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West versus East in Egyptian Teen Magazines:
A Content Analysis of Teen Stuff, Al Shabab and Kelmetna
By Ralph D. Berenger and Dalia El Nimr
The American University in Cairo
113 Kasr El Aini Street
Journalism and Mass Communication Department
Cairo 11511 Egypt
[log in to unmask]
Phone: +2-20-797-6955
For Presentation to the
2005 Conference of the
Association for Education in Journalism
and Mass Communication
Magazine Division
Mariott Rivercenter
San Antonio, Texas
August 10-13, 2005
ABSTRACT
This study examines three teen magazines in Egypt: what topics they
cover and what they don't cover to better understand the effect they
publications have on young readers. Through content analysis and
content evaluation, this paper finds celebrities and romance
dominates the publications. The paper also explores the publications'
similarities and differences, and offers some suggestions on how they
can be improved to help young people better understand the world around them.
West versus East in Egyptian Teen Magazines:
A Content Analysis of Teen Stuff, Al Shabab and Kelmetna
ABSTRACT
This study examines three teen magazines in Egypt: what topics they
cover and what they don't cover to better understand the effect they
publications have on young readers. Through content analysis and
content evaluation, this paper finds celebrities and romance
dominates the publications. The paper also explores the publications'
similarities and differences, and offers some suggestions on how they
can be improved to help young people better understand the world around them.
And the first step, as you know, is always what matters most,
particularly when we are dealing with those who are young and tender.
That is the time when they are easily molded and when any impression
we choose to make leaves a permanent mark ... Then it seems that our
first business is to supervise the production of stories and to
choose only what we think suitable, and reject the rest.
Plato, The Republic (ca. 360 B.C.)
(quoted in Buckingham, 1993, p. 1)
Plato's observations apply not only to children but to teenagers as
well. Teenagers are a vulnerable type of audience because they are
young and easily influenced by the messages conveyed to them.
Different types of media – including television, movies, music
videos, and magazines – help shape adolescents' malleable attitudes
and give them insight into the world. The media's choice of topics
and the way these topics are presented have a profound effect on
adolescents' behavior, attitudes, and what they consider important in life.
As McCombs and Shaw stipulated in their agenda setting theory, the
media play an important role in telling people, not what to think,
but what to think about (Severin & Tankard, 2001, p. 222). Through
repeated coverage of certain topics, the media elevate the importance
of these topics in people's minds. If stories and images on wars,
violence, and crimes are the main focus of the media, then these are
the topics that most audience members will talk about and consider
important. The situation is similar for media targeted at
adolescents, particularly teenage magazines. If sex, fashion, and
celebrities are the main thrust of these magazines, then those are
the topics to which youth will probably attach utmost importance.
Purpose of Study
The study aims to empirically examine the subject areas presented in
Egyptian teenage magazines. By conducting a quantitative content
analysis and a qualitative content evaluation of three widely
distributed teenage magazines produced in Egypt, this exploratory
study would show what topics readers of teenage magazines are exposed
to and, thus, be able to understand the agenda these magazines set for youth.
Importance of Agenda Setting
As early as 1958, Norton Long spoke about the power of newspapers in
setting the public agenda, saying that newspapers play a "great part
in determining what most people will be talking about, what most
people will think the facts are, and what most people will regard as
the way problems are to be dealt with" (quoted in Severin & Tankard,
2001, p. 221). A year later, Kurt and Gladys Engel Lang emphasized
how mass media steer people's attention to certain issues and divert
them from other issues. The mass media, they noted, emphasize topics
suggesting what people should "think about, know about, have feelings
about" (quoted in Severin & Tankard, 2001, p. 222). And finally,
Bernard Cohen gave a famous statement on the impact of the press,
saying: "It may not be successful much of the time in telling people
what to think, but it is stunningly successful in telling its readers
what to think about" (quoted in Severin & Tankard, 2001, p. 222).
In 1972, McCombs and Shaw conducted a systematic study of agenda
setting. By analyzing the 1968 U.S. presidential campaign, the two
researchers found a strong correlation between the media's focus on
certain campaign issues and the salience voters attached to these issues.
Funkhouser conducted a similar study in 1973, when he analyzed the
content of three weekly U.S. newsmagazines for each year in the
period from 1960-1969 and compared them to people's responses in
opinion polls about the most pressing problems facing the United
States. His results revealed a strong relationship between the amount
of media coverage given to a certain issue and the public's
evaluation of the importance of that issue. Funkhouser also
discovered that media's emphasis on certain issues did not always
correspond to reality. In his study, the media played up the Vietnam
War, riots, and campus unrest a year or two before these events
reached their peak in reality. The media's coverage of issues such as
crime, poverty, and pollution were also overemphasized in the media.
Thus, Funkhouser came to the conclusion that the news media's
rendering of events was not an accurate portrayal of what was
actually going on in the nation in the 1960s (Severin & Tankard,
2001, p. 223-224).
These examples illustrate that the frequency and amount of coverage
the media gives to certain issues raises the primacy of these issues
in people's minds. The more credible a media source is perceived to
be, the stronger the effect of agenda setting on the audience.
Why Study a Young Audience
Understanding the impact of media messages on different types of
audience has long been a topic of research and investigation. Youth,
in particular, deserve special attention because they constitute a
large market segment and represent a unique and important cultural
subgroup. As Livingstone eloquently put it, youth are "at a point in
their lives when they are most motivated to construct identities, to
forge new social groups, and to negotiate alternatives to given
cultural meanings; in all of these, the media play a central part"
(2002, p. 3-4).
Youth are considered more susceptible to media messages than adults.
Studies concerning the effect of television content on adolescents
have shown that television provides teenagers with "behavioral
scripts" regarding gender roles, ways to cope with stress, how to
develop a relationship with the opposite sex, and how to resolve
conflict. Schramm, Lyle, and Parker have documented various incidents
in which teenagers' anti-social behavior was a result of excessive
television viewing (Strasburger, 1995, p. 8). What's more, Biocca
(1988) found five different versions of how readers derive meaning
and concepts from media through selectivity, utility, intentionality,
influence resistance and, above all, involvement with particular media.
Modeling is an important factor to consider when examining media
impact on youth. Because youth tend to model their behavior on their
favorite TV characters, it is important for communicators of media
messages to pay special attention to content targeted at youth.
Excessive violence on television is more likely to result in a
violent attitude in teenage viewers. The effects may be even more
dangerous, sometimes lethal. In 1993, several teenagers were killed
after imitating a scene from Stand By Me movie, in which the heroes
jump off a bridge to move away from a train coming their way.
Moreover, three teenagers were killed and two injured after imitating
a scene in the Disney film The Program, in which a depressed football
player lies down in the middle of a highway (Strasburger, 1995, p. 9).
Mainstreaming is another important factor regarding youth's exposure
to the media. By presenting a "fairly uniform set of social
messages," the media causes teenagers to develop a certain schema
about gender roles and what society expects of them as teenagers. A
1988 report that studied the content of more than 200 television
programs containing female teenage characters showed that, in these
programs, teenage girls' looks were emphasized as more important than
their mentalities, smart girls were looked upon as social outcasts,
teenage girls were depicted as being preoccupied with shopping,
dating, and good looks, and were often portrayed as being more
passive than teenage boys (Strasburger, 1995, p. 11). When such
messages are repeatedly emphasized to young people, they dramatically
shape their sense of identity and the way they view their roles in society.
Attraction of teen magazines
Part of the attraction of youth magazines is that they aim to
consolidate the readers' sense of being part of a specific group who
identify themselves through their culture of fun and leisure, in
contrast to the serious, boring world of adults … The psychological
process of growing up demands emotional and intellectual detachment
from parents and family in general; in this situation, the youth
magazine offers itself as an alternative peer group home (Worsching,
2000, p. 179).
As this quote sums up the importance of teenage magazines to Egyptian
youth, it remains a fact that in today's modern world, such magazines
compete for youth's leisure time. With the proliferation of media –
including satellite television, the Internet, and computerized video
games – teenage magazines have to create special interest topics for
their readers to keep them involved. Many of these magazines focus on
beauty, fashion, sex, and entertainment celebrities to lure readers
and grab their attention. As Maughan notes, "when it comes to
reaching teens, give them what they want and go to where they are"
(1999, p. 28). Because many teenagers are largely obsessed with
well-known singers and actors and because their main preoccupation at
such a young age is falling in love and appearing attractive to the
opposite sex, those are the topics which many teenage magazines feed
their readers. The magazines perpetuate teenagers' notion that
beauty, love, and fame are some of the most important facets of life.
This phenomenon is not new. In a study of three teenage magazines
conducted over a generation ago in 1968, Alderson noted that more
than 50% of the articles and photographs presented in the magazines
under study were devoted to "gossip" about pop stars. "The features
range from large photographs with full-length articles to tit-bits
with or without small pictures of the stars," he noted, adding that
letters to the editor submitted by the teenage readers were
exclusively devoted to these pop stars (1968, p. 42).
From the tone of the letters published in the teenage magazines, one
gathers that the teenagers are drawn into a dream world of
superficial romance and made to believe that they are part of the
pop-music vanguard (1968, p. 104-5).
Alderson's study also revealed that the magazines' coverage of
romance and its importance in teenagers' lives was unrealistic,
oversimplified, and even farfetched, often portraying parents as
antagonists of love and symbols of frustration. The magazines "give a
black-and-white romance idea of love and what to expect from life,
which might be dangerous if applied practically by the readers"
(1968, p. 108).
The problem is not just confined to heavy coverage of pop stars and
love affairs; it is also teen magazines' overemphasis on good looks
and idealized bodies, especially for female readers. A qualitative
study conducted among 12 female readers of the U.S.-based Teen and
Seventeen teenage magazines revealed that readers of such magazines
felt that the publications promote messages of thinness and bodily
"perfection" by showing models with "perfect eyes, teeth, and bodies"
(Chow, 2004, p. 132). The readers also found the magazines portrayed
females in need of male companionship and protection in order for
her to achieve self-fulfillment (Chow, 2004, p. 132). Another study
showed that Western teenage magazines play up female beauty as a
central theme and focus on the promotion of beauty products that
would help the female look attractive (Labre & Walsh-Childers, 2003,
p. 379). One headline in a 1997 edition of Teen read, "Get a Thinner,
Firmer, Cuter Body," with the content of the article geared toward
the use of products that would make the teenage girl looker "firmer,
shapelier, and more feminine looking" (Chow, 1999, p. 57). Such
magazines reinforce the notion that girls are primarily objects of
visual attention and sexual attractiveness and downplay the girls'
sense of identity and character.
A more dangerous implication is teen magazines' sexual content.
While that may not be a pervasive in Middle East publications, it is
a profound problem for readers of Western teen magazines, which are
becoming increasingly available – and affordable – to Middle East
teenaged readers. A recent article in the Guardian revealed that
pre-teen and early teen magazines published in England are "full of
explicit sexual content," causing an uproar by parents and elementary
school teachers in Nottingham (Smithers, 2004). Research has also
shown that magazines are among the primary sources teens search for
information about sex.
Although fashion and makeup tips and stories about favorite
celebrities may draw teens to these magazines, there is also evidence
that they find sexual health information between the makeovers and
clothing ads (Brown, Steele, & Walsh-Childers, 2002, p. 156).
Magazines such as Teen and Seventeen promote the idea among teenage
girls that their main function in life is to be sexually attractive
and "catch a desirable male" (Brown, Steele, & Walsh-Childers, 2002,
p. 14). Such blatant exposure to sexual content may advance
adolescent sexual behavior, as revealed by a national study conducted
in the United States in 2004 (Brown University, 2004).
Because of the vulnerability of youth and the great impact media
messages may have on their attitudes and behaviors, it is important
to examine the content of media messages targeted at youth in Egypt
and worldwide. It is also important to study whether these magazines
offer meaningful political content to youth, for political awareness
is the direct path to preparing active, engaged citizens who would
play a leading role in the development of their countries.
Research questions
Exploratory in nature, this study examines the content of teen
magazines produced in Egypt. A quantitative content analysis of the
subjects covered in three widely distributed teenage magazines was
conducted, and a qualitative content evaluation was used to determine
how these subjects were dealt with and presented in the magazines.
The researcher examined the extent to which entertainment celebrities
and pop stars, as well as topics such as sex, beauty, and fashion,
occupied the magazines. Thus, the research questions were as follows:
• What are the topics covered by the teenage magazines?
• What is the frequency of appearance and the amount of coverage
given to each topic?
• Are the magazines' content largely geared toward pop stars, love
relationships, beauty, and fashion?
• Is there political discourse in the magazines? Do these magazines
prepare youth to be active, engaged citizens?
According to Wimmer and Dominick (2000, p. 28):
A hypothesis is a formal statement regarding the relationship between
variables and is tested directly. The predicted relationship between
the variables is either true or false. On the other hand, a research
question is a formally stated question intended to provide
indications about something; it is not limited to investigating
relationships between variables.
Since this study is exploratory – seeking to examine the content of
teenage magazines in Egypt – research questions, not hypotheses, were
formulated. Hypotheses would necessitate developing relationships
between variables, and that is not in line with this study, which
examines the topics covered in the teen magazines; thus all the
research questions aimed to gather information about this "coverage"
and whether it is focused on love, pop stars, beauty, and sexual
attractiveness as the literature suggests it to be. The research
tries to discern whether political content is absent or present in
the magazines under study.
Method
Since this study investigated media content, content analysis and
content evaluation were used. Three coders, including the researcher,
conducted the analysis.
Content analysis as defined by Wimmer and Dominick is "any
systematic procedure devised to examine the content of recorded
information" (2001, p. 135). As Holsti points out, content analysis
describes the "attributes of a message, without reference to either
the intentions of the sender (encoding process) or the effect of the
message upon those to whom it is directed (decoding process) (quoted
in Baker, 1994, p. 271). In fact, one of the main purposes of content
analysis is to describe and analyze communication content as a
"starting point for the study of media effects" (Wimmer & Dominick,
2000, p. 137). That is precisely what this study hoped to accomplish:
to assess the content of teen magazines in Egypt as a starting point
for an investigation of whether the topics covered in the magazines
were salient to teenage readers.
To conduct content analysis, there are three main requirements that
must be fulfilled: studying the content must be carried out in a
systematic, objective, and quantitative manner (Wimmer & Dominick,
2000, p. 135). Systematic means that sample selection was based on
well-formulated steps that give each item in the universe an equal
chance of being selected. Objective means that the operational
definitions of the content categories are clear and robust, allowing
for replication by other researchers. Quantitative means that the
data can be reported in a numerical and accurate fashion (Wimmer &
Dominick, 2000, p. 135). All these criteria have been taken into
consideration when selecting the sample of the teenage magazines to
be analyzed, as will be discussed in the section titled "Selecting a Sample."
Steps in Content Analysis
The researchers followed a number of sequential steps to analyze the
content of the three teenage magazines. These steps were:
1) Defining the population in question
Defining the universe refers to "specifying the boundaries of the
body of content to be considered" (Wimmer & Dominick, 2000, p. 140).
This includes determining the topic area and the time period to be covered.
In this research study, the topic area is the examination of the
content of teenage magazines produced in Egypt. Three monthly
magazines were selected based on their widespread circulation in
Cairo, a city of 18 million people, a fourth of whom are estimated at
under 25 years of age. The publications are:
• Teen Stuff, an English-language magazine established in 1996 with a
circulation of about 10,000 readers
• Kelmetna (Our Voice)¸ an Arabic-language magazine established in
2000 with a circulation of 9,000-10,000 readers
• Al Shabab (Youth), an Arabic-language magazine established almost
25 years ago. It has a monthly circulation of 283,000 copies (an
estimated readership of over a million). It is distributed all over
Egypt and the Arab world, as well as in Europe and the United States.
Al Shabab, priced at LE 3 (50 U.S. cents), is one of the oldest youth
magazines produced in Egypt. It is affiliated with the
century-old Al Ahram media organization. Some of the opinion
columnists in the magazine are prominent Egyptian journalists,
writers and scholars. Teen Stuff and Kelmetna, on the other hand, are
priced at a premium of LE 8 (US$1.30) and LE 6 (US$1) respectively.
They are fairly new magazines but have gained widespread popularity
in Egypt and different parts of the Arab world, as is evident from
the letters teenagers submit to the magazines. The motto of both Teen
Stuff and Kelmetna is "From Teens to Teens," meanings that all staff
writers are teenagers themselves. Only the editors are adults.
The time period for the study was 2004.
1) Selecting a Sample
After the universe had been identified, the sample to be studied was
selected. That involved determining which monthly editions will be
included in the sample. Initially, the researcher devised a system to
analyze the past year's editions by selecting every third month for
analysis to allow for random distribution. However, confronted with
the fact that El Shabab magazine did not have many of the past
editions, the researchers had to use what was available, taking into
consideration that the magazines under study had to correspond with
each other in terms of which months were being analyzed.
The researchers also excluded atypical issues from all magazines,
specifically the January issues, which were largely focused on the
New Year celebrations, and the October/November issues, which were
largely focused on the Muslim's holy month of Ramadan. Therefore, for
each magazine, researchers used issues that represented different
seasons in 2004: February (winter), May (spring), July (summer), and
September (fall). In total, 12 issues were analyzed, four for each magazine.
3) Selecting a Unit of Analysis
In this study, the unit of analysis was each article appearing in the
magazines. The coders were not looking at the words, phrases, or
terminologies used in the articles, but were examining the topic of
the article as a whole.
4) Constructing Content Categories
In constructing content categories, the researchers were careful that
the category definitions be exhaustive, mutually exclusive, and
reliable. Category definitions were defined with maximum detail in
the coder instruction sheet and were "highly specific to ensure
accurate categorization" (Wimmer & Dominick, 2000, p. 145). In
addition, the slots into which the magazine articles were categorized
were extensive, based on the notion that "too many initial categories
are preferable to too few, since it is usually easier to combine
several categories than it is to subdivide a large one after the
units have been coded" (Wimmer & Dominick, 2001, p. 146).
5) Establishing a Quantification System
Quantification in this study was mainly at the nominal level. At the
end of the data collection phase, researchers counted the number of
articles in each of the pre-defined categories. Coders' mean scores
were calculated, and data was then reported in percentages.
6) Training Coders and Pilot Study
Wimmer and Dominick state that in the process of coding, "placing a
unit of analysis into a content category, typically two to six coders
are used" (2000, p. 147).
In this study, three coders were used, one of which was the
researcher. The researcher trained the coders on the pre-defined
content categories and conducted a pilot study on one issue for each
of the three monthly magazines. (Issues analyzed in the pilot study
were not included in the sample). Following the pilot study,
categories were redefined and the coding sheet was modified until all
coders were familiar and comfortable with the materials and the
procedure. The coder instruction sheet was used a reference tool
throughout the coding process.
7) Coding Data
A coding sheet and a list of definitions was provided each coder,
with instructions on how the stories would be identified, categorized
and coded.
8) Calculating Intercoder Reliability
After the coding process was complete, intercoder reliability was
calculated using Holsti's formula, which states:
Reliability = 2M / N1 + N2
"where M is the number of coding decisions on which two coders agree,
and N1 and N2 are the total number of coding decisions by the first
and second coder" (Wimmer & Dominick, 2000, p. 151).
Using that formula, the total number of coding decisions that were
taken amounted to 540. The instances where at least two coders agreed
amounted to 480. Thus, using Holsti's formula, intercoder reliability
in this study equaled .89 (960/1080).
Content Evaluation
After content analysis was conducted to quantitatively determine the
distribution of articles in the magazines, a qualitative content
evaluation was carried out. Here, researchers examined different
aspects of the magazine: articles, photographs, letters to the
editor, and literary pieces submitted by teenage readers. The
objective was to find emerging themes and patterns in the way
different topics were dealt with by the magazines.
Baker stipulates that there are different ways to analyze content.
These include examining the frequency, or recurrence, of certain
ideas, assessing the emphasis and amount of coverage given to
specific topics, looking at the presence or absence of certain
qualities, and sorting content by types (1994, p. 272). All these
factors were taken into consideration in the content evaluation
phase. For instance, after determining the percentage of stories
focused on celebrities, the researcher examined whether these
celebrities were mostly Western or Arab and what fields they came
from. Also, after calculating the number of stories that dealt with
major social problems, the researcher looked at what types of
problems were tackled by the different magazines. The goal was to
qualitatively describe the magazine content in its totality by major
themes. In the process, researchers were looking for the absence or
presence of political communication, for example, what Holsti
referred to as "contingency analysis" (Baker, 1994, 268). In terms of
letters and literary pieces, researchers noted what topics these
submissions dealt with and whether political communication was present.
Pool points out about the advantages of using both quantitative and
qualitative methods to analyze text:
It should not be assumed that qualitative methods are insightful, and
quantitative ones merely mechanical methods for checking hypotheses.
The relationship is a circular one; each provides new insights on
which the other can feed (quoted in Correa, 1998).
Findings
To determine the percentage of articles falling under each of the
pre-defined categories, the researcher calculated the coders' mean
scores. For each of Teen Stuff, Kelmetna, and Al Shabab, the mean
score for each category under which the articles were classified was
calculated. That was divided by the mean score for the total number
of articles in the magazine. For instance, to determine the
percentage of articles in Teen Stuff dealing with celebrities, the
mean score for the "celebrities" category was divided by the mean
score for the total number of articles appearing in the four issues
of the magazine.
The results for the three magazines are presented in the following graphs:
_____________________________________________________________
Insert Figure 1
_____________________________________________________________
In Teen Stuff, reviews of American movies constituted the bulk of the
articles featured. The second largest category was profiles of
Western celebrities, followed by articles on sports and art.
_____________________________________________________________
Insert Figure 2
_____________________________________________________________
In Kelmetna, most of the articles were reviews of Egyptian and
American movies. The second largest category was general knowledge
items. That was followed by profiles with Arab singers and actors and
self-expression articles, where teenagers could relay their personal
experiences and attitudes toward a certain topic. Discussion of
social problems was also prominent.
_____________________________________________________________
Insert Figure 4
_____________________________________________________________
Most of the articles in Al Shabab were interviews with celebrities
from various fields. The second largest category was contests and
competitions, followed by sports and profiles with people who are not
famous but who have made distinctive accomplishments in their fields.
Discussion
Teen Stuff
Cover page
In all the issues analyzed, the cover page of Teen Stuff always
featured a big picture of a Western actor or singer. The dominant
title on the cover page was always that of a Western movie review
featured inside the magazine.
Inside stories
Teen Stuff mainly focused on Western celebrities in profiles and
interviews, as well as numerous reviews of Western movies. Whether
action, horror, or comedy movies, all the film reviews in Teen Stuff
were of American movies. The celebrities were all either singers or
actors; no celebrities from other fields were featured in the
magazine. Even the posters contained in the magazine were solely of
Western actors and singers. None of the articles or posters in the
magazine was of Egyptian or Arab celebrities.
Though there were a considerable number of articles on arts and
sports, these usually occupied one or two pages of the magazine.
Social issues, however, were given more space and more extensive
coverage. Each month, the magazine would tackle a social issue
in-depth and spread coverage across 4-5 pages. In the selected
sample, the social issues dealt with were sex education, ways to
achieve success, and how to spend a meaningful summer. Racism was
also addressed in one of the issues, but the story only occupied a
third of a page.
The articles on love/dating were also found to be substantial, but
this is largely due to the fact that the February issue was almost
entirely devoted to talking about Valentine's Day. Therefore, the
results in the "love/dating" category may be skewed.
In Teen Stuff, there is a fixed section in the magazine named
"Nirvana," which usually deals with topics such as self-enhancement
and self-discovery for teenagers. In fact, many of the articles in
the magazine dealt with ways for a teenager to be confident and
self-assured and to develop good relationships with others. The book
review featured every month in the magazine usually revolved around
the same theme as well. One of the books was Stephen Covey's The
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, and another book was the
diary of a 15-year-old girl who used drugs. Moreover, an audiotape
titled "Stand Up Tall" was presented as a promotional item with one
of the magazine issues. The tape addressed youth, explaining to them
how to be assertive and win the respect of others, how to overcome
fear and depression, and how to stand up for what they believe in.
Therefore, a major theme in the magazine is to instill in youth
confidence and strength of character and help them discover their
talents and abilities.
There was always one page of the magazine devoted to beauty tips for
females, and another page devoted to a character analysis of the
different horoscopes.
However, stories on politics were minimal. Only four articles (each
between 1.5 and 2 pages long) in all the issues analyzed had a
political angle. One article was about a Palestinian band whose songs
are centered on the Palestinian-Israeli struggle, and another was
about symbolism in political science. The third article was about the
effects of the Cold War, and the fourth (a one-pager) was a
teenager's reflections on the mistreatment many Arabs are facing in
the United States after 9/11. None of the articles touched on the
2003 Iraq war or the current crisis in Darfur, for instance. Nor were
any articles printed that deal with the Arab World's current
flirtation with democracy in the aftermath of the 2003 Iraq war.
Counseling was overwhelmingly centered on the topic of love and ways
to achieve lasting relationships with the opposite sex. Few were on
loneliness, depression, and teenagers' relationship with parents. In
terms of literary pieces submitted to the magazine, love/dating was,
by far, the dominant topic. Love of God came up a few times, and
death was a recurrent theme.
Kelmetna
Cover Page
The cover page of Kelmetna always featured a big picture of an Arab
actor or singer. The dominant story on the cover page was usually
that of an Egyptian movie review featured inside the magazine.
Inside Stories
Kelmetna is mainly focused on Arab celebrities, who are presented
through profiles and interviews, as well as numerous reviews of
Arabic movies and music albums. Film reviews were still the dominant
subject matter, and the movies featured were almost equally split
between Egyptian and American movies. The Arab celebrities featured
in Kelmetna were either singers or actors – none from other fields.
All inserts of posters in the magazine were of Arab singers and
actors; the magazine did not contain posters of Western celebrities.
Many of the articles in Kelmetna were of a general nature.
Love/dating was prominent, but again, this was largely due to the
fact that the February issue was dedicated to Valentine's Day. As is
the case with Teen Stuff, the results for the love/dating category
might be slanted.
In Kelmetna, social issues occupied a large portion of the magazine.
Similar to its sister magazine, Kelmetna featured a social issue
every month and spread its coverage across 5-6 pages. Sometimes, the
social issue was presented as a "topic for discussion," and teenagers
submitted their thoughts and ideas on the issue. Some of the social
issues dealt with in the magazine were the hazards of smoking,
problems facing college students, success in love and life, and ways
to achieve cross-general dialogue and understanding. Again, the book
review featured every month in the magazine usually revolved around
the same theme. One of the books was titled How to Influence Others
and Make Friends, and the other was Chicken Soup for Teenagers, which
deals with a variety of topics on how to lead a meaningful and
productive life. The same audiotape given as a promotional item with
Teen Stuff was presented with Kelmetna.
Some of the articles in Kelmetna fell under what the coders termed as
"self-expression." These were teenagers' reflections and observations
on any issue of their choice. In these articles, teenagers usually
recounted a personal experience and the lessons they learned from it.
There was always one page of the magazine devoted to a character
analysis of the different horoscopes.
Again, political content was almost negligible. Much of the political
content of the magazine came from the May issue, which was timed with
the assassination by the Israelis of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the
wheelchair-bound Palestinian political activist. In that issue, there
was a biography of Yassin and a history of his political activism.
Some of the literary pieces submitted by teenagers were about Sheikh
Yassin, the Palestinian-Israeli struggle, and the injustice of war.
Apart from that, there was no other form of political communication
in the magazine.
Teenage counseling was focused on love and teenagers' relationship
with their parents. Literary pieces submitted to the magazine were
predominantly about love and attraction to the opposite sex. Other
topics included self-actualization and reflections on life.
Al Shabab
Cover Page
The cover page of Al Shabab did not feature big pictures of actors
or singers. The dominant picture on the cover page was usually that
of an unknown female, with small pictures of local celebrities
scattered on the cover. The dominant cover story was usually either
about a social issue or a celebrity.
Inside Stories
Al Shabab mainly focused on Arab celebrities. Contrary to Teen Stuff
and Kelmetna, the celebrities were not solely actors or singers.
Celebrities came from a variety of fields. These included radio
presenters, scientists, politicians, journalists, sports champions,
poets, ministers, religious preachers/scholars, as well as singers
and actors. The magazine always devoted half a page to list the
contact information of famous Arab and Western singers and actors. In
fact, some of the articles reported on events where the magazine had
arranged for Arab actors and singers to meet with readers of Al
Shabab. In addition, there was always one page devoted to a monthly
survey conducted by the magazine on which Arab singers are most
popular at the moment. With regard to the posters contained in the
magazine, these were a mix of Arab and Western actors, singers, and
soccer players.
Many of the articles in Al Shabab had to do with contests run by the
magazine. The subject matter of the contests varied from general
knowledge and religion to science, computers, art, music, history,
literature, and competition for innovation. Contest winners would get
free accommodation to travel to different places in Egypt, acquire
free training on computer and Internet-related skills, or win
material gifts. There were also marriage contests, in which couples
wishing to get married may win a free wedding and honeymoon.
Some of the articles in the magazine had to do with male-dominated
sports, namely soccer and bodybuilding. Soccer, in particular, was
typically given 4-6 pages of the magazine. Bodybuilding usually
occupied 2-3 pages.
Much of the articles in Al Shabab were profiles with people who are
not celebrities, but who have either accomplished a distinctive feat
or occupy an unusual profession. Examples of the latter included
profiles with female prison guards, an Algerian female politician who
ran for the presidency of her country, a woman who works as a barber
for men, and a medical doctor who quit his profession and starting up
a matrimonial office. Profiles with distinguished people included an
Egyptian who became vice president of Microsoft Europe, Middle East,
and Africa, a handicapped person who became a basketball champion,
and a college graduate who toured the world on his bike.
Social issues constituted a significant part of the magazine. Unlike
Teen Stuff and Kelmetna, which focused on one social issue every
month, Al Shabab tackled several social issues every month. Each
issue ran across 2-3 pages. Some of the issues tackled in the
magazine included unregistered/illegal marriages among youth,
unemployment, high divorce rates among young married couples, the
meaning of freedom and success, and the phenomenon of youth aimlessly
roaming the streets at midnight with their cars.
The magazine did not contain any character analysis of the horoscopes
nor did it contain a projection of future events according to one's
horoscope. In fact, one of the social issues discussed in the
magazine was ways to combat youth's belief in horoscopes.
Political content in Al Shabab was minimal. The few articles that
contained a political element were a profile with a Palestinian
political prisoner who was released from the Israeli jail, an
interview with a former Egyptian minister charged with corruption, an
interview with the head of the International Atomic Energy
Association, and an interview with the ex-husband of the female
Indonesian president. None of the articles addressed the 2003 war in
Iraq, the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, or any other Middle Eastern issue.
Teenage counseling in Al Shabab focused on three main themes: love,
religion, and interpretation of dreams. Literary pieces submitted to
the magazine were mostly about love, but also included topics such as
youth's dreams and aspirations, social relations, and religious
faith. The Israeli occupation of Palestine, specifically Jerusalem,
came up several times.
For a distribution of stories by type and publication, see Figure 4.
Insert Figure 4
___________________________________________________________________________
Conclusions and recommendations
Each magazine was found to emphasize different types of content.
Teen Stuff followed and decidedly Western style, focusing mainly on
Western movie stars. Kelmetna was more localized. Though its main
focus was also celebrities in the entertainment industry,
particularly singing and acting, the pop stars featured in Kelmetna
were mainly Arab, not Western. Al Shabab was more diversified in
terms of content and celebrity focus. The celebrities featured in the
magazine came from different fields, not just singing and acting, and
the articles covered an array of topics, from science and technology
to arts and literature.
In addition, the magazine contained numerous profiles with
non-celebrities who are distinguished in some way.
All three magazines tackled social issues and problems facing youth,
but in different ways. Al Shabab was centered on macro-level issues,
such as unemployment, whereas the main thrust of Teen Stuff and
Kelmetna was the development of youth as individuals. Themes such as
self-actualization and discovery of one's talents and capabilities
were predominant in both magazines. Nevertheless, the three magazines
under study were weak on political content, particularly in relation
to current political events in the Middle East.
Love/dating was a recurrent theme in all three magazines, not only
in terms of what the magazines offer as articles and counseling
advice, but even in terms of what teenagers submit as their own
literary works. This shows how important love is to teenagers and how
attached they can become to the opposite sex. However, literary
compositions on political issues were minimal.
Sex and beauty did not come up as major themes in any of the magazines.
Recommendations
Because this research was exploratory results cannot be generalized
to all teen magazines in Egypt. Several patterns and indicators
suggest areas where reform is needed to make the content of these
magazines more meaningful and constructive to readers.
First, an English-language magazine should not be solely focused on
Western celebrities. Because the magazine is produced in an Arab
country, its readers should be exposed to Arab celebrities as well.
Second, celebrities featured in both English and Arabic teenage
magazines should not be confined to the entertainment industry. Youth
should know about celebrities from all fields – science, literature,
arts, politics, media, sports, and religion – not just singing and
acting. The awe and admiration magazines hold pop stars might
increase teenagers' infatuation with these celebrities and makes them
believe more strongly that these celebrities are perfect role models.
Third, teenage magazines should give more coverage to people who have
made distinguished achievements in their fields, even though these
people may not be famous. Such people may serve as a role model for
youth in their determination to achieve and become unique in their
fields. Of the three magazines analyzed in this study, Al Shabab did
well in all the aforementioned areas.
Discussion of social issues and social relations is a must when
dealing with teenage readers. A good magazine would balance between
macro-issues, such as unemployment and marriage, and more
individualized issues dealing with teenagers' self-enhancement and
self-actualization and the importance of engaging in pro-social
behavior with family and friends.
Sports coverage is imperative in teenage magazines because it
emphasizes the importance of engaging in sports. However, sports
coverage should not be restricted to male-dominated types of sports,
such as soccer and weightlifting. Coverage should be more varied and
should include sports such as tennis, swimming, and basketball.
Teen Stuff and Kelmetna presented such varied sports coverage, but
articles in Al Shabab were largely focused on soccer, followed by bodybuilding.
Politics should become part of the agenda of teenage magazines.
Though censorship is prevalent in the Arab world, political discourse
does not necessarily entail criticism of the government. Teen
magazines might contain a news section, highlighting important
political events happening around the globe. Articles might cover
teenagers' responses to current political events happening in their
region. Teenagers could be encouraged to submit ideas on how their
country could be developed on the political, economic, and social
fronts. All this works to engage youth in their country's affairs and
make their more aware of political events, their implications, and
how they may be of help to their country and region.
Other steps must accompany improvement in the types of stories
featured in teenage magazines. Media literacy should become an
integral part of school curricula in order to educate children and
teenagers about the media's good and bad effects. When children and
adolescents understand the nature of the media and how it operates,
it helps protect them from the harmful effects the media may cast on
them. More importantly, producers of teenage magazines, and media
professionals in general, should exercise social responsibility when
choosing the types of stories they present to a young audience. They
must strike a balance between what the public wants to know and what
they need to know. It is a very delicate balance, but the ultimate
aim should be the well-being of the young generation.
Limitations
This research study had several limitations:
1) Four issues from each of the three magazines under study were used
in the analysis. That is, twelve magazine issues were examined in
total. This is a small sample from which to draw conclusions.
However, because the study is exploratory in nature, this sample was
deemed sufficient to provide directions and key indicators about the
content of teenage magazines produced in Egypt. The results cannot be
generalized to all Egyptian teen magazines.
2) Availability from distributors of back magazine issues was a
problem, particularly with Al Shabab. Therefore, researchers had to
use the magazine issues that were available and could not
systematically spread out the sample across the past year or two as
would have been ideal to allow for random distribution.
Suggestions for future research
The topic of teenage magazines lends itself to various types of
research and analyses. Suggestions for future research include:
• Surveying readers of the three teenage magazines analyzed in this
study to see whether a relationship exists between the emphasis each
magazine placed on certain issues and the salience of these issues to
the readers
• Expanding the sample to include teenage magazines produced in Egypt
and the Arab world
• Examining how different teenage magazines handle special
events/occasions, such as the New Year, Ramadan, or Valentine's Day
• Changing the unit of analysis from the topic areas covered by
teenage magazines to the words and phrases the magazines use in
presenting certain topics
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Figure 1. Percentage of stories, by content, in Teen Stuff
Figure 2. Percentage of stories, by content, in Kelmetna
Figure 3. Percentage of stories, by content in Al Shabab
Figure 4. Distribution of stories in sample issues
Category
Teen Stuff
Al Shabab
Kelmetna
Total
Celebrities
12
22
9
43
Movies
21
0
21
42
Contests
3
0
17
20
Social
5
5
7
19
General
0
5
14
19
Sports
8
9
0
17
Self Expression
5
0
9
14
Love/Dating
6
0
5
11
Music
6
2
3
11
Book Reviews
4
2
3
9
Profiles
0
8
0
8
IT/Technology
0
8
0
8
Arts
7
0
0
7
Literature
5
0
0
5
Politics
3
0
1
4
Beauty
4
0
0
4
Cars
0
2
2
4
History
0
0
3
3
Personality
0
0
2
2
School/college
2
0
0
2
Total Stories
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