This thesis explores the ways in which the body is positioned within consumer society. The development of body ideals in Western societies is examined in order to point out consumers’ occupation with appearances and their bodies as signifiers of success. The three case studies (A&F, Calvin Klein Underwear and fitness magazines) will enable a close analysis of contemporary society and its engagement with the body. I argue that today the body acts as a signifier for people’s narcissistic obsession with the surface, and that the body itself has come to exhibit characteristics of a commodity in consumer society.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the cover images of Vanity Fair magazine from the years 1983 to 2008. The study attempted to determine if Vanity Fair’s covers have become more focused on celebrities over time and also analyzed how Vanity Fair defines a celebrity. The study used grounded theory from a case study perspective. An additional research question was to determine the number of politically-based cover images versus the number of celebrity-based cover images. This research used content analysis methodology. Both open and axial coding were used. Results were entered into Microsoft Excel and analyzed for statistical significance. / Department of Journalism

Abstract Authors: Mikaela Magnusson & Malin Stenström Title: Jolly women and ugly men - a study of the way men and women are portrayed in the magazines Filter and Fokus Level: BA Thesis in Journalism Location: Linnaeus University Language: Swedish Number of pages: 78   Everyday we're exposed to gender roles. It can take the form of our immediate family, our classmates, the books we read, the teve series we watch or the magazines we read. Everyday the world around us shape the way we think of men and women and how they're supposed to be. As a part of either (or neither) of those genders we are all shaped into the mold that society has set for us. The media is one of the largest contributors to this socialization and therefore we felt it necessary to study two, critically acclaimed, media outlets and shed some light on their portrayals of gender.   We chose to study Filter and Fokus, two social magazines with close to a corresponding amount male as female readers and a reputation of being modern and free of prejudice. Since these magazines are considered forerunners in the race towards equality we found it interesting to analyze just how good they really are and which kinds of messages they supply.   In this study we used both a quantitative method and a qualitative method. The quantitative method consisted of a content analysis, which results we then based the themes for the qualitative discourse analysis upon. In the content analysis we read 52 articles and took note of the way the person was described in terms of personality, looks, emotional capacity, success etcetera. During this analysis we detected some trends that we analyzed more in depth in the discourse analysis.   Our study show that the preconception that Filter and Fokus are two relatively gender neutral and prejudice free magazines is true. Our results verify that many of their portrayals are in fact equal and that they succeed in presenting proper journalistic content, in terms of moral as well as news worth. Nobody's perfect though and we did find that the magazines are lacking both in terms of representation (there's a clear majority of male portraits) and description. Both magazines have a couple of recurring choices of words and portrayals that repeat and confirm existing gender roles. Generally the men are described as more independent, serious and “natural” where's the women are more humble, obedient and have their physical appearance being an ever-present cause for identification and explanation. These tendencies contribute to the current gender system and help establishing norms for how we're supposed to live our lives.   In conclusion our study shows that both magazines are, in general, unbiased and gender neutral but they do have a number of repetitive stereotypic tendencies, which contradicts the journalistic responsibilities.

This thesis presents a study of the relationship between the intellectual transmission of Islam, the cultivation of Islamic ideology, and the accumulation of profit within the Islamic publication industry in modern Indonesia. In order to investigate the relationship between these three aspects, this study concentrates on print media, with a particular focus on printed books and magazines. It is engaged with the central problem of how this Islamic industry posits itself in dealing with its role in transmitting Islamic teachings as well as developing certain kinds of Islamic ideology and in dealing with its capacity as an economic and business activity which is theoretically oriented to profit-making. The Islamic publication industry in modern Indonesia has become an increasingly important area of interest. A number of scholarly works have appeared which allow us to understand better some of the features of the Islamic publication industry in modern Indonesia. A gap still remains, however, due to the fact that these studies have had only one focus of analysis, the ideological inclinations of different sections of the print media. As a result, fundamental problems remain, especially in connection to an examination of any relationship between the three issues indicated earlier. This thesis is an attempt to fill this gap in understanding the revival of the Islamic publication industry in modern Indonesia. It incorporates two foci of analysis, that is, an ideological and political economy approach, to uncover the material and non-material dimensions of the Islamic publication industry emerging in modern Indonesia. This study finds that the Islamic publication industry in modern Indonesia performs well through its high sales and significant contribution to the development of varied Islamic ideologies, and plays a unique role in the print publication industry in general. This industry posits itself not only as a profitable business enterprise but also as a significant da`wah (religious proselytising) unit. This mode of positing affects the way the industry deals with three key aspects of its publishing activities noted earlier. The study further demonstrates that the actualisation of these dual purposes occurs through the process of the so-called commodification of Islamic ideas and expressions within the print publication industry. The commodification of Islam itself refers, in fact, to a commercialisation which involves transforming Islamic faith, ideas, expressions and symbols into a real, exchanged commodity available for production, consumption or sale for profit. So, the Islamic print publication industry presents a commodified form of Islam in which Islamic teachings and the cultivation of Islamic ideologies become a real, exchanged commodity for profit collection. In transforming the concept of da`wah into the publication industry, Islamic publishers differ from one another, however. This difference can be seen through the diverse ways in which Islam and Muslim practices have been commodified as the major saleable commodity for publication. Likewise, all Islamic publishers have commodified different aspects of Islam and Muslim practices as the main materials for their own publication. People are presented, as a result, with different ideologies of Islam, from tolerant and progressive to fundamentalist-jihadist bents. This phenomenon develops similarly in both Islamic books and magazines. When there is contradiction particularly between the ideology and the market (profit), however, Islamic publishers develop a so-called “negotiated market”. This conception refers to the notion that Islamic publishing houses are certainly oriented to the market but at the same time they have to negotiate it with their ideology. For them, the market is so important that the decision to publish manuscripts has to consider it. The market is not everything for them, however, as it has to be decided whether the material in question contributes or discourages the development of the variety of Islamic ideology each of those Islamic publishers adopt. Attempts to understand better the Islamic publication industry with the increasing production and consumption of its products, books or magazines, in modern Indonesia need, therefore, an enriched theoretical perspective. This study shows us that a combined theoretical framework invoking both ideological and political economy aspects is useful in developing such an enriched theoretical perspective to address the interplay between these three aspects.

This thesis presents a study of the relationship between the intellectual transmission of Islam, the cultivation of Islamic ideology, and the accumulation of profit within the Islamic publication industry in modern Indonesia. In order to investigate the relationship between these three aspects, this study concentrates on print media, with a particular focus on printed books and magazines. It is engaged with the central problem of how this Islamic industry posits itself in dealing with its role in transmitting Islamic teachings as well as developing certain kinds of Islamic ideology and in dealing with its capacity as an economic and business activity which is theoretically oriented to profit-making. The Islamic publication industry in modern Indonesia has become an increasingly important area of interest. A number of scholarly works have appeared which allow us to understand better some of the features of the Islamic publication industry in modern Indonesia. A gap still remains, however, due to the fact that these studies have had only one focus of analysis, the ideological inclinations of different sections of the print media. As a result, fundamental problems remain, especially in connection to an examination of any relationship between the three issues indicated earlier. This thesis is an attempt to fill this gap in understanding the revival of the Islamic publication industry in modern Indonesia. It incorporates two foci of analysis, that is, an ideological and political economy approach, to uncover the material and non-material dimensions of the Islamic publication industry emerging in modern Indonesia. This study finds that the Islamic publication industry in modern Indonesia performs well through its high sales and significant contribution to the development of varied Islamic ideologies, and plays a unique role in the print publication industry in general. This industry posits itself not only as a profitable business enterprise but also as a significant da`wah (religious proselytising) unit. This mode of positing affects the way the industry deals with three key aspects of its publishing activities noted earlier. The study further demonstrates that the actualisation of these dual purposes occurs through the process of the so-called commodification of Islamic ideas and expressions within the print publication industry. The commodification of Islam itself refers, in fact, to a commercialisation which involves transforming Islamic faith, ideas, expressions and symbols into a real, exchanged commodity available for production, consumption or sale for profit. So, the Islamic print publication industry presents a commodified form of Islam in which Islamic teachings and the cultivation of Islamic ideologies become a real, exchanged commodity for profit collection. In transforming the concept of da`wah into the publication industry, Islamic publishers differ from one another, however. This difference can be seen through the diverse ways in which Islam and Muslim practices have been commodified as the major saleable commodity for publication. Likewise, all Islamic publishers have commodified different aspects of Islam and Muslim practices as the main materials for their own publication. People are presented, as a result, with different ideologies of Islam, from tolerant and progressive to fundamentalist-jihadist bents. This phenomenon develops similarly in both Islamic books and magazines. When there is contradiction particularly between the ideology and the market (profit), however, Islamic publishers develop a so-called “negotiated market”. This conception refers to the notion that Islamic publishing houses are certainly oriented to the market but at the same time they have to negotiate it with their ideology. For them, the market is so important that the decision to publish manuscripts has to consider it. The market is not everything for them, however, as it has to be decided whether the material in question contributes or discourages the development of the variety of Islamic ideology each of those Islamic publishers adopt. Attempts to understand better the Islamic publication industry with the increasing production and consumption of its products, books or magazines, in modern Indonesia need, therefore, an enriched theoretical perspective. This study shows us that a combined theoretical framework invoking both ideological and political economy aspects is useful in developing such an enriched theoretical perspective to address the interplay between these three aspects.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of North Carolina Wilmington, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves: 106-110)

Thesis (MA(Visual Arts))-University of Pretoria, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

<p>The aim of this thesis was to examine what stories the Swedish periodical <em>Fokus</em> write about in their main reportage, "Veckans reportage", and how they express their stories. Through the survey we wanted to examine which topics, areas and actors that occurred in the texts during the year of 2008. We studied Fokus in two parts. In the first part we read every "Veckans reportage" published in 2008, which is 43 reportages, and categorized them into groups based on topics, areas and actors. The result helped us to pick two representative texts to analyse further. The method we used in the second part of the survey was discourse analysis, with focus on actors, metaphors and representations.</p><p>The results of the first part showed that Fokus has a major Swedish perspective, either by topics about Swedish issues or by international topics and what influence they might have on Sweden. The most common topics during the year of 2008 were about politics and about social and welfare issues. The main actors in the texts were politicians and common people. The results showed that most of them were men.</p><p>The results of the second part showed that they write about the topics in a typical way for reportage, with detailed descriptions of places, surroundings and people. We also saw that the discourses that appeared in the two reportages corresponded to the given topics in the texts.</p>

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This project was undertaken in order to investigate the phenomenon of repositioning/rejuvenation in the South African women magazine industry, rooi rose and SARIE in particular. These two women magazines, already in a mature phase and seemingly showing very little difference in identity, have been constantly competing with one another for many years. One of the goals of the study is to determine whether the manner in which repositioning is applied would be a sustainable solution and/or whether, considering the saturated market in SA, this would be the sole solution. Hypothetically speaking, the recipe for success may be embedded in new or innovative information and information to support the adopting process of the reader. The Diffusion of Innovation theory is used as the theoretical platform. A content analysis of rooi rose and SARIE for the period July 2002 to December 2003 has been conducted and applied to seven categories. The data has been scientifically analysed using the Student’s t-test. It emerged from the quantitative study that no correlation could be found between innovative content and content supporting the adopting process, and the fluctuation of the ABC figures during that time period. By no means is this an indication that innovative content does not play an important role in the editorial mix, only that SARIE’s better performance since its repositioning should be attributed to other factors. The two magazines are almost similar in terms of positioning, content and target market. For this reason, the role that publicity plays at the launch of each monthly issue should not be underestimated. The Afrikaans women magazine market shows meagre growth that points publishers into other directions such as the expats market, for future growth and survival. Finally, the general interest women magazine should seriously consider her own role in providing innovative information for her reader in order to counter the strong upcoming niche magazine market, which seems to have taken over this very important function of providing innovative information and content supporting the adoption process. In the meantime, change as the only constant means that repositioning or rejuvenation is a given factor in the game of survival. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie ondersoek is onderneem om die verskynsel van herposisionering/vernuwing en die wyse waarop dit toegepas word in die Suid-Afrikaanse vrouetydskrifmark te ondersoek, met spesifieke verwysing na rooi rose en SARIE. Die twee genoemde vrouetydskrifte is reeds in hul volwasse stadium, is in konstante mededinging met mekaar en blyk op die oog af dieselfde identiteit te hê. Die vraag of die wyse waarop herposisionering toegepas is, inderdaad ’n volhoubare oplossing is, of die enigste oplossing in die lig van ’n moontlike versadigde mark, is een van die doelwitte van die studie. ’n Hipotetiese stelling is gemaak dat die resep vir sukses moontlik in vernuwende inhoud lê, en in inhoud wat die daaropvolgende besluitnemingsproses van die leser ondersteun. Die Diffusie van Innoveringsteorie is as teoretiese vertrekpunt gebruik. ’n Inhoudsanalise van rooi rose en SARIE is oor die tydperk Julie 2002 tot Desember 2003 gedoen en toegepas in sewe kategorieë. Die data is met behulp van die Student se t-toets wetenskaplik geanaliseer. Op grond van die resultate van hierdie kwantitatiewe ondersoek is bevind dat vernuwende inhoud en inhoud wat die besluitnemingsproses ondersteun, geen korrelasie getoon het met die styging en daling van die ABC-syfers nie. Dit beteken geensins dat vernuwende inhoud nie ’n belangrike deel van die inhoudsvermenging uitmaak nie, bloot dat SARIE se sukses sedert herposisionering dus toe te skryf is aan ander faktore. Die twee tydskrifte stem grootliks ooreen in terme van posisionering, inhoud en teikenmark. Daarom is die rol wat publisiteit speel ten tye van die bekendstelling van ’n nuwe uitgawe van groot belang. Die Afrikaanse vrouetydskrifmark toon nie veel meer groei nie, wat beteken dat die twee tydskrifte ander opsies soos onder meer die “expats”-mark moet ondersoek. Ten slotte sal die algemene vrouetydskrif ernstiger moet besin oor haar rol in die aanbieding van innoverende inhoud en inhoud wat die besluitnemingsproses ondersteun as sy die opkomende nistydskrifmark, wat op die oog af hierdie funksie oorgeneem het, wil trotseer. In die tussentyd sal tydskrifte vir lief daarmee moet neem dat gereelde herposisionering/vernuwing noodsaaklik is vir oorlewing.

This thesis is concerned with the ways in which Ebony magazine sought to recover, popularise and utilise black history between the late 1950s and the late 1980s. The dominant scholarly approach to Ebony has focused on the magazine's bourgeois values and visual aesthetics, and has ignored its importance as a creator and disseminator of black history. By contrast, I highlight the multiple ways in which black history became central to Ebony's content from the late 1950s onwards. Far from viewing Ebony as peripheral to or simply reflective of popular debates into the black past, I place the magazine at the heart of contestations between the corporate, philosophical and political uses of black history during the second half of the twentieth century. In Ebony, this shift was quarterbacked by Lerone Bennett Jr., the magazine's senior editor and in-house historian. Bennett's emergence as a prominent black historian and intellectual, and his increased desire to present history 'from a black perspective', was paralleled by Ebony's broader move from a more politicised to a more market-driven moment. Rooted in my unique position as the first scholar to look at Bennett's unprocessed papers at Chicago State University, and one of the first researchers to examine Bennett's collections at Emory University, this thesis sheds new light on the work of Bennett, on Ebony's significance as a 'history book' for millions of readers, and on the magazine's place at the centre of post-war debates into the form and function of African-American history.