Tuesday 20 October 2009

The Guardian 100

1) The guardian 100 is a list of the most powerful people.
The panelists:
  • Peter Barron: Male; Editor of Newsnight.
  • Peter Bennett-Jones : Male; Founder of Tiger aspect group.
  • Brent Hoberman: Male; Founder of online interior website mydeco.
  • Tessa Jowell: Female; Minister for the Olympics.
  • Siobhan Kenny: Female; Director of communications at publisher Haper Collins UK.
  • Andrew Neil: Male; Publisher of Barclays brothers press Holding Group.
  • Trevor Phillips: male; Is chair of the equality and humas rights commission.
  • Chris Powell: Male; Chairman of Nesta.
  • Janine Gibson: Female; Editor of Guardian.co.uk.
  • Jane Matinson: Female; Editor of Mediaguradan.co.uk

2 & 3)

  • Jane Tranter (10)- Involved in BBC and is controller of fiction.
  • Lesley Douglas (19)- Controls BBC Radio 2 and 6Music.
  • Jana Bennett (21)- BBC director of vision.
  • Helen Boaden (23)- Director of BBC news.
  • Ruth Jones (25)- Actress and writer.
  • Marjorie Scardino (26)- Chief executive of Pearson.
  • Elisabeth Murdoch (27)- Chairman and chief executive of Shine Group.
  • Ashley Highfield (28)- Chief Executive of Project Kangaroo.
  • Rebekah Wade (30)-Editor of The Sun.
  • Julian Bellamy (32)- Channel 4 head of programming.
  • Carolyn McCall (35)- Chief executive of Guardian Media Group.
  • Gail Rebuck (36)- Chairman and chief executive of Random House UK.
  • Sly Bailey (38)- Chief executive of Trinity Mirror.
  • Arianna Huffington (47)- Founder and editor- in-chief of Huffington Post.
  • Dawn Airey (50)- Chair and chief executive elect of channel 5
  • Veronica Wadley (52)- Editor of London Evening Standard.
  • Jane Bruton (56)- Editor of Grazia.
  • Lucian Grainge (64)- Chairman and chief executive, Universal Music Group International.
  • Joanna Sheilds (66)- AOL executive vice-president and president of People's Network.
  • Caroline Michel (73)- Chief executive of PFD.
  • Katie Price (83)- Reality TV star and Author.
  • Eileen Gallagher (97)- Chief executive of Shed Media.
  • Emily Bell (98)- Director of Digital Content, Guardian News & Media.
4)Percentage: 23%

5) The balance of power in this list is favoured to men. This is because there is just about one woman in the top 10 followed by another just in the top 20. Overall 77 of the 100 are men, therefore there is a considerable difference. The reason may be because 6 of the 10 panelists are men so they may choose more men in the top 100 as the 6 men may identify with thier acheievemtns better.

Thursday 8 October 2009

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

The text chosen to compare 'Flightplan' to is 'Mr and Mrs. Smith'. Both texts consist of post-feminism, however this is constructed differently. This is because the representation of Jodie Foster is different to that of Angelina Jolie. Both representations have a different effect on social, historical, economical and political context. In addition the audience identify with both characters differently and mise en scene may be more significant in the representation of one character than the other.

Both texts will be seen as having a post- feminist represenation. This is because they both associate the main female characters with attributes you may refer to with a male protagonist. Such as Jodie Foster is presented as a determined character and Angelina Jolie is presented as tough. Both characters are represented to show independence. This may connote women no longer are self reliant on men.

Similar to both texts is the occupation given to both characters. Jodie Foster is proplusion engineer, while Angelina Jolie is an assasin. Both jobs require physicalty, this goes to the point that women are capable of achieving what they want. Therefore arguing there is no 'glass ceiling'.

Nevertheless there are clear differences between how the film chooses to utilize post-feminist views. In 'Flightplan', the costumes worn by Jodie Foster are simple. They go against the hegemony of representing women as the male gaze. Although in 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith' this ideology of the male gaze is present. However, unlike 'Flightplan', 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith' use props as a factor to represent post-feminism. This is instigated through weapons such as guns.

It could be argued that 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith' doesn't represent post-feminism. This is because it may be connoting equality as the leading characters are both male and female. While 'Flightplan' is focusing purely on Jodie Foster.