Media Analysis Paper

Media Analysis Paper

"DIET, DIET, DIET" is all a person see's when looking at the covers of various magazines. The media saturates the "ideal" image into people's heads and everyone strives to be that person. We as a gender are constantly bombarded by the media to be beautiful. By beautiful, I mean tall, skinny, Caucasian with a healthy glow, heterosexual, upper class, etc. These are not necessarily the characteristics everyone views as beautiful, however it is the "ideal" image within society, portrayed by the media. If women do not possess these characteristics they often will do anything imaginable to achieve this image. The media inundates us on ways to change these attributes, such as diet, work out, plastic surgery, hair coloring, make up, expensive clothes and jewelry, self-tanning lotions, etc. "The Oprah Magazine" provides one with ample information to explore the relationship between gender and the media and creates mixed emotions within the reader.

Knowing that "The Oprah Magazine" is owned, operated, and published by an African-American woman, one might surmise that the majority of models portrayed in the magazine would also be women of color. However, the overwhelming majority of women are Caucasian in all three magazines, implying that Caucasian's are still recognized as the "ideal" race, by all ethnicities. In Oprah's 5th Anniversary Sale magazine, 32 out 47 women being portrayed were Caucasian within the first 75 pages. Even though African-American, Asian, Native American, and numerous other ethnicities are used to sell products, the idea that the majority are Caucasian implies they are better off as human beings.

According to the advertisements and photographs seen in Oprah's magazine, the average day for any women would begin with putting on your Clinique make-up, getting dressed in your Ann Taylor attire, slipping into your Tiffany & Co. jewelry and putting on your Dior watch, adding a spritz of your Ralph Lauren perfume, grabbing your Coach purse, and heading outside to hop into your Lexus. To the average reader, these items appear to be very expensive and are unachievable to their daily lives, however to upper class readers, these items may be viewed as essentials. This is another instance where the media is portraying the "ideal" to society. In this case, the "ideal" is the upper classes that are able to afford almost anything imaginable, allowing them to live happily possessing the most expensive items out there.

When looking at all of Oprah's magazines, it becomes exceptionally obvious that all of the models portrayed are in their twenties. The beauty of these young models is what women are trying to use as guidelines in their forties. Walking down the street, you constantly see older women dressing and doing their hair and make up