Golf Digest, the acclaimed number one golf publication, is a magazine that focuses on the game of golf, strategies, products, and reports information about the Professional Golfers Association (PGA). The demographics for Golf Digest are 85% male with 65% of its readers with an annual income of $75,000 or higher, and 36% with an annual income of $100,000 or higher. The target audience is clear from opening the first page of the magazine.
Golf Digest uses signaling to instruct its audience about what to buy, wear, and drive. This particular issue contained three full page car advertisements; Mercedes, Cadillac, and Lincoln. This issue also has an advertisement for Ralf Lauren, Calvin Klein, Delta Airlines, Cartier, and Patron. All of these items are luxuries that the average middle class American cannot afford. Why advertise these items in a golf magazine?
Golf has always been considered a prestigious sport; the necessary equipment is expensive, many golf courses are private and require an annual membership fee to play. Many business interactions will take place over a game of golf. The truth is that the wealthy are the ones playing golf, and that is whom this magazine is targeting. The consequences of some of this signaling is the average middle class golfer who reads Golf Digest and cannot afford a Cadillac may begin to feel that most golfers can afford all of these luxuries, when that is not always the case.
Two advertisements in Golf Digest were for Cialis and Viagra. This is because 64% of their audience is between the ages of 18-49. Many older men go golfing. Golf is a very common activity for older gentlemen who are retired. The advertisements for these sex enhancement drugs are just another example of targeting a specific demographic. If an older golfer sees this ad he may wonder whether a lot of older men are taking these products, and as a result he may inquire about them for himself.
Although Golf Digest is certainly filled with many informational articles about how to improve your game, what is going on behind the scenes in the PGA, and how to pick the perfect putter, it is also saturated with advertisers who wish to sell their products to a specific group of people. In the case of golf, this demographic is older gentlemen, who make upwards of $75,000 per year.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
CNN, Al Jazeera, & FOX News
I began this assignment with very little knowledge of any events going on in Pakistan, only what I was about to learn from these news stories. I looked to CNN, Al Jazeera, and Fox News to gain an understanding of the charges against the Prime Minister of Pakistan that accuse him of contempt of court. All three news resources reported the facts of the story, but the presentation was quite different.
First, I watched the video that CNN posted. CNN explained that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was indicted for contempt of court because he refused to open up an old corruption case against the current President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari. CNN reported that the Prime Minister drove himself to the courthouse, which expressed that he was just like everyone else, a “normal” person. Gilani was also filmed waving and smiling going into court. CNN reports that he seemingly has no fear of being convicted.
It seemed to me that CNN was expressing that this situation is just another instance of turmoil for Pakistani politics. The comment was made by reporter Reza Sayah that if you look back into Pakistan’s history, you see this type of behavior often. Overall, I came away from the story with the feeling that there is much turmoil going on in Pakistan, and that their government is filled with corruption and lies.
Al Jazeera had an exclusive interview with Gilani which discussed the contempt charges that he faces. I saw consistency to the CNN report in that Gilani was not concerned about being convicted and stands by his position, defending the president.
I thought it was extremely interesting that in the beginning of the interview, they showed images of the poverty-stricken streets of Pakistan and stated that sixty percent of their people are living off less than $2 a day. I also thought it was interesting that they stated that Pakistan has endured “frequent attacks by Americans”, along with image of Pakistan’s “strong” military. This made me feel like I was not watching American news and actually made me feel a little uncomfortable.
The interview with the Gilani goes on to discuss the charges he will face if found guilty, six months in prison and loss of his control as Prime Minister. Gilani does not seem to be worried about being convicted and stands by his position in defending the president.
Fox News did not yet have a video available about the story, but I was able to read a short article. I found it interesting that Fox News used the words “Nuclear-Armed country” to describe Pakistan. That language emphasizes fear as they go on to discuss the fact that the US and Pakistan are not on good terms since a US aircraft killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in early November (perhaps that is the footage I watched in the introduction to the Al Jazeera interview).
The facts of the FOX story seemed to be relatively comparable to that of CNN, also emphasizing the political turmoil of Pakistan. Al Jazeera portrayed Pakistan to be more of a victim than a threat to safety. All the news outlets convey the theme that Gilani has no fear of being convicted for contempt of court, and stands by his position defending President Zardari.
Al Jazeera:
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/talktojazeera/2012/02/2012210135946240237.html
CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2012/02/13/sayah-pakistan-pm-indicted.cnn
FOX:
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/02/10/pakistan-court-rejects-pms-plea-in-contempt-case/
First, I watched the video that CNN posted. CNN explained that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was indicted for contempt of court because he refused to open up an old corruption case against the current President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari. CNN reported that the Prime Minister drove himself to the courthouse, which expressed that he was just like everyone else, a “normal” person. Gilani was also filmed waving and smiling going into court. CNN reports that he seemingly has no fear of being convicted.
It seemed to me that CNN was expressing that this situation is just another instance of turmoil for Pakistani politics. The comment was made by reporter Reza Sayah that if you look back into Pakistan’s history, you see this type of behavior often. Overall, I came away from the story with the feeling that there is much turmoil going on in Pakistan, and that their government is filled with corruption and lies.
Al Jazeera had an exclusive interview with Gilani which discussed the contempt charges that he faces. I saw consistency to the CNN report in that Gilani was not concerned about being convicted and stands by his position, defending the president.
I thought it was extremely interesting that in the beginning of the interview, they showed images of the poverty-stricken streets of Pakistan and stated that sixty percent of their people are living off less than $2 a day. I also thought it was interesting that they stated that Pakistan has endured “frequent attacks by Americans”, along with image of Pakistan’s “strong” military. This made me feel like I was not watching American news and actually made me feel a little uncomfortable.
The interview with the Gilani goes on to discuss the charges he will face if found guilty, six months in prison and loss of his control as Prime Minister. Gilani does not seem to be worried about being convicted and stands by his position in defending the president.
Fox News did not yet have a video available about the story, but I was able to read a short article. I found it interesting that Fox News used the words “Nuclear-Armed country” to describe Pakistan. That language emphasizes fear as they go on to discuss the fact that the US and Pakistan are not on good terms since a US aircraft killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in early November (perhaps that is the footage I watched in the introduction to the Al Jazeera interview).
The facts of the FOX story seemed to be relatively comparable to that of CNN, also emphasizing the political turmoil of Pakistan. Al Jazeera portrayed Pakistan to be more of a victim than a threat to safety. All the news outlets convey the theme that Gilani has no fear of being convicted for contempt of court, and stands by his position defending President Zardari.
Al Jazeera:
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/talktojazeera/2012/02/2012210135946240237.html
CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2012/02/13/sayah-pakistan-pm-indicted.cnn
FOX:
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/02/10/pakistan-court-rejects-pms-plea-in-contempt-case/
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