If it bleeds, it leads!

News values can be defined as general guidelines or criteria used by media outlets, such as newspapers or broadcast media, to determine how much prominence to give to a story. A good example of this is September 11. All over the newspapers, news shows and internet forums, everyone was reporting on the tragedy that had occurred and what was going to happen afterwards. This is because a lot of people were affected by this and many more were still in danger.

1. Impact

• Threshold: The bigger impact the story has, the more people it affects, the more extreme the effect or the more money or resources it involves, the better its chances of hitting the newsstands.
• Frequency: Events, such as motorway pile-ups, murders and plane crashes, which occur suddenly and fit well with the newspaper or news broadcast's schedule are more readily reported than those which occur gradually or at inconvenient times of day or night. Long-term trends are unlikely to receive much coverage.
• Negativity: Bad news is more exciting than good news.
• Unexpectedness: If an event is out of the ordinary it will be more likely to make it into the news than an everyday occurrence would.

2. Audience Identification

• Personalisation: People are interested in people. News stories that centre on a particular person, and are presented from a human interest angle, are likely to make the front page, particularly if they involve a well-known person.
• Meaningfulness: This relates to cultural proximity and the extent to which the audience identifies with the topic.
• Reference to elite nations: Stories concerned with global powers receive more attention than those dealing with less influential nations.
• Reference to elite persons: The media pay attention to the rich, powerful, famous and infamous.

3. Pragmatics

• Consonance: Stories which match the media's expectations receive more coverage than those which contradict them. 
• Continuity: A story which is already in the news gathers a kind of momentum – the running story.
• Composition: Stories must compete with one another for space in the media.

4. Source Influence

All of these other news values are valid points, and all can be applied to news today. Like Galtung and Ruge suggest, the more news values a story fits – the better. However, as journalists we do not own the audience so we cannot actually solely decide what is relevant news for our audience. We must be careful to be a mere channel from which information can flow through to our audience. We must not let our own (personal or commercial) bias influence this.

In order to ensure that we as journalists remain relevant we need to maintain high standards of journalism. Our news values need to remain high. Our accountability, reliability, fact checking, in-depth research and accuracy need to be constantly vigilant, otherwise we risk destroying our own media world and careers.  We must avoid bias at all costs. Otherwise the journalist in todays’ world of new media may not survive.

References

Spencer-Thomas, O. (2013). News values. Retrieved from http://www.owenspencer-thomas.com/journalism/newsvalues

Hansel and Gretel

Week 6 
News Story - Fairytale
Hansel and Gretel


Once upon a time, two young children were held captive and strangled to death by a seven-stone, 14-foot African rock python. Gretel seven years old and brother Hansel five years old were having a sleepover with a friend before they were found by Jean-Claude Savoie (a family friend), on their living room floor above a Reptile Ocean shop in New Brunswick.

Mr Savoie said "my body is in shock. I don't know what to think. I feel like they're my kids". His own son was sleeping in a different room and was unharmed, he said.

Savoie, is Hansel and Gretel's evil step mothers best friend who lived nearby. He frequently hosted them at his flat with his own child. The evil step-mother kept sending Hansel and Gretel away into the forest, further and further away so they could no longer remember how to get back home.

The children were oblivious about what they were in for, however in this story there was no happy ending. 

The insurer from hell

On Saturday April 12, Category 1 Cyclone Ita hit Townsville and caused some damage at UNI.

At the Seagulls Resort, at approximately 9.00am after enjoying breakfast with my family, I received a text. "Owners of two white cars: a yaris (805-TKC) and a Rav 4 (EIL-95) in top car park, please message me, a tree has fallen down last night and has caused some damage" - I burst into tears. Lucky for me however, my parents hadn't left Townsville yet and I had insurance!! 

After the 15 minute drive back to UNI (which should have taken 30), we saw what was left of my poor baby Ruby. My back window was smashed (glass throughout the car, even on the floor of the driver and passenger), tyre cover cracked, light above back number plate smashed, guard holding the number plate broken, back right light full of water, left side mirror gone and roof severely dented. All in all, my car was in very bad state. Mum was on the phone to the insurer, dad was driving around trying to find somewhere open so he could buy a tarp to stop water from going into my back window, my brother on his phone and me, well... crying while my roommate comfort me. Me of all people, it just had to happen to me. The car parked behind me however, evident within the image above, took the punch and was clearly a write off. After dealing with UNI security, who may I add was INCREDIBLY RUDE, we finally managed to get the tree off (3 hours after calling them constantly). It was then time for Ruby to be towed away for assessment. 

Days had passed and we still hadn't heard anything back from the insurance. My mother started calling the insurance company everyday in hope that they would speed up the assessment. After two weeks of waiting, we finally received the call. Ruby wasn't a write off, she was to be fixed. $11,000 worth of damages and 4 weeks of parts to be shipped to Japan. I was told I wouldn't get my car back until mid June, which in insurance terms means July!! I was so angry as I have work commitments and have had to get time off. However, I am lucky to have amazing parents that will be lending me one of their cars for the duration of the two month wait. Home this Wednesday to drive mum's Toyota Aurion back up. 

When my baby finally comes back, she will be as good as new. Ruby 2.0! June cannot come quick enough!! :)

The hills hoist: A beloved Australian icon

Life wasn’t always simple when it came to hanging out the washing.

Today it’s so easy to hang out the washing, just wind up the clothesline and rotate.Up until about 60 years ago, washing time was a very different story; it was never such an effortless task. In fact it was quite labour intensive, tiring and back breaking; overall, a difficult mission. These days however, drying clothes is a breeze thanks to a beloved Australian invention that is cheap, easy and effective, the all new and improved, Hills Hoist, which has become a beloved Australian cultural icon.

The Hills story began in the Adelaide backyard of Lance Hill in 1945 where he developed a rotary clothes hoist out of scrap metal following his return from war. Hill created this ingenious rotary clothes hoist invention after his wife, Sherry complained that the fruit trees were competing for space with the ‘prop’ line.

Although, Hill was not the first to create a rotary clothes hoist, he was the first to attach a handle which enabled the hoist to raise and lower as well as a new way of attaching the lines to the central post. The line was made of a single steel pole from which metal ribs spread out from the centre. Between the ribs he strung rust-proof wire from which the clothes would hang. The raising and lowering of the hoist enabled the clothing to be dried more effectively in the great Australian sunlight.

It took only a year for Lance Hill’s invention to become well known and in 1946 Hill and his brother-in-law Harold Ling, established a business making the famous ‘Hills Rotary Clothes Hoist.’ Back then, a hoist cost only 10.10 shillings and an extra 1.5 shillings for installation. Lance Hill revolutionized the way we all do our washing today with the Hills Hoist now being exported overseas after celebrating the sale of their 5 millionth Hills Hoist in 1994.

Today the Hills Hoist has become part our everyday life for all Australians after 60 years the popularity has increased drastically. We are presented with many remaining ads from magazine advertisements to homemade songs. The Hills Hoist has become a symbol of our nation and reflects the life of all Australians as a beloved cultural icon as shown in this 1960’s print advertisement.

The Hills Hoist is a great symbol of Australian culture and taps into a feeling of nostalgia for the simplicity of suburban Australian life. It truly is a timeless classic. From the beginning Hills Industries have been promoting their products to appeal to the Australian consumer. This 1960s Women’s Weekly magazine advertisement is directed towards a female audience which reveals the attitudes to domestic chores during this time.

Within this era women were the ones to stay home look after the kids and cook and clean. The representation of the Hills Hoist in this advertisement is of a product being promoted as the best Mother’s Day present. The message is that a gift of a Hills Hoist on Mother’s Day will not only solve mother’s wash-day exhaustion but, produce a complete transformation in mother’s lifestyle being affordable and beneficial to all Australian families.

In the advertisement, a shining Hills Hoist replaces the original line and suddenly, the worn-out mats, weak weatherboard house and the unenclosed backyard have also vanished. Mother is now smiling, her trim figure set off by a full-skirted dress, white apron with a stylish bow and high heels, and she hangs up her washing against a backdrop of a brick house, trim lawn and paved path.

The pictures in this advertisement are positioned to show progression, starting with a women being exhausted after hanging her washing on the ‘prop’ line to loving her Hills Hoist in a happy and relaxed atmosphere.

The Hills Hoists is an established Aussie household name and therefore the company does not need to advertise extensively. In the 1960s however, there was a TV commercial released in the late 60s featuring an Adelaide singer, Bev Harrell, promoting the famous Hills Hoist as a symbol of Australian innovation.

This commercial advertises the strength and endurance of the Hills Hoist by attaching a washing machine to either side. The commercial also privileges that the Hills Hoist is spacious and can fit in Australia’s large ¼ acre blocks. Bev is smiling as she sings ‘ease up, ease up, easy so easy with Hills,’ explaining just how simple and effortless it really is to hang your washing. As shown earlier in the print advertisement, a woman is promoting the Hills Hoist suggesting that washing is a domestic daily chore for females and privileges the inventiveness of Australians, wanting to make life and an everyday chore easier. The Hills Hoist gained popularity from this time on and today they are a familiar sight in many Australian backyards.

In the early 1950s, a musician named Kathy Wehr visited Australia and was inspired to develop a song about the Hills Hoist by her friends who told her stories about their memories as a child and how important the Hills Hoist was to them and all Australians. Kathy thought it was amazing as she had never before dried her clothes outside. Within the song, the Hills Hoist isn’t only promoted as a way to hang your clothes but for enjoyment purposes. I’m sure many of you have great memories of times spent swinging around on a Hills Hoist until it broke or you were found out. As a child we would hanging the hose over to play games and at birthday parties our piñata would hang proudly from the wires. Even our beloved family pet enjoyed being swung around it in a towel hammock. All Australians recall the Hills Hoist as a treasure that holds our most beloved childhood memories. As Kathy says, ‘it’s like a bloom in every back garden,’ and she realises that Australians ‘take pride in the land down under.’ And our all Australian invention as we don’t try and hide it like some other countries; we want everyone to have our symbol of national pride. By repeating the phrase, ‘I’m gonna need a Hills Hoist, Hills Hoist,’ it clearly explains how much of a necessity the Hills Hoist is in our everyday life. This song by Kathy is recognition of how many Australians respect the treasured and iconic Hills Hoist.

The Hills Hoist is a beloved Australian cultural icon that has many stories associated with it. Even if your idea of a Hills Hoist is not to hang your washed clothes from but for enjoyment purposes, the Hills Hoist will never be forgotten as it is undoubtedly a symbol of being truly Australian.

Gender Stereotypes

Due to the way that gender stereotypes are perpetuated, dictates how children, young teenagers and even adult look at their selves, their interests and behaviours. These are both perpetuated in the “Pink Sparkle,” perfume ad by Kylie Minogue and the “California Girls” video clip by Katy Perry as they both continue with the stereotypical aspect that women are shown in. However, the truth is that these...“Representations do not reflect or mirror the real word; they are selective constructions or textual choices.” Both of these advertisements; explain why.

“Pink Sparkle,” by Kylie Minogue, is a stereotypical advertisement, found in the 2010 September issue of Marie Claire, perpetuating the female stereotype.

The font used in the top left hand corner is a signifier as to the elegance of women. Bold, straight lines really emphasise who is selling the product, whereas the cursive writing of the fragrance, “Pink Sparkle,” which perpetuates the female stereotype best.

The perfume bottle, “Pink Sparkle” is positioned in the foreground of the advertisement, giving it a 3-D effect. A baby pink colour is used to promote this product and clearly the shape of the bottle is a signifier as well. The shape of the perfume bottle was chosen as it symbolises a champagne bottle, whilst the unique wire pattern around the glass is inspired by the traditional bottle opening. The elegant theme continues into the golden cap that is easily recognised as a feminine version of a classic champagne bottle, incorporating a delicate wire ring. As the ultimate finishing touch, the bottle is engraved with the fragrances name in a striking handwritten font. These are all great reasoning’s as to how the bottle of “Pink Sparkle,” mirrors the feminine female stereotype and their love of champagne.

Kylie Minogue is a celebrity used to promote this product. She is given height by the creative use of wooden crates. These crates are representations of champagne crates, which go with women, hand in hand. Stereotypically, women like wine or champagne, while men like beer. So it can be easily identified why they went with the champagne crates.

Blonde hair, a long dress, delicate hands and height heels; these are all trades of a stereotypical women. Kylie is given height with her legs stylishly placed on the crates, wearing stunning silver, sparkly high heels. The pink, bubbly and frilly dress is worn and her posture perpetuates the, I’m not confident pose associated with women. Hands gently placed on her legs and right cheek, next to her gorgeous wide smile, makes this a weak pose. Her blonde hair is loosely up in a bun with her fringe just poking out next to her open blue eyes.  This is a great product for Kylie to promote as she is known to be so kind, caring and elegant which are perfect trades exposed by this advertisement and which would clearly appeal to women who associate with this stereotypical image of women.

The second advertisement is a film clip by Katy Perry’s most recent and popular song, “California Girls,” that clearly and hypothetically shows the classic stereotypes for women.

Within this clip, Snook Dog is the player of the game that Katy is trapped in and the girls are the playing pieces. Katy overcomes many obstacles; like helping her friends get out of bubble gum, jelly and a chocolate rapper and crossing chocolate rivers. Snoop Dog and the gummy bears, battle Katy and her girls, she screws aerosol whipped cream cans to her breast and wipes them all out, leaving Snoop Dog to surrender. Katy is also seen licking an ice-cream cone, wearing cupcakes on her breasts and floating naked on a cloud of cotton candy.

Katy’s target audience are of young adolescents are exposed to these clothing that give the message that all women need to look beautiful and skinny. As the clip shows numerous outfits including short skirts and shorts, stockings, high heels, accessories, long glamour wigs and a few scene’s where she appears to be wearing nothing at all, is nothing in comparison to reality. In reality, some girls wear simple shorts, singlet or shirt along with some “trendy” thongs.

The lyrics of “California Girls,” are appealing to a male audience as Snoop Dog raps about girls being, “toned, tan, fit and ready,” promising a sexual gratification. As well as ... “kiss her, touch her, squeeze her buns.” Do males really believe that this is what ALL women should be like? Because this is definitely not what we want younger generations to think is acceptable for the way in which guys see women. As Katy states, “Yes, it’s a man’s world, but girls need to stick together and use their wits, their strength and their sexuality in order to succeed and even triumph.”

In conclusion, stereotypes need to change for women as they need to feel comfortable and accepted without plastering themselves with make-up, which is the message shown within the advertisement and the video clip. As explained above, both of these advertisements are both stereotypical as they contradict the real world, where girls to meet the standards of a stereotypical women; which isn’t what is happening in our society. 

Make your own beauty

The sexy and sassy, mouth pouting 16 year old model struts her 49kg, size 6 body on the catwalk. Audiences ‘oooohh’ and ‘arrrrrh’ as the towering figure captivates the minds and imaginations of all that surround her. She is upheld as the ideal female image by so many; a goal that  young girls and women strive to attain. But why? Despite the fact that I've been told that I don't have to be built and look like Barbie to be beautiful, the media doesn't agree. Instead day in and day out young women and girls like myself must contend with this impossibly beautiful disproportional doll image that the media bombards us with in magazines, billboards and on the television. 

Beauty it seems is no longer be in the eye of the beholder. No, instead of a wide range of body shapes and sizes being presented,  we are fed a restricted diet of one narrow ideal of beauty. Thinness and attraction are increasingly promoted as the essential components of beauty and worshipped by those aspiring to look like the skinny models on the catwalk or the teeny tiny celebrities in the magazines. Yes and when those in the public eye commit the ultimate sin of eating and being a normal size, they are named and shamed with articles and photos documenting their fall from grace as was the case with Australia's Next Top Model contestant 18-year-old Alissandra Moone,  a 57kg size-8 model who was bullied and called fat by contestant judge Alex Perry. It is the media who have defined and reinforced what beauty is in our society and their influence can have extremely detrimental effects on young women and girls who compare themselves to what they see in the media and come up short.

The  media is guilty of not reflecting real bodies and these 'unrealistic' body figures imposed by the media, place increasing pressure on teens and affect their perceptions of their own bodies. When teenagers compare themselves to skinnier girls, the affect can be tremendous affecting them emotionally, physically and psychologically; leading to conditions such as depression, anxiety and low self-esteem and even driving some to consider cosmetic surgery.

A 2008 study conducted by the University of Queensland found that 80 per cent of Australian women are dissatisfied with their own body image, whilst 90 per cent claim they know other women who are unhappy with their shape. It is the media who must shoulder some responsibility for this statistic as on average we are subjected to 3,000 advertising images a day featuring heavily airbrushed men and women. From smooth and flawless skin to large muscles and slim waists, advertisements have airbrushed both men and women for the past 70 years removing imperfections. The media is not compelled to reveal the extent to which media images have been digitally altered and far too often we believe that we are observing real men and women not enhanced representations. This situation must be addressed and all computer enhanced images should carry a health warning.

We need to change the culture that says thinness is beauty and nothing less than perfection will do. This is no magic wand we can wave overnight and the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty,  a 60 second advertisement documenting a journey from real beauty to retouched glamour proved just this. The advertisement reveals how models are ‘beautified,’ with  digital enhancement software that smoothes the skin, fills the lips, lengthens the neck, thickens the hair, evens and enlarges the eyes as well as narrowing the face. The video was viewed by more than 300 million people globally and received accolades for ripping off the veils of beauty; making girls and women alike realise the ordinary person can never look this good because neither did the model when she started out.

We cannot protect children from these images forever. What we need to do is to empower them to develop the resilience they need to think critically about media messages. Such knowledge will reduce the effects that this exposure has on young people who internalize these images and believe them to be ideal. The media itself also needs to be transparent and acknowledge the degree to which images have been enhanced.

Beauty is about how you express yourself – your looks, your image, your personality. A common ingredient in every beauty ideal is self-confidence. So next time you look in the mirror and your brain gets flooded with those unflattering thoughts and comparisons with Hollywood beauties take a step back and acknowledge the whole crazy world of beauty and looks obsessions that the media has created. And then… maybe you’ll see that you don't have to have that perfect body because that perfect body doesn't exist. Be happy and healthy in your own skin.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - Heroes Journey

Week 7 Photo Task

This is my picture story. Can anyone guess what it's about?