Soap Opera Magazine Analysis (Two)

Target Audience

The target audience for this magazine is clearly shown as youth females who are within the social class of E-C1 and fits the stereotype of watching soaps and favourite gossiping. This means that the Laura Mulvey (1975) may be mentioned within this analysis as she is the dominant theorist for woman as she states; 'Woman are sex objects and don’t have any important role within television plots.'

 Also this could also mean that there will be evidence to support the Blumer and Katz (1974) because the target audience will be watching/reading soap gossip/features for their own reasons such as; 'Personal Identity, Diversion and etc.'

Since there is crime mentioned within youth's lives so much from the start of a very early time period of history, as the target audience is female youth's there will be evidence of Stuart Hall's theory now and then as he states;  'Teenagers aged between 12 and 25 are heavily involved with sex, alcohol and are often moody.' Crime will be mentioned in most cases of a soap opera because they like to keep the audience interested in terms of a 'normal lifstyle' in where the setting takes place, creating stereotypes of areas within Britain.

Masthead

There isn't really a masthead for this magazine front cover and this is against magazine common conventions. Although within the space of where the masthead should be; there is date which could mean when the magazine is in or out of date for the soap opera current stories taking place. This could be suitable for the target audience who fall under the theory of Blumer and Katz because they will be purchasing this magazine for their own purposes of 'Diversion, Personal identity and etc.'

Images

In terms of connotation; the colour presented upon 'What's on TV' magazine is mainly, a deep pink, aqua blue and yellow. These three colours in denotation could represent mood for the feminine target audience their trying to attract to purchase this article. The colour deep pink could represent that the target audience is young females (16+), the aqua blue may connote the youth's and lastly the white may connote curiosity. This is all evidence to show support for the Stuart Hall theory (1904) because he states; 'Teenagers aged between 12 and 25 are heavily involved with sex, alcohol and are often moody.' 

The magazine has a few common conventions in sight, the blank white box could be where the barcode once was but was removed, it has the price tag, main storyline, strap-lines and main image, other common conventions such as the issue and others upon the contents page, therefore this magazine demonstrates that it is suitable for their target audience who the soap opera's predicted: 'Faithful viewers/purchasers' and will fall under the Blumer and Katz (1974) theory as they will be purchasing the magazine for their own purposes in terms of the common conventions on display.

The females presented in most of the images within the photographs are all dolled up with make up and have fashionable hairstyles; this could connote that the target audience of this magazine issue is for females because they may purchase this magazine because each character in sight may represent a female person in Britain. Although it could be argued that men may view/glance at this magazine due to the female characters appearance, being suitable evidence for the Laura Mulvey (1975) theory as she states 'Woman are portrayed as desirable sex objects within media.'

The men portrayed in this magazine front cover all look like they will be suitable for the Marxist theory and will attract some men into purchasing/glancing at 'What on TV' magazine because certain star vehicles/characters may represent a certain person/goup of similar men within Britain.

Within the back of on of the photos is a young girl with fire in the background, this could connote anger and will attract the target audience as people will be as curious to know what is happening within this storyline, maybe thinking its crime. This is evidence for Stanley Hall because the fire may connote crime as well as emotions and this makes it suitable for the target audience to view.

Lexis/Text

The main storyline for this magazine issue is from EastEnders with Roxy and Derek as the main image stating; “Kill Roxy! Derek hires a hitman” in big capital yellow letters with a black outlining, in another yellow box surrounding the second half of the storyline to help the words stand out to the target audience. The way the yellow box is surrounding the text could connote crime because in terms of its appearance the teaser looks like a police 'do not cross' line upon a investigation scene. Therefore this could connote that the presentation of these words are suitable for the target audience who fall under the Stuart Hall theorist (1904) because he states; 'Teenagers aged between 12 and 25 are heavily involved with sex, alcohol and are often moody.' Also teenagers will want to view this magazine article story because it will excite them about what’s to happen within the storyline next.

In terms of lexis choice, the magazine seems to use many negative words within their teasers 'Kill, split' and 'horror.' These Lexis choice words are all involved with crime or depression, demonstrating that these soap stories about to be spilled into a magazine will attract their target audience who fall under the Stuart Hall theory as they will tune in to watch the soap Emmerdale and EastEnders to witness these scenes take place and maybe relate to them, as well meaning the Blumer and Katz theory (1974) has evidence for their theory in this soap opera magazine front cover.

Conclusion

On a whole after analysing this magazine 'Whats on TV' demonstrates that my predictions were correct, there was evidence for Laura Mulvey, Blumer and Katz and finally Stanley Hall because the target audience is youth females who are within the social class of E-C1 and fits the stereotype of watching soaps and favourite gossiping. Although also I have found evidence of other theorists that may attract other people than the target audience into viewing this magainze; that is Marxist (attracting men who are straight, white and middleclass) as the characters presented may represent an individual man within Britain.

Annaleigh Benn