more about the GQ Heroes event here. What does this suggest about the GQ audience - and how brands are diversifying away from print? 

Read this Guardian feature on the struggles of the UK print magazine industry to find out how Google and Facebook took advertising revenue from print products and how magazines are responding.

Find out more about Conde Nast and the people in leadership positions on their website here. 

Read more about GQ in this Gorkana media briefing.

Due date on Google Classroom