media representations

Question 1

representations of disability - the social model

Answer 1

someone is disabled because society makes them so.

Question 2

representations of disability - the medical model

Answer 2

you are disabled because of an impairment (loss of sight etc)

Question 3

representations of disability - media stereotypes of disability (10)

Answer 3

1. as pitiable and pathetic
2. as an element of atmosphere or object of curiosity
3. as an object of violence
4. as sinister or evil
5. as the supper cripple
6. laughable or an object of ridicule
7. as his/her own enemy
8. as a burden
9. non-sexual
10. unable too participate in everyday life

Question 4

representations of disability - symbolic annihilation

Answer 4

1/4 of all adults are covered by the disability discrimination act but are under-represented in the media and are portrayed negatively - face symbolic annihilation

Cumberbatch et al in a content analysis of TV programmes 2013 found that people portrayed as disabled represented 2.5% of the TV population

Ofcom found more than 4/10 appearances of disabled people in programmes highlighting issues of prejudice and discrimination

Question 5

representations of disability - Cumberbatch et al

Answer 5

symbolic annihilation

in a content analysis of TV programmes 2013 found that people portrayed as disabled represented 2.5% of the TV population

Question 6

representations of disability - Ofcom

Answer 6

symbolic annihilation

found more than 4/10 appearances of disabled people in programmes highlighting issues of prejudice and discrimination

Question 7

representations of disability - negative representations of disability

Answer 7

Briant et al compared media coverage of disability in 5 newspapers 2010 with 2004.
Found that there had been a reduction in articles describing disabled people in a sympathetic way
Proportion if articles linking disability to benefit fraud had more than doubled

Philo et al found negative stereotypes were also applied to people with disabling mental health conditions
A study of day time TV showed that nearly 1/2 of programmes with mental illness storylines portrayed the people as threatening
63% of references to mental health were negative

Question 8

representations of disability - Briant et al

Answer 8

negative representations of disability

Briant et al compared media coverage of disability in 5 newspapers 2010 with 2004.
Found that there had been a reduction in articles describing disabled people in a sympathetic way
Proportion if articles linking disability to benefit fraud had more than doubled

Question 9

representations of disability - Philo et al

Answer 9

negative representations of disability

Philo et al found negative stereotypes were also applied to people with disabling mental health conditions
A study of day time TV showed that nearly 1/2 of programmes with mental illness storylines portrayed the people as threatening
63% of references to mental health were negative

Question 10

general features of representations of gender (4)

Answer 10

under-representation of women in media industry

male gaze

under-representation and stereotyping of women in media

patriarchal ideology and symbolic annihilation of women

Question 11

general features of representations of gender - under-representation of women in the media industry

Answer 11

Under-represented in positions of power and influence in the management of media industry

On average 77% of reports were by male journalists 2011

Question 12

general features of representations of gender - the male gaze

Answer 12

Neo-marxists (e.g. the GMG) - representations of gender are filtered by the gaze of the pre-dominantly male -dominated media establishment

means that women are portrayed through the male gaze

men look at women as sexual objects, and use images and camera angles to focus on their physical appearance and sexuality.

Question 13

general features of representations of gender - Under-representation and stereotyping of women in the media

Answer 13

men accounted for 84% of those mentioned or quoted in lead articles

The Global Media Monitoring Project - 76% of the people heard or read about in the news, radio, TV were male

When women were interviewed they appeared as ‘ordinary’ people, men as ‘experts’

Question 14

general features of representations of gender - Patriarchal ideology and symbolic annihilation of women

Answer 14

features like these are because the media is patriarchal and spreads patriarchal ideology

The way women are invisible or under-represented is described as symbolic annihilation of women

Question 15

Female representations and stereotypes (6)

Answer 15

the WAG

the sex object

the supermum

the angel

the ball breaker

the victim

Question 16

Female representations and stereotypes - the WAG

Answer 16

the wives and girlfriends of men who are concerned with beauty, love, being a good partner

Question 17

Female representations and stereotypes - the sex object

Answer 17

slim, sexually seductive or as objects of male fantasy in pornography

Question 18

Female representations and stereotypes - the supermum

Answer 18

the happy home-maker, concerned with childbearing and housework

Question 19

Female representations and stereotypes - the angel

Answer 19

who is ‘good’, displays little sexuality and is domesticated

Question 20

Female representations and stereotypes - the ball breaker

Answer 20

who is sexually active, strong, independent

Question 21

Female representations and stereotypes - the victim

Answer 21

as in many horror films, in which men are both the cause and saviours from the problems

Question 22

Female representations and stereotypes - the ‘cult of femininity’

Answer 22

Ferguson - teenage girls’ magazines traditionally prepared girls for feminized adult roles, and generated a ‘cult of femininity’

included themes like getting and keeping a partner, being a good wife/partner

Question 23

Male representations and stereotypes:
(6)

Answer 23

the joker
the jock
the strong silent type
the big shot
the action hero
the buffoon

Question 24

Male representations and stereotypes:
the joker

Answer 24

who uses laughter to avoid displaying seriousness or emotion

Question 25

Male representations and stereotypes:
the jock

Answer 25

who avoids being soft, and who shows aggression to demonstrate his power and strength to win the approval of other men and the admiration of women.

Question 26

Male representations and stereotypes:
the strong silent type

Answer 26

who is in control, acts decisively, avoids talking about his feelings or showing emotion as this is a sign of weakness, and is successful with women.

Question 27

Male representations and stereotypes:
the big shot

Answer 27

who is economically and socially successful and has high social status with possessions to match.

Question 28

Male representations and stereotypes:
the action hero

Answer 28

who is strong but not necessarily silent, and who shows extreme aggression

Question 29

Male representations and stereotypes:
the buffoon

Answer 29

who is well-intentioned and light-hearted, completely hopeless when it comes to parenting or domestic matters

Question 30

representations of age - stereotypes of children (8)

Answer 30

as victims of horrendous crimes
as cute
as little devils
as brilliant
as brave angels
as accessories
as modern
as active consumers

Question 31

representations of childhood - heintz-Knowles

Answer 31

motivated by peer relationships, sports, romance and least often by community, school-related o religious issues
Rarely shown coping with racial issues or having family problems such as child abuse

Question 32

representations of age - youth

Answer 32

Theres a whole media industry aimed at socially constructing youth in terms of lifestyles and identity - e.g magazines for kids
They’re often portrayed by news media as a social problem and as a result are constructed as fold devils as part of a moral panic

Wayne et al - content analysis software 2130 news items across main TV channels, found: young people were mainly represented as a violent threat to society - Distracts from the real problems young people face (homelessness)

Question 33

representations of age - elderly

Answer 33

Newman - upper class and middle lass elderly people are portrayed in Tv and film as occupying high-status roles as politicians, judges and experts

Older men are often paired with attractive young females, while older women newsreaders are exiled to radio

Old age is devalued by the media
AO2: advertising of beauty products aimed at slowing down the ageing process or hiding it

Research suggest that the elderly are largely invisible across a range of media and when they do appear they’re negatively stereotyped

Question 34

representation of age - stereotypes of the elderly (5)

Answer 34

as grumpy
as mentally challenged
as dependent
as a burden
as enjoying a second childhood