Influencers and celebrity culture: blog tasks

1) Media Magazine reading


Media Magazine 72 has a feature linking YouTube influencers to A Level media theories. Go to our Media Magazine archive, click on MM72 and scroll to page 60 to read the article ‘The theory of everything - using YouTubers to understand media theory’. Answer the following questions:

1) How has YouTube "democratised media creativity"?

  • Clay Shirky suggests that modern audiences are no longer just passive consumers of media content; they can create and participate too.
  • The division between audience and presenter is blurred.
  • The YouTube platform has democratised media creativity, with ordinary users uploading their own content: they are ‘produsers’ (producer-users) and ‘prosumers’ (producer-consumers).

2) How does YouTube and social media culture act as a form of cultural imperialism or 'Americanisation'? 

  • We could argue that YouTube influencers encourage the spread of US cultural references, language and attitudes. This form of globalisation implies a dominance of Western cultural attitudes (cultural hegemony) – ‘the West vs the Rest’.
  •  Most globally popular YouTubers also promote materialism and consumption.
  • Their posts illustrate the commercialisation or commodification of entertainment which, although in some ways more honest and explicitly done than the subtle product placement of the past, still channels audiences into conformist ways of thinking and behaving, encouraging them to buy products and aspire towards material improvement.

3) How do influencers reinforce capitalist ideologies? 

YouTube stars are often sponsored by commercial companies and become endorsers of products. Their posts illustrate the commercialisation or commodification of entertainment which, although in some ways more honest and explicitly done than the subtle product placement of the past.

4) How can YouTube and social media celebrity content be read as postmodern, an example of hyperreality? 

They can be reads as postmodern as Jean Baudrillard called these fake representations of reality ’hyper-reality’. For him, the artificial reality is more real to modern screen-centred audiences than authentic reality but how far do consumers of massively successful vloggers such as Zoella or PewDiePie

5) What are the arguments for and against regulating online content such as YouTube?

The arguments against regulating online content is that Internet-based media is notoriously hard to regulate and control.

6) How can Hesmondhalgh and Curran & Seaton's ideas be linked to online media debates? 

YouTube, and its owner Google, rely on advertising for their substantial earnings and arguably, celebrity vloggers act as a promotional vehicle for advertisers and commercial sponsors. In a phrase: it’s all about clicks.

7) How can Gauntlett's ideas around identity and audience be applied to YouTube and influencer content?

David Gauntlett asserts that online media encourages ordinary users to experiment with other personas, projecting identity as multiple and fluid. There are many and varied YouTubers to choose from, allowing audiences to see different ways of being and different points of view.


8) What is YOUR opinion on celebrity influencers? Are they a positive, democratic addition to the contemporary media landscape or a highly constructed product promoting hegemonic capitalist ideologies?   

I think that its not fair as most celebrity don't use their fame for the prime reason yet they use it to promote and for thier own selfish reasons.

2) How to build a social media brand: case study


1) What are the different ways celebrities manage their social media accounts? Give examples. 

They hire poeple to look after it and control it.

2) Why is 'voice' important in celebrity social media content and what examples are provided? 

voice helps companies stand out from the crowd, the same can be said for the tone and personality of a celebrity on social media.For example Chrissy Teigen,who wrote a twitter post her self,which showed audiences how she is as a person and this helps to increase her social media presence because people like to know how celebrities are similar to them.

3) What different goals may celebrities have for their social media accounts? 

The goals are determined from face to face conversations with their social manager and how they want their account handled. This includes how artists want day-to-day posts and content whereas some prefer the social team to dive in and assist with copy and branding.

4) What types of content can be found from celebrity social media posts? 

The type of content is News, updates and hype posts.

5) How does social media allow influencers to interact with fans? Give examples.  

Through the comment section where people and ausinces can levae opinions and comments. 

3) Guardian article: Social media harming young people


1) What did the YMCA's report suggest about social media content and celebrity culture?  

They found that 62% of 15 to 16-year-olds felt that social media had ramped up expectations over their personal appearance. Photo-shopped images and the sharing of only the most flattering shots shifted young people’s understanding of what a normal body looked like, the charity said.

2) What examples are provided of how this can have a damaging effect on young people? 

“Today’s beauty standard is completely unobtainable, leading us to constantly feel bad about our bodies and looks. This is particularly the case for young people and it can have serious effects on their mental and physical wellbeing.“It’s time to take back control of how we feel about our bodies and celebrate our real self so that everyone can feel confident in their body this summer and beyond.”

3) What is YOUR opinion on this topic? Do you feel social media is dangerous to young people? Should age restrictions be enforced? Explain your answer. 

I feel that social media is a huge distraction of the real worlds and its negativey effecting the younger generation, the way they portray things on the media is a ll fake however make the young generationfeel as if it is, making them feel bad and jelous of certain things.


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