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UNIVERSITY PROJECTS Creative dissertation Guide to influencer marketing A comprehensive playbook/guide to developing a successful influencer marketing strategy and how to avoid cancel culture Report - Industry case study The impact of gossip journalism on the consumerism of influencers A report exploring current trends within the digital marketing industry, M&C Saatchi as a case study and conceptual overlaps in my dissertation research. Music Journalism How TikTok is changing the way we discover music + PinkPantheress album review An article on the topic of how popular social media platform TikTok is shaping the way audiences discover (and rediscover) music. Plus, viral sensation PinkPantheress album review Written Dissertation Read all about it: Celebrity gossip, mental health and popular media culture An analysis into the impact of celebrity gossip journalism on mental health and modern society, with reference to Caroline Flack as a case study. Global Media The future of social media marketing and influencers As part of a group project, I created a podcast to discuss current trends within the social media marketing industry, influencers and the future online.

SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT Examples of visual content and copy I have created for social media platforms Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for the purpose of increasing impressions, engagement rate and brand awareness. Content has been produced for both B2C and B2B audiences. Instagram We’ve made protecting your car easier this winter with our JANUARY OFFERS! Get up to 15% off, including 10% off Warranty! ❄️🚗 Don't miss out, get a quote via our website NOW! 🏃 Wondering how to access your car's service history? 🤔📖 Writer @trinitygfrancis tells us how! Swipe ➡️ for three easy ways you can check your car’s history, or click the link in our bio to find out more! 🚗 According to @therac_uk , 30% of Brits fail to check if their car is safe for the road before they start their journey.🚗🧊 Find out how to prepare your car for the winter roads by clicking the link in our bio!❄️☔ Growing consumer demand and limited supply have resulted in the value of used cars continuing to rise. Alongside franchise dealer's 2.5% increase, supermarkets saw an increase of 2.1%, and independents saw a rise of 0.5%. #cars #motoring #automotive #usedcar #buyacar #sellacar #cardealership #cardealer #franchisedealer #carnews Facebook ​@autotraderuk has estimated that there will be around 15 million cars over ten-years-old on Britain's roads by 2027. This comes as a result of disrupted production during the pandemic, as well as increased new car prices from the cost-of-living crisis. Would you purchase an older vehicle? #cars #motoring #automotive #oldervehicles #usedcars #buyacar #sellacar #cardealership #futurepredictions LinkedIn YouTube

About Us Finding Inspiration in Every Turn This is your About Page. This space is a great opportunity to give a full background on who you are, what you do and what your website has to offer. Double click on the text box to start editing your content and make sure to add all the relevant details you want site visitors to know. Our Story Every website has a story, and your visitors want to hear yours. This space is a great opportunity to give a full background on who you are, what your team does, and what your site has to offer. Double click on the text box to start editing your content and make sure to add all the relevant details you want site visitors to know. If you’re a business, talk about how you started and share your professional journey. Explain your core values, your commitment to customers, and how you stand out from the crowd. Add a photo, gallery, or video for even more engagement. Meet The Team Don Francis Founder & CEO Ashley Jones Tech Lead Tess Brown Office Manager Lisa Rose Product Manager Kevin Nye HR Lead Alex Young Customer Support Lead Our Clients

BLOGPOSTS AND ARTICLES A guide to UK number plates Not only does September welcome the end of summer and the beginning of darker evenings, but also the arrival of the new UK registration plate. How to keep your car clean during a hose pipe ban It’s the height of summer, and it’s hot. Basking in the fact that you haven’t seen rainfall in weeks, you start to notice that your grass is now no longer a healthy shade of green... Top Rated Christmas Markets 2022 There’s no better way to fully immerse yourself in the festive spirit than by visiting a wonderland of stalls, rides, and delicious mulled wine. Discover our guide to the best Christmas markets for all the family to enjoy... How the budget impacts the cost of motoring We’ve all felt the effects of the recent price rises, from basic food essentials to the housing market – it’s been hard to miss. This cloud of financial uncertainty has left many drivers also concerned about the rising cost of motoring.

Music Journalism How TikTok is changing the way we discover music You said you’d only go on TikTok for a minute…now it’s 1am. It’s been an hour. You’ve seen the same dance routine so many times you could perform it with your eyes closed, and now you’re glued to a random live stream. We’ve all been there. It’s addictive…but we love it. And even though we all vow to delete the app whenever we view our screen time, statistics show that TikTok currently holds around one billion users who, on average, actively spend around eight hundred and fifty minutes per month on the app. Given these figures, it’s clear to see that TikTok is dominating the social media landscape…and with this power, comes great ability to change how we consume media, and what we do with it...especially for the music industry. From choreographed dance routines, to viral memes, music on TikTok is what keeps the app so successful with its users and, according to Junkee journalist Jules Leferve, success on this app has also proven to be replicated in the charts; Lil Nas X, Lizzo, Olivia Rodrigo, Jack Harlow and so many more have been boosted by trending audio tracks. While you and your friend both simultaneously hum the same five lyrics of a song you don’t even know the name of, stats in 2021 showed that over 175 songs that have trended on TikTok also charted on the Billboard Hot 100, which was reported to be twice as many than that of the previous year. For music producers, it’s far from breaking news that TikTok is becoming so effective in changing the way we discover and consume music. And for artists such as singer Olivia Rodrigo, this was especially apparent. Star of High School Musical: The Series, Olivia Rodigo’s song ‘All I want ’ first became a memorable trending audio on TikTok in the summer of 2020. Most famously, in January 2021, her own song ‘Driver’s Licence ’ quickly followed suit and has since been used on the app over a million times. At just eighteen years old, the actress-turned-singer celebrated three UK ‘top 20 tracks of 2021 ’ in Spotify’s ‘wrapped’ annual year in review. TikTok is arguably to be thanked for her sudden success, as trending audios can help artists to immediately boost their songs across the platform, reaching huge audiences all over the world in a matter of hours. “From the Beatles to Sea Shanties, J Balvin to Abba and of course who can forget Taylor Swift's entry - the last 12 months have provided so many music moments, inspired our community of one billion and shown the world that music starts and lives on TikTok” - Ole Obermann, Global Head of Music on TikTok Last year, TikTok’s newsroom reported that over a whopping 75% of TikTok users say that they have discovered new artists on the platform, in addition to the 63% of users who heard new music on the app that they have never heard before - currently making it the number one place for music discovery, more than through other digital platforms, streaming services and friends. These figures are only expected to continue to grow and reports have suggested that it can largely be thanks to TikTok’s algorithm method (aka; the ‘for you page ’). The ‘for you page’ effectively works by showing users content that is somewhat personalised to them, based generally on their recent app activity (such as their searches, likes and comments) and are not necessarily uploaded by accounts that they choose to follow. This feature helps artists reach their target audience, by putting their trust into the algorithm that they will appear on the FYP (For You Page) of users who have actively interacted with similar content. However, according to a recent BBC News article, these figures are also raising concerns among artists that they are ‘missing out on a big part of their audience’ if they are not present or consistently active on the creative social media platform. British dance-pop artist Becky Hill told BBC News, “I don’t think people know the pressure there is on artists to go viral” This worry has led to many artists putting the pressure on themselves to ensure that TikTok has become a vital part of their social media routine, particularly those looking to emerge into the music scene, in the hopes of getting noticed and attracting their target audience. In a time where TikTok is a key part of music discovery, presence on the app is now more important than ever, and artists are at risk of losing listeners if they tune out of the app. What does this mean for the future of music on TikTok? If you haven’t already been convinced to become a social media musical sensation, then TikTok’s latest plans could sway you. As of March 2022, TikTok announced that they were launching a new platform ‘SoundOn ’. According to Talking Influence online, SoundOn is an ‘all-in-one platform for music marketing and distribution’ and will reportedly allow artists to upload their music to TikTok and effectively earn royalties when it is used in videos by creators. For up and coming musicians, this news is like music to their ears. This feature will provide artists with the opportunity to gain earnings on their viral content and boost their careers within such a competitive industry. In addition to this, in August 2021 Tiktok launched ‘Find the Unsigned ’ - a new campaign in order to “shine a light” on talented users of the app, who are yet to be recognised as signed artists. The ‘Find The Unsigned’ campaign featured billboards, located near iconic music venues across major cities in the UK, which included QR codes to unlock an in-app page dedicated to showcasing a range of unsigned artists on TikTok. ​ TikTok’s ‘Find The Unsigned’ campaign Together with SoundOn, Find the Unsigned supports new artists hoping to break into the music industry, by offering them a platform to showcase their talents, attract an audience and earn royalties when their sound is recognised. "Music is a central part of TikTok and every day our global community are discovering new sounds and genres, and helping artists build fanbases and achieve success” - Paul Hourican, Head of Music Operations UK at TikTok Return of the Mac Not only has TikTok provided opportunities for up and coming artists, but the use of nostalgic classics have also become a popular trend for TikTok creators. According to TikTok’s 2021 music report , your parent’s favourite tracks such as; George Michael’s ‘Careless Whisper ’, Earth, Wind and Fire’s ‘Let’s Groove ’ and the Bee Gee’s ‘More Than A Woman ’ were all part of the conclusive list of the top ten classic tracks used on TikTok in the US. Over 40 years since its initial release in 1977, More Than a Woman - described by TikTok as ‘the ideal soundtrack for moments that boost serotonin’ - was remixed in 2021 by British music producer SG Lewis. The track, ‘More Than A Woman - SG's Paradise Edit ’, has been used over 300,000 times on TikTok since its release, and has also been made available for listening on streaming platforms, such as Spotify and YouTube. As well as these golden oldies, it was also reported that our 2021 listening history similarly saw the return of nineties and noughties chart toppers (aka; ‘comeback tracks’). TikTok’s list of the top ten most used comeback tracks of the year included songs such as MKTO’S ‘Classic’ , Britney Spears’ ‘Gimme More ’, and of course topping first place, Destiny’s Child’s ‘Bills, Bills, Bills ’. For people who love their throwbacks, or those who are too young to have heard them before, TikTok continues to provide its users with a range of music. Whether it’s shining a spotlight on up and coming artists, or helping bring back the forgotten club classics, music on TikTok is what makes the app so successful. And it’s pretty clear to see that the platform is only at the beginning of its plan to shape the way we discover and enjoy music. ​ Pink Pantheress album review - To Hell With It At only twenty one years old, the mysterious PinkPantheress is already dominating the breakthrough charts. Who is she? Recognised for her unique tracks including ‘Pain ’, Passion , and ‘Just for me ’, the Bath-born singer, songwriter and record producer PinkPantheress began her career posting her unreleased tracks to social media platform TikTok (where she also adopted her stage name) in November 2020. And while you might not know her name, you’ll definitely recognise her songs. Her viral content on the app, particularly those captioned ‘Day 11 of posting a song every day because I have nothing else to do ’ and ‘Guys I recorded a full version of this song during my Zoom lecture lol ’ have since had their audio used on the platform over 100,000 times. Currently, her account now holds almost two million followers, boasts over eleven million likes and was described by TikTok newsroom as a ‘singular mix of futuristic nostalgia, which seemed to emanate from the ether as it transfixed TikTok users on both sides of the Atlantic.’ For those of you who have been living under a social media rock, you’ll most likely recognise her for reaching number twenty in the charts, winning BBC Sound Of 2022, and featuring on tracks alongside Central Cee , Mura Masa and Lil Uzi Vert . This popularity then led to her releasing a debut mixtape less than a year later, titled ‘To Hell With It’. Featuring only nine songs (including those aforementioned) plus one bonus track, ‘To Hell With It’ was released last year onto all major streaming platforms, after being a DIY project recorded by herself on a broken mic in her university accommodation. While I admit, simply recognising her lyrics can be considerably challenging at times (yet to make it on to my list of go-to karaoke songs), it is effectively made up by the the vibe and energy she brings with her music…it’s addictive. “The aesthetic of nostalgia” Firstly, let’s address her sound PinkPantheress’ unique sound is what makes her music so easily repeatable, and it’s hard to accurately categorise her music to fit one specific genre. Described as flowing between dance-pop and liquid drum and bass, her sound may not be for all tastes, but it certainly reaches multiple audiences. Considered to be reminiscent of artists such as Wilkinson, Hybrid Minds and Clairo, PinkPatheress has noted that her biggest inspirations are actually musicians such as Frank Ocean, Lily Allen and even the legendary Michael Jackson, explaining to BBC News that her unique style is the result of going through “every [music] phase possible ”. The mixtape opens with her breakout song ‘Pain’ which was her most popular trending track on TikTok and, according to music journal Pitchfork , sampled UK garage mega-hit “Flowers’. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ At only just over eighteen minutes long, it’s a mixtape made for repetition, only reining true to her successful TikTok roots. The sort of sound that is heard once, only to be on replay mentally for hours later. Using the technique of sampling throughout her album, songs such as Passion, I must apologise and Noticed I cried are the perfect background music, that also keeps your mood lifted and your mind entertained. To Hell With It accurately encapsulates the aesthetic of nostalgia. The background for 90s raves, or the introduction to a coming-of-age film - how we feel when we listen to her music is what makes her so successful. As I mentioned previously, lyrically the album is arguably not so fluent, and unlike usual chart topping artists, her songs also don’t typically follow a simple narrative structure. PinkPantheress can be heard vocalising adolescent topics such as confusing relationships, family and being bored at 19 and, while they may be relatable, it is clear that her music does not always follow a specific subject matter. This, in turn, only alludes to the mystery about who she is. However, whatever your preference, her unique sound remains the focus of her tracks and appropriately compensates for this. Whether you’ve heard of her on TikTok, or not heard of her at all, PinkPantheress’ mixtape is definitely a recommended listen. While her album may not be to everyone’s taste, as a breakthrough artist, her sudden success is undeniable. PinkPantheress is definitely one to watch. ​

Influencer marketing news Recent updates; the influencer industry and CORQ's debunk of the government inquiry. Influencer news The government's inquiry How this will impact consumerism of influencers CORQ (Influencer insights programme) The Digital, Culture, Media and Sports committee have been investigating the influencer committee for 8 months Vast economy - professional content creators, has developed into an industry Lack of insight - MPs feel government has not reacted fast enough to the growth of the industry Improved legislation and regulation - lack of monitoring has meant that legislation does not fit purpose to protect content creators. Changes to regulations Remove editorial control - influencer advertising will no longer be defined by whether the creator had control over the content or not Turnover based fines for non compliance - greater powers to enforce consumer protection law Conduct annual review on influencer compliance for evidence Base level influencer fees - act an an influencer minimum wage Influencer code of conduct - create one for your brand and make it publicly available Review who is consuming your content - if your audience is under 18, create a strategy to ensure they, as consumers, are protected and aware of advertising

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Dissertation Read all about it: Celebrity gossip, mental health and popular media culture Abstract ​ This paper explores the topic of celebrity gossip within the UK journalism media industry. Celebrity gossip refers to the act of sharing content that is not necessarily true, about individuals in the public eye. Often for audience entertainment purposes, celebrity gossip can range from topics such as scandal, relationships and appearance, more often using a negative tone to convey this. While there is an abundance of pre-existing research about the techniques used by journalists, this dissertation focuses on the impact that this has on mental health. Research will primarily consist of referring to journalistic celebrity gossip, particularly through the means of tabloid journalism. Conducting a content and discourse analysis, this research references the case study of Caroline Flack in order to specifically demonstrate the language used by the UK media to report about celebrities. Conducting quantitative research through the use of interviews, provides information about the significance of celebrity gossip to a niche audience of women aged between twenty - twenty five. This research seeks to build on theoretical findings, to establish the impact that celebrity gossip has on mental health and popular media culture. Acknowledgements Firstly, I would like to thank my lecturer Matthew Freeman, for all of his support throughout my dissertation module and for inspiring my interest in mass media marketing. I would also like to thank my lecturer Rebecca Feasy, for her continued enthusiasm and the support she brings to Media Communications. Together, your dedication and passion for this course has made all three years of my degree so enjoyable and interesting. I could not have completed this dissertation without your support. Secondly, I could not have done this without the continued support and sympathy from my parents, who have always been there for me whenever it has become tough as well as being so excited to hear my happiest memories. I am incredibly grateful to be able to share my university experience with you and I hope that I have made you proud in doing so. I would also like to thank my flatmates and course friends, who I have met during my time at university. Not only for making these three years so enjoyable and providing the best memories, but also for shaping me into the person I have grown to become. I am grateful for the confidence I have gained, life lessons I have learnt (especially finally learning to cook) and habits I have picked up. I hope to remain friends for life and to continue to share our journeys together. 1. Introduction ​ This dissertation explores the concept of celebrity gossip, mental health and popular media culture. Research will seek to explore how significant the impact of journalistic celebrity gossip is on mental health. The term gossip describes the act of sharing information, or spreading rumours, regarding aspects of an individual’s life. Gossip primarily concerns topics such as conflict, scandal, as well as private romantic and platonic relationships. Typically, gossip discourse is not complimentary, particularly when focused on instances of conflict and scandal. This begs the question of why is celebrity gossip is so popular among audiences, when content is typically negative? Using theorist Graeme Turner’s argument that ‘Celebrity content has become fundamental to the news media in the twenty-first century’ (Graeme Turner, 2010: 11), this dissertation examines the techniques used by journalists to report about celebrity gossip and the impact that this consequently has on mental health and popular media culture. ​ Analysing the impact of journalism on mental health is now more vital than ever, as cases of ill mental health due to gossip discourse is becoming more frequently seen within celebrities. To understand this, the literature review chapter outlines a broad overview of research concerning the functions of celebrity gossip, defining the concept of tabloidization as well exploring the modes of discourse used by journalists to present gossip. It is also relevant to discuss the ethics of celebrity gossip reporting, discussing the issues and implications that occur, as well as past examples of UK journalism scandals, in order to examine current attempts of regulating the mass media. Furthermore, research will focus on discourse concerning the appearance of the celebrity body, as well as the fragility of celebrity mental health. The methodology chapter will be used to demonstrate research regarding a case study of Caroline Flack. Throughout the methodology, a discourse and content analysis regarding five British tabloid articles will be used to identify the negative tone and language used within journalistic celebrity gossip involving Flack throughout the years 2019 – 2020. In addition, quantitative research using ten separate interviews with a specific audience (of women aged between twenty - twenty five) in an aim to acquire quantitative research of societal perceptions, with relation to the research within the literature review chapter. Wider social context Examining the impact of celebrity gossip discourse is becoming increasingly relevant within popular media culture. Within this research, it is also necessary to consider the wider social context of how audiences consume journalistic content. Using Ofcom’s report of news consumption in 2019, it was found that the ‘internet is the most-used platform for news consumption among sixteen to twenty four [year olds]’. (Ofcom, 2019). Furthermore, it was also found that in the following year, ‘70% of individuals read or download online news’ (Ofcom, 2020). Using these statistics, we learn that the majority of young adults consume news content through online sources. It is also a common occurrence for journalism to become a trending topic on social media platforms. Due to this, audiences rapidly lose interest in certain topics if they fail to remain relevant. Therefore, this topic has been chosen for investigation as there is an absence of updated research with regards to the modern celebrity and online media. ​ ​ 1.1 Research Aims ​ Focusing on the topic of celebrity discourse, this dissertation is aimed at finding out how influential journalistic celebrity gossip is within society and the impact this discourse has on mental health. My research aims to demonstrate how tabloid journalism works to present information to an audience, particularly analysing subjects chosen, tone and their language use. Overall, I will be focusing on the negative impact that celebrity gossip articles within tabloid journalism have on the mental wellbeing of society and celebrities. I am also aiming to understand why celebrity gossip is so popular among audiences. This will be presented using pre existing research within a literature review, as well as conducting a content and discourse analysis into articles concerning the case study of Caroline Flack, as well as qualitative research through the method of audience interviews. ​ ​ ​ 2. Literature review ​ The aim of this literature review is to highlight the theoretical framework surrounding the topic of celebrity gossip discourse. My research is divided into four key sections of discussion, beginning with understanding the concept of tabloidization and the main types of gossip discourse. Research will also be debating the ethics of journalism, with reference to previous press scandals. Finally, research will focus on two key areas of celebrity gossip, consisting of the appearance of the celebrity body and the mental health of celebrities by discussing and analysing representations. This literature review will present a theoretical background of information, in order to discuss the topic of tabloid journalism and celebrity gossip in a broader context. Using this research to develop an overview of how journalists report on celebrity gossip. ​ 2.1 Tabloidization and Gossip Discourse Outlining the creation of journalism is vital to the understanding of celebrity gossip discourse. Firstly, looking at the transformation of news journalism, described as ‘tabloidization’. The term tabloidization is defined as ‘the refinement of commercialised journalism which prioritises the desires of advertisers to reach large audiences’ (Martin Conboy, 2005: 207). Essentially, it is a way to describe the occurrence of ‘news media turning to sensationalism, entertainment and the realm of private affairs’ (Sofia Johansson, 2006: 344). Theorist Graeme Turner explains how the transformation of news and the process of tabloidization is usually considered to ‘sacrifice information for entertainment, accuracy for sensation, and to employ tactics of representation which entrap and exploit its subjects’ (2014: 84). Turner goes on to describe this type of reporting as ‘bonk journalism’, which he states is ‘deliberately salacious and careless of its effect on the persons concerned’ (Turner, 2014: 83). Therefore, by tabloid content as a form of entertainment, we can infer that tabloid journalism ‘serves purpose beyond simply conveying politically relevant information’ (Johansson, 2008 403) Charlotte De Backer and Maryanne Fisher’s Tabloids as Windows into our Interpersonal Relationships (2012) informs us about the two most common methods of celebrity gossip discourse used within tabloid journalism. De Backer and Fisher use the term Strategy Learning Gossip to describe the instance in which the content of discourse is less direct and ‘the identity of the person, who is the subject of gossip, is less important, and instead, what happened to the person who is the subject of gossip’ (De Backer and Fisher, 2012: 407). Whereas the term Reputation Gossip can be used to describe the instance in which ‘the gossip at hand alters the opinion about the person who is the subject of the gossip’ (De Backer and Fisher, 2012: 408). Therefore, using celebrity reputation gossip has an impact on the subject’s societal reputation, as the gossip is focused on the individual, rather than what happened to them. Referring to the concept of tabloidization, it is clear that this form of journalism largely involves the use of reputation gossip, as it is regarded as exploiting its subjects. When applying this distinction in the context of celebrity gossip, it is important to understand which mode of communication is being used to report about a particular subject. De Backer and Fisher continue to explain that when reporting using reputation gossip and ’a widely known celebrity is the subject, producers can trigger the interest of a wide audience’ (2012: 408). From this, we can learn that producers of mass media gossip may frequently produce content referring to a specific individual, using reputation gossip, in an aim to intrigue a wider audience. However, they go on to inform us that using reputation gossip can also cause controversy, noting that ‘producers of mass media gossip risk losing audience members who feel upset about the reputation gossip’ which is not ‘congruent with their personal feelings towards the celebrities’ (De Backer and Fisher, 2012: 409). This, therefore, suggests that when producing gossip discourse, it is important to ensure that the reputation of the subject of gossip is not compromised. This is to ensure that there is no controversy among a mass audience who may disagree. ​ 2.2 Reporting Ethics When researching the production of news media, it is necessary to debate how ethical reporting techniques, often used by journalists, actually are. Firstly, by recognising the issue of spreading false information. Using Chris Frost’s Journalism Ethics and Regulation, Frost argues that ‘virtually all news sources provide information that is distorted’ (Frost, 2015: 72). He goes on to inform us that the two main reasons why journalism presented by a media outlet might not be truthful are the ‘pressure of time or resources’ and ‘desire to increase readership’ (Frost, 2015: 70).’ This research provides a clear argument that journalism can be deemed unethical, due to knowingly publicising misleading information. However, within his research, Frost also argues that, while it is an issue, publishing false information is actively encouraged by consumers. He goes on to say that ‘a media brand that is not trusted might still sell because its material is seen as entertaining’ and that ‘if a media outlet is just aiming to entertain readers in this way, then it does not need to provide accurate information because that is not what its market wants.’ (Frost, 2015: 74). This point is interesting to consider, as it is suggested that readers are more engaged when information may not be considered accurate. While the concept of publishing false information is arguably unethical, it is not necessarily rejected by audiences as it is favoured for entertainment purposes. Secondly, acknowledging the issue of defamation. Frost explains that there are also ‘issues to consider when journalists publish something that might damage someone’s reputation’ (Frost, 2015: 132). Similar to the previously mentioned distinction between that of strategy learning gossip and reputation gossip, the first issue to consider is regarding identity – which begs the question ‘Will the person being written about be identifiable?’ (Frost, 2015: 132). Issues can arise when details of the subject of discussion are publicised, for instance, referring to the name of an individual instead of respecting the right to anonymity. Furthermore, another issue to consider is that it has to be proved ‘whether the words [in an article] are defamatory’ (Frost, 2015: 132). What is considered to some as exemplifying defamation of character can be negotiable to others, as there is not a clear definition between what should be regarded as damaging and what should not. ​ Finally, it is necessary to consider the ethics concerning how information is obtained and privacy. Breaching of privacy involves disrespecting an individual's right to remain private about certain information that is not deemed to be necessary public knowledge. This was exemplified by a journalism privacy scandal in 2011. Described by Graeme Turner as ‘widespread abuse of the media’s power’ (Turner, 2014: 83), an investigation was launched following the allegation that journalists were ‘hacking into the mobile phones of celebrities, members of the royal family and other newsworthy persons for material’ (Turner, 2014: 83). This led to the Leveson Inquiry (2012), which ‘recommended a new independent body with greater control over the UK press’ (Andrew McStay, 2017: 30). Following this, there was a significant emphasis on the debate concerning the ethics of journalism techniques. Turner argues that ‘from an ethical point of view, it would be hard not to regard the tabloid press simply as predators in this context – keen to exploit any item of scandalous news to the full and at whatever cost to those concerned’ (Turner, 2014: 83). This statement is consistent towards the concept of defamation when debating how ethical current reporting techniques are. ​ ​ 2.3 The celebrity body The celebrity body is undoubtedly a frequent topic within mass media gossip. For this section, research is largely gender specific, focusing on representations of the female celebrity body. To cite Kirsty Fairclough, ‘preoccupation in the media with the faces and bodies of celebrities is firmly centred on women, and discourses surrounding the female body are deeply embedded in the currency of the gossip industry’ (Kirsty Fairclough 2012: 3). In her research on the topic of celebrity gossip, Su Holmes informs us that ‘it is clear that the star/celebrity body has become increasingly central to the ways in which famous people are represented and consumed’ (Su Homes, 2008: 22). An analysis into the manner in which the female body is depicted within tabloid news ‘found that celebrity gossip magazines frequent their sections with the capturing of celebrity through a more explicitly unflattering lens.’ (Su Holmes, 2005: 26) This imagery can range from ‘An unforgiving pose, or images displaying everything from a protruding stomach to spots’ (Holmes, 2005: 26). This demonstrates the detail of which celebrities are examined by the tabloid press, using invasive imagery that the subjected celebrity has little to no control over regarding its publication. To use an example, this genre’s ‘surveillance of the female body takes many forms, think ‘beach body’ headlines and plastic surgery before and afters’ (McDonald, 2014: 93) Using research by Andrea McDonald in Reading Celebrity Gossip Magazines (2014), we are informed that celebrity gossip journalism ‘zealously track minute changes in the form, colour, shape and display of female bodies and body parts in a manner that has not been heretofore seen’ (McDonald, 2014: 93). Holmes also similarly refers to this in her own research, goes on to say that ‘the celebrity self is to be prodded, probed and exposed in such a way that revels in the processes of corporeal fabrication (Su Holmes, 2008: 22). From this research, it is clear that celebrity gossip journalism involves exposing celebrities in a way that would not publicly be revealed. Furthermore, when looking into mass media gossip, it is additionally important to understand the general topics of discourse present. Looking into Kirsty Fairclough’s (2012) work on female celebrity, ageing and hyper-scrutiny in the gossip industry, Fairclough suggests the most apparent style of mass media gossip is presenting the celebrity as a gruesome object. Fairclough informs us that, in the gossip industry, ‘this term normally refers to a celebrity whose surgery is constructed as grotesque and who has undergone several obvious procedures that have resulted in a look that has been deemed as having ‘gone too far’ and has become shocking and gristly. (Fairclough 2012: 96). Secondly, ‘the desperate’ celebrity can be seen as another category of gossip discourse. Fairclough describes this as concerning celebrities ‘desperate to remain youthful in order to suspend time and reclaim their once glittering careers and images but are often failing at both’ (2012: 97). Fairclough suggests that celebrities such as Nicole Kidman and Pamela Anderson often fit into the category of the ‘desperate’ celebrity. Lastly, described as ‘the sanctioned’ celebrity, Fairclough states that this term refers to ‘celebrities who are positioned by the gossip industry as ageing well and who have purportedly employed the technologies of cosmetic surgery in ‘acceptable’ ways according to the post-feminism and who are held up as beautiful, womanly and appropriately female (2012: 98). These females are often individuals who receive more neutral or positive gossip reporting than those described as ‘desperate’ and ‘gruesome’. Fairclough suggests that celebrities such as Sandra Bullock and Halle Berry can be examples of ‘sanctioned’ celebrities. ​ 2.4 The fragility of celebrity When concerning the topic of mental health, it is also important to recognise the impact of these instances of invasive and negative discourse. This will be focused on acknowledging mental health and the representations of fragility in celebrity reporting, referring to Stephen Harper’s (2012) work on Madly Famous: narratives of mental illness in celebrity culture, we are informed that the ‘mental illness of celebrities in contemporary media culture reveals the truth about the celebrity concerned, reminding ordinary people of what celebrities are really like’ (Harper, 2012: 321) The ‘downfall’ of an individual in the public eye has become significant to celebrity reporting, particularly since the ‘tabloidization’ of news, which we previously learnt from Turner, is not mindful in recognising the impact on the persons concerned. These representations of celebrity mental health are stated by Fairclough to actively reinforce post-feminism concerns by ‘suggesting that women may be able to have it all but must also engage in the constant maintenance of the self in order to remain beautiful, employable, marriageable and ultimately happy.’ (Kirsty Fairclough, 2008, 8). Using Fairclough’s statement, we are informed that there is a stigma surrounding the representation of mental health instability within celebrity gossip journalism. The idea that women must actively maintain a stable presentation of themselves, in order to remain ultimately happy. This, in turn, reinstates the question as to why gossip reporting is so popular within public readership, particularly when discourse is so often of a negative and derogatory tone. Interestingly, research by Andrea McDonald informs us that ‘when exposed to an endless parade of exceptionally thin, gorgeous and wealthy celebs, readers express their frustration with these unrealistic norms by taking pleasure in celebrity failure’ (Andrea McDonald, 2014: 102). This notion that women take pleasure in celebrity failure can be seen to act as a form of escapism from the idyllic lifestyle and ideology of what constitutes as the ‘perfect’ female. McDonald goes on to say that the idea that ‘even rich and famous women find it difficult to live up to strict and feminine ideals, provides readers with a welcome, if temporary, relief from the strain of these moral codes’ (McDonald, 2014, 102). Therefore, from McDonald’s research we learn that consumers of celebrity gossip take pleasure in reading stories concerning the fragility of celebrities as a form of peace from the stress of attaining the idealistic lifestyle. Similar research also found that female magazine readers admit that the ‘misery of others made them feel better about their own lives or helped them deal with their own frustrations or sorrow’ (Hermes cited in Harper 2012: 318). This further supports the concept that women actively use negative discourse within journalistic celebrity gossip in order to not only escape their own reality, but as a comparative tool for dealing with their own personal battles. In order to change the ways in which tabloid outlets operate celebrity reporting, Harper argues that ‘media critics need increasingly not only to focus on the old, and continuing, problem of media misrepresentations of mental illness.’ (Harper, 2012: 317). It is also suggested that ‘Journalists should be sceptical about everyone, seeing them as neither good nor bad but merely human’ (Frost, 2015: 72). Harper goes on to note that journalists should ‘become more critical of certain assumptions within anti-stigma discourse’ (Harper, 2012: 317). ​ 3. Methodology ​ The aim of this research is to explore the impact of media gossip reporting on celebrity mental health and society. Using qualitative data as exploratory research, to gain an understanding of underlying emotions caused by consuming celebrity gossip discourse. I will be using two methods to collect data; Firstly, using a case study to conduct a content and discourse analysis of articles published by British tabloid outlets. Secondly, using interviews with a specific target audience to gain an understanding of the impact this has on societal perceptions. The focus of the content and discourse analysis will be looking at a case study of British Television and reality show presenter Caroline Flack. This section will involve an assessment of five of the most negative articles that are currently available concerning Flack between the years 2019 - 2020, in order to gain an understanding of media gossip and criticism. Conducting a discourse analysis allows for a more specific understanding of the language and tone frequently used by tabloid media journalists. For my second research method, I will be conducting interviews, using a specific audience of ten females aged between twenty to twenty five. I will be examining their feelings towards current tabloid gossip discourse in order to gain an insight into public opinion. Furthermore, to remove any bias and understand how society has adapted information, these individuals will all have a pre-existing understanding of the case study of Caroline Flack. Combining a discourse analysis with one-to-one interviews enables a greater understanding about the impact of these pre-existing materials on societal perception, as well as identifying emotions caused. Using one-to-one interviews resulted in the opportunity to gain a more in depth, emotional response from audiences. This method of collecting data was also used by Sofia Johansson, in her research in Gossip, sport and pretty girls (2008). Johansson conducted interviews with ‘regular readers of the Sun or the Daily Mirror’ in an aim to find out ‘reader’s experiences of tabloids’ (Johansson, 2006, 404). This study was particularly useful in shaping research throughout this dissertation, as there were multiple similarities between the overall research aims. Due to this, interviews within this paper were conducted using a similar target audience, in the aim of producing similar results. ​ 3.1 Introducing the case study In this section, I will be conducting an analysis into five celebrity gossip articles published by British tabloid journalists concerning Caroline Flack as the subject, throughout the years 2019 to 2020. It is important to note that this time frame also refers to that of Flack’s domestic assault allegations. The recognised Television presenter, of Xtra Factor, I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here NOW and Love Island, Caroline Flack committed suicide in February 2020. Throughout her public career, Flack was frequently subject to mass media attention. Prior to her death, BBC news reported that Caroline Flack was facing trial accused of assaulting [Her partner] - a charge she denied (BBC News, 2020). News of this trial was rapidly publicised across British national news, particularly within the genre of gossip and entertainment and, it was noted that, "For some, it seems [Flack] had a charmed life - but the more famous she got the more mentally distressed she became, her trauma was played out in the national press and that was incredibly distressing for her." (BBC News, 2020) With reference to the literature review, it is evident that Caroline Flack was subject to De Backer’s definition of Reputation Gossip (De Backer and Fisher, 2012: 408) in reference to the repetition of defamatory comments challenging her reputation. Using a study by The Guardian (2020) into the case of Caroline Flack, it was found that almost four hundred stories were published about Flack, and a review showed that a quarter of all these articles took a negative tone (The Guardian, 2020) ​ ​ 3.2 Content and discourse analysis Using a discourse analysis, this section will focus on critically examining the language used within tabloid publications concerning Caroline Flack to acknowledge the extent of media coverage prior to her death. Discourse refers to the messages and meanings circulated through and around media. Discourse refers to interactions that take place through media and media culture, to create a widespread meaning or understanding. Using five articles published about Caroline Flack between 2019-2020 that are deemed to have the most negative language use. It is important to acknowledge that articles published about Flack between 2019 - 2020 were often referring to her domestic violence allegations. Firstly, I will be analysing two tabloid articles and focusing on their language use, within their headlines, to represent Caroline Flack in December 2019. Referring to the headlines (see below figure 1) ‘Flack sack and whack for ITV’ (The Sun, 2019) and (figure 2) ‘Caroline Smack’. (Daily Star, 2019). This use of comedic language throughout the headlines clearly demonstrates the lack of sympathy provided by journalists regarding the star. Using comedic language within the headline immediately informs the audience that the article is constructed for entertainment purposes. ​ (Figure 1: The Sun, 2019) ​ ​ (Figure 2: Daily Star, December 2019) ​ ​ Similarly, to analyse language use within the main body of text, I will be referring to the article, published by The Sun, titled ‘Brutal Caroline Flack Valentine's Day card mocks troubled star with “I'll f***ing lamp you” message’ (The Sun, 2020). The article, which was published in February 2020, one day before Flack’s suicide, uses comedic language such as ‘Pokes fun at the forty year old’s upcoming trial’, and ‘no Flacks given’ continues to present a tone of entertainment to an audience. Furthermore, using the term ‘pokes fun’ encourages the reader that it is acceptable to refer to this situation as entertainment. This therefore is also an example of Frost’s research, which explains that tabloid articles sell because they are ‘seen as entertaining’ (Frost, 2015: 74). Furthermore, in January 2020, The Sun published an article (seen below in figure 4) with the headline ‘Caroline’s bedroom bloodbath’ (The Sun, 2020), with the purpose to inform readers about her domestic assault allegation. In regard to the sensitive topic of discussion, using strategy learning gossip would have been appropriate in order to report about what happened, rather than discourse concerning who it happened to. This also relates back to what Frost regards as issues with journalism techniques, as journalists openly reveal Flack’s identity, rather than primarily focusing on the situation. Including Caroline’s name in the headline immediately informs the reader who the article is about, rather than focusing on what happened and answering the question of ‘Will the person being written about be identifiable?’ (Frost, 2015: 132). (Figure 4: The Sun, 2020) ​ ​ Finally, the last article included within this content and discourse analysis was published by the Daily Star of Scotland in December 2019. This article was chosen due to the breaching of privacy, for the purpose of reporting about a specific situation. As shown below in figure 5, the title ‘Flack in court’ immediately informs readers that this article will include details about Caroline Flack’s court hearing. Furthermore, language used throughout the headline ‘She’s tried to kill me’, draws on a confidential quote by Flack’s boyfriend Lewis Burton. Due to the breach of confidentiality, this front page demonstrates the ethical issues that arise with journalism. Drawing on previous research within the literature review chapter, this is also an example of Turner’s argument that the tabloid journalists are often ‘keen to exploit any item of scandalous news to the full and at whatever cost to those concerned’ (Turner, 2014: 83). ​ Similarly, the subheadings ‘Frantic 999 call after attack’ and ‘Star can’t see lover till March’ also reinstates the concept of the Leveson Inquiry, which called for the introduction of press regulations to govern what is necessary as public knowledge, and what is not. (Figure 5: The Daily Star of Scotland, 2019) ​ ​ 3.3 Quantitative research To build on the discourse analysis, interviews will be aimed at finding out a societal response to scandal and gossip content within tabloid media. Using a sample of ten women aged between twenty to twenty five, I chose to have an open discussion regarding their personal consumption of news media and celebrity gossip. Typically, tabloid articles concerning the topic of celebrity gossip would be targeted towards a demographic of young adults, most commonly female. Therefore, applying this to my own research, I wanted to find out how modern audiences consume celebrity gossip and how this has an impact on their perceptions, especially in regard to mental health and wellbeing. Prior to the interviews, participants were selected as those with pre-existing knowledge regarding Caroline Flack, in order to receive first-hand accounts of tabloid influence from a societal perspective. ​ 4 Discussion and analysis ​ ​ 4.1 The impact of celebrity gossip on society To begin my interviews, I opened with the question ‘How involved are you with celebrity culture? Do you actively engage in reading articles, either online or in print, concerning the topic of celebrity gossip?’. Unsurprisingly, given the niche of my target audience, all responses stated that they were involved in keeping up with celebrity culture, and actively engaged in reading articles. However, it is interesting to note that all responses collect their celebrity gossip information via online sources, such as Snapchat, Twitter and Facebook. By using social media, users are able to repost and share articles to followers. One respondent stated “I would say I’m involved in celebrity culture…I don’t actively go out of my way looking for articles but if I see them posted on Twitter or Snapchat, about a celebrity I know, then I’ll read them.” Similarly, another replied “If I see articles posted on Facebook or Instagram, I will click on them. I don’t go actively looking for them.” This demonstrates that news media has become more of an act of online sharing and free scrolling for the young adult generation, rather than an act of purchasing a newspaper or magazine in print. Social media apps and websites are now the highest contributor towards the circulation of tabloid articles. ​ Referring to this question, it is also interesting to acknowledge how reluctant my responses were to admit that they have participated in reading tabloid and celebrity gossip articles. For example, one respondent informs us that they avoid looking at news organisations such as the Daily Mail, as it is seen to be “nonsense”. Similarly, another participant shared that they “are not proud of” their consumption of celebrity gossip journalism. This therefore suggests that young adults are beginning to feel ashamed and guilty about reading celebrity gossip content, particularly as they already believe it to be “nonsense”. ​ Secondly, I wanted to find out what genre of tabloid gossip was most prevalent in their reading. To do this, I asked the question ‘Are there any topics that you particularly enjoy, or find yourself most frequently reading? (for example; scandal, relationships or private lives). Surprisingly, eighty percent of the replies to this question followed a similar pattern. Scandal appeared to be the most popular topic of celebrity gossip, followed by private lives and relationships. One response explained “Scandal most likely, as it’s more exciting than hearing about a celebrity doing something quite mundane”. From this, we can infer that scandal is popular among audiences for entertainment purposes, which refers back to the research found within the literature review chapter. Using Frost, we learnt that the consumer market for celebrity gossip wants to be entertained. Furthermore, one respondent also raised an important point, mentioning that they are “Always asking people if they’ve seen what certain celebrities have done now”. This statement therefore demonstrates how important celebrity gossip is for social discourse, encouraging a variety of people to engage over a shared interest and knowledge. Interestingly, referring back to the literature review, these responses also support Chris Frost’s research that journalistic celebrity gossip sells because audiences want to engage with entertainment, even though it is not necessarily true. ​ “I like to know about celebrities' private lives. I enjoy reading scandals as well because I like knowing what’s going on and it’s a reminder that celebrities are real human beings.” ​ ​ Furthermore, it is important to understand the impact that celebrity gossip articles have on society’s perceptions. To find this out, I asked my audience the question ‘Would you agree or disagree that these articles can have an impact on the way you would view someone in the public eye, both positively or negatively? The response to this question followed a similar pattern, with majority responses saying that they would view someone negatively if they were to read negative discourse about them in news articles. However, what was particularly interesting to find was that many of the answers included a point in that they (the audience) are aware that the information they read is not “necessarily real”, “untrue” and “most likely exaggerated”. One participant commented about how they “commonly listen to podcasts where celebrity guests discuss their treatment by journalists and how false the information is”. This informs us that the public are beginning to consciously debate how realistic journalists present news topics, particularly regarding celebrity gossip. ​ However, it was also shown in my results that this is not always the case. One respondent argued that “you just assume [tabloids] must be somewhat reliable.” Another stated that “the news will publish something that the celebrities wouldn’t actually post themselves, so you would automatically believe what you read as it’s something you wouldn’t know otherwise”. Thus, demonstrating that tabloids follow De Backer’s (2012) definition of reputation gossip, due to the alteration of opinions towards a certain individual, who is the subject of the article. When referring to De Backer’s definition of reputation gossip, it is also interesting to note that one respondent replied suggesting that “tabloids are crowd pleasers and tend to post what the general public opinion is about someone, as you don’t see negative articles about celebrities the public typically like”. This statement therefore also supports De Backer’s research that reputation gossip can be controversial, as producers of mass media gossip could risk upsetting an audience if an individual is represented in a way that is not already perceived by the public. ​ To develop this concept that celebrity gossip has a negative impact on society and mental health, the question “How does reading celebrity gossip discourse make you feel about yourself? (i.e, body shaming, ageing, mental health, etc) was asked in order to understand an emotive perspective. Surprisingly, my research found that when celebrity gossip concerns the topic of appearance, my audience displayed dissimilar opinions. One participant stated that celebrity gossip discourse “makes the reader feel better about themselves”. This was explained by another participant, who stated that “it makes [a celebrity] more relatable and I am able to remember that they have experienced the same things that I am insecure about”. This is interesting to consider, as it can be inferred that audiences use celebrity gossip as a comparative tool. In doing this, audiences are comforted by the idea that they are not alone with their insecurities, as they are informed that celebrities share the same emotions. This can also be used as an explanation as to why celebrity gossip remains so popular, as audiences are reliant on this content in order to make themselves feel better. ​ Similarly, when the topic of scandal is concerned, audiences demonstrate a similar pattern of responses. One participant stated that “celebrities' lives are better than ours. They’re rich and famous…but then they have a scandal”. With reference to my literature review, this type of escapism can be seen within McDonald’s research, ‘the idea that even rich and famous women find it difficult to live up to strict and feminine ideals’ (McDonald, 2014, 102) ​ It is also important to note that one participant informed us that “I think that’s what tabloids are good for…showing the real life parts that you don’t see elsewhere.” This is particularly considerable, as it further demonstrates why journalistic celebrity gossip is popular, as audiences use it to gain information that they would not otherwise be exposed to. ​ “I think it makes me feel better about myself because I’m not going through a scandal! I definitely think that way if it’s a celebrity I don’t like. Celebrities' lives are supposed to be better than ours. They’re rich and famous…but then they have a scandal, or something happens to them.” ​ However, in contrast, responses also demonstrated that for some, celebrity gossip does have a negative impact on the way they view themselves. Particularly in regard to the female body. Forty percent of respondents stated that they frequently “compare themselves” to the celebrities included within tabloid discourse, particularly if an article was shameful of a certain body image. This level of comparison was noted by one participant to consequently lead an audience to “question society’s views about what is seen as the ideal body standard”, as w However, as previously mentioned, this is not consistent with their feelings towards the “false” information found within celebrity gossip. ​ Interestingly, one respondent commented that “I think in terms of mental health, [journalists] usually report on how celebrities have overcome certain problems, as opposed to supporting them when they were going through this.” The participant goes on to say that “When someone is suffering, there can be a lack of sympathy from the tabloids, but then this becomes glamorised once they are ‘better’”. This statement is interesting to consider, as it allures us to the idea that mental health discourse often concerns the growth of an individual, choosing rather to focus on the recovery, than raise awareness and support. ​ ​ 4.2 Caroline Flack To build on my previous research of Caroline Flack’s treatment by the media, I wanted to find out how responsible audiences felt that tabloid and gossip journalists should be held, with regards to Flack’s reportedly ill mental health. ​ To do this, participants were asked the question “In regards to Caroline Flack, to what extent do you agree that the tabloid and gossip media should be held somewhat responsible for her ill mental health? Following this, it was found that all respondents openly sympathised with this case, arguing that, to at least some degree, the tabloid and gossip media should be held accountable. One response in particular stated that “[journalists] dictated what the public knew about [Flack] and also dictate what the public see as the facts”. Consistent with previous results, it is apparent that audiences are becoming more sceptical concerning the information that they read about celebrity gossip, particularly online, which is therefore further demonstrated by their feelings towards the treatment of Caroline Flack. In addition, as previously stated, this interview ensured that all participants had somewhat reasonable knowledge of Caroline Flack’s case, whether through information obtained from generally consuming news, or private research. Therefore, although sample size is potentially small, consistent responses could also allure to the larger societal opinion. ​ 4.3 The future of tabloid media Finally, in order to find out what my audience believes could be done to prevent this from recurring in the future, the question “Do you think something should be done in order to prevent this from happening in the future? If so, what? This question was asked with reference to the 2012 Leveson Inquiry, which urged for press regulations following the revelation that news organisations were found to be invading the right to privacy on numerous accounts. To this question, responses followed a similar pattern to the consensus towards the initial proposal by Leveson Inquiry. Ninety percent of participants argued that “regulations should be put in place” in order to stop the production of negative discourse, as well as a “Governing body”, similar to Ofcom, with the power to monitor the authenticity and ethics prior to publication. Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge that the majority of responses stated that it would be appropriate and necessary for such regulations to be imposed as a “permanent rule” or even a “law”. This would consequently prevent regulations being compromised or forgotten. Interestingly, almost half of respondents also stated that in order for restrictions to work effectively, tabloid publications are required to, as one participant stated, “make it [their] ethos” to “ensure that rules are not manipulated”. Similarly, one respondent also referred back to Caroline Flack, by acknowledging that, following her death, “there was a lot of anger towards the tabloids and petitions to try and stop this, but over time, it was forgotten about.” The participant goes on to say that, in order to prevent this from reoccurring, regulations “need to be revisited again and enforced much stronger.” This demonstrates the way in which audiences view the case of Caroline Flack as a trending topic, losing its relevance and strength over time. Due to this, the public believes that little change has been done in order to support or protect future victims of celebrity gossip. Referring to the second question, it is also to be considered whether regulations will be recommended or strictly necessary in order to maintain appreciation towards the topic of celebrity gossip. Research found that audiences are growing increasingly aware of the issues concerning reputation gossip, resulting in the idea that actively gossip content is becoming an act of guilt, as opposed to open entertainment. This therefore could present an issue for journalists, as their readership may decrease if changes are not made. As previously mentioned, ethics are important when conducting research. In order to ensure my research was ethical, I briefed my respondents on the overall topic of discussion prior to our conversation, to ensure they were comfortable. ​ ​ 5. Conclusion This final chapter concludes the dissertation and will discuss my overall argument and how significant my findings were. This dissertation set out to discover the impact of celebrity gossip on mental health. In order to identify this, I combined research concerning journalistic techniques of celebrity gossip, as well using a reference of a case study of Caroline Flack’s suicide to specify my research. Furthermore, this chapter will reconsider the findings of my conducted research and reflect on the overall outcome of this project. Overall summary In conclusion, this dissertation supports the argument that journalistic publications of celebrity gossip profoundly contribute towards societal perceptions and mental health, impacting the way that we not only view ourselves, but also the lives of others. Referring back to the literature review chapter, Graeme Turner’s research explained that celebrity gossip discourse has become necessary to tabloid reporting. Such gossip discourse concerning celebrities typically focuses on the subject of the appearance of celebrities, commenting on and critiquing topics such as the body, weight and plastic surgery. Moreover, in regard to mental health, celebrities are often scrutinised for appearing to be suffering. This presentation notably changes, following the improvement of a celebrity figure who is now better, thus glamourising their rehabilitation, rather than offering support or raising awareness. This research within the literature review chapter demonstrates that the ways in which celebrity gossip would have a detrimental impact on mental health, as discourse is typically negative. However, research within the literature review chapter was also used to acknowledge why celebrity gossip is so popular. This was found to be due to utilising it for entertainment purposes, as that was found to be what the ‘market wants’ market wants.’ (Frost, 2015: 74) as it ‘makes the audience feel better about their own lives’ (Hermes cited in Harper 2012: 318). ​ Additionally, in reference to findings from conducted interviews, results evidenced that women aged between twenty to twenty five have found tabloid celebrity discourse has distorted their personal perception of themselves, as often, it is easy to use public sources as a comparative tool, especially at a young adult age. Furthermore, these interviews also depicted how audiences utilise this information to perpetuate their opinions towards individuals within the public eye, especially within the genre of scandal. This was found after audiences noted that they used journalistic celebrity gossip to find out information that they would not necessarily find elsewhere. However, it is interesting to acknowledge the changing perception towards tabloid media publications, as audiences consistently announced their scepticism and disbelief towards the articles they read online, as well as their reluctance to admit that they are active consumers. Therefore, this factor will contribute towards the way tabloid journalists operate in the future, as audiences are becoming more aware, and less reluctant to consume tabloid press due to its negative impact on mental health. Overall, this dissertation focused on the topic of celebrity gossip, mental health and popular media culture. This dissertation successfully explained the impact of celebrity gossip discourse on mental health, justifying the argument that this impact is often negative, as well as concluding with the understanding of why this genre of news is so popular among audiences. ​ Reflection Overall, research throughout this dissertation was consistent with initial planning. Research was conducted in a manner that ensured an abundance of theoretical information was presented to understand the written methods of celebrity gossip. A discourse analysis of tabloid publications was used to provide a more specific understanding about the language used by journalists to discuss celebrity gossip, referring to the case study of Caroline Flack’s suicide in 2020. ​ Furthermore, the methodology chosen ensured a way in which more descriptive and emotive research could be found. The use of one-to-one interviews resulted in the opportunity to gain a more in depth, emotional response from audiences. Regarding the nature of the discussion concerning mental health, choosing to engage with recipients caused a more ethical exchange, as an open discussion could be held. However, in reflection, using one-to-one interviews poses a limitation on the scale of responses, resulting in a smaller sample size. Instead, to collect a wider range of quantitative data, a survey would have been conducted. Similarly, an online ethnography could have been conducted in an aim to understand the impact of celebrity gossip. Using Tweets and comments posted by users on social media and online news articles, sharing their own thoughts and opinions. Although, regarding this dissertation, an online ethnography would have imposed limitations on data collection. This is due to news organisations immediately removing negative online gossip concerning Caroline Flack following the event of her suicide. Due to the topics discussed within this dissertation, it is also important to consider how ethical one-to-one interviews are and ensure that participants do not feel vulnerable. Due to the nature of this dissertation regarding sensitive topics, such as mental health, participants were pre assessed for vulnerability to this subject and also made aware of the discussion topic prior to the interviews taking place. In doing this, the mental health of participants is focused and respected. Additionally, this dissertation presented both sides of the overall argument, when presenting the ways in which celebrity gossip discourse impacts mental health. This is important as it correctly balances research with the purpose of creating an overall conclusion, by considering different findings and approaches. Word Count: 8059 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Bibliography ​ Caroline Flack: Her Life and Death, ITV. Available at: https://www.channel4.com/programmes/caroline-flack-her-life-and-death (Accessed on 15th December 2021) ​ Caroline Flack inquest: ‘No doubt' presenter intended to take own life, BBC News (2020) Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-53676793 (Accessed on 20th December 2021) ​ Conboy, Martin. 2005, Tabloid Britain: Constructing a community through language, p.1-214 ​ De Backer, Charlotte & Fisher, Maryanne. 2012, Tabloids as a window into our interpersonal relationships: a content analysis of mass media gossip from an evolutionary perspective, Journal of Social, Evolutionary and Cultural Psychology, p.404-424 ​ Frost, Chris. 2015, Journalism Ethics and Regulation (4th ed.). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315757810 ​ Fairclough, Kirsty. 2012, Nothing less than perfect: female celebrity, ageing and hyper-scrutiny in the gossip industry, Celebrity Studies, p.90-103 ​ Fairclough, Kirsty. 2008, Fame is a losing game: Celebrity Gossip Blogging, Bitch Culture and Postfeminism, Going Cheap? Female Celebrity in Reality, Tabloid and Scandal Genres, p.1-19 ​ Harper, Stephen. 2012, Madly Famous: Narratives of mental illness in celebrity culture, in S. Holmes & S. Redmond Framing Celebrity: new directions in celebrity culture, p.311-329 ​ Holmes, Su & Negra, Diane. 2008, Going Cheap? Female Celebrity in Reality, tabloid and Scandal Genres, p.1-24 Johansson, Sofia. 2006, Sometimes you wanna hate celebrities, in S. Holmes & S. Redmond Framing Celebrity: New directions in celebrity culture, p. 343-365 ​ Johansson, Sofia. 2008, Gossip, Sport and Pretty Girls, Journalism Practice, 2:3, p.402-413. ​ McDonald, Andrea. 2014, Making Morality Meaningful, Reading Celebrity Gossip Magazines, p.98-110 ​ McDonald, Andrea. 2014, Reading Celebrity Gossip Magazines, p.1-158 ​ McIntyre, Niamh. 2020, Caroline Flack: scale of negative media coverage before death revealed, The Guardian. Available at https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/feb/21/caroline-flack-negative-media-coverage-before-death-revealed (Accessed on 22nd December 2021) ​ Ofcom, 2019, News Consumption in the UK: 2019. Accessed on: 23rd January 2022 (available at: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/157914/uk-news-consumption-2019-report.pdf ) ​ Ofcom, 2020, News Consumption in the UK: 2020. Accessed on: 23rd January 2022 Available at: (https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/201316/news-consumption-2020-report.pdf ) ​ Turner, Graeme. 2014, Celebrity, The Tabloid and the Democratic Public Sphere, Understanding celebrity, 78-94 https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781473957855 ​ Turner, Graeme. 2010, Approaching Celebrity studies, Celebrity Studies, 11-20 ​ Turner, Graeme. 2010, Ordinary People: Celebrity, Tabloid Culture and the Function of the Media, Ordinary People and the Media: The Demonic Turn, 12-32

PROFESSIONAL WORK SOCIAL MEDIA Creative social media copy and assets I have created for numerous brand accounts across multiple media networks for B2C and B2B audiences to improve impressions rate, social engagement and drive sales. BLOGPOSTS AND ARTICLES Creative copy I have written for EasyStreet blog to engage current customer base, grow clientele, improve SEO and boost website traffic. EMAIL MARKETING Promotional email content and e-newsletters I have produced to increase customer sign-ups, drive open and click-through rates and push sales.

Global Media The future of social media marketing As part of our Transmedia presentation, my group and I decided to focus our research towards the topic of Commercialisation, particularly the differing media impact between a Celebrities and a Social Media Influencer. We chose this topic as we all agreed that Social Media influencers are rapidly becoming more and more relevant in today’s society - whether that is to influence the media we consume, accounts we interact with, music we listen to, or products we purchase. To present this, we chose to divide our presentation into three sections, equally assigning ourselves in pairs to one of these. This level of planning can be seen in the ‘8 categories of interaction’, as we seeked suggestions, suggested different approaches to our work, as well as agreed, disagreed and seeked clarification. For the agreement category, we equally agreed to create an e-magazine, ‘Elite Influencer’, to present our research, which also included a narrated video and conversational podcast. Firstly, to introduce the topic, section one focused on the content from Social Media Influencers, such as fashion and lifestyle creators Sophia and Cinzia, and their audience demographic, presented in the style of a magazine article using the creative platform ‘Canva’. Furthermore, for section two, Katie and I decided to research into the blurring lines between those described as Social Media Influencers, verus Celebrities, particularly focusing on the growing following behind rapper and boxer KSI, as well as reality show star and Instagram promoter Molly Mae, who both began their careers as content creators via the video sharing platform Youtube. We chose to present our research through the creation of a podcast, using the app ‘Anchor’, which was successful in allowing us to record our conversation together, while both being in different houses. Finally, section three focused on the reverse - the number of celebrities, such as Will Smith, who have begun launching themselves into the world of Social Media, content creation and product endorsement via video sharing platforms such as Youtube and TikTok. Furthermore, we decided to create surveys in order to gain a better understanding as to how people felt about these topics themselves. For section two, Katie and I decided a podcast would be an interesting approach to our presentation, as it allowed us to be able to discuss the changing world of ‘Influencers’, who are becoming recognised with celebrity status. To accumulate our research, we decided to focus on one particular Social Media influencer each - Molly Mae and KSI - and understand their audience demographic, partnerships, revenue and transmedia content. In addition, to gain more insight and audience reception, we created a Google survey in order to find out how the public view Influencers in comparison to celebrities, who they are more likely to follow on social media, and most importantly - who is more influential in terms of consumerism. Our survey results coincided with the research we had also conducted, suggesting that social media influencers are becoming much more relevant to today’s society with their transmedia content, as well as their ability to create a level of trust and reliability towards their audience to encourage them, as consumers, to purchase a product they endorse. In reflection of our project, we connected and worked well together as a group, as previous group projects together throughout our time at uni have allowed us to learn about each other’s strengths and weaknesses, this links to Schutz (1958) Interpersonal Relations theory that inclusion, such as being part of a group, and affection are two of the three basic human needs. Using this knowledge, we easily established who would participate in which section, as we have pre-existing knowledge about each other’s interests and media capabilities. Using Social Media platforms, we regularly connected as a group to discuss our ideas and work progress, as well as using the Google Hangout feature to talk via video chat once a week, to share our progress. In reference to group dynamics, our group showed Lewin (1948) theory of interdependence, in which it is necessary for group members to get something done in order to cooperate with others. This is because each of our individual research and work was significant to the success of the overall project. However, while our group collaborated successfully together, we did not assign a set leadership within our group. This could be considered as a weakness as we did not have a specific individual who was in charge of all of our work. As well as this, research suggests that ‘adaptive leadership allows leaders to mobilize people to tackle tough challenges and thrive’ (Heifetz et all. 2009, cited in Natalie Khan. 2017, 179), which is something that we chose to do collectively as a group instead of assigning a specific member as a leader. Overall, the way in which we collectively worked together to create our presentation was successful, as well as the work we each produced to present our research and public survey results. Similarly, our final presentation was successful, especially helped by the fact that we collectively connected regularly as a group, including a rehearsal of our order and timings, as well as ensuring we all had scripts prepared in order to summarise our work. However, we also encountered some difficulties over the course of our work. In the initial planning stages, we had considered the idea of creating Social Media profiles, in order to demonstrate the job of a Social Media Influencer, however we encountered difficulties when finding a suitable tool to create these profiles, so instead we decided it would be more beneficial to our presentation to focus on adding to our magazine instead. In retrospect this may have been a good addition to our project as we would have been able to demonstrate a typical influencer’s social media profile from an audience perspective, rather than a screenshot. Another issue we discovered was the amount of responses of our surveys. Due to the scale of the project, we were unable to gain a large amount of reciprocation towards our work, which meant that the survey results cannot be completely generalised, however, the responses we did receive correlated with our research, suggesting that it was fairly accurate. Elite Influencer Podcast

Christina Smith Highly motivated and results driven Marketing Executive and Media Communications graduate specialising in multi-media marketing. My skills include, social media content, SEO copywriting, email marketing, partnership management and Influencer outreach. RESUME WORK PROJECTS

Leadership and management Successful leadership This report will focus on defining the terms leadership and management and explore theoretical concepts concerning how to be a successful leader. This report will be divided into four sections, in order to answer four individual questions, to conclude how to be a successful leader, whether traits, skills and styles can be developed, or are innate, the difference between leadership and management and a conclusion concerning the experiences learnt within this module. Contents What is involved in being a successful leader? Traits Skills Styles Can successful leadership be developed? What distinguishes leadership from management? What else have you learnt? Conclusion What is involved in being a successful leader? In order to become a successful leader, it is essential that an individual has certain qualities and behaviours. These can be easily categorised into three subdivisions - traits, skills and styles. Research has led to a theoretical analysis of personalities and behaviours required, that lead to successful leadership. In addition, research has shown behaviours and personalities that consequently are ineffective, and lead to poor leadership. This question will answer what is involved in being a successful leader, and includes references to theories concerning traits, skills and styles, as well as approaches and models. In order to become a successful leader, an individual should demonstrate a combination of qualities, ranging from integrity and support, to responsibility and dependence. This equal balance ensures success within social and follower aspects of the organisation, as well as maintaining an ordered, structured working environment, where responsibility is delegated. Traits When referring to idealistic traits, research has often concluded that in order to be a successful leader, individuals should have the ability to demonstrate personality traits such as confidence, integrity, and supportiveness. To support this idea, Ralph Stogdill (1948) defined a list of what he deemed to be common leadership traits. These include; capacity (intelligence and communication), achievement (mental), responsibility (dependable), participation (valuable social skills) and status (popularity). In addition, research from Kirtpatrick and Locke (1991) also defined a list of major leadership traits. They concluded that there are six most important traits needed for successful leadership, these include; drive, self confidence, integrity, leadership motivation, intellect and expertise in context. Their research also defined these critical personality traits. The first personality trait, drive, is stated to be shown in an individual who embodies energy, tenacity and initiative. The second trait, self confidence, is said to be defined by an individual who inspires trust, emotional stability and has a tolerance of stress. Thirdly, they stated that an individual needs to have integrity, which involves honesty and the ability to be morally committed. The fourth trait, leadership motivation includes the ability of commitment to pursue individual gain (personalised) and the ability to seek others to achieve (socialised). Intellect is another key personality trait and is stated to include analytic ability, judgement and the ability to think strategically. Lastly, expertise in context is said to involve having in depth knowledge of a business, as well as longevity of experience. Skills Furthermore, in order to become a successful leader, research has found that it is necessary to be in abundance of certain skills. Research from Katz (1955) found that there were three key skills that an individual must have in order to become a successful leader. Firstly, it is stated that it is necessary to demonstrate technical skills, such as by having knowledge of specific types of work. Secondly, it is said that a leader must also have human skills, which involves the ability to have knowledge about, and be able to work with people. Lastly, Katz stated that a successful leader must have conceptual skills, which is described as having mental proficiency to shape the meaning of an organisation policy. To comprise this into a usable model, tests have been created in which individuals can use in order to find out what category their personality is more cohesive with. Paul Costa and Robert McCrea’s Five Factor Personality Model is a ‘model of personality trait structure’ (Costa, P & McCrae, R, 2017, 6) and includes five categories; neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness. The model is designed using a self report questionnaire, in which individuals score themselves against a list of statements (such as, ‘strongly agree’ or ‘strongly disagree’) based on how they would describe their personality. The model then uses this to calculate how accurately their personality is suited within each category. Those with a high score within the ‘neuroticism’ category are said to be described by the model as being depressed, anxious, insecure and vulnerable. Contrastingly, those scoring high in the extraversion personality trait are described as being sociable, assertive and positive. Thirdly, the openness personality trait is described as cohesive towards those who are seen to present qualities such as being informed, creative, insightful and curious. Additionally, agreeableness scores higher with those described as being accepting, conforming, trusting and nurturing. Lastly, the trait of conscientiousness scores high with those who are organised, controlled and dependable. This research into personality traits supports my initial argument that a leader must demonstrate a balance of skills, such as Katz’s statement that there is a requirement of human and technical skills that a successful leader must have. Styles The styles and behaviours of a leader is also crucial in being successful. “Leadership effectiveness may be explained and developed by identifying appropriate styles and behaviour.” (Pendleton & Furnham, 2012: 12) The following research concerns leadership behaviours, and how leaders act. Research from a study by Ohio State (1940s) defined two types of behaviours, initiating structure and consideration. Their research consisted of a questionnaire, with the purpose of finding out the number of times leaders (across a wide background including military, industry, education) demonstrated certain behaviours. Ohio State defined initiating structure (task behaviours) as leaders who organise work, give structure to their subordinates, schedule work and activities and act with responsibility. Secondly, they defined consideration (relationship behaviours) as leaders who demonstrate respect and support towards their subordinates. From this research, Stogdill (1959) defined a list of twelve leadership behaviours. These include representation, demand reconciliation, tolerance of uncertainty, persuasiveness, initiation of structure, tolerance and freedom, role assumption, consideration, production emphasis, predictive accuracy, integration and superior orientation. This list also coincides with Ohio State’s findings, and includes the definition of initiating structure and consideration. Further research from Judge et al (2004) in The Forgotten Ones? The Validity of Consideration and Initiating Structure in Leadership research concerned whether initiating structure and consideration correlate with the concept of successful leadership. This research supports my argument that it is necessary to have a balanced combination of both behaviours. This is because initiating structure was found to have a greater impact on the subordinate work ethic and performance, but consideration was found to have a better effect on the mental well being and satisfaction of subordinates. Additionally, a later study to the Ohio State research was by the University of Michigan (1950) and was conducted concerning the effectiveness of leader behaviour within small groups. They researched employee orientation, to focus on human relations and production orientation (which focuses on the work within a job itself). To support this, Rensis Likert (1960) created a list of four management systems, ranging from one - exploitative authority, benevolent authority, consultative and system four - participative. Exploitative authority concerns the event at which a leader demonstrates minimal involvement, and pushes motivation through use of fear and punishment. Benevolent authority is used to describe the instance when a leader demonstrates minimal involvement, but encourages motivation through use of rewards. Consultative is described as when information is shared and there is an increased amount of teamwork. Lastly, participative concerns leaders who are involved in making decisions and actively practise open communication. This effectively leads to high levels of trust. Moreover, Robert House's Path-Goal theory (1971) can demonstrate additional research concerning the styles of a successful leader. The Path Goal Theory concerns the ways in which leaders motivate subordinates to achieve designated goals and how clear they make the path for subordinates from effort to reward. From this, we can learn that the leader’s style is important as, essentially, the approach concerns removing obstacles which prevent employees from product. This research also supports my argument that to be a successful leader, an individual must demonstrate a combination of qualities, including good communication, integrity and support, as well as responsibility and authority. Using this research, a successful leader would be described as participative, as they lead to high levels of trust. Can a good leadership be developed, and if so, how? This question concerns whether successful leadership can be developed. There are many debates concerning whether the characteristics of good leadership can be consciously developed, or whether they are innate. It is arguable that leaders can develop certain personality traits, however some may be arguably innate. Using the research stated in the previous question, there is potential for an individual to adapt personality traits such as openness, extraversion and tenacity, as they can all be described as situational, relative to the situation at that specific time. For example, someone may develop the ability of openness, after positive encouragement and experience. Similarly, extraversion can be developed when an individual is around certain groups of people, as well as tenacity and persistence However, it is also arguable that personality traits such as morality, trust and integrity are innate, as they are not necessarily always easily altered or diminished with development. According to philosopher Plato, rulers needed to have intelligence and the right personality in order to be successful. Another key point is that qualities needed to be a successful leader are suggested to be situational, which could suggest that qualities can be developed, depending on the situation. One of the key approaches was found in research by Hersey and Blanchad (1969) who formed the situational approach to personality. The situational approach was described as being demonstrated when leaders match their style to the ability of their subordinates. As this is a situational theory, it depends on the situation at which someone can be categorised as presenting these personality traits. For example, if the situation requires a greater deal of support, then the leader is not necessarily wrong in emphasising this personality trait. Such supportive behaviours are described as vital to successful leadership. Supportive behaviours include positive, two way communication between leader and subordinate, as well as being intent with listening and praise. The concept of support is something arguably able to be developed. As part of the Situational Approach, these are divided into four combinations; high directive and low support, high directive and high support, low direct and low support, low directive and high support. High directive and low support is described as occurring in the event that a leader focuses highly on communication of goal achievement, but less on supporting their subordinates. High directive and high support is the equal combination of behaviours, and involves both positive encouragement and leadership direction. Low directive and low support is presented when a leader emphasises employees skills but delegates decision making Low directive and high support is described as occurring when a leader offers less task input, but a high amount of social support. This research supports my argument as the most effective behaviour combination is high directive and high support, and such behaviours can be developed given the correct situation. Moreover, to support this the leader-match theory essentially matches leaders to appropriate situations, and the leader's effectiveness depends on how well the leader style fits the context. This means that what it takes to be a successful leader is not completely linear, and can be dependent on the situation itself, rather than solely the personality of the leader. However, in contrast to this argument, research from Thomas Carlyle (1946) formed the ‘Great man’ theory in his collection on ‘heroes, hero worship and the heroic in history’. The ‘great man’ theory states that only some people have the characteristics that it takes to be leaders. His theory explains that qualities that result in being a successful leader are inherited and innate, rather than being developed. This conclusion subsequently led to further research on general characteristics of the behaviours that distinguish between ‘ordinary’ people within a society and those that are leaders. This led to research on general characteristics - psychological, biological and behavioural that distinguish leaders from other humans. This research contrasts to my argument that many qualities needed for successful leadership, such as confidence, patience, support and communication can be taught and developed, as Carlyle suggest that only certain individuals have the characteristics needed for successful leadership. However it does somewhat support my argument that certain qualities, such as morality and ethical value are less developmental, and can be described as innate. What distinguishes leadership from management? Once exploring research defining the qualities and characteristics of a successful leader, it is also necessary to define what it means to be a manager. Essentially, the key difference between a leader and a manager is that the skills needed to be a manager are easier to acquire. It is possible to learn managerial skills more than it is to learn leadership skills. It is arguably easier to learn to manage and support a team, but not necessarily lead them to a goal. From the research stated throughout this report, it is argued that leadership is much more extensive and requires multiple personality types, such as specific skills, traits and styles, as well as behavioural approaches. Leadership is also argued by many theorists to be innate, whereas managerial qualities are much less imperative and are arguably easier to develop, rather than needed to be innate. In her work in Curse of the superstar CEO, Rakesh Khurana states that the secret to being a successful CEO, is assumed to be leadership, and such leaders must demonstrate qualities such as ‘strategic thinking, industry knowledge and political persuasiveness.’ (Rakesh Khurana, 2002) Khurana goes on to say that ‘companies will not be satisfied with an executive who is merely talented and experienced. Companies now want leaders.’ (Kurana, 2002). This research further demonstrates the strong difference between leadership and managers, as there is a desire for leadership, rather than for managerial positions. What have you learned about leadership from your own experiences on this module and/or elsewhere? From this module, I have learnt that in order to be a successful leader, an individual must hold specific personality qualities. Theorists have presented research that suggests that a successful leader must be an equal balance of integral, supportive, and participative with the purpose of keeping follower motivation high and robust, as well as maintaining a responsible, organised and goal driven personality, to ensure work is completed, and to responsibly lead a group. This combination of personality qualities and behaviours are described as consequently resulting in successful leadership, and a lack of these qualities can result in poor leadership and a lack of motivation. From this module I have also learnt that leadership qualities can be argued as a combination of innate and developed behaviours. Research has shown that certain qualities, such as energy, patience and extraversion can be developed, as they are described as situational. For example, an individual could develop extraversion qualities over time with confidence and encouragement. However, qualities such as trustworthiness and morality are much more innate in their understanding, and while an individual may be able to gain a further understanding through developmental training or experiences, such qualities are much more deep-rooted in their demonstration. Furthermore, information presented outside of this module within the British BBC reality television show ‘The Apprentice’ demonstrates the requirements and qualities needed for successful leadership, as well as presenting the failures of poor leadership. From The Apprentice, audiences can understand the importance of certain qualities that are needed in order to lead a team of individuals, as well as learn which qualities are most effective when completing a set task. The Apprentice also showcases when certain personality traits, skills and styles are ineffective and result in unsuccessful leadership, and issues within the group as a whole. This programme demonstrates to an audience how vital personality qualities are when it comes to a leader being successful within their task, and with their subordinates. Conclusion To conclude, this report considers the qualities an individual must have in order to be a successful leader. These qualities include a combination of good communication, support, integrity and assertiveness, as well as responsibility, direction and dedication. These qualities ensure that leaders are supporting their subordinates and encouraging motivation, as well as responsibly leading and directing for the most effective outcome. Research has supported this argument, as many theorists have claimed that a successful leader is one that demonstrates these qualities, such as describing it as ‘high direction, and high support’. My argument also stated that many of these qualities are developmental, and can be taught - particularly confidence, patience, extraversion, direction and communication. Whereas, qualities such as morality and ethical approaches can be arguably innate, and not necessarily changed. However, research, such as the Great Man theory, has suggested that all key leadership qualities are innate, and that a true, successful leader is not developed. Furthermore, research has also concluded the situational approach, which suggests that leadership values and qualities are situational, and not entirely linear to each situation. This research builds on my argument that a successful leader must demonstrate a combination of qualities in order to balance leadership roles, yet this can be dependent on the situation at hand. References Blanchard, Kenneth (1997) Recognition and situational leadership II, Emergency Librarian, Volume 24, Issue 4 Costa, P & McCrae, R. 2017, The Five-Factor Model, Five-Factor Theory, and Interpersonal Psychology, p.2-16 DOI:10.1002/9781118001868.ch6 Judge, Timothy. (2004) The Forgotten Ones? The Validity of Consideration and Initiating Structure in Leadership Research, Journal of Applied Psychology, Volume 89, P.36-51 DOI: 10.1037/0021-9010.89.1.36 Katz, Robert. (1955) Skills of an effective administrator, Harvard business review, Volume 33, Issue 1 Kirkpatrick, Shelly & Locke, Edwin. (1991) Leadership: do traits matter?, The executive, Volume 5, Issue 2, p.48-60 Khurana, Rakesh (2002 ) The curse of the superstar CEO, Harvard business review, Volume 80, Issue 9 Pendleton, D. & Furnham, A. 2012, Leadership. All you need to know, Primary Health Care Research & Development, Volume 13 DOI:10.1017/S1463423612000370 Stoghill, Ralph. (1947 ) Personal factors associated with leadership; a survey of the literature, the journal of psychology: interdisciplinary and applied, Volume 26