WRITERS AND EDITORS
Those who produce BuzzFeed’s content would be most severely affected by a position on the sexual objectification of men/women. An official position means they would be more limited in terms of the content they can produce. Writers may have their own personal views on the issue, but would be obligated to follow company policy.
BuzzFeed’s current Editorial Standards and Ethics Guide currently states “nudity or sex should be avoided if it’s prurient or pornographic” and that for a number of issues, including women’s rights, “there are not two sides”. A solid position on objectifying content therefore should not represent a major change in expectations for these stakeholders.
READERS
With over …show more content…
This generation has grown up in the internet age, giving them greater access to sexually objectifying media. Such content can seriously affect readers in terms of mental health (Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997), self-objectification, body surveillance (Aubrey, 2006), and interpersonal violence (Aubrey et al., 2011).
Should BuzzFeed stop publishing objectifying content, some readers may no longer be interested in it. Alternatively, this position may attract new readers or result in greater social capital among existing readers.
ADVERTISERS
Advertisers sponsor a proportion of BuzzFeed’s content: social posts (lists, quizzes, and infographics) and/or videos endorsing a brand. Past advertisers using branded content include Taco Bell, Ford and General Electric, among others.
BuzzFeed’s website does not currently outline ‘acceptable’ advertising content, and it is possible that advertisers will have conflicting views on the issue of sexual objectification in media. Taking a position on this issue may result in decreased revenue from advertisers interested in producing sexually objectifying content. However, based on the current lack of objectifying sponsored content, this does not appear to be a pressing problem. APPENDIX D: TARGETED INSTITUTIONS Women’s Media Centre …show more content…
It contests media bias and stereotypes and endorses media literacy through educational programs and regular newsletters. They may be interested in featuring BuzzFeed’s position on sexual objectification.
National Organization for Men Against Sexism (NOMAS) http://nomas.org/ NOMAS is a men’s feminism and anti-sexism institution. It frequently sponsors conferences and publishes related material. It has published positions on many issues, including male violence and traditional notions of masculinity, but does not currently state its position on sexism/objectification in media. BuzzFeed may want to develop a joint position with NOMAS. Upworthy http://www.upworthy.com/ Upworthy reports on stories that are surprisingly, meaningful, visual, shareable, and about “things that matter”. Part of its mission is to ensure women in the media “are seen as full human beings”. BuzzFeed can pitch its position on objectification, which features men as well as women, to Upworthy as a meaningful story and example to be followed.
Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR)