This article links to the hypodermic needle model because it is arguing in favour of the fact that spending too long playing violent videogames encourages aggressive behaviour and the hypodermic needle model suggests that certain platforms of media (in this case violent video games), when 'injected' can have negative effects on consumers.
2) How does coverage of the Talk Talk hacking case link to the hypodermic needle model? Why might someone criticise this front page?
-This particular case links to the hypodermic needle model because it makes connections between a young boy spending almost all his time playing violent videogames and him then hacking into a phone system, concluding that the videogames were the cause.
-Some people might criticise this front page because it exposes both him and his mother in ways that they might not appreciate. For example, it exposes her relationship status and while it suggests that he may have some kind of social problem, it insensitively includes a photo of his face that could easily reveal his identity, potentially subjecting him to abuse from readers and the people in his community.
Two-step flow model
1) Summarise the two-step flow model. In your opinion, is the two-step flow theory still relevant today?
The two step flow model suggests that before engaging in a media text, consumers seek the opinions of and are influenced by 'Opinion Leaders' - usually high profile people in the media - to help decide whether they want to continue in their investment of the text. I think the two-step flow theory is still very much relevant today because there are still many people in the media advising their audience on how to live their lives and what to do in them by means of entertainment e.g. YouTubers like Zoella influence young girls in their choice of makeup, clothing, skincare, diet etc. and their audiences take this advice because these YouTubers are so famous and influential that their audiences want to be just like them.
2) How does this YouTube blogger fit into the two-step flow model?
In a number of his videos we see him reviewing games whilst playing them. By doing this, he is giving out his opinion of these games which his 2 million subscribers will see and probably take into consideration when deciding whether to play the game or not.
I think it fits the two-step model because it shows us that Britain's public feel like they are most influenced by One Direction, five young men that became famous through singing. There are people on the list e.g. Richard Branson that have done undeniably better/more influential things than One Direction but because of their growing popularity among young people from 2010 until now, along with the fact that they themselves were teenagers when they were on X Factor, they have been voted the top 5 most influential tweeters in Britain.
4) Read this BBC profile of Jamal Edwards. How does Jamal Edwards link to the two-step flow model?
Jamal Edwards links to the two-step flow model because we are told that he came from being a normal teenager in a 'West London council estate' to a 'self-made multimillionaire' and this could be a message to his millions of viewers that you don't need a lot of money or skill/training to become successful at something you're passionate about. This could lead to his fans being inspired to follow in his footsteps and trying to make something of their lives.
Uses and Gratifications theory
1) For each of the four categories, write about one media text that fits that particular audience use or pleasure. Make sure you explain WHY it fits the category and use images or clips to illustrate your points.
Diversion: For diversion, I have chosen the TV series Sherlock and I think this is a good example of diversion because it allows you focus on something much more entertaining and engaging than your everyday problems. Furthermore, because of its complex narratives, it gives you no other choice but to forget everything else going on in your life and concentrate on what's going on. It also has a lot of humour in it, ensuring it doesn't confuse or overwhelm its audience with too much of a serious subject matter.
Personal Relationships: I think the Harry Potter franchise fits well with Personal Relationships because over the course of ten years of films its audiences will have developed feelings towards all the characters and will have been waiting for a certain outcome to happen at the end of the final film. Also, because of the bonds the audiences will have formed with their favourite characters, some of those characters had deaths quite late in the franchise and I think an advantage of the deaths of popular characters being later in the franchise is that it has a bigger emotional impact on the audience e.g. when Dobby, one of the most lovable characters in the entire franchise is killed at the end of the seventh film. However, there are some deaths that undoubtedly make the audience really happy e.g. (SPOILER) the three most significant deaths at the end - Bellatrix, Nagini and Voldemort.
Personal Identity: I think something I personally identify with a lot is the coming of age film The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I think that the protagonist Charlie is a lot like me in the sense that he is presented as being quite socially awkward and very anxious in social situations, which is something I tend to be like too. Also, at one point in the film, Charlie has a breakdown as he remembers all the things that have happened during the year and while I've experienced nothing as bad as he has, I do tend to become very overwhelmed very easily by my thoughts and feelings to the point where I feel I'm trapped in panic and the way Charlie is presented in this particular scene I find really resonates with me. Furthermore, during the course of the film he makes friends with Sam and Patrick who are the - what we would call - 'misfits' or 'outcasts' of the school and they form this friendship that suits all three of them perfectly, and they don't really care what other people think of them. I think that after seeing this for the first time, it's something that I wish I had, in that I wish I didn't care what people think about me because it seriously inhibits the enjoyment I get out of life, so that's one of the main things I take from this film every time I watch it.
Surveillance: For Surveillance, I have chosen the BBC News website - I think that this is an efficient way of retrieving information, more so than on TV because especially for people with highly demanding jobs/lifestyles, they may not have enough time to watch the news on TV when it's on so they decide to check online when they do have the time and so this way, they get informed on everything they may have missed over the past few days and they can read about the stories in more detail, getting the information in their own time without the risk of missing any of it.
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