Amy Richardson

Media and Culture

Professor Silverblatt

September 7, 2004

Assignment: Identify the world views reflected in a media presentation.

Media Presentation: Woman’s World, The Woman’s Weekly. August 31, 2004

According to Keys to Interrupting Media Messages by Art Silverblatt, world view is defined as “popular artists constructing complete words out of their imagination. The premise, plot, and characters of fictional narratives are based on certain fundamental assumptions about how this world operates. Even when we watch nonfiction content like the news, we receive overall impressions about worldview. Media presentations establish who and what are important within the worldview program.” With the analysis and examination of a women’s magazine accompanied with the walk through of this paper, the reader will take on a new impression of what the fundamental assumptions entail about woman. Woman’s World, The Woman’s Weekly generates the world view of woman in their middle age, to fit a stereotype that is based on the assumptions of the authors, advertisers, and testimonials.

First, the authors can be blamed for world views based on the stories and articles that are covered. Covering topics such as fashion and beauty, home and family, good health, food and nutrition, and inspirational stories, the reader would assume that being beautiful, family-oriented, healthy and fit, along with always positive and motivating is the way to be. This is what a middle aged woman should be held accountable for, forming the world view based on the cultural ideology of woman living in the American home. The articles include titles that capture and create the message the authors want to portray. Such as, ‘Get the hair you’ve always dreamed of,’ ‘Smarter, Stronger, Healthier, and Happier,’ ‘Mrs. V gave me back my daughter!’ and ‘Start the week with a smile.’ In their defense, the authors of Woman’s World, the Woman’s Weekly based the contents and titles of this magazine on their stereotype of the middle aged woman reader, in order to sell this image back to them in the media presentation. The stereotype is a generalization that woman want to be like this, but need help in achieving this goal. The authors had to use stereotyping in order to decide what to edit and include in this magazine. The illogical premise supports this stereotype, creating and setting up a magazine geared toward showing women how to be the ultimate woman.

Secondly, the advertising and testimonials in this magazine can work off the same assumptions to sell products. Although the authors had to choose what advertisements to use, the advertisements can be held accountable for also creating a world view. Wanting to be this ultimate woman, women believe that the credibility of the media is accurate. V.P of education at Matrix, Paul Smith leads the reader to believe that they can be beautiful by using Matrix and getting salon-perfect hair every day. Though most people have never heard of the matrix education program, this program sounds realistic, and the reader is influenced by this product because it believes this media presentation. When wanting to be the ultimate mother in the family, the reader is influenced and puts her trust in how to make the ultimate dessert that the family will love, cheesecake! The manifest message is that cheesecake is the dessert that everyone in the family will be happy with. The latent message is that if the mother makes this dessert for her family she will be loved and considered the best. This magazine is not persuading her to indulge though, because she must not forget to stay in shape with exercising and dieting. Carb Cutter is a diet pill that will allow her the freedom to eat more carbs, but still loose weight to be fit and healthy. To sum it all up, this ultimate woman is also pressured to be motivating and an inspiration to everyone around her. According to star Maria Shriver, “I’m surrounded by unbelievable strength and courage. Even in very difficult times, there’s always a lot of humor and laughter. I don’t know what I do if I didn’t have this roadmap of my family.” She is a reader of this magazine and she gives women the idea to always be strong and family oriented. This magazine’s advertisements and testimonials support and create the worldview, based on the stereotype of this magazine’s reader.

Finally, After the analysis and examination, the reader of this magazine and paper should be confident that this Woman’s World, The Woman’s Weekly magazine gives insights to the world view opinion of how women should be. The authors, advertisers, and testimonials create the ideal women living in the American family home. Women today are to take on many task which includes being attractive, the number one mother, healthy and in shape, and emotionally strong to pull themselves and family through day by day. This media presentation helps to support the stereotypes of middle age women and create the world view, leaving the impression of how media influences consumers.