1) Media Magazine reading
1) How has YouTube "democratised media creativity"?
The YouTube platform has democratised media creativity, with ordinary users uploading their own content: they are ‘produsers’ (producer-users) and ‘prosumers’ (producer-consumers).
2) How does YouTube and social media culture act as a form of cultural imperialism or 'Americanisation'?
We could argue that YouTube influencers encourage the spread of US cultural references, language and attitudes. This form of globalisation implies a dominance of
Western cultural attitudes
3) How do influencers reinforce capitalist ideologies?
YouTube stars are often sponsored by commercial companies and become endorsers of products.
4) How can YouTube and social media celebrity content be read as postmodern, an example of hyperreality?
They use techniques such as handheld camera, cartoon-like captions and sounds, crash zooms into extreme close ups, jump cuts and other obvious editing devices which emphasise the artificiality of their filmmaking.
5) What are the arguments for and against regulating online content such as YouTube?
Sonia Livingstone and Peter Lunt point out that there is a dilemma about whether to permit freedom of speech in the online space or regulate it, to protect the public
6) How can Hesmondhalgh and Curran & Seaton's ideas be linked to online media debates?
A strong argument is that
a primary role of the media is to deliver
audiences to advertisers. YouTube, and its owner Google, rely on advertising
for their substantial earnings and arguably, celebrity vloggers act as a promotional vehicle for advertisers and commercial sponsors. In a phrase: it’s all about clicks. So, this supports the ideas of both David Hesmondhalgh and Curran and Seaton that the cultural industries are driven by corporate power and the pursuit of profit.
7) How can Gauntlett's ideas around identity and audience be applied to YouTube and influencer content?
David Gauntlett asserts that online media encourages ordinary users to experiment with other personas, projecting identity as multiple and fluid. This shown in Youtube as it allows audiences to see different ways of being and different points of view. The attraction of many YouTubers to younger audiences is that they see themselves reflected in their YouTube heroes.
8) What is YOUR opinion on celebrity influencers? Are they a positive, democratic addition to the contemporary media landscape or a highly constructed product promoting hegemonic capitalist ideologies?
I think celebrities are both positive and negative as they can be seen to audiences as role models influencing positively how they act and they can be negative as they are pr trained and are constructed to promote capitalist ideologies
2) How to build a social media brand: case study
1) What are the different ways celebrities manage their social media accounts? Give examples.
not all celebrities are responsible for their own social accounts. Although some celebrity social media accounts might seem like random musings and updates, others are centered around specific promotions, shout-outs and announcements.
2) Why is 'voice' important in celebrity social media content and what examples are provided?
voice helps companies stand out from the crowd, the same can be said for the tone and personality of a celebrity on social media. Teigen's approach to social has made her all the more endearing and relatable to her millions of followers.
3) What different goals may celebrities have for their social media accounts?
The role of a social manager for a celebrity is to determine what those goals are and how to reach them while communicating with thousands or millions of followers. For example a goal may to be improve popularity in the music industry or to gain more revenue
4) What types of content can be found from celebrity social media posts?
This includes day-to-day updates and likewise big announcements. For example, most celebrities will hype up their upcoming appearances to build anticipation and get more eyes or ears on whatever they’re doing.
5) How does social media allow influencers to interact with fans? Give examples.
The point is that many celebrities use social media as a channel to post non-promotional content that makes them seem more relatable and human
Sophie Turner’s Instagram Stories are a great example of this, showcasing random moments and snapshots for fans.
3) Guardian article: Social media harming young people
1) What did the YMCA's report suggest about social media content and celebrity culture?
YMCA spoke to more than 1,000 young people aged between 11 and 16. They found that 62% of 15 to 16-year-olds felt that social media had ramped up expectations over their personal appearance. This shows how social media content constructs the way audiences see themselves and may have a negative effect on them
2) What examples are provided of how this can have a damaging effect on young people?
Most children own a smartphone by the age of 10, and this has in turn led to increasing pressure on youngsters to look perfect in their online lives, Ideals of physical perfection were also said to be driven by celebrity culture, with 58% of 11 to 16-year-olds identifying it as the main influence
3) What is YOUR opinion on this topic? Do you feel social media is dangerous to young people? Should age restrictions be enforced? Explain your answer.
I think social media is dangerous to young people as they may compare themselves to online celebrities leaving them to criticise and feel ashamed about themselves. Age restrictions should be enforce to make show anyone under the appropriate age cant access certain social media platforms but social media can also be a place for younger audiences to learn and be educated
A/A* extension tasks
Read this excellent, academic article on the history of celebrity culture recommended by exam board AQA. Has digital culture changed the nature of celebrity or have things always been like this?
For most of the nineteenth century, celebrity representations existed primarily to induce people to see stars perform live. It has changed the nature of celebrities as they can now use social media as their primary platform to make money and not need to perform live to an audience
Read this Forbes article on how covid and TikTok have changed the influencer market in the last couple of years. What does this tell us about society and media culture - are we becoming more creative and independent or is this just another way to sell more products to more people?
It does allow us to be more independent as the audience can now post content and be influencers. For example, creating TikTok challenges indoors during covid but it is also another way for sponsorships and brand deals offered to a wider range of audiences as even audiences who are posting are now promoting brand deals
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