4. Media representations of social class

Question 1

outline media representations of social classes

Answer 1

• Rich
• Middle class
• Working class
• Poverty

Question 2

Outline the media representations of upper class

Nairin

Answer 2

The upper class interests are over-represented in media .

The upper class are represented as ‘well-bred’, cultured and superior. TV & film portray the lavish lifestyles of upper class in the form of luxury homes, cars & exotic holidays.

Pluralists - the coverage of upper-class lifestyles is providing what media audiences want to see.

Neo-Marxists - see the coverage of upper-class lifestyles as a celebration of hierarchy and wealth, which promotes the dominant ideology and seeks to legitimise existing inequality.

Nairin- gave example of Royal family, whos life is treated like a soap opera , and is part of our day to day media fabric, encourages us to identify with the royals.with media taking great interest in minor aspects of every day life , similary royal eventys are treated as national events in the media

Question 3

Outline media representations of middle class

Answer 3

Over-represented-The middle class are highly over-represented in media content;
. The MC are represented as mature, sensible, educated and successful.
MC represenations in media promote the dominant hegemonic ideology of MC life.

Most T.V. presenters are MC so more likely to identify with MC guests compared to WC guests, reinforcing the concerns of MC as more worthy of attention.

Most journalists and editors are privately educated which means that the news agenda is framed from a MC point of views.

Question 4

Outline media representations of Working class

Newman

Answer 4

Curran and Seaton argue content of newspapers aimed at WC audiences are (Eg. Daily Star, Sun, Daily Mirror) suggest WC have little interest in publicaffairs,but instead areinterested in over-dramatised, exaggerated & made-up human interest stories.

The main representations of the working class include:

A problem- Newman notes WC are stereotyped as problem in the media. In terms of WC subculture, or stories about criminals. WC lives are presented as marginal & problematic compared to majority

Owen jones ‘ has written about demonization of WC in book chavs’

Shallow/unintelligent

Counterpoint-to WC presentations as negative, focusing on positive representations of WC

‘salt of the earth’ representation: WC people are simple, decent normal people -although positive

Question 5

Outline media representations of poverty

Mckendrick

Answer 5

Marginalised & dehumanised -Poverty is dealt with in the media in a impersonal way, focusing on statistics rather than individual stories of living with poverty

McKendrick et al found that poverty was marginal in the media : there was little exploration of the cause of poverty

Cohen-noted the link between poverty of some & wealth of others is ignored in media

Entertainment- Poverty is used as entertainment. Reality programmes like ‘benefit street’ & dramas like ‘shameless’ ignore real lived experiences of poverty, instead representing a life in poverty as a source of entertainment