Introduction to Videogames

 1) What were the first video games like?

mainly in black and white relating to research or simple games not very advanced they were created by scientists or large mainframe computers.

2) How have video games changed over time?

they have turned more into tv and there are varieties like apps or home consoles that you can play on as the rise of digital distriution 

3) What do the most successful games have in common? Answer this in as much detail as you can. Think about audience pleasures - what do people like about playing video games?

they are very much in depth and high level for the audience to play and to be more engaged with so that they dont get bored quickly with the game. they have high quality so that the games dont lag while being played.

4) What criticisms have been made towards video games?

some of the games have over sexualised the femalecharacters in order to fit the male gaze many people are angry at this and the games also dont represent any other ethnicity or race expect white.

1) At the time of the article, how many Fortnite players were there worldwide? (Bonus question - how many are there now? Try Googling it.)

200 million


2) Why is it so popular? What are the audience pleasures of the game?

its free which makes it easily accessible for anyone no matter their class situation. It offers virtual socialisation giving people who perhaps cant leave home as often the opportunity to meet new people.


3) Why might some people criticise Fortnite?

affects mental health, toxic communities in public chats.


4) Copy and paste two comments from 'below the line' of the Guardian article - these are comments written by Guardian readers in response to the feature. Select one comment you agree with and one you disagree with and explain why.

It is addictive and kids can end up spending quite a lot on those Vbucks.

i agreee however parents shouldny link video games to credit cards

Shoomer

7 Mar 2018 14.58

26

Computer games represent everything wrong with society. Kids should be outside drinking White Lightning and smashing up bus shelters, not sat on their arses fiddling with Xstations and PC boxes.

Videogames: Lara Croft Go

 Language

1) When did Lara Croft first appear in a videogame?

1996

2) What classic films influenced the creation of Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider games?

Indiana Jones

3) How has Lara Croft and Tomb Raider moved beyond just being a videogame?

she was the first female lead character in a video game.

4) What devices can you play Lara Croft Go on?

mobile phone and now play station

5) What type of game is Lara Croft Go?

action video game.

6) How does Lara Croft Go use narrative (storyline) to make the game enjoyable for the audience?

storytelling, environmental exploration and puzzles

7) What iconography can be found in Lara Croft Go? How does this help communicate the genre of the game? Think about mise-en-scene and setting here.

snakes and her adventurer outfit.

8) What other characters or enemies feature in the game?

snakes, lizards and spiders.

9) What is the setting for Lara Croft Go? How does this compare to previous Lara Croft or Tomb Raider games?

ancient amazon civilisation and tomb raiders was an island.

10) Read this BBC article on the history of Lara Croft and Tomb Raider. How has the character of Lara Croft evolved over the last 25 years?

20 years on, Tomb Raider has evolved and the Lara Croft character is noticeably less sexualised- the hot pants have gone and her breasts have shrunk.

Representations

1) How are women usually represented in video games?

overly sexualised characters who need saving 

2) How does the character of Lara Croft reinforce female stereotypes in the media?

she was made for the male gaze 

3) How does the character of Lara Croft subvert female stereotypes in the media?

she is a strong action hero

4) Why do some people believe the video games industry is sexist and needs to change?

because game makers often make female characters overly sexualised with emphasised bodies and less clothing rather than making them look as if theyre actually playing the role of for example an adventurer. 

5) Do you think Lara Croft is an empowering feminist icon or just another objectified woman designed to appeal to male gamers?

i think she is just another objectified woman made to appeal to men and the male gaze because she is still wearing minimal clothing like shorts in a forest.

Industries

1) What does PEGI stand for?

 Pan European Game Information

2) What is PEGI's job?

to self regulate games

3) Which company created Lara Croft Go?

square enix montreal

4) What two popular videogame franchises were combined to create Lara Croft Go?

tomb raider and hitman go

5) What else is part of the Lara Croft/Tomb Raider franchise?

indiana jones

Audience

1) Why might an audience enjoy playing Lara Croft Go?

it offers diversion and entertainment 

2) Where and when might an audience play a game like Lara Croft Go? Think about the device it is played on and the times of the day someone might want to play the game.

someone would play the game probably in the evening after school on the phone or PS

3) How did Square Enix design Lara Croft to make it appealing to an audience?

practical clothing and indepth backgrounds

4) Which of Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory might apply to Lara Croft Go?

entertainment and diversion

5) Who is the target audience for Lara Croft Go? How does brand loyalty contribute to this target audience?

men 

The Times Case Study - Audience and Industries

 Audience

1) What are the main audience demographics for The Times newspaper? Add as much detail as you can.

 audience aged 55+, ABC1 social classes, Succeeder psychographic group

2) What aspects of the front page of the Times CSP edition suggest that their readers are likely to be more educated and interested in hard news rather than entertainment?

there are big chunks of writing and less photos

3) Times readers are mostly over 55 years old. Why is this and how is this reflected or challenged by the design and news stories in the CSP pages we have studied?  


because older people are comfortable with physical media. the age demographic is represented by the lack of photos and informal language on the front page.

4) What are the main audience pleasures offered by the Times? Use Blumler & Katz Uses and Gratifications theory.

Surveillance/Information The Times focuses on hard news that we expect from a broadsheet newspaper - politics, economics, world news etc.

5) Why might a reader enjoy this CSP edition of the Times? Use Blumler & Katz Uses and Gratifications theory categories and write as detailed an analysis as you can.

post offices are a big part of british culture which links to personal identity

Industries

1) Who owns the Times? Write the name of the company AND the billionaire who owns the company.

Rupert Murdoch, news corp

2) What was the The Times's circulation in 2019? How many papers did the Times used to sell back in the 1990s? You can find all of these statistics in the blogpost above.

376,000, down 12% in a year in 1990: 800,000

3) How has the Times reacted to the decline in print sales and the growth of the internet? Watch the two videos above for more on this.

Created a social media strategy in collaboration with the digital team to drive growth of their social media profiles

4) What does IPSO stand for and what is IPSO's job?

Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). regulatory body for British printed newspapers and magazines. 

5) Why do some people want stronger regulation of British newspapers? Look at the information above on newspaper regulation to find out more on this.

Some people argue that the newspaper industry cannot be trusted to regulate itself using IPSO and that stronger, statutory regulation should be introduced instead. This would also implement the recommendations of the Leveson Inquiry which followed the phone-hacking scandal.

The Times - Language and Representations

 Language

1) What is the main story on the front cover of the Times CSP edition and why does it appeal to Times readers?

The main story on the front cover of the times csp is a story about the post office scandal. this appeals to times readers because its about a certain level of politics

2) How is the presentation of this story different to how the Daily Mirror presents it? 

 they present it as a scandal rather than political news.

3) How is the Times front page designed to reflect broadsheet newspaper conventions?

detailed long form articles, multi-column layouts. double the price because theres more printing.

4) How can you tell the inside pages of the Times are a broadsheet newspaper? 

its a double page spread 

5) What does a close analysis of the news stories in the Times CSP edition suggest about the Times's political beliefs?

they support the conservative party which is made clear because they give venelles a voice.

Representations

1) How does the Times represent the Post Office workers and Fujitsu in the CSP pages?

post office workers are victims but the fujitsu company as the bad people

2) What representation of the Conservative Party can be found in the CSP pages of the Times?

they promote the conservative MPs as heroes 

3) Consider the subheading about Vennells "Vennells faces call..." - How does this newspaper present her involvement in this story? 

she is a controversial figure who had taken 2.2 million from innocent civilians. 

4) What representation of Fujitsu can be found in the CSP pages of the Times? What does The Times journalist think of Fujitsu and Horizon's role in this scandal? 

they blame the IT workers rather than the actual Fujitsu organisation because they are a conservative company s theyre covering it up and defending thhem.

5) What opinion would Times readers be likely to have about Vennells, the Post Office workers and Fujitsu from reading these pages?

that they are the reason so many people lost their jobs and why post offices were shut down.

Newspapers: The Times - Introduction

 1) What year was The Times founded and when did it start using the Times name?

1785 they got renamed in 1788

2) What content did John Walter suggest the paper would offer in the first edition?

 politics, foreign affairs, matters of trade, legal trials, advertisements and amusements

3) What does the page say about the political views in The Times? 

they must cover every story with fair argument  The Times has supported both New Labour and the Conservatives in recent times and supported Remain in the 2016 EU referendum.

4) Who owns The Times today and how is editorial integrity protected?

owned by Rupert Murdoch, they check news and dismiss anything false as fake news and they have new unbiased editors.

5) What did The Times introduce in 2010 and why?

digital subscription to ensure sustainable future for journalism.

6) What was The Times named in 2018 by the Reuters Institute for Journalism at Oxford University?

The Times was named Britain’s most trusted national newspaper by the Reuters Institute for Journalism at the University of Oxford.

7) What does the section on Editorial Standards say about The Times and newspaper regulation?

they have independent press standards

8) What does the section on Ownership say about The Times and who is the current editor? 

 tony Gallagher 

Newspapers: Daily Mirror - Audience and Industries

 Audience

1) What is the Daily Mirror's audience? List the key statistics here.

The Daily Mirror audience is older with almost half the audience aged 65+. In terms of social class, most are in the C1, C2 DE social classes. They are likely to be in the Struggler, Resigned or Mainstream psychographic groups. 

2) Why do the Mirror stories on the CSP pages appeal to the Daily Mirror audience?

they provide entertainment for audiences and appeal to most people because of their informal writing.

3) Why might a reader enjoy the Daily Mirror? Use Blumler & Katz Uses and Gratifications theory to add detail to your answer.

they offer surveillance and entertainment allowing people to read about good or bad stories without experiencing it themselves

4) Why are print newspapers generally read by older audiences?

because they're used to it and might not use devices as often as the younger generations

5) How are the CSP pages constructed to appeal to Daily Mirror readers? Think about text and selection of images.

big images and mastheads and slogans.

Industries

1) What company owns the Daily Mirror and why are they struggling? 

reach plc

not many people buy physical newspapers so they're losing money.

2) Who was the Daily Mirror editor between 2018 and 2024 and what was the Partygate scandal that the Daily Mirror exposed?  

Alison Phillips exposed Boris Johnson for going to a party during covid.

3) What is the Daily Mirror's circulation? How many papers did the Daily Mirror used to sell back in the 1990s?

5 million to 200,000

4) How has the Daily Mirror reacted to the decline in print sales and the growth of the internet?

they made an app to widen their audience.

5) List five of Galtung & Ruge's News Values and explain how they link to the stories in our CSP edition of the Daily Mirror.

• Surprise: Is it a rare or unexpected event?
• Continuity: Has this story already been defined as news?
• Elite nations and people: Which country has the event happened in? Does the story concern well-known people?
• Negativity: Is it bad news? Bad news tends to get more focus as it’s more sensational/ attention grabbing. 
• Balance: The story may be selected to balance other news, such as a human survival story to balance a number of stories concerning death

Daily mirror language and representation

 Language

1) Write the definition of the following key language for newspaper front pages (you may want to add an example for each from our Daily Mirror CSP):

Masthead: title

Pug: something to catch the readers eye

Splash Head: the lead story

Slogan: sums up ethos of newspaper

Dateline: date newspaper was published

Byline: name of journalist/ writer

Standfirst: intro para usually in bold

2) What is the main story on the CSP edition of the Daily Mirror (see above)? Make sure you learn the headline and what the story is about.

its about the post office fujitsu scandal 

3) What is the 'pug' or smaller celebrity story on the front cover? Why might it appeal to Daily Mirror readers?

the CEO of post office

4) Why is the choice of news stories, content and page design on the Mirror CSP front page typical of a tabloid newspaper?

it is informal and uses multiple images

5) What is the balance on the Daily Mirror front page between images, headlines and text?

they favoured images to make sure it still has a gossip undertone

Representations

1) What political party does the Daily Mirror support? Is there any evidence to support this in the CSP pages we have studied?

left wing, labour party. thyey refer to conservatives as tories

2) How does the Daily Mirror represent the Post Office in the CSP pages? Why do you think they present them in this way?

they represent the post office owners as the victims because it highlights how their lives were ruined by a big co-orperation

3) How is Fujitsu represented in the Daily Mirror CSP pages? Look particularly at the use of images on the front cover and the section on Fujitsu on the inside page. Give detailed answers with evidence from the CSP pages.

it is represented as the "bad guy" since they ruined many post office owners lives

4) How are the Conservative Party represented in the Daily Mirror? Again, provide evidence from the CSP pages to support your answers.

the conservative party are represented as unreliable as they keep paying off big co-operations