Music video: Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor

Impact of New/Digital Media on the Music Industry

1) How do audiences generally watch music videos these days?

In this day and age, most music videos are watched online, on platforms like YouTube.

2) What opportunities has the growth of digital technology and YouTube created for new music artists?

The growth of YouTube and digital technology means more independent creators are being made, like 'bedroom bands'.

3) What is P2P and why did it cause huge problems for the music industry?

P2P is peer to peer sharing of music illegally, so the music industry lost money, as most people got their music through copying the music illegally onto their own devices and not through purchasing albums.

4) Do you think the internet has given audiences more power over who becomes successful in the music industry? Why? 

Yes, because producers with more massive internet followings and a larger online audience will be more likely to have their music heard, thereby making audiences control which stars get famous nowadays, unlike when television companies promoted music artists.

5) How has Fortnite demonstrated the potential future for music videos and promotional opportunities for the music industry? You can read more on this event in this verge feature.

It has created an entirely digital platform for concerts, which means

international audiences can access the artist, helping promote not only the game but also the music. It also allows for Fortnite to make money through the promotion of albums and microtransactions related to the event.

Industries

1) How did the Arctic Monkeys first achieve success and build up their fanbase?

Arctic Monkeys initially performed in bars and clubs, building a following in these locations. Arctic Monkey then gained success online in places like MySpace which built up their following and helped to promote their music and increased the size of their audiences at these locations.

2) Why was P2P file sharing an unexpected aspect to Arctic Monkeys' early success?

Since the Arctic Monkeys did not care that their music was being shared illegally, the P2P of their music increased their following as a more significant amount of people were exposed to their music through the process.

3) How does the rise of Arctic Monkeys differ from how One Direction was formed and became famous?

Arctic Monkeys were an organic band, they formed on their own and are much more niche than One Direction who were manufactured. Arctic Monkeys got famous through small networks and word of mouth, whereas One Direction was shown on TV and was often exposed to the public.

4) How has technological convergence changed the music industry?

Platforms and Subscriptions services like Spotify have changed how the music industry works, instead of creating appointments to view certain songs or music, now music can be accessed whenever and wherever hugely different to how music used to circulate. This has also changed how artists are promoted, with a majority of the audience shifting to digital and online rather than traditional media.
5) Has the internet been a positive or negative development for traditional record companies? Why?

It has become both positive and negative, positive because it has created infinitely more opportunities for music and artists to be promoted, however, it has also increased the competition for new and existing artists.

Audience

1) What is the main Arctic Monkeys audience - demographics and psychographics?

Arctic Monkeys' audience likely to be white, middle class and young, their Psychographic groups might include Reformers and Explorers, as their music was initially quite niched. Recently, however, they have become slightly more Mainstream due to international success.

2) What audience pleasures are offered by the music video for I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor?

The music video is simple and stripped back offering their audience the pleasure of Relation, and they feel as though they are at a live performance, as well as the pleasure of Nostalgia as they look back on simpler times.

3) Pick out three particular shots, scenes or moments in the video that would particularly appeal to Arctic Monkeys fans. Why did you choose those moments?

The opening of the video includes the band introducing themselves and their song like a band would if they were playing live on stage, making their audience feel closer to the artists. The first introduction and the camera focuses on the instruments that the band is playing, and the stripped back, live audio of the scene, further establishing a connection between the audience and the band. Finally the scene towards the centre of their music, where another camera can be seen moving behind them, which emphasises the older, more simple times of the music industry, where live performances were used as music videos.

4) What is nostalgia and why is it a key audience pleasure for the Arctic Monkeys music video?

Nostalgia is a longing for the past, and in this music video, it is used as a longing for the music industry as it used to be, simple and plain performance, with the raw sound of artists and basic music videos.

5) How are fans positioned to respond to the video? What does the artist want fans to take from their video?

Fans are left to feel as though they are in a concert with the artist, letting the fans take a sense of nostalgia and realness from the music video.

One Direction - History: Blog tasks

Industry

1) How were One Direction formed and how is this reflected in the music video for History?

One direction were formed by Simon Cowell when he decided to group all of the stars together making them a band which led them to becoming third place in x-Factor and also propelling to success through social media and becoming one of the successful groups ever,breaking many records.


2) What is vertical integration? You may need to check your book for this (or remind yourself from this Year 1 blogpost.)

vertical integration is when a media company owns different businesses in the same chain of production and distribution. 

3) What is horizontal integration? (See link above for help again!)

Horizontal integration is a media company's ownership of several businesses of the same value.

4) How has technological convergence changed the way audiences consume music videos?

It has changed the way audience consume music videos as they are now available everywhere on any digital platform (smart phones, laptops, TV etc)

5) As a manufactured band, what influence do Simon Cowell and the record company Syco (part of Sony) have over the content and release strategy of One Direction music videos?

They have complete control as to what is inputted within the band. For example their demanour and way they dress has to be appealing for the target audience. The genre of music must also be generically pop to appeal to the audience.

Audience

1) What is the main One Direction audience - demographics and psychographics?

-Their target audience is mainly teenage girls and people of the Mainstreamer psychographic. 


2) What audience pleasures are offered by the music video for History?

• Diversion through a feeling of nostalgia
• Personal relationships: Fans were used to contribute to the single’s chorus. (Collaboration / example of Prosumerism)
• Personal identity with the band members (following through Twitter etc.) who were marketed as ‘the funny one’ and the ‘handsome one’ and also relating to other like-minded fans. 
• Surveillance – insight into behind the scenes.
• Intertextuality of previous tours and footage 

3) Pick out three particular shots, scenes or moments in the video that would particularly appeal to One Direction fans. Why did you choose those moments? 

The opening; When the boys all topple down together; when Niall hugs Harry (or whoever embraces whoever- I can't keep track at this point). The opening brings nostalgia to the audience and reminds them of the group's roots, as well as emphasizing the name of the video. The scene where they all tumble down reminds the audience of their close relationship and makes them feel as though they are here with the group as they mess around on their shenanigans. The scene with hugging further emphasise the 'cute' relationship all the boys have with one another, building on the nostalgia of the video.

4) What is nostalgia and why is it a key audience pleasure for the History music video?

Nostalgia is a longing for the past / 'History', and the music video constantly references the boys' past and their personal history. They do this because they want to emphasise their close relationship not only with each other but with the fans too, as they were formed on tv and have always been in the public eye.

5) How are fans positioned to respond to the video? What do the producers want One Direction fans to take from the video?

Producers wanted fans to remember the boys past, and embrace their final look back on their career as they prepared to disband later that year. By making a video like this, the producers offered one look back onto the 'Glory Days' and built an album off of this nostalgia, so that fans could buy the last memories the boys grew together.

Blog task:The Times case study

Language

1) What is the main story on the front cover of the Times CSP edition (5 May 2018) and why does it appeal to Times readers?

The main front cover story of The Times edition is based on politics,in particular the failure of the Labour party in the local elections and Jeremy Corbyn. This appeals to a older working class readers. 


2) What are the main stories on the inside pages of the Times CSP edition (5 May 2018)? List the headlines here.

-The main stories on the inside pages are:
-"Kay Burley- Don't mess with me "
-"40 best country house hotels"
-"MPs call for inquest as Corbyn fails election test" 

3) What is the balance on the Times front page between images, headlines and text? How does this contrast with The Mirror?

-The contrast between the images and headlines is that the images correlate with the headline.
For example, Kay Burley's "Don't mess with me" symbolises her strength as a female journalist, this is supported further as the image shows her flexing her muscular assets. Another exaample would be the "40 best country houses- stunning walks and bike trails" The image used shows a stunning, summery, flower trail which is used to appeal the readers and give them an imaginative perspective of what the deal could look like. 

4) Which of Galtung and Ruge's News Values apply to the Times's front page stories? Write about both the politics main story and the Sir Paul McCartney picture story.

-Continuity; this is because the writer mentions political debates that have been going on for the last 3 years. In this case, Brexit and mentioning MP Boris Johnson.


5) What does a close analysis of the news stories in the Times CSP edition suggest about the Times's political beliefs?

-The Political beliefs on The Times favours the Conservative party in various ways:
-Through the main image about the MP you can see how the Tories are favoured a lot more as their main aim is to criticise the Labour party which has been their opposing party for a long time. The use of the Royal crest in the masthead shows how they've secured a Tories place and support them majorly.

Audience

1) What is the main readership demographic for The Times newspaper?

-Middle-Upper class (AB demographic)
2) Why do the Times front page stories/features appeal to the Times audience?

The Times front page stories and features appeal to the audience as it favours Sir Paul McCartney who was a prior Beatles celeb and most of the readers are 65+. Also they mention their main article about the labour party failing which appeals conservative supports which is what predominately takes up.
3) Why might the election coverage be enjoyable to Times readers?

-It might be enjoyable as majority of the Times readers favour the Conservative party also alongside this, mojority of the Times readers are 35+ therefore able to vote so overall they'd find this appealing.

4) Why might a reader enjoy the Times? Use Blumler & Katz Uses and Gratifications theory to add detail to your answer.

-Surveillance: politics/local elections


-Entertainment/Diversion: Interviews with features (Father's and daughters)/(Kay Burley)
                                         Country house hotels/Recipes & BBQ

-Personal Identity: Fatherhood, bank holiday, BBQ, Politics- conservative voters

-Personal relationships: Picture story/ Sir Paul McCartney 
                                    Father of daughters 
                                    Caitlin Mortan (Times Columnist)
                                    Kay Burley
5) Times readers are mostly over 55 years old. Why is this and how is this reflected in the CSP edition?  

This is most aptly reflected on the CSP edition as majority of the stories all relate to the following: 
-Politics
-Royal family/Celebrity 
-Holidays/Breaks-Cooking

Representation


1) What representation of the Labour Party can be found on the front page of the Times?

-The representation of the labour party has been published in order to make a mockery out of them. The Times writers' have included various ways to make the party seem unorganised and racist.
2) What representation of the Conservative Party can be found in The Times newspaper. Give examples from the CSP. 

-The Times paper seems to endorse traditional ideals by focusing on criticising the Labour Party and favouring the Conservative Party. Labour "scandals" are referenced ("Birmingham remains red despite scandals") and a very right-wing "hard-Brexit" perspective is offered. This will appeal to older, largely male Conservative voters.   People will use many of the articles in The Times as a focus of discussion with friends. Here, the Times offers an interview with Kay Burley plus recipe ideas and barbecue and holiday tips. 

3) What representations of gender can be found in The Times CSP pages? 

-In the Times, the male gender is not just favoured. Women are also represented in a way that subverts stereotypes, for example, the image used of Kay Burley shows how muscular and built she is therefore supporting the fact that women are equal to me and can be strong.
4) How does the Times reinforce British social and cultural values in their front page? Look at the kicker, pug and sidebar stories to give you a clue here.

-People will use many of the articles in The Times as a focus of discussion with friends.  It helps people feel that they are part of a common traditional culture. This is arguably less evident in The Times than the Mirror since the Times seeks to be a source of information rather than a ‘friend’ or confidante. Here, the Times offers an interview with Kay Burley plus recipe ideas and barbecue and holiday tips. 
5) How are the pages constructed to encourage the audience to take a negative view of the Labour Party?

-The front page includes an article criticising the labour party and then the next page of the newspaper has an entire 2 page article where the Labour party is desensitised by the Tories.
Industries

1) Who owns the Times?

-Rupert Murdoch- owner of News UK/ News Corp

2) What was the The Times's circulation in 2019? How many papers did the Times used to sell back in the 1990s?

-The Times circulation in 2019 was 376,000, down 12% in a year and much lower than the high point of over 800,000 in the 1990s. 
3) How has the Times reacted to the decline in print sales and the growth of the internet?

Moved towards a multi-platform landscape so this means that it publishes and synchronises across its print, desktop and mobile platforms.  
The Times have a paywall on their online content. The Times has had a hard paywall since 2010, but it often experiments with making content available for free. 
They've created a social media strategy in collaboration with the digital team to drive growth of their Twitter and Facebook profiles. 
4) What does IPSO stand for and what is IPSO's job?

-IPSO stands for Independent Press Standards Organisation
-They deal with any complaints that the readers have with any headlines.
- Hold newspapers and magazines to account for their actions, protect individual rights, uphold high standards of journalism and help to maintain freedom of expression for the press
5) Why do some people want stronger regulation of British newspapers?

-They want a stronger regulation as IPSO haven't necessarily followed through with their scheme. There have been 0 fines or charges for Newspaper companies that have offended people.
-This is down to the fact that the regulators are actually paid by the Newspaper companies themselves.

December Paper 2 PPE: Learner response

1) Type up your feedback in full (you don't need to write the mark and grade if you want to keep this confidential). The grade boundaries are here if you are wondering how close you are to the next grade up.

-Basic overall understanding of the CSPs within this exam.
-Some links made to media theories and terminology.
-Able to define some media terminology.

2) On a scale of 1-10 (1 = low, 10 = high), how much revision and preparation did you do for the December PPEs?

Out of the 10 i think i score a solid 5 because i made flash cards , i just didn't put them into some use.

3) Use the mark scheme for this assessment to identify three points you could have made in any of the questions in Section A (Television). Look for the indicative content in the mark scheme - these are the suggested answers from AQA.

• I could've linked the characters to a relevant media theory. 
• I could've used more complex and explained media terminology. 
• I could've applied a variety of media theories with relevant examples.

4) There are three 20-mark essay questions in Media Paper 2. What will you do to improve your performance in the 20-mark essays in the March PPEs? 

I will ensure that i add a variety of media terminology and media theories with sensible use and relevant examples.

5) Question 5 is a synoptic question that requires you to refer to other CSPs. What other CSPs could you have used for this Question 5 on Zoella and celebrity?

I could've used kim-kardashian to

Blog task:Daily Mirror case study

Language
1) Write the definition of the following key language for newspaper front pages:

Masthead:  title text
Pug: Catches readers attention 
Incentive: Special offer/voucher
Splash Head: lead story 
Slogan: sums up ethos of newspaper
Dateline: The day it was published 
Kicker: top 3rd page - inclusive preview to draw attention 
Byline: Authors name 
Standfirst: Introductory paragraph (usually in bold)

2) How much does a copy of the Daily Mirror cost?

£1.20 


3) What are the main stories on the CSP edition of the Daily Mirror (see above)?

-Coronation street star in jail 
- Megan Markle royal wedding

4) Why is the choice of news story on the CSP front page typical of a tabloid newspaper?

It includes soft news - gossip

 5) What is the balance on the Daily Mirror front page between images, headlines and text?

More images than initial text and a lot of headlines included. 

Audience

1) What is the target audience for the Daily Mirror?

The target audience for the daily mirror is 35 - 65+

2) Why does the Mirror front page story appeal to the Daily Mirror audience?

In comparison to the Coronation Street demographics, the audience of watchers in the Uk is around the same social class as The Mirrors audience (C2DE) therefore fans of corrie will more likely be interested.


3) Why might a reader enjoy the Daily Mirror? Use Blumler & Katz Uses and Gratifications theory to add detail to your answer.

Surveillance- it provides information about the world
Diversion/Entertainment & Personal Relationships- Meghan Markle and "Corrie Kev"
Personal Identity- news selected reflects on the life and political view of the Mirror readers.


4) Why are print newspapers generally read by older audiences?

Print newspapers are traditionally read by older audiences as they buy newspapers more often whereas the younger generation are more into news through social media or online.

5) How is the 'Back from the Red' local election story on the double page spread constructed to appeal to Daily Mirror readers? 

The Mirror readers are predominately Labour party voters as according to demographics of the political view in the UK, the working class are usually labour party voters therefore this will appeal to the audience since it favours the left wing over conservatives.

Representation

1) How does the Daily Mirror represent the Conservative Party and its MPs? Look at the double-page spread politics story.

The Mirror favours the Labour party and have done so for a long time. In the double page spread, they address the election where labour had lost, however, the Mirror made a distinctive claim about their main opposing party (Conservative) where the writer included a statement when an MP from their party was racist toward the Asian community.

2) How does the Daily Mirror represent the Labour Party and its MPs. Look at the double-page spread politics story.

They actually praise their party in a subtle yet clear way despite losing the election.

3) How does the Daily Mirror represent Teresa May and Jeremy Corbyn as political leaders? Look at the double page spread politics story and in particular the use of images.


The images used of Theresa May has been purposely done in order to make her persona seem clown like and stupid. However, the image of Corbyn is shown so that he is portrayed to be a happy, dominant leader in comparison to May.

4) Why did the Daily Mirror include a discussion about a Conservative councillor suspended for racism in the double-page spread politics story? 

They included this in order to favour the labour party by bringing down a Conservative councillor. This would turn many readers against the Conservative party as racism is a massive issue for majority of the work class.

5) How does the Daily Mirror represent celebrity and the royal family? Look at the front page stories on the CSP edition of the Daily Mirror.

They represent celebrity in a bad way- "Corrie's Kev" had reportedly got into an argument with the police however nothing happened to him. The Mirror still made him look guilty even when he was not- they did so by incorporating a paparazzi image of him where he doesn't look very friendly. With the royalty, there was not much negativity.

Industries

1) What company owns the Daily Mirror?

Reach- it was formerly owned by Trinity Mirror. They own multiple local and regional newspaper.

2) What is the Daily Mirror's circulation in 2020? How many papers did the Daily Mirror used to sell back in the 1990s?

The Daily Mirror's circulation has fallen drastically over the years from over 3 million a day in 1990 down to around 500,000 a day in 2019.


3) Why has the newspaper industry struggled in the last 20 years?

They have tried to seem fine with it however they've lost a lot of profit due to the growth of the internet. In order to regain claims, the Mirror have now invested in websites and social media (apps) to share their news publicly but this comes without a charge.


4) How has the Daily Mirror reacted to the decline in print sales and the growth of the internet?

Independent Press Standard Organisation- As a face-to-face interviewer you will carry out surveys on behalf of many different clients including local and central government, the media, and a range of companies and charities. A large number of these surveys are conducted face-to-face by a Market Research Interviewer in the street or in people's homes.


5) List five of Galtung & Ruge's News Values and explain how they link to the stories in our CSP edition of the Daily Mirror.

Continuity - On going political issues based on different government parties.
Consonance - The prediction made based on the 2019 elections that the conservative party is going to win.
Elite people - Theresa May & Jeremy Corbyn
Compositional balance - Different issues addressed around the UK including celebrities and politics. 
Frequency - Naturally the events you expect to happen involving political issues are likely to happen/unfold