Medium Studied ONLINE & GAMES ASSESSED FOR: Text, Representation, Industry & Audience

Keywords for this Topic Keyword Meaning Audience The way in which a media product will try to tell its audience what Construction they should be (e.g. heterosexual men should like looking at pictures of semi-naked women) Audience Targeting The conscious process of making your product appeal to a specific audience demographic or psychographic (or both). Casual Tap RPG Casual games are designed to be played for a few minutes at a time and to be pick-up-and-put-down. Tap RPGs are games that allow you to play a role (role playing games), but to do so by simply tapping on various different actions on the screen. Complicit Being actively involved in something and knowing what you are doing. Demographics Breaking audiences down into things like age, gender, race, sexuality, socio-economic grade, location Franchise A game that is part of a series of other games all with the same name or characters (these are often made by several different companies) Freemium ‘Free-Premium’ – games that are free to download and free to play, but that usually rely on ‘rechargeable’ economies (like ‘energy’) that you can buy if you don’t want to wait. Games Developer A smaller company or individual who actually makes the game. Games Publisher A larger company who distributes the game (this can include hosting online services such as multiplayer). In-App Purchases Anything in an app that you can buy. For games this often includes different clothes (or ‘skins’) for your character, or in-game currentcy used to purchase something else (e.g. K-Stars can be used to recharge your ‘energy’ in KKH). Moral Panics Where the public reacts strongly to some issue that seems to threaten morality or society (e.g. video games causing violence; social media causing cyberbullying). Psychographics Breaking audiences down into personality types, including: mainstreamer, aspirer, explorer, succeeder, reformer

Useful Theories

Theory Name Theory Explanation Effects Theory The idea that playing violent video games makes people more (Alfred Bandura) likely to go out and commit real world violence. This has been debunked by several sources, including – most recently – this one. Hypodermic Needle The idea that the media ‘injects’ us all with its content and that we Theory just passively receive this information and are unable to do anything about it; like the effects theory, this idea has been widely disproven, but remains popular with some groups. Emphasized The idea that some women draw attention to those parts of their Femininity femininity that they think men want to see (e.g. sexualise (Connell) themselves or suggest they will be good mothers). Also, the idea that men are complicit in these representations, and that – in promoting very narrow ideas about women – they reduce possibilities for real women and girls. Propp’s Theory of All stories can be broken down by looking at the interactions Narrative between 8 different ideas (usually characters). • A hero wants the princess, but a villain stands in his way; the dispatcher sets the hero on his quest; the helper goes with the hero; the donor give the hero something they might need; the father wants the hero to prove himself, so sets obstacles in the way; the false hero takes credit for the hero’s success. How do the hero, villain and princess interact in these products? Star Theory (Richard There are 3 parts: Dyer) • Our ideas about stars are constructed by what they show to the world (their ‘public image’); • This ‘public image’ has value and can be damaged; • Often the star’s identity taps into some kind of ideology (like ‘celebrity = success’ or ‘women need to look attractive for men’).

Close Study Products and How to Use Them

This CSP has been included so you can talk about issues of genre, narrative, representation, audience and the computer games industry. Specifically: • The way in which the puzzle genre is different from the causal ‘tap RPG’ genre of KKH; • The way in which this game delivers narrative : Go through cut-scenes;

• The history of Lara Croft and some of the problems surrounding her representation; • The ways in which this game appeals to fans of the franchise, but also to fans of the puzzle genre; • The fact that this game is a pay-upfront, one-off- cost game and how this is different from KKH. This CSP has been included so you can talk about issues of genre, narrative, representation, audience and the computer games industry. Specifically: • The way in which the casual ‘tap RPG’ genre is different from the puzzle genre of LCG; • The way in which this game delivers narrative Kim Kardashian: Hollywood through on-screen text and scenarios;

• The celebrity of Kim Kardashian and some of the issues surrounding her representation; • The ways in which this game appeals to fans of Kim Kardashian and fans of the casual ‘tap RPG’ genre • The fact that this game is a Freemium game that offer in-app purchases and how this is different from LCG. This CSP has been included so you can compare the representation of this ‘real’ character with the representation of the fictional Lara Croft and the ‘sort-of- real’ game version of Kim Kardashian. There are also issues of celebrity and the normal issues around social media. Specifically: • The representation of women; • The idea of role models for young children (especially girls); Zoella • The dangers of social media use, including moral (and More Zoella) panics;

• How the ‘episodic’ format of YouTube delivers narrative and establishes character; • Star Theory. There are no specific videos set for Zoella, but you should refer to videos you have studied.

Important Issues The representation of women in these three CSPs. The status of the CSP’s three main characters (Lara, Kim and Zoe) as roles models for women and girls. The ways in which the three CSPs construct and target their audiences. The fact that Zoella hasn’t published a new video on her main channel since June 23rd 2018; she now only uploads lifestyle videos to More Zoella. The case study of Zoella’s 2017 Christmas calendar and her response to it. The different ways in which the three CSPs approach the idea of narrative. The ways in which social media stars and video games developers/publishers have embraced new technologies. How far are any of the celebrities that we see in this unit ‘real’? The 10 most disturbing things about Kim Kardashian: Hollywood.

Important Case Studies Name of Case Study Manhunt Murder When? 2004 What happened? Schoolboy Stefan Pakeerah (14) was murdered by his friend Warren LeBlanc (17); the style of the murder (a hammer-blow to the back of the head) was judged by the tabloid press to be similar to the game Manhunt.

Stefan’s mother blamed the game for her son’s murder. Stefan (the victim) owned a copy of the game; Warren (the murderer) did not. A thorough police investigation revealed that drug- related robbery was the motive for the murder (Warren was convinced that Stefan owed him money).

The story about the game inspiring the murder ran in several tabloid newspapers at the time. Why is this This case is a very good example of a moral panic. Despite the important? fact that there was very little evidence of any link to the game, the public outcry was so severe that Manhunt 2 (2007) became the first video game to be banned in the UK.

Other moral panics have occurred around the film Childsplay 2 (and the murder of James Bulger in 1993) and the character Slenderman (and the non-fatal stabbing of Peyton Leutner by Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier in 2012 [pronounced ‘guy-ser’ and ‘wire’]).

Name of Case Study Zoella Christmas Calendar When? December 2017 What happened? In 2017, Zoella announced she was releasing a luxury Christmas Calendar in conjunction with high street retailer Boots. The calendar contained just 12 windows and costs £50.

Many of her fans complained about the price of the calendar (though it did contain luxury goods like room spray, a cookie- cutter, a Christmas candle).

They also complained about her ‘nonpology’, which you can view here. In response, Boots reduced the price to £25 on 17th November, but the damage to Zoella’s brand was done (as much by her response which was seen as unapologetic and uncaring). Why is this This case study is a good example of a YouTuber damaging their important? brand (a similar one exists around Logan Paul and wood of suicides, though his apology was more sincere).

Zoella has not posted any content on her main channel since June 23rd 2018; she now only uploads lifestyle videos to More Zoella.

Likely/Practice Questions Number Question with command word and keywords highlighted of Marks 8 Explain how the messages and values of Kim Kardashian: Hollywood might affect young girls. 10 Explain how the representation of Lara Croft is different from the representation of Kim Kardashian in these two products 10 Explain how Zoella and Kim Kardashian: Hollywood are designed to appeal to their target audiences. 12 Explain some of the issues regulating games and online content. 20 Analyse the ways in which visual and narrative codes in all three products (Zoella, Kim Kardashian, Lara Croft) work to construct an image of the star in question. Refer to Media Theory in your answer.

How to Answer a Media Language / Representation Question Follow this basic structure (see the sample answer below for an example of this in practise). PEER: 1. Use a signal sentence that embeds the keywords of the question; 2. Make a Point that answers the question; 3. Refer to an Example from the product (if the example is a scene from moving image, describe the relevant moment using ‘In the moment when…’); 4. Explain how the example proves the point; 5. Return to the key words of the question.

Sample Answer Explain how the messages and values of Kim Kardashian: Hollywood might affect young girls. [8] One of the ways in which KKH might affect young girls is through its message that you have to climb the celebrity ladder to be successful. Early in the game, Kim informs the player that if you “work hard and you’ll go from nobody to being on the fringe of the public’s mind…” The idea that the player is “nobody” is reinforced by the fact that certain cities (like Paris and Milan) are only available when you achieve a certain celebrity status. The effect of leading young girls to believe that if they are not a celebrity then they are “nobody” will certainly lower young girls’ self-esteem, and may seek them to court celebrity by posting pictures and videos of themselves online. This could be potentially harmful and may expose them to exploitation.

Another effect the game might have is to make young girls feel fat or ugly. All of the characters in KKH are thin; almost all of them are impossibly good looking (and – of course – never age). With a recent report that 22% of UK girls are self-harming, a game that pushes unrealistic body types and life goals, and that uses the role model of Kim Kardashian (who is popular with that demographic) to do this, has a very negative effect on young girls. Young girls are particularly at risk of body image issues due to the proliferation of sexualised images of women produced by and for the male gaze. By tying in-game success to looks and celebrity, it sends a very dangerous message to the young girls who will likely play it.

Mark Scheme GCSE Media Mark Schemes are divided into FOUR BANDS. The specifics of the mark scheme changes with the question, but there are some common words used. • Band 4 (Grade 8/9): Excellent; consistent use of “the specifics” throughout. • Band 3 (Grade 6/7): Good; mostly appropriate use of “the specifics.” • Band 2 (Grade 5/4): Satisfactory; occasional appropriate use of “the specifics.” • Band 1 (Grade 3/2/1): Basic; Limited; very little use of “the specifics.”

The definition of Excellent/Good/Satisfactory/Basic is set by the board.

How to Answer an Audience / Industry Question Follow this basic structure (see the sample answer below for an example of this in practise). PEER: 1. Use a signal sentence that embeds the keywords of the question; 2. Make a Point that answers the question; 3. Refer to an Example that directly relates to the CSP, the industry or the audience of the CSP; 4. Explain how the example proves the point; 5. Return to the key words of the question.

Sample Answers Explain some of the issues regulating games and online content. [12]

Games are regulated in the UK by PEGI, who provide both age ratings and enhanced content information for players and parents; one issue is that games released for iPhone are not covered by PEGI. The Apple Store uses its own regulatory system for all Apps (including games), meaning that a game like KKH is being judged on its suitability for audiences alongside Apps like Facebook and Microsoft Word. Where the game has been released on another platform (like PC in the case of Lara Croft: GO or even Android, in the case of KKH), players may still find a PEGI rating that will be useful, but so long as games are released only through the Apple Store, the system of regulation there is both outdated and unsuitable. The issue of regulating the internet is an entirely different prospect.

The biggest issue facing regulating the internet is that the internet is not based in any one country, so national laws in, for example the US may not apply in the UK. One way companies have tried to address this is by issuing their own guidelines. In December 2017, YouTuber Logan Paul was deemed to have breached YouTube’s community guidelines when he uploaded footage of a body he found in Japan’s Wood of Suicides. The video was quickly deleted, but the nature of the internet meant that lots of other people – including his young fans – had already seen the video or one of its re-uploads. Logan Paul was removed from YouTube’s top tier of video sharing and several sponsors (including Coca Cola) pulled their sponsorship from him. Whilst this is a far cry from a regulatory system for the whole internet, it is a useful step in people regulating themselves.

Another issue that affects both social media and gaming is covered by the effects theory. The effects theory states that because a person has seen something, they are more likely to do it. There are many moral panics around this idea, including the recent Slenderman stabbings in 2014 and even the murder of Stefan Pakeerah in 2004, both of which were blamed on video games or online communities. There are many issues with the effects theory and a recent study in 2019 by Oxford University found no link between video game violence and real world violence. However, as long as people jump to knee-jerk reactions, then the issue of regulating (and censoring) what people can do and see online is a big one with no easy answers.