OSP: Teen Vogue - background and textual analysis

 Teen Vogue: background reading

Read this Guardian feature from 2017 on Teen Vogue and answer the following questions.

1) What was the article that announced Teen Vogue as a more serious, political website – with 1.3m hits and counting?

Trump gaslighting America

2) When was the original Teen Vogue magazine launched and what was its original content?

It launched in 2004 and it featured a lot of fashion-based content, focusing on beauty and celebrities.

3) How did editor Elaine Welteroth change Teen Vogue’s approach in 2015?

Focused on black empowerment and feminism

4) How many stories are published on Teen Vogue a day? What topics do they cover?

between 50 and 70 a day, they present a typically mixed bag of fashion, entertainment and current affairs.

5) What influence did digital director Phillip Picardi have over the editorial direction?

He wanted to give the reader more, more about what they wanted to read. Not what some old people thought young girls should read

6) What is Teen Vogue’s audience demographic and what does ‘woke’ refer to?

Their key demographic is 18-24. Woke is a byword for political ans social awareness.

7) What issues are most important to Teen Vogue readers?

contemporary issues, often involved with social activism. 

8) What does Tavi Gevinson suggest regarding the internet and ‘accountability culture’ with regards to modern audiences? Can you link this to our work on Clay Shirky?

“Now they’ve successfully rebranded themselves to appear in opposition to toxic ideas and beauty standards.”

She suggests that we contribute to what the media produces. TV listen to their audience and they react with swift effect. This could support Shirky's theory that we have become the producers of the content we consume.

The relationship between the consumer and the producer is much closer and transparent with "accountability culture" 

9) What social and political issues have been covered successfully by Teen Vogue?

- Trump's various scandals

- Racial activism

- Gender activism

10) What do Teen Vogue readers think of the magazine and website?

"most of what I read on social media is unreliable”. For her, “The recent presidential election brought to the surface a lot of important issues that weren’t getting as much attention as they should have: women’s rights, LGBTQ community rights, immigration.” Like many young people, Wagner is galvanised by the election, in which she saw “a complete misrepresentation of the younger generation. It’s important now to educate young minds so they can form a political identity. We are the future of America.”

Teen Vogue: Factsheet Part 1

Read Media Factsheet #200 Teen Vogue - Part 1. You can find the Factsheet in our Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive in school or download it here using your Greenford Google login. Answer the following questions: 

1) The Factsheet suggests Teen Vogue has successfully made the transition to an online, social and participatory product. Why? What platforms is it now available on?

Because they target topics that gain traction quickly online. It connects with its readers better than most platforms of that calibre do. It's all over social media, Intsgram, Twitter and others.

2) Look at the screenshots and details on pages 3-4 of the Factsheet. What does Teen Vogue offer its audience?

They offer a diverse range of fashion news, activism updates and empowering articles that make their readers form a decent relationship with TV.

3) Who is the typical Teen Vogue reader?

The reader of TeenVogue in traditional terms is the 18-24

demographic, millennials with an interest in popular culture,

current affairs and issues of identity and lifestyle. For Elaine

Welteroth, editor of TeenVogue (2016-18), it was important that

TeenVogue “ages up” as the audience was not all teens. This

was reflected by those on the staff of TeenVogue. In an interview

with the Guardian (Feb 2017) Welteroth defined the TeenVogue

reader: “our sweet spot is 18-24… genderless. It’s more about a

sensibility. This is somebody who is sophisticated, conscious. We

say ‘woke’ here. We’re a woke brand, and our readers are woke

too.”

4) Read the content analysis of the Teen Vogue website on page 5 of the Factsheet. Pick out three key examples of how meanings are created in Teen Vogue and what is communicated to the audience.

They use iconograhpy to portray the activists as educated and intellectual

They use a blend of popular topics and niche topics to bring in a diverse range of readers

They use questions as their headlines for politics as they don't want to be radically political as opposed to an opinion, the latter is what is done by TV.

5) Finally, look at pages 6-7 focusing on representations. What range of representations can be found in Teen Vogue and what does this suggest regarding Teen Vogue's values and ideologies?

A diverse range of gender and race

they VIEW WOMEN S EMPOWERMENT AS OPPOSED TO SEX SYMBOLS

a positive representation of activism as a changing and powerful force

Teen Vogue textual analysis and example articles

Work through the following tasks to complete your textual analysis of the Teen Vogue website and read notable Teen Vogue articles to refer to in exam answers. 

Homepage analysis

Go to the Teen Vogue homepage and answer the following:

1) What website key conventions can you find on the Teen Vogue homepage?

Header image for articles, range of topics including politics, Halloween and music

2) How does the page design encourage audience engagement?

Simple yet inviting layout, the use of the 'read more' buttons, articles with a personal question

3) Where does advertising appear on the homepage?

at the top, maybe suggesting that they need some extra money where they can get any

4) What are the items in the top menu bar and what does this tell you about the content of Teen Vogue?

Politics, style, culture, identity and summit - tells me that they cover a wide range of topics and cater o a more female market

5) How far does the homepage scroll down? How many stories appear on the homepage in total?

there is quite a few stories here, suggesting that their target audience will be used to scrolling a lot and being bored, thus creating more popular

Lifestyle section

Now analyse the Lifestyle section of Teen Vogue (in the Identity section) and answer the following:

1) What are the items in the top menu bar for the Lifestyle section?

fashion, beauty, shopping, features and prom

2) How is the Lifestyle section designed to encouragement audience engagement? Think about page design, images, text and more.

There is the front image which is very large and catches readers attention. The font is quite simple and is very friendly rather than official, compared to the NYT. The image placement is that from social media, creating a small social platform with the article itself.

3) What do you notice about the way headlines are written in Teen Vogue?

They're either questions or statements, leading the reader to believe that they either agree or disagree with them.

4) What does the focus on education, university and ‘campus life’ tell you about the Teen Vogue audience demographics and psychographics?

Their readership are preparing for adult life in the 'real world' so the website aims to educate them about it.

5) Choose one story featured in the Lifestyle section and explain how reflects the Teen Vogue brand.

- James Charles talking about botox

- uses star power, it's about beauty which is a common interest between readers, it has an intriguing headline.

Teen Vogue: Five key articles

Read the following five notable Teen Vogue features then answer the questions below.

Donald Trump Is Gaslighting America

The new face of teen activism 

Black Teens Have Been Fighting for Gun Reform for Years

Netflix and strong female leads 

How to Break Away From the Gender Binary

1) What do you notice about the content and style of these articles? What do they have in common? 

They all are from a liberal stance, catering towards young people

2) How do the articles use narrative to engage the reader? Try and apply narrative theory here if possible - what makes the reader want to click or read more?

enigma and action codes - engages reader to read further

Propp's character theory - villain (Trump)  makes people interested in what he has done

3) Pick a quote from each article that illustrates the political, 'woke' ideology of Teen Vogue and paste it here.

"His rise to power has awakened a force of bigotry by condoning and encouraging hatred, but also by normalizing deception"

"I found myself drawn to posts about gender biases and links to stories about girls who were denied proper contraceptive care"

"Some even participated in President Donald Trump's "listening session", during which survivors of the shooting told their stories and offered their ideas on policies that could prevent further tragedies"

"People like to label women and put them in two categories."

"Cis folks, I get that you want to celebrate the births of your children, but I thought that was what baby showers were for. You really need to invite everyone you know over to drop confetti and talk avidly about your unborn child’s maybe-vagina? (I assume that’s what happens at these shindigs.)"

4) What effect on the audience are these articles hoping to achieve?

It  makes them more likely to relate to the information in the articles and perhaps apply this info to a real life setting.

5) How do these article reflect the values and ideologies of the modern Teen Vogue?

- they want to be big in activism which they are doing

- they want to present and oppose the current political occupation

- they also educate their readers

Clay Shirky: End of audience blog tasks

 Media Magazine reading

Media Magazine 55 has an overview of technology journalist Bill Thompson’s conference presentation on ‘What has the internet ever done for me?’ It’s an excellent summary of the internet’s brief history and its impact on society. Go to our Media Magazine archive, click on MM55 and scroll to page 13 to read the article ‘What has the internet ever done for me?’ Answer the following questions:

1) Looking over the article as a whole, what are some of the positive developments due to the internet highlighted by Bill Thompson?

increased connectivity, new jobs, advances in technology/knowledge

2) What are the negatives or dangers linked to the development of the internet?

cyber security, cyber bullying, illegal trafficking of illegal objects

3) What does ‘open technology’ refer to? Do you agree with the idea of ‘open technology’?

I don't agree. Regulation across many platforms where users interact is still needed. Open technology is also a political challenge as many people will be divided on the pros and cons so it won't really catch on unless the whole world/general public changes their opinion to the same.

4) Bill Thompson outlines some of the challenges and questions for the future of the internet. What are they?

the issue with mass regulation on the internet, conglomerate dominance, rules and order of the internet and the main one being privacy online

5) Where do you stand on the use and regulation of the internet? Should there be more control or more openness? Why?

I think there should be more regulation when it comes to frowned upon or illegal practices taking place on social media right now. Regulation on YouTube should only apply to those who pose a threat or danger to the consumer, not screwing over the creators.

Clay Shirky: Here Comes Everybody

Clay Shirky’s book Here Comes Everybody charts the way social media and connectivity is changing the world. Read Chapter 3 of his book, ‘Everyone is a media outlet’, and answer the following questions:

1) How does Shirky define a ‘profession’ and why does it apply to the traditional newspaper industry?

People who work in the media industry are no longer employees or professionals as the lines have become blurred as to who is a professional who actually uses media as a profession. People who have written articles online face more professionalism as they are seen as more 'up to date' but they often lack the qualifications and knowledge that go with it.

2) What is the question facing the newspaper industry now the internet has created a “new ecosystem”?

The newspaper industry is in danger as the online news outlets are gaining more and more traction every day. The coherency of the newspaper industry is being dismantled online as it's just lines of code to look like words and pictures. It's an industry that's unfortunately dying and struggling to keep their head above the water with this 'new ecosystem'

3) Why did Trent Lott’s speech in 2002 become news?

He ran as senator for Missisippi and retold a story about the time he saw the level of unprofessionalism in the press at the time he was around (mid-20th century) and the press didn't cover this as they might have 'ignored' it.

4) What is ‘mass amateurisation’?

When people believe that they can create as good content than the people who provide quality content. People follow in their footsteps, suddenly you have tons of amateur content creators.

5) Shirky suggests that: “The same idea, published in dozens or hundreds of places, can have an amplifying effect that outweighs the verdict from the smaller number of professional outlets.” How can this be linked to the current media landscape and particularly ‘fake news’?

Fake news, if believed, can spread really quickly. It's a matter of making sure the source you get the information from is credible. The mass amateurisation of the internet makes this news much more likely to get spread as we see how one person believes one thing just because 'everyone is reporting the same thing'. This is that quote in essence. We always try to look for credible sources though, active consumer do at least.

6) What does Shirky suggest about the social effects of technological change? Does this mean we are currently in the midst of the internet “revolution” or “chaos” Shirky mentions?

Because the consumers are becoming the producers, it's created a habit of publish then edit. This shift in balance creates censorship issues and problems for the professionals to stay afloat. There is six times more fake news than real. That shows you how the consumers have the power, not the producer.

7) Shirky says that “anyone can be a publisher… [and] anyone can be a journalist”. What does this mean and why is it important?

Anyone can now wrote online. Almost like I do... Anyway, the point Shirky is trying to ,make is that the mass amutuerisation has become to saturated that people are making careers out of it, much like myself.

8) What does Shirky suggest regarding the hundred years following the printing press revolution? Is there any evidence of this “intellectual and political chaos” in recent global events following the internet revolution?

The printing press meant that books became mainstream and that that more people could buy them. This then increased exponentially. The same with the internet. Now that we can create our own content, we have power to change the face of  the media or indeed the global internet landscape.

9) Why is photography a good example of ‘mass amateurisation’?

If everyone has a camera, they think that they can do the same thing as professionals, with  years of experience and knowledge.

10) What do you think of Shirky’s ideas on the ‘End of audience’? Is this era of ‘mass amateurisation’ a positive thing? Or are we in a period of “intellectual and political chaos” where things are more broken than fixed? 

I think it's a good thing because we see so much positive change from it. Whether it's posting articles about F1 or even using your platform to highlight BLM, it's very good that we can create our own content - for others to consume. Although, political issues can be made worse by social media and the internet due t the global nature of it. The internet is a useful tool to those who are sensible, however in the wrong hands, it's a manipulative weapon, impacting the lives of millions.

End of Year 12 Assessment

Paper 1 Section A

1) Analyse the Close Study Product Score hair cream advert using narrative theory including Todorov. [9 marks]

The Score Hair Cream advert dates back more than five decades ago. Since then, quite a lot of representations of gender, identity and race have drastically changed. Narrative theory seems like a very relevant thing to analyse when it comes to this advert. The advert is in the new equilibrium part of the three-part cycle. Todorov proposed a theory of equilibrium comprising of: equilibrium, disequilibrium and then new equilibrium. This CSP starts in new equilibrium as it states that the cream would improve you to be the perfect man and then introduce a new equilibrium where you are the dream man. The disequilibrium would be before you apply the cream, you are seen as an inferior man without the product and your attraction would increase massively after application. The stages of disequilibrium can also be applied. The 'disruption' phase is when your appearance is preventing you from approaching 'the ladies', the 'recognition' phase is when you acknowledge that you need to do something to fix your appearance and the 'reparation' phase phase is when you use the hair cream and reap the rewards. The man in the central image is clearly enjoying his new equilibrium phase with his smug smirk and the gun which could act as a phallic symbol that represents the hypermasculinity this cream supposedly gives you. 

Other narrative theorists that can be applied here are Propp, Barthes and Levi Strauss. Vladimir Propp came up with a list of stock characters named 'the seven spheres of action'. In my opinion, the 'hero', according to Propp's theory is the central protagonist which is mirrored in the cream. The cream saves the day and the advert is trying to sell it as much as they can. The 'princess' in the advert would be you, the consumer. Your hair is in dire need of repair and Score Hair Cream will fix that, the hero saves the princess. The 'villain' here might be old age or just weak hair which is where the hair cream comes into play. We can also apply enigma codes and action codes courtesy of Roland Barthes. The enigma codes here would be the expression of the man. Why is that man happy? Will I get with that many ladies if I try the cream? This creates mystery for the consumer so that they feel intellectually duped. The action codes here might be the way that the females in the advert are carrying him on a platform which might imply that he will have sex with them later. Furthermore, the pack shot at the bottom of the advert is an example of an action code as it is the product that saves you from ugliness. Finally, we can apply Levi-Strauss' theory of binary opposition. Men were perceived as dominant and therefore more powerful. It was this patriarchal view that empowered men and belittled women. We see that the binary opposite here is men/women or even dominance/subservience. Both Barthes and Levi-Strauss noticed another important feature of these binary opposites is that one generally tends to be seen by a particular society or culture as more valued than the other. In many cultures during the 1960s, the idea of a successful and powerful woman was absurd so the idea of having a man as strong and dependant in the advert is vital to the success of the cream.


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2) “Postmodernity is said to be a culture of fragmentary sensations, eclectic nostalgia, disposable simulacra, and promiscuous superficiality.” – Jean Baudrillard

To what extent can your music video Close Study Products be described as postmodern? [20 marks]

Both music videos Close Study Products can be considered as postmodern due to them including elements of pastiche, historical deafness, bricolage and many more. In 'Ghost Town', a song by The Specials, we can apply many of Strinati's points as to what makes a media text postmodern. He states that one telltale sign of postmodernism is that there is a breakdown between art and popular culture. The director of the music video for 'Ghost Town' is well known for making arthouse films and this music video is no exception. The merging between highbrow and lowbrow activities is evident here as it combines a song that has topped the charts but has a arthouse style music video. This clearly presents 'Ghost Town' as postmodern. It's also clear that bricolage is present in the music video because we see how the car is driving through London which is a really old and established city whilst the song, which is from a relatively new genre, plays. This juxtaposing of old and new is further demonstrated with the reggae influences which adds to the contemporary 80s atmosphere. 

The mise-en-scene as well as the filmography mirror popular film genres like British social realism, thriller and hammer horror. The use of intertextuality only proves my point that 'Ghost Town' is a really good example of postmodernism. The intertextuality also refers to the lyrics which reference the political mess Britain was in during the time Margaret Thatcher was in office. The song and video offers evidence of Gilroy's Black Atlantic Identity theory. It suggests that black culture is forged through travel and hybridity and was referred to as a "liquidity of culture". The representation of Britain as a multicultural country through the band and song is reinforced through the strong political message 'Ghost Town' sends. 

Common's Letter To The Free is, in my opinion less postmodern but still contains elements of it. Much like 'Ghost Town', the music video is filmed in an arthouse style and the song itself was used in a movie and topped the charts. This is a clear use of postmodernism. We can also apply Frederick Jameson's idea of historical deafness as in the music video, Common emphasises the effect the oppression of black people has had not only on him but the whole black community. Historical deafness comes in because we are not taught this in school and this further shows that the media display information in a certain, constructed way. The 'mediasation' of history is a clear sign of postmodernism as the media tries to filter out information according to their individual views and beliefs. Common also explains that the black square is also a postmodern concept. In an interview, Common said that even he didn't know what it was and that it was open to interpretation. This represents the infinite thing about blackness and blackness cannot be defined in time or space. This links to Strinati's point where he states that a sign of postmodernism could be the "confusion over time and space". 






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Paper 1 Section B

3) Identify three strategies used to promote Chicken to an audience. Explain a reason for each strategy. Each of the reasons must be different. [6 marks]


One of the strategies was that the film was on a film festival circuit. It featured in many places like Giffoni, Tallinn and France. This was effective because it could relate to a specific audience and the festivals invited many people who are interested in the arthouse genre, cementing its success. Film festivals also invite quite a few critics so the film is more likely to get picked up by a critic who is willing to give it acclaim.

Social media was also a huge player when it came to promotion. Social media was free and for a microbudget film, that's perfect. Their social platforms on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook would reach thousands of potential viewers and therefore creating more buzz around the movie by posting 30 second snippets of the film.

Traditional media such as posters and YouTube trailers were also a key factor in Chicken's promotion. The poster featured arthouse style pictures was accompanied with critic review quotes. This tells the viewer automatically that this is a film worth watching. The YouTube trailer can also capture a younger percentage of viewers as younger people spend their time on platforms like it. The YouTube trailer also gives us an insight to the film, almost like the film festival circuit.

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4) How do regulatory contexts shape the output of media industries? You should refer to your film industry Close Study Product, Chicken. [9 marks]

The BBFC regulates the film industry in the UK. They assign age ratings to films they deem fit for viewing. The film industry is a part of the cultural industry. This is perhaps one of the most expressive and successful media industries to ever exist. That still doesn't make it risk free. Media theorist David Hesmondhalgh refers to the cultural industry as a "risky business", this means that when a film comes out, its success isn't guaranteed. Risk can be reduced by including star power and even exploring a well established genre or franchise. The BBFC can have a massive impact on how a film does depending on its age rating. If the producer of a film aimed a film at 12 year olds and the BBFC rates it at 15, it might be difficult for that film to make money because it isn't accessible to their target audience. 

The BBFC regulate the films into the following categories: Universal, Parental Guidance, 12, 15 and 18. The higher you go up in age, more restricted things are unlocked. Films with U and PG ratings are perfect for family films and films with a rating of 18 have violence, extreme nudity and drug use. The BBFC has a direct impact on the success of a film. For a film like Chicken, the budget was tiny and it was in the arthouse style genre, which is not widely known. If Chicken was put in the wrong rating, say 15, the film would not do well and lose money. The fact if the film makes even £10k profit that's still something. If the BBFC filters out films that younger audiences might love, then it looks bad on the BBFC's front too. 




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5) How useful are media effects theories in evaluating the success of media products? Refer to your Radio Close Study Products, Life Hacks and War of the Worlds, in your answer. [20 marks]


In both radio CSPs, media effects theories can be applied to analyse the success of them. In BBC's Life Hacks, the use of Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory could be applied. They suggested that there were four types of audience pleasures. Life Hacks utilises the following: personal identity, surveillance and diversion. One can find personal identity when the hosts include a topic or invite a guest that has the same background as them. Members of the BAME community in particular could relate to the content or hosts in Life Hacks. Surveillance can be found in the news element of the show, as it is run by the BBC and a part of their remit is to "inform, educate and entertain". The last part of their remit links to the diversion part where listeners of the podcast are asked fun questions or the music they like is played. We can also apply the two-step flow model to Life Hacks as the hosts are a key factor in being the 'opinion leader' when attracting young people to the show.

War of Worlds is a much more dated and established radio show that is a completely different idea. Frankfurt School's idea of the hypodermic needle is a 1920s theory that suggest that the media injects content into consumers and therefore can have a devastating effect on them. This is clear with the War of Worlds broadcast when reports suggested that people had packed their bags and left the town following the initial report of invasion. Stanley Cohen's theory of 'moral panic' can also be applied. This is when the media defines something as a threat to societal values and interests. When the broadcast aired the chaos that ensued was similar to the moral panic explanation. The broadcast made a lot of people panic and they called the police station many times, this was a success. 

George Gerbner's cultivation theory could be applied here as consumption of media can affect the way you react to certain situations. Heavy consumption of the radio in the 30s could have been vital in making the radio show seem very real. It made people vulnerable to fake news and it worked. This created the 'Mean World Syndrome' where heavy consumers viewed the world as much worse than it actually is. My final use of media effects is the dependency theory by Rokeach and DeFleur. They suggested that people rely so much on the media that they believe everything they say. This means that the media can influence people on what decisions they make and can create any feeling such as fear in War of Worlds



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Paper 2


1) Liesbet van Zoonen suggests that gender is constructed through media language and that these constructions reflect social contexts. 

How far does an analysis of Men’s Health and Oh Comely support this argument? [25 marks]

Men's Health and Oh Comely both include rather different views on gender and it's clear why that is the case. OC positions itself as a niche feminist magazine and Men's Health weighs in as a well established magazine helping men around the world. Van Zoonen views gender as negotiated and dependant and social and historical context. She argues that in media today women are: objectified, framed in a provocative way, restricted to secondary roles and reinforce western beauty ideals. This is clearly not the case in OC as we see that the magazine takes in a very different representation of women across the edition. There is an androgynous person who takes a relaxed pose. We question this as we are unable to tell if they are male or female. The colours the model is wearing also reflects how alternative the stereotypes OC show are. This agrees with Van Zoonen's idea about gender being constructed by the media and that OC are opposing that view. The front cover and indeed the other CSP pages in OC actually oppose Van Zoonen's statement as they are showing how it's like to be gender fluid and free. They show that it is not a problem.

In Men's Health, we see a very different take on gender. Whilst they target men with mental health issues, their blatant fat shaming style of advertising is quite profound. This can be seen from the get-go with Vin Diesel's flexed tricep and his dominant stance reinforcing the hypermasculinity and could even hint at bell hook's theory. Radical feminist bell hooks suggests that the media projects men in one way and shames those who do not fit that agenda. She calls this "normalised traumatisation". This is where men are used to show how they should look, and anyone who does not comply with 'the norm' is seen as different. Like Van Zoonen, she agrees that gender roles are constructed and are not natural. Butelr also agrees because she belives that 'gender is a performance' and is influenced by society, culture and micro rituals. The use of many hypermasculine cover lines as well as the obvious PhotoShop to Diesel's muscle shows that Men's Health accepts toxic masculinity. The cover image also rejects David Gauntlett's idea that masculinity is in crisis.

The use of the #slaywinterblues on the front cover links to Gauntlett's theory that meanings change over time and that there are generational differences. The hashtag shows that they want to reach a younger audience and that 50 years ago, they would have got much less attention with this marketing style. Van Zoonen also states that the media sexualises males and females to reinforce sex role stereotypes and sex-appropriate behaviours. She goes on to explain that men are typically presented as dominant and women submissive. This is clear in MH where everything from the very personal editor's letter to the direct eye contact (direct address) Vin Diesel gives demonstrates that MH clearly reinforces dominant masculine stereotypes. Gender is clearly constructed by the use of blue, often associated with males, and agrees with Van Zoonen and Butler. 

The way that the readers may react to these gender representations could be different. With OC, women could feel empowered and go on social media to evoke even more change in the feminist community. In MH. it's a matter of how to sell stuff. The readers of MH may see the feature of the Marathon Man and think why they are not like that, it certainly seems attainable. The way that MH constructs their idea of masculinity has an impact on how the readers may be motivated to make changes to their exercise routine or eat less. If this advice is met with success, the reader will come back for more therefore resulting in a strong connection between MH readers and the constructed image of masculinity.

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2) “Television dramas reflect the social and cultural contexts of their production.”

To what extent does an analysis of your television Close Study Products support this view? [25 marks]

Capital is a 2015 BBC drama which uncovers the 2007 global financial crash and explores social issues and the dire situation of London homeowners at the time. Deutschland 83 is a 2015 costume drama that is in German and takes place in 1980s Germany at the height of the Cold War. Capital is a state-of-the-nation drama and is based on a book by John Lanchester. Capital does a good job at reflecting the division between rich and poor and other ethnic, occupational and demographic categories. This is a clear use of Levi-Strauss' binary opposition as we see both sides of the story. One side we see Roger, a rich banker and the other side we see Qwentina whos is an abused and mistreated asylum worker who struggles to make ends meet. This in fact was relevant in 2015 as the EU referendum as well as the smaller economic growth meant that the division between rich and poor had increased massively. 

Capital also depicts how the rates of the world's banks are declining which, even though it was more prominent in 2007, was still true in 2015 with the failing high-street banks issue. Although, some may argue that the representation of certain ethnic groups like the Kamal family and Bogdan are somewhat incorrect in accordance with contemporary views. The Asian and the Eastern European communities have swelled in numbers since 2007 and in 2015 even more came to the UK for work. This increase in ethnic minorities mean that tolerance and acceptance towards these groups also increased. Perhaps they weren't represented correctly, this is why the statement isn't 100% right for Capital. You could also argue that Capital is both left and right wing as many ideologies across the spectrum are somewhat enforced. Capital also represents British culture quite well as we see a diverse mix of residents on Peepys Lane and indeed reflects social and cultural contexts of its production.

The producers of Deutschland 83 were a mix of German based UFA Fiction and US based Freemantle Media. This synergy between the two countries enhances the view that foreign language television is becoming increasingly popular and mainstream. D83 reflects the global nature of television and how connected we all are internationally. It's an eclectic mix of spy-thriller, costume-drama and a coming-of-age TV show, it uses the hybridity of its mishmash of genres and makes for a gripping show that relates to the viewers even though it's set 40 years ago. The fact that the construction of this program is done in a postmodern way reflects modern media culture and how the TV shows of today toy around with different genres to find a balance in between. We can clearly see the influence of the German side of production due to the sourcing of the actor, the language and the setting but we can also see that the US side of production has had an effect due to the thriller style narrative, the postmodern conventions and of course the budget.

D83 makes a good case in presenting the time it was produced as we know from 2013, the documents for Able Archer were released for public viewing. We can apply Baudrillard's hyperreality theory because they use replicas of the documents in the briefcase scene which also brings in Frederick Jameson's idea about historical deafness. History was written by the winners and clearly from the reports you see a one-sided report. This is an example of how the media deliberately alters parts of history and we learn from there, not knowing any better. So that is one flaw when agreeing with the statement that it reflects cultural and social contexts. The use of postmodernism is noteworthy too. In the supermarket scene, Sweet Dreams by The Eurythmics diegetically plays whilst the arrangement of the food products on the shelves resembles Andy Warhol's Tomato Soup art. It's this blend of art and popular culture which makes D83 a postmodern TV show a and therefore makes it perfect when looking at the social and cultural contexts of its production. Postmodernism will always evolve and carry on being contemporary.







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