IN WHAT WAYS IS FASHION POSITIONED IN MAINSTREAM JOURNALISM AND HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO ISSUES OF GE

Abstract

This research report aims to explore the relationship between journalism and fashion in the digital age. The report will create a deeper analysis upon this matter, taking into consideration gender stereotypes and democracy. For relevant results, the case study will be Daily Mail Online, as it is a very popular British newspaper with high standards of professionalism. Semiotic Analysis and interviews will be carried on in order to create a wider understanding. The issue will be developed through literature review as well, adding an analytical angle to the landscape. By rethinking the boundaries and obstacles in a healthy relationship between journalism and fashion, this report delivers a subject for Daily Mail Online readers’ interest. The findings can be explored in further researches for a more complex level of agreement in the journalistic interrelations. There is no subjective content, as the outcomes have democratic essence.

Key words: Journalism, Fashion, Gender Stereotype, Daily Mail Online

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Introduction

Fashion and Journalism are two powerful industries, probably the most influential ones in the contemporary market. Theoretically, these fields are bounded by similar work objects. However, when such powerful domains have to interact and interconnect with each other the competition is pushed forward. It could be mentioned the fact that Fashion needs the journalism in order to survive. On the other side, the written media has a massive influence upon society, consequently it is a tool for Fashion industry to promote itself. Furthermore, the journalism can be characterized by metamorphosing it into the canal between Fashion and its targeted audience. Through the medium of the media coverage journalism beneficial from, Fashion is under the obligation of maintaining this connection alive. It is very difficult to preserve an honest connection between these industries as fashion is considered as having a superficial content while, at the opposite pole, journalism is seen as a professional and respectable industry with deliberated outputs. These industries struggle to create a convenient network especially when stereotypes about gender are components of both markets.

Therefore, this report will look into the ways fashion is represented in the contemporary media, especially in the digital age of journalism, and the limits will be expanded to the gender stereotypes. For a specific outcome, the research will be carried on by analyzing Daily Mail Online content regarding to these premises. ‘Fashion has everything; industry, beauty, history, characters, money, drama, intrigue.’ (Bradford, 2015, p. xii) After all, taking all these aspects into consideration, why fashion is an evasive subject for journalism?

Literature Review

The research carried upon these subjects briefly reflects in the literature in comparison with politics or economics, although it should be highlighted the fact that there is a significant increase in fashion articles in the last years, as a consequence of the public request. Moreover, magazines specialized on fashion content are gaining more publicity due to the audience’s requests for high quality articles upon this matter. Therefore, this evolution is beneficial for both sides: the target audience and also the business market as well. ‘Retailers have latched onto the Internet to become fashion publishers in their own right. Where Net-a-Porter led, with its blend of e-commerce and magazine content, many others have followed, providing a host of new opportunities for both established and aspiring fashion journalists.’ (Bradford, 2015, p. 1) According to Julie Bradford, despite the clear growth of fashion in journalism, it still remains a gap between them. ‘There are no textbooks about fashion journalism; unlike, say, war report- in or sports journalism; and studies of women in journalism have all but ignored the fashion media, staffed and run largely by women.’ This gap could be justified by the feedbacks from the sceptical audience that journalists who approach this topic receive However, the plausible reason for the skeptical attitude audience have, would be the presence of Public Relations, a very powerful and influential factor which gains more and more coverage in media. Therefore, the audience has the right to be cynical towards this issue as the implication of PR in journalism is a controversial subject, even though it might be considered overly debated in literature by scholars. ‘It has always seemed to me that fashion journalists got a bad press, both from colleagues in other parts of the industry and from the academics who write about them. They have been accused of being PR poodles (see Andrew Marr’s book My Trade), of being shallow and trivial, of promoting consumption, and of letting women down by focusing on appearance rather than political or social issues.’ (Bradford, 2015, p. xii) Thus, the impact this mentality has on the journalistic articles is massive even though professional journalists should think and act beyond the stereotypes. Going even further, the stereotype of gender has been explored by many academics, still there are various hypothesis and conclusions regarding this subject.

In terms of audience’s request there could be depicted a decrease of intellectual content in the last years: rumors, gossips and scandals being top news in most of the respectable newspapers in U.K. Fashion is characterised as a form of art, so the lack of articles about this subject can be justified by this trend. Mills (1953, p. 150) considers that ‘If the intellectual becomes the hired man of an information industry, his general aims must, of course, be set by the decisions of others [the readers] rather than his own integrity’. The issue become a national concern by the time that this trend gains weight and people starts limiting their expectations from professional journalism.

Technological development is an important factor to be taken into consideration as Daily Mail Online has to adapt its content to the contemporary era of digitalization products, in terms of gathering the information and delivering it in a proper time. As the pressure is bigger than ever, journalists have to deal with more and more tasks in a shorter period of time. Moreover, the online platforms offers a lot of advantages as there is an infinite space of work and creation. Bradshaw and Rohumaa (2011) developed the idea that a professional journalist has to maintain the same quality and standards of its production no matter wether the aim is to produce an online article or a traditional journalistic content.

Gathering all the factors together: audience request, Public Relations influence, technological impact, gender stereotypes, and fashion representation, this research report gains a complex form of debate and the outputs would be even more relevant.

Methodology

I strongly believe that for a clear output, audience has the most powerful and relevant word to say in this context. Therefore, I decided to undertake interviews and semiotic analyse of the website page as methodologies techniques to apply for this case study. I do believe that the lack of fashion subjects in journalism is highly related to the audience requests and feedbacks of the audience, so I suggest to analyse the issue by starting from its roots. Following this premises, as far as I am concerned, I do consider that these methodologies would be the most appropriate ones, as the results analyses both sides of this issue: the audience of online newspapers and the way the content is delivered to the readers, having Daily Mail Online as the case study.

‘Developed long before and outside media studies, semiology is particularly useful for us in studying the process of media communication’ (Long & Wall, 2012, p. 50). To create an understating upon the gender stereotype, it is important to analyses the signs that have an intellectual connection with one of the genders. Due to the analysis of the website design through this methodology, it should be drawn a conclusion that clarifies this issue. In order to have accurate results, the research report will be focused on every element of the semiotic analysis, taking into consideration each side of the visual elements depicted on the Daily Mail Online website’s section dedicated to fashion.

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‘Psychologically, setting aside its expression in words, our thought is simply a vague, shapeless mass. Philosophers and linguists have always agreed

that are it not for sign, we should be incapable of differentiating any two ideas in a clear and constant way’

-Sausssure, 1893

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The interviews carried on the research question that aims to generate data from the Daily Mail Online audience, as the readers are the only ones that indirectly create the content. I strongly believe that the audience is the most essential factor when it comes to both fashion and journalism. Therefore, the interviews meant to bring forward the public’s response to the main issue raised in the research question. To have relevant results, I have interviewed 12 readers, both men and women, from different social classes with different levels of education. I decided to involve both genders for my interview to get closer to the neutral point in terms of individual implication in this issue ‘Value neutrality is impossible as no researcher practices research outside his or her system of values’ (Walliman, 2001, p. 97) The age range was 18 - 30 years old by cause of the fact that Daily Mail Online has various topics destined to younger audience.

Analysis

During the analysis, as far as I am concerned, the issue raised in the research question has derived into a deeper understanding and concern of the subject. From the beginning, I have noticed that the Daily Mail Online website conspicuously do not emphasize the fashion industry. There are 13 headlines and each one has approximately 9 subheads. Due to my estimation there are 124 categories of news and only two of them are containing fashion content, consequently, this subject has a coverage of 1,61% on Daily Mail website, whereas sport or gossip has a coverage up to 10%. Along with this estimation, many articles from fashion category actually have a content which fits more to the celebrities’ private lives, not to the domain they are tagged in. Due to these conclusions, there is raised another equitable and impartial question: ‘Are gossips more important and meaningful topics for public than fashion ones?’ Even if Daily Mail has more informal content than newspapers such as The Guardian for example, the subjects approached by it should have an equal coverage or at least a closer percentage of news as Julie Bradford said ‘Fashion may ostensibly be about product, but fashion journalism is based on telling stories just like any other kind of journalism.’ (2015, p 104) This might be the reason why some people could ask if fashion is just a tool for this newspaper to fill the empty pages or sections. However, the response depends on the personal subjectivity and point of view upon this issue.

Going even further by applying the semiotic analyse, the gender stereotype is accentuated from the first view of the website page. Fashion is part of the ‘Female’ website section, so the website clearly restrict the men interests in accessing information about this subject. Moreover, supposing that men interested in fashion move on this boundary and they access the fashion section, they will find a pink page with an obvious feminine design. Whereas news section has a formal design in blue, the page dedicated to fashion has a lot of bright pink elements. The pink colour is associate with the feminine part, so men are discredited from the beginningi. As pink is seen a colour for women, blue is associate with the men side and at the time that fashion is considered a superficial domain, and news about politics alongside economics, a very respectable practice. Could it be said that Daily Mail Online creates an intellectual boundary between genders? Even if the stereotype that stands the idea of ‘fashion is only for women’ has been successfully passed in the last years, magazines and websites continuously developing the masculine side of this industry, Daily Mail Online struggles in finding the right balance regarding this concern. Moreover, the lack of interests in fashion can be noticed from the variety

of articles in this particular website. There are only four main types of articles developed in the page: Today’s hottest fashion finds, Style news, More fashion finds and Trending now. The lack of complexity can be analysed in comparison to other sections, such as U.S. Moreover, Daily Mail Online does not seem to have a specific target audience, as there could be found products priced from £19 up to £3000, so there is no social class identified, fact that have a clear impact for the readers.

Analysing the semiotic parts of the website, the need of the public’s voice is vital for drawing an objectively conclusion. The interviews carried upon the issues raised in the research question, implied 12 participants with an age range fluctuating from 18 to 30 years old. Having fresh mentalities and wider knowledge about the subject, the participants got deeply involved in the survey which consists in a set of 10 interactive and specific questionsii. The interviews outcomes were very useful in creating a general view upon the research question as the results might have contradicted the semiotic analyse.

The survey data proves the premises of this research report, as 67%iii of interview participants feel the necessity of more articles about fashion in mainstream newspapers, even though 83%iv of them are Daily Mail Online readers. However, 58%v of the audience admitted that fashion does not need more promotion, being already one of the most popular industry on the market. Nonetheless, there were two unanimous responsesvi. All the participants agreed that fashion journalism should be dedicated to both genders, excluding any stereotype and limitations, its content being a universal form of self-freedom. Moreover, every Daily Mail Online reader admitted that there is a significant lack in the fashion articles regarding the newspaper website and therefore, they are expected a development in terms of this matter, as Daily Mail is a very respectable and popular website and publication in United Kingdom. Their expectations are higher than ever as fashion gain more popularity and it actually become a subject of academic studies. Even those not interested in trends sustained that fashion journalism could go beyond the stereotypes by creating a professional content for a wide interest regarding the fashion business. Ioana Dobrin, 20 years old is studying Business and Fashion Promotion at Birmingham City University and she admit that she would not expected such a complex and challenging educational material that support the industry of fashion and therefore, she consider fashion as being a very useful educational subject: ‘For me fashion is part of my life. I am constantly learning about this amazing subjects, so my desire of receiving more fashion journalism is justified by educational purposes.’

Moving forward, there are opposite opinions as well. Some of the participants feel that there is the right quantity of fashion articles in newspapers as Alexandru Marangoci, 21 years old, explained: ‘Fashion is not a domain that fits everybody. There are few people really interested in this industry, whereas there is an universal interest for news about politics and economies because these directly influence our lives. I do consider that there is the right quantity of fashion articles in the nowadays media and the balance should never be changed. The only problem that I think it should be considered for further developments is the gender stereotype that might live aside fashion market.’

Due to the fact that fashion is developed differently depending on the national culture patterns, for this research report I chose different nationalities in order to notice the impact of British fashion journalism for different personalities. Thus, as fashion is more explored in United Kingdom, the natives consider that this industry should have a wider coverage in the Daily Mail Online content. The percentages clearly indicate a universal concern in terms of gender stereotypes.

Conclusion

To theory up, the results of the research are very relevant as they are showing opposite points of view, but, at the same time, all the outcomes have a common point. The findings conclude that fashion journalism should be more approached and the lack of academic literature upon this subject proves the findings. The research question also revealed the issue of stereotype in fashion journalism as well as the big amount of other topics which clearly surpass the ones dedicated to this matter.

Even if fashion is considered by a lot of skeptical people as being a superficial practice, the scholars proved that fashion is a form of art: fashion is inspired by people, and people can take

fashion as an inspirational source. The survey carried for this research report shows the Daily Mail Online readers request for a more serious approach upon fashion from professional journalists. On the other hand, there is a significant improvement in generating space for fashion in media market, the improvement could also be seen in the cinematographic industry, films such as September Issue and Devil wears Prada being a real box-office success. The films mentioned above actually described the relation between journalism and fashion and the struggles they have to pass. At the same time, they are showing that the outputs of this connection have a lot of beneficial sides from financial matter to the point where the public interest and culture is fulfilled. After all ‘we know that newspapers are businesses’ (Richardson, 2007, p. 77)

However, the issue of gender stereotyping is challenging a lot of publications, not only Daily Mail Online. From the beginning, fashion was acknowledge as an industry dedicated to women, fact that anchor the stereotypes. This goes even further when fashion meets journalism, as press preserves these premises, creating an intellectual boundary between genders regarding this subject. There is no doubt that during the years there was formed a barrier between women and men regarding this field, fact that raise the concern of professionalism level in journalism, especially in the digital age.

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Reference:

Bradford, J. (2014). Fashion journalism. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, Taylor and Francis. (pp. xii - 104)

Bradshaw, P. and Rohumaa, L. (2011). The online journalism handbook. Harlow: Longman. (p. 36)

Long, P. and Wall, T. (2012). Media studies. Harlow, England: Pearson. (p. 50) Mail Online, (2014). Fashion Finder | Daily Mail Online. [Online] Available at:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/fashionfinder/index.html [Accessed 2 Dec. 2014].

Richardson, J. (2007). Analysing newspapers. Basingstoke [England]: Palgrave Macmillan. (pp. 70-78)

Walliman, N. and Baiche, B. (2001). Your research project. London: Sage Publications. (p. 87)

Bibliography:

Atton, C. & Hamilton, J. (2008). Alternative Journalism, London: Sage

Calcutt, A & Hammond, P (2011) Journalism studies: a critical introduction. London: Routledge

Bradford, J. (2014). Fashion journalism. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, Taylor and Francis.

Bradshaw, P. and Rohumaa, L. (2011). The online journalism handbook. Harlow: Longman.

Ettema, J. and Whitney, D. (1994). Audiencemaking. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications.

Long, P. and Wall, T. (2012). Media studies. Harlow, England: Pearson. Mail Online, (2014). Fashion Finder | Daily Mail Online. [online] Available at:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/fashionfinder/index.html [Accessed 2 Dec. 2014].

Richardson, J. (2007). Analysing newspapers. Basingstoke [England]: Palgrave Macmillan.

Walliman, N. and Baiche, B. (2001). Your research project. London: Sage Publications.

Appendix:

i

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Interview questions:

1. Do you feel that fashion is part of your life? How important is this industry for you and how much it influences your lifestyle?

2. How often do you read fashion magazines?

3. Have you ever thought that fashion is not promoted enough?

4. Do you feel the necessity of more articles about fashion in ‘mainstream’ newspapers?

5. Are you a Daily Mail Online reader?

6. How often do you access the Daily Mail Online website?

7. What articles do you usually read?

8. What do you think about the fashion website subhead? Do you think it needs any improvement?

9. Do you think that fashion is dedicated only to women?

10. Do you think that the Daily Mail Online fashion content fits to both genders?

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