4.1 Media and Collective identity

The chapter starts with identifying with indentities, individual and collective. What an identity is or do we even have a set identity?
The ability for people to change identities when needed such as in a different environment such as school or home with different people like friends or family. How easy it is now days with Internet to make up identities and basically be whoever you want to be. It also explains the different types of collective indentities according to age, gender, religion and sexuality and how some collective identity's are a combination of a few of all them stated above.
Magazines and gender - the purpose of magazines other than recreational is to sell us to the advertisers. Obviously the internet poses a threat to the future of magazines and most of their income comes from advertising space. With magazines, they are usually aimed at specific collective identities, again gender, age and what is required, the purpose of the magazine. An example of this is the magazines nus/zoo and men's health they are both aimed at the same gender of the same age but for different reasons. How these magazines are displayed IE front page has to approach the correct buyer. So that obviously the man who wants health tips won't by Zoo or nuts and the man who wants boobs, arse and nudity won't buy men's health. This apples when you think about it to all ages from children through to old people, Same gender, same age but the requirements for the magazines will change. it is a collective identity made smaller and smaller until it targets the precise identity the magazine is trying to appeal to. It has been said that the specific magazines aimed at specific types of collective identities could relate to some problems in the society. Is there a fine line with magazines i.e gay, political, pornographic where individuals who assume identities would be more likely/capable of taking on stronger views from these particular types of magazines rather than trying to develop their own individual identities.

British Cinema - British films can represent the identities of the whole of Britain. Films that identifiy issues that are going on in England such as Cultural issues or racial issues are represented in certain films. The things that distinguish British cinema to the 'commercial' Hollywood is the directors, styles and the audiences response.
In the British film industry there is that comparsion to films that are made in the US as they share the same language. So the only choise for British film-makers is to make low buudget films and hope that they attract audiences overseas or look for partners in Europe or America and make it their aim to clearly appeal to an 'international audience'.
'The Burden of representation' is a phrase used to describe the way that the history of social realist British films can be a lot of pressure on new producers and film-makers. Seeing as many films now represent how Britain is changing due to immigration so now Britain is seen differently to how it used to be seen and explained.
An example of a film that is represented in many different ways is 'Bend it like Beckham' it represents Muslims in a very traditional way with their daughter wanting to play a very westernised sport, Football wich is also traditionally played by just men. The film identifies certain sterotypes of girls playing football or maybe different religions playing sports that arn't traditionally played by them. It also represents gender and ultimatley what identitiy these characters are choosing to have. The film represents British culture however it could be arugued that it is aimed at the US as football over there is mostly played by females.