After looking at the previous blog and the links (Cat's) I browsed through the BBC website for any interesting more recent news or interpretations of Jack the Ripper. What I found interesting was that in 2006 using new profiling techniques, investigators created a picture of what they believe the 19th Century murderer would have looked like.(see picture above)
In the article it states ‘…the Ripper was between the ages of 25 and 35, between 5ft 5ins and 5ft 7ins tall. He was also of stocky build.’ These details used by newer profiling techniques are still extremely vague, with a huge ten year age possibility, quite a difference in height, and not really certain of the Rippers gender. To me this means the ripper could have been absolutely anyone, and the fact the Metropolitan Police states, "This is further than anyone else has got," he said. "It would have been enough for coppers to get out and start knocking on doors... they would have got him”. Highlights a number of things, firstly in reality the case is no closer to being solved, it emphasises that the ripper could have been anyone. But more importantly it shows how the media uses and hypes up the Ripper case in order to have a story, even nearly 120 years after the event. The Ripper is a very interesting, exciting and more importantly can help sell stories. As still to this day with modern profiling techniques there are still many theories and uncertainty about the Ripper, leaving it very open to interpretation and a somewhat blank canvas which for the media is a plus, as they can constantly go back to the case and rewrite over and over again as many different stories as they wish until or if the case is ever closed. It is the mystery and uncertainly then sells these stories and keeps the media and the public interested.
Looking at the media interests in the Ripper made me wonder about the public’s interest in the case and how this had changed. Our presentation topic of the Ripper as a brand and more importantly how it makes money will certainly highlight this. As unless there is a market for such items as video games, actions figures (showed in my previous post) and tourism it terms of the many different companies that offer many different types of jack the ripper walks, these huge choices would not exist. This highlights the huge public interest in the Ripper and the money that is and can be made out of it. What interested me was that even though the Ripper was a serial killer, people love the iconic figure of the Ripper and enjoy the many items/events you buy. To some extend British people are somewhat proud that the Ripper was British and it happened it Britain, as the story is well known and used throughout the world. The BBC website shows this in article stating that ‘Jack the Ripper has been voted the worst Briton of the last 1,000 years’ in there BBC history magazine. It highlights that to the public jack the ripper is the worst Briton in terms of his actions, but he is an iconic British figure who still this day remains a mystery and world wide known figure.
If you want to read the article yourself ( i suggest you do its very fascinating) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6164544.st (the article Cat suggested)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4663280.stm ( jack the ripper 'worst Briton')
If I find anything else worthy ( which i'm sure i will) i will post more links
In the article it states ‘…the Ripper was between the ages of 25 and 35, between 5ft 5ins and 5ft 7ins tall. He was also of stocky build.’ These details used by newer profiling techniques are still extremely vague, with a huge ten year age possibility, quite a difference in height, and not really certain of the Rippers gender. To me this means the ripper could have been absolutely anyone, and the fact the Metropolitan Police states, "This is further than anyone else has got," he said. "It would have been enough for coppers to get out and start knocking on doors... they would have got him”. Highlights a number of things, firstly in reality the case is no closer to being solved, it emphasises that the ripper could have been anyone. But more importantly it shows how the media uses and hypes up the Ripper case in order to have a story, even nearly 120 years after the event. The Ripper is a very interesting, exciting and more importantly can help sell stories. As still to this day with modern profiling techniques there are still many theories and uncertainty about the Ripper, leaving it very open to interpretation and a somewhat blank canvas which for the media is a plus, as they can constantly go back to the case and rewrite over and over again as many different stories as they wish until or if the case is ever closed. It is the mystery and uncertainly then sells these stories and keeps the media and the public interested.
Looking at the media interests in the Ripper made me wonder about the public’s interest in the case and how this had changed. Our presentation topic of the Ripper as a brand and more importantly how it makes money will certainly highlight this. As unless there is a market for such items as video games, actions figures (showed in my previous post) and tourism it terms of the many different companies that offer many different types of jack the ripper walks, these huge choices would not exist. This highlights the huge public interest in the Ripper and the money that is and can be made out of it. What interested me was that even though the Ripper was a serial killer, people love the iconic figure of the Ripper and enjoy the many items/events you buy. To some extend British people are somewhat proud that the Ripper was British and it happened it Britain, as the story is well known and used throughout the world. The BBC website shows this in article stating that ‘Jack the Ripper has been voted the worst Briton of the last 1,000 years’ in there BBC history magazine. It highlights that to the public jack the ripper is the worst Briton in terms of his actions, but he is an iconic British figure who still this day remains a mystery and world wide known figure.
If you want to read the article yourself ( i suggest you do its very fascinating) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6164544.st (the article Cat suggested)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4663280.stm ( jack the ripper 'worst Briton')
If I find anything else worthy ( which i'm sure i will) i will post more links
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