The document analyzes how a pop music magazine represents various social groups through imagery and content. It discusses representation of class through portrayals of artists and target audiences, challenging stereotypes of race, appealing to younger audiences through visuals and topics, empowering female artists while avoiding over-sexualization due to young audiences, and presenting conventional relationships while also pushing boundaries. It reflects on both reinforcing and challenging social norms through its construction of reality for readers.

1. How does your media
product represent
particular social groups
Thomas Ngai

2. Introduction
 Throughout the research and the planning task, I have found out there
are different representation and stereotypes that can be linked to
certain social groups by using the C.R.A.G.S (Class. Race. Age. Gender.
Sexuality). There are different characteristics within the magazine can
be linked such as the image and the colour on the page. Overall I think
I have showed the the stereotypical representation well. However, I
could make some of these representation clearly for example the race
and the sexuality, so that the magazine can be more effective to the
target audience.

3. Class
 As my primary target audience are 18-24 and most of them are just finished university/colleges,
so that the target audience should be still C-E, this is because they have just got job and start
earning money but might be with less saving., so that they will not be able to afford expensive
pop magazine. Moreover as pop is a mainstream genre, which means that the genre of pop will
attract more unsophisticated mainstreamer as they are young and passive, who will be more
likely to follow the trend, therefore the class of C-E will be suitable for those audiences as they
don’t have any income (My secondary target audience 12-16)
 On the other hand the artists have given out the positive ideologies to the audiences as they are
portrayed to be success by working hard, which creates personal identity to the audience as the
target audience are young and might just got a job and they work very hard to become success
as they are striver who have a lot of energy to work. Therefore the artists may give out
motivation and inspiration to the audiences. Moreover from the story of Alina, the audience
can receive information as they might want to know about the ‘reality’ of the road to be
success, this is due to the audience as they are still hoping to be success.

4. Class (Cont.)
 To appeal to my target audience, I have used different clothing that are suitable to
the artists, for example I have used some more ‘young and fashionable’ clothing for
Josh, this is because he is a young talent singer but he might be slightly
unsophisticated due to his age. On the other hand I have picked simple clothing
for Alina, this is because it connotes mature as Alina is already a successful singer,
therefore she doesn’t need stand out clothing to attract the audience’s attention.
Moreover for the headline and the coverlines on the page, I have used a slightly
simple languages, this is because some of my target audience much not understand
complicated languages due to the class of the audience, as some of them are still in
school and the secondary audience are ‘less educated’ than the primary audience
because they are still not graduate yet. Overall I think there are certain things that I
could have improve to appeal to my audience, for example I could have picked a
more stand out clothing for Josh, as I think the current T shirt cannot make him
really stand out to the audience, for next I may choose other more colourful
clothing, which can gain more audience’s attention.

5. Race
 Pop music is almost dominant by white artists which is a conventional in the
pop genre. Pop music is usually aiming at white target audience. However there
are more and more new artists for example Nicki Minaj and Rihanna who are
breaking the convention and get into the world of pop.
• On my magazine I haven showed the diversity of
the race of the artists by using Kristy as my cover
artist. This is because she is come from Hong
Kong, which can shows that her race as well as
represent the ideology of people with different
race can also do a big. On the other hand on the
content page I have mention about Carlos
Santana, who is a famous Mexican guitarist,
which can represent position of people with
different race as well as challenging the
stereotype, this is because the traditional
stereotype of people with different race are weak
and powerless, and therefore it can appeal to a
wider range of audiences.
• Perhaps next time I can improve the
diversity of the artists on my coursework,
so that it can gives more multicultural
society ideologies to the audiences, as my
target audience are still in age young
(Maybe secondary audience 12-16) and
they are very easy to be influenced by the
magazine. Due to the limited availability
of the models, I didn't really show the
diversity of different race, this could be
improved next time when I am going to
do my coursework.

6. Age
 On my POPCORN magazine I have use colourful background, masthead and cover lines as it
connotes youth energy as well as the ‘vibrant colour’. As my target audience are young
(Teenage) and slightly unsophisticated (Secondary audiences 12-16), they are very easy to be
distracted by the colours.
 I have also used Josh Macqueen the rising pop star as one of my artists, as I portrayed Josh is
a ‘talent artist’ so that he can gives out personal identity and social interaction to the audience
as they are in the similar age.
 As pop is a mainstream genre, so that it will attract more young passive mainstreamers.
Mainstreamers are usually in young age, and they are more likely to follow the trend, to follow
what people are doing.
 The age of my model are between 17-18, so that my my model can relate to the audience.
Moreover my artists have given out positive ideologies as they all look confident and powerful,
which can be also represented in the binary opposition as young artists can effect more to the
audience than the older artists.

7. Improvement
 I think there are improvement on the page which can
make the magazine to appeal to the audience effectively,
for example the colour on the background, coverlines and
headline can be slightly adjust to more lighter, so that it
gives out connotation of young and pure even though the
current blue background also a kind of vibrant colour,
but personally I think light blue maybe more suitable than
deep blue.

8. Gender
 On my magazine I have used Alina as the artist on the main focal image and Kristy as a
successful artist who just released her new album. This can challenge the traditional women’s
stereotype as women are stereotypical represent as weak and powerless, so that Alina can also
challenge the stereotype of women’s position. On the other hand I have also used Josh
Macqueen in one of my images on my front cover and content page, this can meet the traditional
stereotype of male are strongest and they can do great things (As he is holding an award).
However the images of Josh has been covered by Alina’s images, which can apply to David
Gaunlett’s theory of empowered sexuality as well as challenge the tradition stereotype. As my
magazine is targeting to primary 18-24 teenage and secondary 12-16 audience, so that I can’t
sexualise my two female artists as it is not appropriate to teenage and their parents might not
allow them to read my magazine, therefore instead of sexualise the artists I have empowered
them as well as portray them as the role model and gives out information and personal identity to
the audience of how to become success.

9. Gender (Cont.)
 In Mulvey’s and Winship’s theory, they said women are being objectified and
sexualised in the male gaze. This can be explain by the traditional stereotype as
women are weak and they have lower position than men. I have applied these theories
into my magazine as Alina and Kristy were being objectified and being ‘looked’ within
the magazine as they are the main stories in the magazine and audience may want to
see them on the cover.
 For the Butler’s gender performance theory it can apply to Alina as she has portrayed
as a powerful strong woman who tried very hard and achieved her dream, this could
represent that gender is performative as women is not inherently feminine. On the
other hand I have also applied Barthes’s striptease theory into Alina and Kristy as it
said woman with clothing is more sexualise the female body more than the absence
of it. However due to the age of the target audience I can’t make the female artists
too sexualise, otherwise their parents might not allow the audience to read my
magazine.

10. Sexuality
 Many of the pop songs portrayed the love and relationship between the male
and female. This is also the traditional stereotype of a relationship. On my
magazine Alina and Kristy are following the traditional representation of
sexuality, which is also the convention in pop magazine.
 The clothing of Alina is slightly masculine as she is already a experienced artist,
so that she doesn’t need to wear stand out clothing such as Josh’s. However in
terms of the clothing, she challenges the traditional stereotype and she has in
control on her sexuality, which can apply to David Gaunlett’s theory of women
in control their sexuality. On the other hand, Kristy has applied to the Muvley’s
as her posing can gain male audience’s attention.

11. Hegemonic
 Many of the lyrics within the pop music are portraying the message
of love and relationship, as young mainstreamers are more likely to
listen to these type of music. This can be represented by the
hegemonic theory as my audiences are mass and passive audiences,
they have been gone through the hypodermic syringe model, the
culmination and the identification theory, so that they have received
the message of ‘find a partner and enjoy love’. By applying the
hegemonic theory to the audience, they are very keen on to find a
partner as they think they are young and have lots of time and
energy to spent, therefore it connotes the vulnerability of the
audience even though young people have the stereotype of strong
and independent.

12. Hegemonic (Cont.)
 On my magazine I have challenged the representation of
female needs love and protection from the male as Alina was
holding a guitar which have the connotation of masculine and
independent and also I have portrayed that Alina is a successful
artist who had built her position within the pop world on her
own, this could represent the Gaunlett’s theory as empowered
female, which challenged the traditional hegemonic theory.
However the image on Alina on the second page of the double
page spread when she looks at the guitar connotes her
vulnerability and connotation of shy. This is followed the
hegemonic representation of women of being seen and not
heard.

13. Constructionist theory
 Constructionist theory is when representation are reality and
the representation are the opinion of the producer. I have
applied the theory into my magazine as I have portrayed Alina
as a successful artists and also gives out ideologies of ‘word
hard and can be success’ as well as ‘Go and achieve your dream’.
I want to give out aspiration to the audience as they are young
and the might not very clear on what they are going to do in
the future, so that the ideology of dreams and working hard
would give out inspiration, motivation as well as personal
identity to the audience to figure what they need to achieve.