China 'unblocks' BBC News site
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/mar/25/digitalmedia.chinathemedia
Chinese authorities appear to have stopped blocking the BBC News website, making the English-language version of the site fully accessible throughout the country. The Chinese government has never officially confirmed that it blocked traffic to the site, but for years web users in China have been served an error message when attempting to access the BBC and other western news sites. BBC staff in China have reported for several days that they can access stories on the corporation's news website which would previously have been blocked, including stories on the unrest in Tibet.
However, the Chinese-language site still appears to be blocked. Users are served a page that says "the connection has been reset" when attempting to access pages, giving the appearance of a technical error with the BBC's site
The BBC has said that some Chinese web users flout web blockades with routing tools that hide their location, but for most of China's 210 million citizens with Internet access the site remains inaccessible.
China is coming under increasing scrutiny as it prepares to host the Olympic Games in Beijing this August. The country's web population is about to overtake the US to become the world's largest Internet market.
This article highlights the censorship of Internet sites that are controlled by the government, as Chinese citizens currently not able to access most western news sites, in addition to sites such as Youtube. This is partly because the Chinese government may not want citizens to read news that goes against the current political party's interests or questions their judgements.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
ER clip - season 13 opening http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9G1l8Viw4I
M – Use of green and black, ER - is an abbreviation for emergency room (term is mainly used in the USA) hence in the UK we use A&E. music is parallel and goes with the fast pace environment. Aims to show doctors lives
Uses a more contemporary font
I -NBC is a well established commercial broadcaster and will therefore have a big budget. Also successful
G – medical/hospital drama
R – Shows a busy hospital, doctors and nurses running down the corridor, helping a patient
A – Young adults and over, those who enjoy watching medical dramas or American dramas in general
I – could represent a patriarchal society as the majority of the cast are male, however there are female doctors shown in the opening which could suggest that women can be equally successful. Multicultural – the cast features ethnic minorities.
N – Chronological order
Essay
In this essay I will be analysing two texts from different decades. The first text is the opening credits to ER, which is a long running hospital drama based in America. The second text is the front page of The Radio Times magazine (1978) and is an established magazine published by the BBC.
The magazine cover aims to attract more readers party because of the institution, which is the BBC and their policy is to inform, educate and entertain. Though both institutions are broadcasters, the BBC is not commercial – the price of the magazine is 10p, the cheaper price reflects society and the poverty that may have occurred during this period of time.
Unlike NBC which relies on successful shows such as ER to generate revenue made through advertising.
The typography used for the masthead is a traditional font which highlights that this is a trusted and established magazine. But it could also mean that the magazine could stand for traditional values, hence the cover picture which is of stereotypical white female nurses, who appear to be dressed in a similar way to nuns, as they are showing little flesh (conservative dress sense). This can be seen as a stereotypical representation as there are no males (doctors) featured in the cover picture, but also nurses had a lower status in hospitals – which would suggest society’s attitudes, that women would not be in a higher position than men.
But their facial expressions indicate that they are happy to be doing this job as this can also be recognised as a positive representation because women are not being sexually objectified, but as educated women in work and during the 1970s many women would have been confined to the role of a housewife.
But the opening credits to ER feature a mixed cast, though predominantly male, the audience can assume that the few women being shown are in fact doctors. This shows that in the 21st century society we live in women can be just as successful as men. The font used is contemporary and not as traditional as the BBC magazine, which could suggest that NBC are trying to reach out to new and younger audiences.
Unlike the radio time’s front cover the cast of ER also consists of ethnic minorities, the broadcaster is conveying a multicultural ideology (lack of diversity on the magazine cover) by featuring a black actor and an Asian actress amongst the line up, which again encourages new audiences to watch the show. Whilst characters are introduced, the opening credits also give audiences an insight into the fast pace hospital drama. The fast pace is built up throughout the sequence by using parallel music in which the rhythm would connote a heart beat, also the use of quick edits and the flashing images of x-rays only add to the drama of hospital life.
The ironic captions on the Radio Times cover questions the accuracy of the representation of nurses in the television drama ‘Angels’, as it could imply good nurses that have gone bad and that nurses may not necessarily have clean image and probably do get up to mischief. Therefore both Angels and ER could have been created for the purpose of diversion, where audiences would be able to escape from everyday problems and routines even though what may be shown may not necessarily depict the lives of doctors and nurses living in the UK or America.
Both have elements of soap opera, the issues and debates remain similar to as they were a few decades ago. For example it highlights the difference in the healthcare system, free healthcare in the United Kingdom whereas Americans have to pay for health care and the NHS is considered to be an important institution in British culture.
The feminist movement would have been popular in both America and the UK as women were fighting for equal rights, both texts draw attention to the differences that have been implemented, from stereotypical white nurses to female doctors. But it most importantly highlights the progress women have made over the years.
The caption featured on the cover creates a narrative enigma, which is used as used as a tool to persuade audiences to buy the magazine. One of the binary oppositions that are created is of the nurses being characterised as heroes and the villain would be the illness – as the hero will do everything in their power to prevent the villain from succeeding, in this case killing the patient. In relation to the picture the oppositions created would be actresses vs. real life nurses, as what is portrayed in a drama cannot be directly compared to real life situations.
M – Use of green and black, ER - is an abbreviation for emergency room (term is mainly used in the USA) hence in the UK we use A&E. music is parallel and goes with the fast pace environment. Aims to show doctors lives
Uses a more contemporary font
I -NBC is a well established commercial broadcaster and will therefore have a big budget. Also successful
G – medical/hospital drama
R – Shows a busy hospital, doctors and nurses running down the corridor, helping a patient
A – Young adults and over, those who enjoy watching medical dramas or American dramas in general
I – could represent a patriarchal society as the majority of the cast are male, however there are female doctors shown in the opening which could suggest that women can be equally successful. Multicultural – the cast features ethnic minorities.
N – Chronological order
Essay
In this essay I will be analysing two texts from different decades. The first text is the opening credits to ER, which is a long running hospital drama based in America. The second text is the front page of The Radio Times magazine (1978) and is an established magazine published by the BBC.
The magazine cover aims to attract more readers party because of the institution, which is the BBC and their policy is to inform, educate and entertain. Though both institutions are broadcasters, the BBC is not commercial – the price of the magazine is 10p, the cheaper price reflects society and the poverty that may have occurred during this period of time.
Unlike NBC which relies on successful shows such as ER to generate revenue made through advertising.
The typography used for the masthead is a traditional font which highlights that this is a trusted and established magazine. But it could also mean that the magazine could stand for traditional values, hence the cover picture which is of stereotypical white female nurses, who appear to be dressed in a similar way to nuns, as they are showing little flesh (conservative dress sense). This can be seen as a stereotypical representation as there are no males (doctors) featured in the cover picture, but also nurses had a lower status in hospitals – which would suggest society’s attitudes, that women would not be in a higher position than men.
But their facial expressions indicate that they are happy to be doing this job as this can also be recognised as a positive representation because women are not being sexually objectified, but as educated women in work and during the 1970s many women would have been confined to the role of a housewife.
But the opening credits to ER feature a mixed cast, though predominantly male, the audience can assume that the few women being shown are in fact doctors. This shows that in the 21st century society we live in women can be just as successful as men. The font used is contemporary and not as traditional as the BBC magazine, which could suggest that NBC are trying to reach out to new and younger audiences.
Unlike the radio time’s front cover the cast of ER also consists of ethnic minorities, the broadcaster is conveying a multicultural ideology (lack of diversity on the magazine cover) by featuring a black actor and an Asian actress amongst the line up, which again encourages new audiences to watch the show. Whilst characters are introduced, the opening credits also give audiences an insight into the fast pace hospital drama. The fast pace is built up throughout the sequence by using parallel music in which the rhythm would connote a heart beat, also the use of quick edits and the flashing images of x-rays only add to the drama of hospital life.
The ironic captions on the Radio Times cover questions the accuracy of the representation of nurses in the television drama ‘Angels’, as it could imply good nurses that have gone bad and that nurses may not necessarily have clean image and probably do get up to mischief. Therefore both Angels and ER could have been created for the purpose of diversion, where audiences would be able to escape from everyday problems and routines even though what may be shown may not necessarily depict the lives of doctors and nurses living in the UK or America.
Both have elements of soap opera, the issues and debates remain similar to as they were a few decades ago. For example it highlights the difference in the healthcare system, free healthcare in the United Kingdom whereas Americans have to pay for health care and the NHS is considered to be an important institution in British culture.
The feminist movement would have been popular in both America and the UK as women were fighting for equal rights, both texts draw attention to the differences that have been implemented, from stereotypical white nurses to female doctors. But it most importantly highlights the progress women have made over the years.
The caption featured on the cover creates a narrative enigma, which is used as used as a tool to persuade audiences to buy the magazine. One of the binary oppositions that are created is of the nurses being characterised as heroes and the villain would be the illness – as the hero will do everything in their power to prevent the villain from succeeding, in this case killing the patient. In relation to the picture the oppositions created would be actresses vs. real life nurses, as what is portrayed in a drama cannot be directly compared to real life situations.
Sugar moots junior Apprentice show http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/mar/18/bbc.realitytv
The BBC is in discussions with Sir Alan Sugar about creating a teen version of hit business reality show The Apprentice.
Sugar, speaking at the launch of the fourth series of The Apprentice today, said he wanted to make a programme for young people as they were some of the shows biggest fans. have put the idea forward for a special for teenagers," Sugar added. "I have even gone to the extent of saying you don't need to fire the person. God knows what people would be calling me for firing an 11-year-old child
Format tweaks for the fourth series include the first international challenge for the 16 wannabe entrepreneurs with a buying trip to Morocco.
Four special programmes will also air alongside the main Apprentice series, including a candidate profile show; Why I Fired Them, which will look back on previous candidates who were on the receiving end of Sugar's wrath; The Apprentice: Worst Decisions Ever, featuring candidate cock-ups; and The Apprentice: Motor Mouths, looking back at the best stand-offs
By making a similar programme for teenagers, the show would attract new audiences. But this is also apart of the BBC's policy which is to inform, educate and entertain. This is a new idea as teenagers hoping to be successful in the world of business will have a idea about what it is really like as they would be able to look at different job prospects.
The BBC is in discussions with Sir Alan Sugar about creating a teen version of hit business reality show The Apprentice.
Sugar, speaking at the launch of the fourth series of The Apprentice today, said he wanted to make a programme for young people as they were some of the shows biggest fans. have put the idea forward for a special for teenagers," Sugar added. "I have even gone to the extent of saying you don't need to fire the person. God knows what people would be calling me for firing an 11-year-old child
Format tweaks for the fourth series include the first international challenge for the 16 wannabe entrepreneurs with a buying trip to Morocco.
Four special programmes will also air alongside the main Apprentice series, including a candidate profile show; Why I Fired Them, which will look back on previous candidates who were on the receiving end of Sugar's wrath; The Apprentice: Worst Decisions Ever, featuring candidate cock-ups; and The Apprentice: Motor Mouths, looking back at the best stand-offs
By making a similar programme for teenagers, the show would attract new audiences. But this is also apart of the BBC's policy which is to inform, educate and entertain. This is a new idea as teenagers hoping to be successful in the world of business will have a idea about what it is really like as they would be able to look at different job prospects.
Psycho (1960) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6YLm--bgaI
M – Use of a voiceover, black and white, location (house on top of the hill), and use of low key lighting used to make shadows. Music used can be described as discordant (but also creates suspense) and the final part of the trailer consists of the woman’s screams. Formal clothing – what would have been worn in the 1960s. Mixture of shots, both medium and close ups. Remote setting – motel off the main road, ‘house on top of the hill’
I – Universal, Alfred Hitchcock – auteur known for his directing style
G – slasher – use of the knife which is used to stab the woman
Horror – the atmosphere that is created using different shots
R – Could represent the woman as being vulnerable
A – Older audiences who may enjoy watching Hitchcock films. Also as the genre is slasher/horror, the target audience would be primarily males.
I –Men being dominant – hence the killer is male, the knife being used as a phallic symbol. The voiceover is also male – patriarchal society
N – The narrative is in chronological order. The use of binary oppositions such as good and evil
Halloween (2007) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kww5KSqzV9U
M – Using dark colours, also the use of green creates a spooky atmosphere. Fast cuts and low key lighting (used to create shadows). The voiceover adds to the suspense that is being created as it makes the trailer scarier as the killer is wearing a mask.
I – Rob Zombie
G – Horror/ Slasher – audience can assume the genre by the various conventions used i.e. music, lighting, scary atmosphere that is created etc.
R - Women being presented as vulnerable as she is being attacked – most probably because she has committed a sin i.e. pre martial sex
A – Primarily males who prefer the horror genre more than women.
I – dominant ideology (audience can assume that the killer is male), patriarchal - male voice over.
N – Chronological order?, use of binary oppositions i.e. Natural and supernatural & good and evil.
Both are similar as the killers use a knife. Also the use of a male voiceover, killer can be seen to have a disguises. In Psycho, a wig and gown and in Halloween a mask. Disguises are used to create suspense amongst audiences which only encourages them to go and watch the film.
Essay
The form and function of a trailer is to encourage the audience to go and watch the film. I have analysed two different trailers from the same genre but different decades, the first trailer is Psycho directed by Alfred Hitchcock (1960) and the second trailer is Halloween directed by Rob Zombie (2007).
However producers many produce more than one trailer in order to market the film at different audiences.
The opening to Psycho can be seen an introduction to the narrative as we see both the main characters. Also the use of the voiceover helps to move the story along. However it is a male voiceover which could connote the patriarchal society we live in, as the majority of films tend to have a male voiceover as opposed to a female one. But as the horror and slasher genre is most appealing to males, movies within this genre are less likely to use a female voiceover. We are also shown the setting in Psycho, which is the house on top of the hill - a location which has been used many times in forthcoming slasher and horror films.
In contrast, the opening to Halloween creates the spooky atmosphere which audiences expect when watching a film from this genre, but the trailer also uses text which could place emphasis on events that are about to happen (within the trailer), as the first set of moving images we see are flashbacks, most probably from childhood. Like Psycho we are then shown the setting which appears to be in the suburbs. The common misconception about living in the suburbs is that it may be safer, however this may not necessarily be true as in the media today we still hear about crimes which occur just as much in inner city areas.
Though both films use different locations, nevertheless they still create suspense as Halloween creates the idea that the killer could be your next door neighbour whilst in Psycho the audience is anticipating the consequences at stopping off at a spooky motel.
In both trailers we see the killers use a knife to kill their victims, this can also be interpreted as a phallic symbol which ultimately gives males the power over women (at the same time portraying women as being vulnerable, but also the competition that women currently face in society with men) .As an audience we can assume that the victims may have committed sins which resulted in their murders.
Halloween uses more fast cuts towards the end of the trailer which builds up to a climax where the killer jumps out, this makes the film seem scarier as it is unexpected.
Both films can have a visceral effect on audiences, however I think that Halloween is more visceral partly because of the fast paced cuts that have been used which almost feels like a ‘rollercoaster ride’. Whereas Psycho features less cuts and the trailer is rather slow pace. By this also highlights how much technology has advanced over a few decades, as producers are able to do more special effects which enhance the film in an attempt to gain more audiences.
Also they can also be seen as an intellectual puzzle, as audiences will be trying to piece together the mystery of the attacker and looking for clues as to why he may kill his victims as the pleasure is derived by being surprised by the unexpected. As many new films within this genre do expect audiences to follow the narrative closely, as well as collating information on the psychopath.
A common feature used throughout the trailer is of the women screaming, which would add to the terror of being attacked but also includes the element of horror.
In Psycho, whilst the character is screaming at the prospect of being killed, high pitched music is being played which sounds discordant (strings). Halloween also features female characters screaming but does not use similar music but a softer instrumental is used, but at the same time creates a similar effect to Psycho.
Whilst Psycho relies on the voiceover to create suspense, Halloween used both voiceover and written text to create suspense, “there exists a dark side in everybody” and the audience is then shown the murderer putting on a mask. The idea of a mask is used in many horror or slasher films, for example in Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), the killer’s face is disguised using a mask, this can add to the suspense of the film, by keeping the audience guessing about who is behind the mask.
M – Use of a voiceover, black and white, location (house on top of the hill), and use of low key lighting used to make shadows. Music used can be described as discordant (but also creates suspense) and the final part of the trailer consists of the woman’s screams. Formal clothing – what would have been worn in the 1960s. Mixture of shots, both medium and close ups. Remote setting – motel off the main road, ‘house on top of the hill’
I – Universal, Alfred Hitchcock – auteur known for his directing style
G – slasher – use of the knife which is used to stab the woman
Horror – the atmosphere that is created using different shots
R – Could represent the woman as being vulnerable
A – Older audiences who may enjoy watching Hitchcock films. Also as the genre is slasher/horror, the target audience would be primarily males.
I –Men being dominant – hence the killer is male, the knife being used as a phallic symbol. The voiceover is also male – patriarchal society
N – The narrative is in chronological order. The use of binary oppositions such as good and evil
Halloween (2007) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kww5KSqzV9U
M – Using dark colours, also the use of green creates a spooky atmosphere. Fast cuts and low key lighting (used to create shadows). The voiceover adds to the suspense that is being created as it makes the trailer scarier as the killer is wearing a mask.
I – Rob Zombie
G – Horror/ Slasher – audience can assume the genre by the various conventions used i.e. music, lighting, scary atmosphere that is created etc.
R - Women being presented as vulnerable as she is being attacked – most probably because she has committed a sin i.e. pre martial sex
A – Primarily males who prefer the horror genre more than women.
I – dominant ideology (audience can assume that the killer is male), patriarchal - male voice over.
N – Chronological order?, use of binary oppositions i.e. Natural and supernatural & good and evil.
Both are similar as the killers use a knife. Also the use of a male voiceover, killer can be seen to have a disguises. In Psycho, a wig and gown and in Halloween a mask. Disguises are used to create suspense amongst audiences which only encourages them to go and watch the film.
Essay
The form and function of a trailer is to encourage the audience to go and watch the film. I have analysed two different trailers from the same genre but different decades, the first trailer is Psycho directed by Alfred Hitchcock (1960) and the second trailer is Halloween directed by Rob Zombie (2007).
However producers many produce more than one trailer in order to market the film at different audiences.
The opening to Psycho can be seen an introduction to the narrative as we see both the main characters. Also the use of the voiceover helps to move the story along. However it is a male voiceover which could connote the patriarchal society we live in, as the majority of films tend to have a male voiceover as opposed to a female one. But as the horror and slasher genre is most appealing to males, movies within this genre are less likely to use a female voiceover. We are also shown the setting in Psycho, which is the house on top of the hill - a location which has been used many times in forthcoming slasher and horror films.
In contrast, the opening to Halloween creates the spooky atmosphere which audiences expect when watching a film from this genre, but the trailer also uses text which could place emphasis on events that are about to happen (within the trailer), as the first set of moving images we see are flashbacks, most probably from childhood. Like Psycho we are then shown the setting which appears to be in the suburbs. The common misconception about living in the suburbs is that it may be safer, however this may not necessarily be true as in the media today we still hear about crimes which occur just as much in inner city areas.
Though both films use different locations, nevertheless they still create suspense as Halloween creates the idea that the killer could be your next door neighbour whilst in Psycho the audience is anticipating the consequences at stopping off at a spooky motel.
In both trailers we see the killers use a knife to kill their victims, this can also be interpreted as a phallic symbol which ultimately gives males the power over women (at the same time portraying women as being vulnerable, but also the competition that women currently face in society with men) .As an audience we can assume that the victims may have committed sins which resulted in their murders.
Halloween uses more fast cuts towards the end of the trailer which builds up to a climax where the killer jumps out, this makes the film seem scarier as it is unexpected.
Both films can have a visceral effect on audiences, however I think that Halloween is more visceral partly because of the fast paced cuts that have been used which almost feels like a ‘rollercoaster ride’. Whereas Psycho features less cuts and the trailer is rather slow pace. By this also highlights how much technology has advanced over a few decades, as producers are able to do more special effects which enhance the film in an attempt to gain more audiences.
Also they can also be seen as an intellectual puzzle, as audiences will be trying to piece together the mystery of the attacker and looking for clues as to why he may kill his victims as the pleasure is derived by being surprised by the unexpected. As many new films within this genre do expect audiences to follow the narrative closely, as well as collating information on the psychopath.
A common feature used throughout the trailer is of the women screaming, which would add to the terror of being attacked but also includes the element of horror.
In Psycho, whilst the character is screaming at the prospect of being killed, high pitched music is being played which sounds discordant (strings). Halloween also features female characters screaming but does not use similar music but a softer instrumental is used, but at the same time creates a similar effect to Psycho.
Whilst Psycho relies on the voiceover to create suspense, Halloween used both voiceover and written text to create suspense, “there exists a dark side in everybody” and the audience is then shown the murderer putting on a mask. The idea of a mask is used in many horror or slasher films, for example in Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), the killer’s face is disguised using a mask, this can add to the suspense of the film, by keeping the audience guessing about who is behind the mask.
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