4. Media Representations

Question 1

Representations of age

Answer 1

-The media gaze is filtered through the eyes of Young to middle aged adults and this influences the representation of children, youth and older people
-Overall, older ppl are underrepresented and youth are over represented

Question 2

Representations of children

Answer 2

Stereotypes:
-Children’s express, monitored national newspaper output for one week in 1998. They found seven stereotypes of children, which are listed in order of frequency:
1. Victims, children portrayed as good children led astray by bad influences, or as victims of crime
2. Cute, providing the feel good factor in advertising and other stories
3. Little devils, evil children and young hooligans
4. Brilliant, excellent children who in some way, getting into Oxford aged 10
5. Accessories, children are used to enhance their parents’ image, celebrity children
6. Kids these days, stories which show adults nostalgia for the past, with young ppl knowing much more than their parents used to, computers
7. Little ang, childr who can do no wron, endu terbl illness’ / risk themselves to sav sm1

Question 3

Children as consumers

Answer 3

-Children are represented in advertisements as consumers. Evans and Chandler argues this has led to pester power, which is the ability of children to manipulate their parents to buy consumer products for them

Question 4

Representations of youth

Answer 4

Lifestyle and identity:
-A large section of the media industry portrays youth as about lifestyle and identity. Magazines, record companies, mobile telephone companies and radio stations all target and attempt to shape interests of young ppl.
-This portrays youth as being about consumption and leisure

Question 5

Negative portrayals of youth

Answer 5

-However, youth are often the subject of negative stereotyping. They are frequently portrayed as rebellious and selfish problem group is society: as trouble makers, layabouts and vandals, fuelled by drugs and alcohol, and depicted in the context of crime and anti social behaviour. These images are particularly associated with working class males.
-2005 study showed 57% of stories about young ppl were negative, with 40% of articles about young ppl focused on crime, vandalism and anti social behaviour
-These reps are driven by media news values as exciting stories

Question 6

Moral panic of youth

Answer 6

-Young ppl portrayed as folk devils who pose threat to society and media unites the public and encourages them to support tough action against them. As a result of these moral panics all young ppl may be labelled as potentially troublesome
-This can be seen with portrayals of youth subcultures such as youth as ‘hoodies’

Question 7

Representations of Old Age

Answer 7

The invisible elderly:
-Older ppl (late 50’s above) often largely invisible in the media
-Cuddy and Fiske showed that, in the US, TV portrayed just 1.5% of its characters as elderly, with most of them in minor roles. They were also more likely to appear in television and film as figures of fun.

Question 8

Negative portrayals of Old Age

Answer 8

-Old age is generally represented as undesirable. Age Concern identified the following key stereotypes of old age which they regard as ageist:
•Grumpy, elderly women portrayed as busybodies and men as grumpy. Spend time complaining and resistant to social change
•Mentally challenged, forgetful senile or confused. Suggests growing old involves decline or loss of people’s mental functions
•A burden, an economic burden on society in terms of pensions and health care costs and/or a physical burden on younger members of their family

Question 9

Influence or gender and old age

Answer 9

-Sometimes different stereotypes for men and women. It is not uncommon to see older men presented in a positive light, e.g. as partners of younger women in films, distinguished and wise and political leaders
-Fewer positive images of older women and not many positive roles for them as they grow older

Question 10

Old age devalued

Answer 10

-Old age is devalued by the media. The media emphasises youth and beauty, e.g. cosmetic adverts for anti ageing creams, implies ageing should be avoided
-Fewer older adults in advertisement

Question 11

Theoretical explanations: Pluarist

Answer 11

-Media representations reflect reality, young ppl commit more crime and deviance than any other social group
-Criminal behaviour is also newsworthy and therefore attracts audiences

Question 12

Theoretical explanations: Neo Marxist

Answer 12

-Most media sources which are at top of hierarchy of credibility are older. As a result the reporting of youth is set up by older ppl and as a result is negative

Question 13

Theoretical explanations: Postmodernism

Answer 13

-Negative portrayals are only a small aspect of media representations. There are diverse representations in the media.
-Young ppl can use the new media to challenge negative representations and construct positive ones

Question 14

Representation of social class

Answer 14

-Media gaze means representations of social class are filtered through the eyes of upper class owners and middle class professionals. This results in:
•More favourable stereotypes of the upper and middle class
•Overrepresentation of the upper and middle classes and under representation of others
•Working class being portrayed in restricted range of roles
-News about rich and famous are more likely to be reported on than similar stories about working class

Question 15

Representation of working clas

Answer 15

-Working class and poor are generally underrepresented in the media, but when they are represented they tend to be stereotyped in negative ways. 3 main media stereotypes of working class: ….

Question 16

1) As dumb and stupid bafoons

Answer 16

-Butsch, in a study of US TV programmes, argues there is a persistent image of the working class as buffoons or figures of fun: people who are well intentioned but flawed individuals, who are immature/irresponsible etc. This reinforces idea of higher classes needing to keep working class ‘in control’

Question 17

2) Source of trouble and conflict

Answer 17

-Working class ppl are often presented as a source of trouble. They tend to be presented as welfare scroungers etc who cannot cope with their uncontrollable, delinquent children etc. Neo Marxists see this as the media acting against groups who challenge the dominant ideology

Question 18

3) White trash/chavs

Answer 18

-Known as demonisation of working class. This media stereotype is of an underclass in which the working class and poor are merged.
-Creates hostile stereotypes in which they represented as threatening and having bad taste. Suggested this is done to devalue WC culture. E.g. Jeremy Kyle

Question 19

Representations of middle class

Answer 19

-Middle class usually overrepresented in media
-There is more coverage of middle class lifestyles in proportion to percentage of the population they make up

Question 20

Positive portrayals of middle class

Answer 20

-The MC is generally portrayed in a positive light as educated and successful
-MC lifestyle presented as the norm to which everyone should aspire to
-Media gives impression ‘we’re all middle class now’

Question 21

Media gaze of middle class

Answer 21

-All representations are a product of the media industry being dominated by the middle class
-These representations promote the hegemonic ideology of middle class life as being normal and help legitimize class inequalities

Question 22

Representations of upper class

Answer 22

-Most obvious representation of upper class is through coverage of the monarchy
-Monarchy generally presented in a positive light in the media, however there are some exceptions
-Mass media representations of the Queen are also aimed at reinforcing a sense of national identity. As a result of this royal events etc are celebrated

Question 23

Positive representations of upper class

Answer 23

-Upper class presented as being cultured and superior
-Sometimes they may be presented as being a bit eccentric but mainly decent
-Increased focus on celebrity lifestyles and portraying luxury life as the best way to live

Question 24

Theoretical explanations: Marxism

Answer 24

-Marxists argue media representations reflect interests of dominant class
-Little media content discussing class inequality and conflicts between classes are concealed or seen as irrelevant
-Maintains false class consciousness and justifies the advantages of ruling class and the disadvantages of the working class

Question 25

Theoretical explanations: Pluralism

Answer 25

-Pluralists see coverage of upper class as providing what media audiences want
-They also argue the media view the UK as a meritocracy and media portrayals of the upper class are representative of this idea. These representations may also motivate ppl to work hard
-NEWS VALUES

Question 26

Representations of ethnicity

Answer 26

-Ethnic minorities are underrepresented in senior management of media companies and in producing programmes
-Neo Marxists point out representations of minority ethnic groups are therefore filtered through media gaze of a predominantly white media

Question 27

Symbolic annihilation

Answer 27

-In 2014 it was found just over 1 in 7 roles was filled on TV by a person from ethnic minority group
-Black African Caribbean’s were over represented and South Asians underrepresented
-Ethnic minority interests and representations are marginalised in mainstream media and feature mainly as a ‘token’

Question 28

Limited roles of ethnic

Answer 28

-Malik found African Caribbean’s less likely to be found in roles such as political commentators or experts, or politics in general
-Also black and Asian less likely to be in major roles in big budget films, also usually guests rather than hosts of shows
-In advertising GMG found black ppl less likely to be shown in professional roles and more likely to appear as musicians or sports people
-Also, a huge underrepresentation of black women in media

Question 29

Tokenism

Answer 29

-Minority ethnic viewers, especially Asian viewers, rarely see the reality of their lives or the issues that concern them reflect on TV channels
-Asians also thought they were stereotyped as all the same, with cultural and religious differences between Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Indian Asian groups not being recognised in media
-Also complained about simplistic portrayals of their community
-Tokenism also occurred, including specific ethnic actors so programme makers could avoid accusations of discrimination

Question 30

Stereotyping of ethnicity

Answer 30

A number of researchers including Van Dijk have shown that black and Asian minority are often scapegoats for society’s problems. Some stereotypes are…

Question 31

1) As defiant lawbreakers

Answer 31

-Minority ethnic groups frequently represented as taking part in drug dealing, terrorism, mugging and gang culture
-It was found that black ppl were more than twice as likely as white ppl to be portrayed on TV as criminals
-Black ppl who commit crime much more likely to be reported on than them being victims

Question 32

2) As having limited talents and skills

Answer 32

-Minority groups showed in low paid work, e.g. cleaning, or as educational failures
-They may be shown as ppl who do well in sport and music but rarely portrayed as academic or professionals

Question 33

3) As posing a threat

Answer 33

-Presents minorities as possessing a culture which is seen as alien and a threat to British culture
-Immigration, for example, is presented as a threat to the British way of life and the jobs of white British workers
-Media reports of forced marriages and honour killings give a misleading impression of all ethnic minority groups
-Conforms to news values of journalists

Question 34

Islamophobia and media

Answer 34

-In 2007 in one weeks news coverage 90% of articles in national newspapers about Muslims were negative
-Stereotyped as fundamentalists who threaten British culture, for example by oppressing women
-Also, media reporting and representations of Muslims generated a moral panic and resulted in Muslims becoming stigmatised

Question 35

Theoretical explanations: Pluralists

Answer 35

-Representations reflect news values and provide material audiences want
-Negative representations reflect real fears of media audiences
-Also lots of choice, ppl can choose to read newspapers with different portrayals

Question 36

Theoretical explanations: Marxist

Answer 36

-Scapegoating of ethnic minorities for the problems faced by the white working class divides the working class along ethnic lines.
-This also diverts attention away from class inequality in society and the inequalities faced by many people from all ethnic groups.
-This protects the interests of the dominant social class. Hall’s view on the moral panic around mugging by black males in the 1970s can be applied here.

Question 37

Changing stereotypes of ethnicity

Answer 37

-Appreciation of black culture has grown and more major black and Asian figures appearing in media generally