Western Living and the Block
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WHAT YOUR MAGAZINE IS TRYING TO TELL YOU: AN ANALYSIS OF LANGUAGE AND DISCOURSE IN WESTERN LIVING AND THE BLOCK Lara Korclic B.A., The University of British Columbia, 2000 PROJECT REPORT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF PUBLISHING In the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Publishing Program O Lara Kordic 2007 SIMON FRhSER UNIVERSITY Summer 2007 All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. APPROVAL Name: Lara Kordic Degree: Master of Publishing Title of Thesis: What Your Magazine Is Trying To Tell You: An Analysis of Language and Discourse in Western Living and The Block Examining Committee: Chair: Dr. John W. Maxwell Senior Supervisor Assistant Professor, Master of Publishing Program Mary Schendlinger Adjunct Professor, Master of Publishing Program Simon Fraser University Senior Editor, Geist Magazine Anicka Quin, Industry Supervisor Managing Editor, Western Living Magazine Jim Tobler, Industry Supervisor Editor, The Block Magazine Date Approved: Declaration of Partial Copyright Licence The author, whose copyright is declared on the title page of this work, has granted to Simon Fraser University the right to lend this thesis, project or extended essay to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. The author has firther granted permission to Simon Fraser University to keep or make a digital copy for use in its circulating collection (currently available to the public at the "lnstitutional Repository" link of the SFU Library website <www.lib.sfu.ca> at: <http://ir.lib.sfu.ca/handle/l892/1 12>) and, without changing the content, to translate the thesidproject or extended essays, if technically possible, to any medium or format for the purpose of preservation of the digital work. The author has further agreed that permission for multiple copying of this work for scholarly purposes may be granted by either the author or the Dean of Graduate Studies. It is understood that copying or publication of this work hr financial gain shall not be allowed without the author's written permission. Permission for public performance, or limited permission for private scholarly use, of any multimedia materials forming part of this work, may have been granted by the author. This information may be found on the separately catalogued multimedia material and in the signed Partial Copyright Licence. While licensing SFU to permit the above uses, the author retains copyright in the thesis, project or extended essays, including the right to change the work for subsequent purposes, including editing and publishing the work in whole or in part, and licensing other parties, as the author may desire. The original Partial Copyright Licence attesting to these terms, and signed by this author, may be found in the original bound copy of this work, retained in the Simon Fraser University Archive. Simon Fraser University Library Burnaby, BC, Canada Revised: Summer 2007 ABSTRACT This project report investigates the language and hscourse of two regonal lifestyle magazines: Western L;mng and The Block. It analyzes how magazine ehtorial reflects and projects certain lifestyles and ideologies through the careful presentation of text and images to appeal to a specific demographic. The two publications are compared through the framework of discourse analysis. Each magazine is viewed in its wider social context, dustrating how it reflects, (re)creates, and shapes the views of its readers. The interplay between editor, reader, and text is discussed at length. The editorial content cited and analyzed comes primarily from the June/July 2006 and August 2006 issues of Western Lzving and Volume 1, Issues 3 and 4 of The Block, which the author of this report worked on as an ehtorial intern in the spring and summer of 2006. Keywords: magazine; editorial; dscourse analysis; Western Lzving; The B/o& DEDICATION To my parents, Ingeborg and Anthony KorQc ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would hke to extend my gratitude to the staff of Wextem Lzlring and The Block, in particular Anicka Quin and Jim Tobler. Thanks also to John Maxwell, Mary Schendhger, and Jim Sutherland. Thank you for your time, suggestions, patience, and knowledge. TABLE OF CONTENTS .. Approval ......................................................................................................................... 11 Dedication................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................ v Table of Contents.......................................................................................................... vi .. List of Figures .............................................................................................................. vn I . Introduction................................................................................................................ 1 I1 . Introduction to Case Studies .................................................................................... 5 Western Living ................................................................................................................................. 7 History ...................................................................................................................................... 7 Mission Statement ....................................................................................................................... 9 Editorial Profile ......................................................................................................................... 10 Reader Profile ............................................................................................................................. 10 Circulation ................................................................................................................................... 11 The Block ....................................................................................................................................... 13 History ...................................................................................................................................... 13 Mission Statement ..................................................................................................................... 15 Editorial Profile .......................................................................................................................... 15 Reader Profile ............................................................................................................................ 16 Circulation ................................................................................................................................... 17 111 . Ideology and Language .How Cultural Ideals and Values Are Reflected in Magazine Editorial ................................................................................................... 18 Discourse Analysis and Magazines .......................................................................................... 18 Interaction Between Author. Text and Reader .......................................................................... 21 Analytical Approach to Case Studies .......................................................................................... 25 Case Studies .............................................................................................................................. 27 Feature Articles - Shelter, Quality of Life, and Profile .................................................... 27 Front of the Book - Reporting on Consumer Goods and Services .................................. 47 Covers - Loolung at Visual Imagery ....................................................................................... 56 IV . Conclusions........................................................................................................... 67 References .................................................................................................................... 73 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 A House For Young Modems (used by permission fiom Western Living magazine) .......................................................................................................................... 30 Figure 2 Young Moderns Floor Plan (used by permission from Western Lzuing magazine) ........................................................................................................................ 30 Figure 3 Back to the Land Title Page(used by permission from Western Living magazine) .................................................................................................................... 31 Figure 4 Back to the Land Images and Floor Plan (used by permission from Western Lzzing magazine) ................................................................................................. 31 Figure 5 Summering In The West Cover (used by permission from W'estern Lzmng magazine) .......................................................................................................................... 57 Figure 6 Green Cover (used by permission from Western Ltuing magazine) ........................