Men's Health CSP Analysis

1) Write a one-paragraph summary of your notes for each key concept from the booklet:

• Media Language (e.g. conventions, narrative, genre etc.)
  
  The coverlines are big and bold in black and blue font to represent the traditional colours of masculinity. The magazine is promoting a healthier lifestyle which is a hegemonic reading but they are offering no other alternative than the traditional hypermasculine traits, which are used to counter any other modern interpretations of masculinity. They use alliteration which are catchy and memorable - 'blast body', 'wage war', and the verbs like 'blast' and 'build' are masculine active words which reinforce gender roles - with even more evidence showing that the magazine is reinforcing hypermasculine traits. They even use a narrative of a 69 year old runner who is healthy and conforms to the physically fit lifestyle that the magazine promotes. This can create insecurities with the audience as they feel that they feel guilty that they aren't conforming to the one hypermasculine ideology, when in reality modern masculinity allows for multiple traits. The magazine is reinforcing traditional values.

• Media Industries (e.g. Hearst Communications)
  
  Hearst controlling the print and distribution and broadcasting media means they can portray Men's Health in any way they want. They have more control where to distribute their products more than rivals like GQ or Esquire. This means that they have an advantage to gain a wider readership when they control more of the media being a conglomerate. Media Audiences (e.g. demographics, psychographics, pleasures)
  Their target would mostly be young men (25+) of an AB category as they can afford the £4.10 price of the magazine or be able to not think about spending that amount of money and think of it as a big expense. They also would have to be succeeders - at the top of their field to have the money get a gym membership and afford the supplements they advertise. Also they will attract the aspirers, those who want to be succeeders and start to make that physical difference in their lives, those who aspire to be like Vin Diesel.

• Media Representations (e.g. masculinity)
  
  Gender in the magazine is reinforced with traditional hypermasculine values to the audience. They promote the macho, dominant man as being the ideal look for society by using Vin Diesel, who portrays such characters in the film - most notably in the Fast and Furious franchise. Vin Diesel is the influence, the readers see him at the carbon copy they wish to be. Traditional masculinity is subverted with the 69 ear old runner Philip. Normally masculinity with physical strength, gives a spotlight to young men instead of elder men.

2) Identify three specific aspects/conventions (e.g. cover line, colour scheme, text, image etc.) from each page of the CSP that you could refer to in a future exam. Explain why that particular aspect of the CSP is important - think about connotations, representations, audience pleasures, reception theory etc.
Front cover: Vin Diesel

Using the star Vin Diesel - the audience aspire to be like him, he is the carbon copy they want to be and Men's Health provides them with 'a wealth of tools' to be able to do this. Also, an influential figure like him would be important to use as he was everywhere in cinemas with his new movies, so he would naturally bring in a wider readership.

Editor's Letter and contents page

Gives a stronger connection between the reader and the magazine. Having the editor write a note to make it  more persona and explain how the magazine will help them achieve the image of a better body, similar to Vin Diesel's as he is the main star.

Feature: True Grit - 'The Marathon Man'
The audience feel motivation from the magazine that if a 69 year old man could do this, then they can. Gives them the gratification of personal identity as they want to aspire to be like him.

3) Type up three media theories that you think are particularly relevant to analysing Men's Health and explain why they are significant:

Hall's 'crisis in masculinity' - it creates many theories why Men's Health refuse to have multiple masculinity representations as their target audience is becoming more aware and accepting of this.

Neale's Repetition and Difference - links to key convention of the coverlines and how they use keywords such as 'blast' and 'build' to create masculine traits. Also how they reinforce representations by using repetition.

Kellner (2003) -  how industries provide us with surveillance of what it means to be a man. Their interpretation controls our interpretation.

4) Type up three quotes from the booklet that you think are particularly useful for analysing Men's Health and explain why they are significant:

'Vin Diesel's Blueprint To Wage War On Flab' - words like 'blueprint' and 'war' signify the army, service members of the army. It reinforces the traditional masculinity traits of personality. To be emotionally cold and to be physically fit at all times. It's an example of how they use the coverlines to create their interpretation of masculinity.

'If it's more than 10 grams of sugar, I won't eat it' - presents the stubborn side of being a man, masculinity trait of putting our foot down, making a final decision. Trying to promote healthy lifestyle information, but a message of how they use hypermasculinity to reinforce stereotypes.

'This month's package has been curated to include a wealth of tools and tricks to help you return to your fighting weight' - interpretation of one again having to be physically fit at all times, reinforcing traditional masculine traits. Also the word 'fighting' suggests once again war or battle, a real man has to have the 'tools' to fight.