Attitude - media language

Tabloid

The tabloid is the closest form of traditional media that compares with the look and design of the website

- Simplistic and minimalistic layout

- High image to text ratio use of white on black

-Restricted language code

- Inclusive familiar mode of address

- Evidence of synergy and convergence

Gay lifestyle website and magazine with the same name

- Gay lifestyle website and a companion to a magazine of the same name, there will be a particular emphasis on appealing to a specialised audience

Attitude website - banner

Banner is advertising key articles, can be seen at the top of the screen which shows key stories

Attitude website - Use of photos

Use of photos as links to the article allows representations to be seen clearly

Attitude website - social media elements

Scroll through like social media, similar yo print text as you look at top left hand corner and move across and down

What does LGBTQ community connote?

connotes togetherness

Attitude magazine - menu bar

The menu bar has pride colours - reflecting celebration of pride

Attitude website - exclusive content

- Exclusive content, each has a balance of features on a diverse range of subjects with blockbusting A-list celebrity exclusives.

- Star-pulling power with celebrities riding for the magazine as well as appearing attracts mainstream media attention due to coverage of social and topical reporting

Print v Digital

- The number of printed magazines sold in the uk has decreased from 1.21 bn in 2007 to 422m in 2017

- Attitude moves to stream publishing in 2016 to develop its digital edition and a website that the publisher said it would 'continue to enjoy the freedom and independence a title with maverick tendencies sometimes needs' The publisher has links to social media and its youtube channel

Media Language - codes a conventions

- Attitude has evolved since its first publication in 1994 to its migration and development on the internet.

- The approach to a 'lifestyle magazine' is still conventional in its content and marketing aesthetic.

Codes and conventions - serious reportage style to the articles

- supplies a sense of professionalism and quality to the product. No patronising tone or whimsical comments within these more serious stories discussed. Even celebrity articles which contain potential gossip/salacious content are written in a manner which avoids cliché.

Codes and conventions - features about real people

- Reflects the magazines appeal to the masses as a relatable product. Features such as 'Real Bodies' allow the magazine readers to reflect on their own health, and fitness whilst openly discussing issues relating to what they look for in a partner of the same sex.

Codes and conventions - The 'real news; with a twist specific to the magazines own USP.

- E.g. as opposed to the coverage of Donald Trump's various US based speeches or political conflicts with mainstream news outlets, Attitude focuses on news affecting homosexual issues and rights - 'Trump would support a homosexual senator to run for the Whitehouse'.

Codes and conventions - Content reflecting the ideology of the magazine

- Homophobia is unreservedly condemned and is the rare case where emotive language is referenced by the writers outside of quoting an interview.

Codes and conventions - multiple avenues for specialism

- Regards different types of lifestyle attributed to the magazine, serious news and entertainment. Avenues for community information, health and fitness. Sexualisation of males, theatre and arts. Diverse lifestyles within the niche audience of gay men catered for to maximise the appeal of the publication

Social and cultural context

- Stonewall (leading LGBT rights charity in the UK) estimates that 5-7% of people in Britain are lesbian, gay or bisexual.

- Due to an improvement in public attitude and positive representations in the community, there are more 'active' homosexuals than ever in the Western world, with events like PRIDE, promoting the same sex relationships and open discourse, Attitude magazine celebrates these progressive developments

Economic context

- Attitude's print circulation = 60,000, with a mobile circulation of 8,000.

- Online users; 90,000 with unique 400,000 page impressions per month

- Tweets about the Attitude awards are sent to over 5 million followers. Coverage is seen by 1.6 million readers in their morning and evening newspaper the day after the awards ceremony.

Challenging conventions - Exclusive interviews (star power)

- Celebrities, medications, actors and politicians are more willing to contribute their time to magazines like Attitude, as they provide good publicity and a platform for them to discuss their own beliefs which parallel the magazines.

- Attitude's brand reputation and public exposure attract the most popular and diverse stars to its editorial team - e.g. Prime Minister David Cameron's first magazine interview as PM was for attitude.

Challenging conventions - 25+ year heritage

- Has made Attitude the most trusted of all publications aimed at a homosexual audience. It's tried and tested formula and consistent approach to diversity across its niche audience developed its readership since its inception.

Challenging conventions - it's professional look and aesthetic

- Maintained its contributed popularity - link The Big Issue, it is produced by professionals trained journalists and editors to create the most relevant and contemporary series of articles and features.

- The text within is engaging and written in a manner which may make the reader think, due to its relevant on enigmas and discussion. Despite it's niche target audience the magazine has become more 'mainstream' and popular then conventional magazines aimed at a traditional heteronormative demographic

ML influencing meaning - High image to text ratio

- Broadens the reading demographic adopting a tabloid reporting format - images say more than headlines at the online browsing stage.

ML influencing meaning - short paragraphing

- Maintains focus and concentration, used by tabloid journalism in order to appeal to a broader audience and younger demographic.

ML influencing meaning - Salacious content

- Used to attract those readers who are promiscuous with their sexuality. Those that are purely seeking to be stimulated by the objet of their affection - would be drawn to the 'Boys' section online (young sexualised males) for obvious reasons, also teased through articles directed purely at gossip mongers.

ML influencing meaning - Lede introductions

- used throughout articles; an age old journalistic technique employed to cover all the W's (who, where, what, when, why) in the first paragraph to appeal to those with a short attention span who may not want to read the whole story.

ML influencing meaning - Global story content

- Creates a global brand and therefore appeals to readers with interests outside of the UK

ML influencing meaning - Teaser headlines

- Used on story 'blocks' online to act as a clickbait for browsing readers - often used in conjunction with hyperbolic language depending on the importance or seriousness of the content.

ML influencing meaning - Syndicated content

- Relating to news from an outside press agency, paid for but often altered in some way by 'in-house' journalists to better adopt the house style / discourse of the magazine - i.e. Attitude will add some relationship to homosexuality

Ml influencing meaning - Fair use of imagery

- Used for certain photographs of famous celebrities or figured as it is the benefit of the reading public for these to be available for every publication. A priceless aspect of independent and established journalism site.

Intertextuality

- Attitude often employs standard heterosexual imagery (mainstream films, adverts etc) and subverts it accommodating homosexual imagery / slight alteration which suggests the content will accommodate a homosexual audience. This may be in the form of an update or used as a comment on the celebrity / event which the story covers.

Product context

-Market's its brand as having: A list celebrities / exclusive content / social & topical issues / gay agenda / British society

- It is sold worldwide as a physical; magazine, and as a digital download for the iPad, iPhone via the Appstore, and for Android devices via the Android market

-A serpent Thai edition has been published since 2011, editions in Belgium and Netherlands launched in 2017

- Often described as 'the gay bible' by the Sun newspaper

- Originally owned by Richard Desmond's Northern and Shell group, it was acquired in 2016 b47y contract publisher Stream Publishing

How does Bathes Semiotics theory relate to Attitude?

- Jake Shears interview: Use of eyeshadow and lipstick on male indicates feminine nature, but is then juxtaposed with his stubble and military clothing connoting his masculine persona. The use of military uniform from the paradigm (sign selection) of clothing and not an item such as less masculine cardigan or even dress which would of better paralleled his make-up.

- Real bodies feature" various images of men in their underwear of all shapes and sizes connotes their honesty and bravery. Their varied facial expressions (happiness, fear act) indicates their relatable emotional state.

How does Levi-Strauss' structuralism theory relate to Attitude?

- A variety of binary oppositions exist within the stories and articles essentially using them to humanise and 'normalise' homosexuality. (Old/Young) (Straight/gay) (Confident/nervous) (progressive/regressive)

How does Baudrillard's simulacra theory relate to Attitude?

- The idyllic version of reality as a much more accepting Uk society as presented in Attitude is only a version of tolerance that exists within the publication as a simulacra. Readers who may be situated in locations of the country with far more traditional ideologies may struggle to reconcile with this mediated simulation of a progressive society.

- Attitudes articles and features show a hyper-reality of 'how the world should be' can be alluded to, with its messages of equality and its promise of a brighter future.