To what extent should magazines be held responsible for the social ramifications of the representations they offer?

Magazines such as "MORE", "BLISS" and "GLAMOUR" should be held responsible for what they put across to teenagers because young people are very easily influenced., especially with something that is worldwide as it appears to be true. The media talk through the magazines, saying things such as "Get the look of this model". I don't think this is a good influence for young teenagers because it can make them want to be or  look the same as someone else, and some young teenagers go to extremes to achieve this.

"MORE" magazine represents fashion, beauty, gossip, true life stories and celebrities. The cover of the magazine shows a picture of a famous celebrity who is supposed to be influential and a cover story about them. It also consists of a lot of fashion and a lot of beauty tips. In the eye of a teenager, things like this are extremely important and the magazine should take this into consideration. The more beauty and fashion they display, the more obsessed teenagers become with looking "perfect". The magazine does pages and pages of the top looks, and where to find them. This isn't such a bad idea, because every teenage girl wants to be able to look nice and follow the fashion, but when it is a constant repetition, it can become a ritual for some girls to have nothing but the latest and greatest clothes, bags and accessories.

However, "MORE" magazine does offer real life stories, which help the readers relate to certain issues. These stories are from real people, not celebrities and it is a healthy change from the many similar stories talking about "How I got my skinny beach body". The magazine also offers an advice column which helps the teenagers that read the magazine.

"BLISS" magazine offers real life stories, posters and a magazine full of celebrity boys. This magazine is based at young teenagers and doesn't stress the importance of beauty as much, it's  focus is entertaining young teenagers with things such as boys, real stories and horoscopes.

However "BLISS" magazine does talk about celebrities and it mentions a little bit of beauty. But although it does this, it isn't to the extent where it is majorly influential. So therefore I think that Bliss magazine shouldn't be held that responsible for the social ramifications of the representations they offer because there isn't that much of it.

In comparison to "BLISS", "GLAMOUR" magazine does quite the opposite. Even though personally it is one of my favorite magazines, it's main aspect is fashion, beauty and celebrities so I think that they should be held responsible for the impact they have on the social viewing. The cover of the magazine is the same as the others, the main picture  is a celebrity and it catches the eye of the viewer, the story is normally something big that is happening in the celebrities life, or something that will boost their career. "GLAMOUR" magazine also offers advice about money, family, relationships and jobs which is a positive thing because it is supporting the viewers.

"VOGUE" magazine should be held responsible for the social ramification of what they represent because it is highly popular, well known fashion magazine. It's main priority is expensive fashion. It is sold all over the world and is an upper class magazine. It is an American magazine and picture's models on the cover who represent extremely small body size. For this reason, they should be held responsible for the picture they are representing to the public because it is seen as "beautiful". "VOGUE" has fashion columns, the hottest looks, and celebrities. They write stories such as "How to be a recessionista" which is a positive and negative thing. The positive being it helps women budget their money, and the negative being they are showing it as important to spend money.

In conclusion, I think magazine covers aimed at teenage girls should have more advice columns, and stories insinuating that models and celebrities aren't always the only role models needed to be a fashionable person. I think the current obsession with size 0, and the constant overflowing pages of beauty and fashion should be put to a minimal. They shouldn't cut it out all together because that is what makes the magazine interesting for young teenagers, but it should be at a quantity that isn't going to make young teenagers, girls and boys, feel as though they should be the way that the media represents.

All of the magazines I have mentioned above show fashion, beauty and celebrities. They are all sold for the same base reason and all have at least one influence un common. If i was to create my own magazine I would include the main things that make it sell, them being beauty, fashion and celebrity gossip. However, saying that I would also make a main bulk of my magazine representing young people, and influencing them in a good and positive way. It would have advice columns, real life stories, and pages upon pages of things that young teenagers can relate to.