OSP: Influencers and celebrity culture

 OSP: Influencers and celebrity culture

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"?

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

3) How do influencers reinforce capitalist ideologies? 

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

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

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

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

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?   

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

Read this excellent case study on how to build a celebrity social media brand and answer the following questions: 

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

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

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

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

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

3) Guardian article: Social media harming young people

Finally, read this Guardian article reporting that social media and celebrity culture is harming young people. Answer the following questions:

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

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

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. 

A/A* extension tasks

Read this excellent, academic article on the history of celebrity culture recommended by exam board AQA. Has digital culture changed the nature of celebrity or have things always been like this?  

Read this Forbes article on how covid and TikTok have changed the influencer market in the last couple of years. What does this tell us about society and media culture - are we becoming more creative and independent or is this just another way to sell more products to more people?