Media: Representations Flashcards

Question

Theoretical explanations for gender stereotyping: Marxist/marxist feminists

Answer 1

-Media stereotypes are driven by the need for profit, with media owners and advertisers targeting audiences to sell products. -Advertisers require stereotypes (primarily of women) to promote items like cosmetics, fashion, and diet products. -E.g. Tebbel, editor of New Woman magazine, featured a size-16 model on the cover, which was well received by readers. However, a major advertiser withdrew support, claiming the imagery was harmful to sales, forcing her to remove the model and resign. -Patriarchal media imagery is linked to social class inequality, with media promoting a lifestyle that working-class women cannot afford, reinforcing male-dominated middle-class values.

Answer 2

-Media stereotypes are used to reproduce and maintain patriarchy and patriarchal ideology. -The media world, like society, is male-dominated and aims to keep women in narrow, stereotyped roles, reinforcing their subordination. -Stereotypes of femininity and the beauty myth encourage women to look good for the male gaze, undermining women’s opportunities and reinforcing male dominance in society.

Answer 3

-**McRobbie (1994):** In PM society, gender representations in the media are more fluid and flexible, reflecting broader societal changes. -**Gauntlett (2008):** There’s a growing social expectation of gender equality, reflected in changing media portrayals of men and women.

Answer 4

-**Wilkinson (Genderquake):** Women's aspirations have changed significantly, referred to as a "genderquake," influencing media portrayals. -**McRobbie (1994):** A new feminism in magazines promotes assertiveness, control, and sexual freedom, integrating "girl power" into culture. -**Brundsman et al:** TV now features stronger, more empowered women. -**Abercrombie (1999):** Soap operas now center on strong female characters. -**Winship (1987):** Women’s magazines emphasize independence, confidence, and address issues like domestic violence. -**Policy Studies Institute (1999):** Magazines depict women as consumerist, sexually assertive, and pleasure-loving. -**Knight (2010):** New representations still conform to femininity and beauty standards, reinforcing patriarchal ideals despite showing women in non-traditional roles.

Answer 5

-**Gauntlett (2008):** Changing media portrayals give men more options to construct identities beyond traditional masculinity. -**The New Man:** A modern man who embraces caring, shares child care, and participates in housework. -**Metrosexual Male:** A man who takes pride in grooming and appearance. -**Retributive Masculinity:** A reactionary form of masculinity that reasserts traditional male concerns like football. -**Male Body as Sex Object:** The sexualisation of men in media, similar to the portrayal of women.

Answer 6

-**Advertisers' Influence:** Advertisers target men with products like cosmetics, while women’s growing success and power lead to a need for more relevant media representations to keep female audiences. -**Women’s Media Power:** Women are gaining influence in media production; if mainstream media doesn’t evolve, women may turn to platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and blogs to challenge stereotypes. -**Ongoing Stereotypes:** Despite changes, gender stereotypes remain strong, especially in tabloids, advertising, video games, and music videos. -**New Media Technology:** While new media offers chances to challenge stereotypes, it has also led to the increased sexualization of women, especially in the growth of pornography online.

Answer 7

-Stereotypical portrayals of ethnic minorities limit societal understanding and reinforce negative views & lead to self-fulfilling prophecy. -Marginalisation and tokenism exclude ethnic minorities from significant roles, promoting one-dimensional representations. -The lack of authentic, diverse portrayals leads to cultural erasure and alienates minority audiences. -Media shapes public opinion, so negative depictions can fuel discrimination and affect policy, hindering equality. -Ethnic minorities underrepresented in senior management positions.

Answer 8

-Stereotypical portrayals of ethnic minorities limit societal understanding and reinforce negative views & lead to self-fulfilling prophecy. -Marginalisation and tokenism exclude ethnic minorities from significant roles, promoting one-dimensional representations. -The lack of authentic, diverse portrayals leads to cultural erasure and alienates minority audiences. -Media shapes public opinion, so negative depictions can fuel discrimination and affect policy, hindering equality. -Ethnic minorities underrepresented in senior management positions.

Answer 9

-Minority ethnic groups, particularly black and Asian people, are frequently portrayed as criminals in the media. -Common associations include drug-dealing, terrorism, welfare fraud, street robbery (mugging), and gang culture. -Studies (e.g., Hargrave, 2002) reveal that black people are more than twice as likely as white people to be shown as criminals on television. -Black boys and young men are often depicted as dangerous, with their lives revolving around crime, such as drugs, guns, and gangs. -Media often highlight black people committing crimes, while black victims of crime, such as racially motivated attacks, are underreported. -The moral panic around the 'black mugger' in the 1970s was used to distract from economic and political crises and reinforced racial stereotypes. -Contemporary portrayals of black youth continue to link them with negative symbols like gangsta rap, further cementing the 'folk devil' image.

Answer 10

-Ethnic minorities, particularly Muslims, are often portrayed as a threat to British culture and values, reinforcing the 'enemy within' stereotype. -Immigration is frequently framed as a threat to the British way of life, with ethnic minorities portrayed as a threat to jobs and social stability. -Rare events like forced marriages and honour killings are sensationalised, giving the false impression that all minority groups practice these traditions. -Muslims, in particular, are regularly depicted as a cultural threat to British values, framing them as inherently at odds with Western societal norms.

Answer 11

-Media representations often frame ethnic minorities as the cause of social problems like racial tensions, riots, school underachievement, and welfare dependency. -These portrayals focus on individual shortcomings rather than addressing broader issues like poverty, racial discrimination, and systemic inequality. -Asylum seekers are commonly depicted as 'bogus' migrants, rather than people fleeing persecution, leading to further stigmatization. -Media-generated moral panics, such as the stories about asylum seekers eating swans or donkeys, serve to reinforce prejudice against these groups. -Such sensationalised stories distort public perception, leading to unfair stereotypes and discrimination against vulnerable communities.

Answer 12

-Minority ethnic groups are often portrayed as having a limited range of skills or talents, typically shown in low-paid, unskilled jobs such as cleaning. -They are rarely depicted as successful professionals, academics, or high achievers. -Stereotypes frequently highlight success in sports or music, but exclude portrayals of academic or intellectual achievement, reinforcing the notion that minorities are less capable in other areas.

Answer 13

-Developing countries, particularly in Africa, are often depicted as chaotic, struggling with issues like poverty, AIDS, famine, and war. -These portrayals are oversimplified and fail to provide context, focusing instead on disasters and crises that reinforce negative perceptions. -Media coverage of developing countries often neglects the complexity of global issues and the role of Western involvement in maintaining or exacerbating these problems. -Eastern European immigrants have been similarly stereotyped in recent years, blamed for a wide range of societal problems, such as taking jobs, committing crimes, and causing economic issues. -These exaggerated and absurd media stories reinforce negative stereotypes and contribute to prejudice against both minority ethnic groups and immigrants, perpetuating racial and cultural discrimination.

Answer 14

-Immigrants from Eastern Europe (e.g. Ukrainians, Poles, Romanians) have been blamed for a wide range of problems in Britain, often unfairly. -Media stories falsely accuse these groups of being: -> Benefit scroungers, lone parents, and job stealers. -> Responsible for issues like shortage of £50 notes, road signs in foreign languages, and various criminal behaviors (e.g., drunken driving, groping women). -> Associated with negative cultural impacts such as bad service in restaurants and overcrowded churches. -These exaggerated or fabricated reports contribute to racial prejudice by blaming immigrants for societal issues they are not responsible for.

Answer 15

-Media coverage of terrorist attacks (e.g. 9/11 and 2005 London bombings) has fueled Islamophobia, associating Muslims with terrorism. -In 2014-15, the involvement of some British youths in ISIS activities contributed to the stereotyping of all Muslims as a threat to societal values and safety, leading to an increase in hate crimes. -A 2007 report showed that 91% of news articles about Muslims were negative, reinforcing the idea that Muslims are a threat. -Muslims have been portrayed as fundamentalists, with negative stereotypes about oppression of women, forced hijab-wearing, and attempts to impose Sharia law on British society.

Answer 16

-Media representations of Muslims in the 2000s led to a moral panic, with the term "Muslim" becoming a stigmatised identity, excluding Muslims from full societal acceptance. -Warsi coined the term **"fashionable Islamophobia,"** highlighting how anti-Muslim prejudice has become normalized and socially acceptable, even in middle-class settings. -Hargrave's findings show that negative media portrayals of Muslims contribute to discrimination and amplify the moral panic, exacerbating prejudice against the group.

Answer 17

-**Poole (2000):** Argues that Muslims have been demonised by Western media even before 9/11. A content analysis of broadsheet newspapers (1993-1996) showed that British Muslims were often portrayed as a threat to UK values. -**Ameli et al:**!Found that media discussions about the hijab and veil were often negative, presenting them as inferior to Western dress. -**BBC2 (2002):** Research suggested ethnic minority groups felt that the media often inaccurately treated arranged marriages and failed to distinguish between "arranged" and "forced" marriages. -**Richardson (2001):** Highlighted that British Muslims are largely absent from the news, and when they do appear, it's usually in a negative light. British Muslims are also rarely featured as news commentators.

Answer 18

-Media reflects the views, interests, and demands of audiences. -Stereotypes of ethnic minorities are based on news values and consumer interests, not intentional bias. **Cottle (2000):** -Media representations help audiences form identity by defining who "we" are in contrast to "them." -Cultural differences of ethnic minorities may be used to strengthen white majority identity.

Answer 19

-Media is controlled by a white-dominated establishment, producing content through a biased lens. -Negative portrayals reinforce racist stereotypes and uphold the dominance of white culture. -Ethnic minorities are scapegoated for problems they didn’t cause, fuelling racism and division among working-class people. -This distracts from real issues like structural inequality and economic deprivation across all groups. -Media moral panics (e.g., Hall et al.'s study on mugging or fears about Muslims) help reinforce ruling-class power and hegemony.

Answer 20

-Appreciation of black culture has grown, and there are more black and Asian figures appearing in music, arts and the media generally. -There are more media forms targeted at black and Asian audiences than in the past- the new media facilitates this, allowing narrowcasting to occur and also for ethnic minority groups themselves to have a platform to express their views and to counter negative ethnic stereotypes. -**Abercrombie** - Increasing representations of EM's within popular dramas and soaps. -There have been greater policy commitments in TV to recruit more people from EM as presenters, and Beattie et al showed this was most obvious in the areas of children's TV, education and the news.

Answer 21

1. **Class bias in media production:** -Media is shaped by upper-class owners and middle-class professionals so more positive portrayals of upper/middle classes and under-representation or negative portrayal of the working class. 2. **'We're all middle class now' narrative (Jones, 2011):** -Media promotes middle-class lifestyles as the norm. -Working class and the poor are often shown as deviant, abnormal or to be pitied. 3. **Class shown as lifestyle, not structure:** -Focus on ‘taste’ and consumer choices as markers of class (Lawler, 2005). -Ignores structural inequality in wealth, income, and life chances. 4. **Media prioritises stories about the rich:** -News tends to report crimes involving rich and famous more than similar working-class stories. -Poverty is rarely covered unless it’s an extreme or individualised case (McKendrick et al. 2008). 5. **Working class devalued across media genres:** -Sitcoms, soaps, dramas, and reality TV often show working-class people as less important or lower status (Weltman, 2008). -Marxists argue media hides class inequality and avoids discussing privilege or conflict, protecting elite interests.

Answer 22

-Media frequently focuses on the monarchy - royal weddings, jubilees, and gossip. -Royals are often portrayed as **’well bred’,cultured, superior, and respectable**, though sometimes a bit eccentric. -Period dramas like Downton Abbey romanticise the past and portray the upper class as decent, even idealising the lives of those who served them. -Tabloids and celebrity magazines (e.g., OK, Hello) focus heavily on wealth-luxury homes, holidays, fashion, and cars (Newman, 2006). -This promotes admiration and aspiration among the working and middle classes.

Answer 23

-Pluralists argue this content is what audiences want. -Neo-Marxists argue it glamorises inequality, encourages class envy, and legitimises the current social hierarchy.

Answer 24

-Royals usually avoid criticism and are portrayed as part of the national identity. -Positive coverage, like during the Golden/Diamond Jubilee, helps reinforce their status. -After Princess Diana’s death, criticism of the royals emerged—but selective.

Answer 25

-Meghan Markle was often negatively portrayed—likely due to both race and class dynamics. -In her Oprah interview, she revealed the monarchy had power to stop negative stories but didn’t. -An “invisible contract” exists between the monarchy and the media—positive coverage is protected in exchange for access, explaining silence around figures like Prince Andrew. -Media owners and editors, often from privileged backgrounds, have vested interests in maintaining the status quo.

Answer 26

-The middle class (professionals, managers, white-collar workers) are often overrepresented in the media. -Typically shown in a positive light – mature, sensible, educated, successful, and capable. -Middle-class families are portrayed as stable and functional, with their lifestyles and consumer choices depicted as the social norm and something to aspire to. -These positive portrayals reflect the media gaze, which is largely controlled by middle-class professionals. -This promotes the dominant hegemonic ideology, reinforcing middle-class values while devaluing the working class.

Answer 27

-Since most media professionals are middle class, Neo-Marxists argue that media content reflects middle-class ideology and interests. -This leads to positive portrayals of the middle class and negative or limited representations of the working class, reinforcing class inequality. -Newspapers like the Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph target middle-class audiences, focusing on consumer goods (e.g., luxury cars, homes, tech) that reflect a comfortable lifestyle. -These papers also create moral panics (e.g., about asylum seekers or paedophiles), playing on middle-class fears about social decline and promoting British pride and traditional values. Neo-Marxists argue this maintains the dominance of middle-class norms and distracts from deeper issues of social inequality.

Answer 28

-The working class is underrepresented in the media, and when they do appear, they are often portrayed through negative and harmful stereotypes, usually for not conforming to middle-class values. -**Curran & Seaton (2010):** Newspapers like the Sun, Mirror, and Daily Star aimed at working-class audiences focus on celebrity gossip, sport, sex, and entertainment, suggesting the working class isn't interested in serious political or social issues.

Answer 29

-Found that US TV shows regularly depict the working class as buffoons – immature, irresponsible, inarticulate and lacking in common sense. -E.g.The Royle Family, where characters are couch potatoes having absurd conversations. -This portrayal reinforces the idea that the working class needs middle-class supervision, helping justify inequality and maintain ideological control.

Answer 30

-Often shown as welfare scroungers, lone parents, or delinquent youth. -Neo-Marxists like the GMG argue this stereotype targets those who challenge the dominant ideology, reinforcing social divisions.

Answer 31

-Seen as respectable and hardworking, with life revolving around pubs, families, and tight-knit communities. -Represented in shows like EastEnders or Call the Midwife. -**Jones (2011)** argues these portrayals are middle-class fantasies – nostalgic and unrealistic, especially as traditional working-class industries have declined.

Answer 32

-Emerged in the late 1990s/early 2000s. -Terms like ‘chavs’ and ‘chavettes’ present the working class as undeserving, vulgar, and criminal. -Jones suggests this is now the dominant stereotype, showing a shift from romanticising the working class to despising them.

Answer 33

-The poorest groups are often shown through negative stereotypes – as ‘chavs’, bad parents, criminals, or welfare scroungers. -Media shows like Shameless and Jeremy Kyle turn poverty into entertainment (‘poverty porn’), exaggerating lifestyles for laughs or drama. -Structural causes of poverty (like inequality or lack of opportunity) are ignored – instead, poverty is blamed on individual failings (Shildrick et al.). -McKendrick et al. found poverty was rarely taken seriously in media. -Murray argues the media accurately shows the underclass (e.g. NEETs) as dependent and irresponsible. -Overall, the media often blames the poor for their situation and reinforces the idea that they are undeserving.

Answer 34

-I, Daniel Blake challenges stereotypes of the poor as lazy or morally weak, focusing on systemic issues like austerity and bureaucracy. -Shift away from shows like Shameless or Jeremy Kyle, which often presented poverty as a result of individual failure. -Media increasingly acknowledges the structural causes of poverty rather than attributing it solely to personal shortcomings.

Answer 35

-Scandals involving Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew expose the dark side of the powerful elite, highlighting sexual exploitation and corruption. -These revelations challenge the portrayal of the elite as respectable, infallible, and beyond reproach. -Media coverage of these scandals questions the accountability of powerful figures and undermines their idealized public image.

Answer 36

**Heteronormativity:** -In the UK, heterosexuality is considered the norm, shaping media portrayals of 'normal sexuality.' -Women are historically depicted through their sexual appeal to men (Mulvey's male gaze). **Shifting Attitudes:** -Social changes have led to more focus on men’s appearance and sexual appeal, particularly in men’s magazines. -McRobbie (1994) suggests men now face the same scrutiny as women in terms of beauty. **Metrosexual Stereotype:** -The metrosexual male is a new stereotype: a heterosexual man who embraces grooming and fashion traditionally associated with femininity. **Gendered Representation:** -Women are still more sexualised in the media than men, especially in pornography, which is more embedded in young men's culture due to new media.

Answer 37

**Camp (Dyer):** Gay men are often portrayed as flamboyant, colorful, and fun (Dyer, 1986), but this can reinforce negative stereotypes about gay sexuality. -**Macho:** Some portrayals show gay men as masculine, challenging traditional masculinity. This can be seen as a threat to heterosexual males. -**Deviant:** Gay men are often depicted as "different," with their homosexuality seen as a problem. News and dramas sometimes depict gays as criminals or perverse, especially in coming-out storylines (Bennett, 2000). -**Sexually Dangerous (Gay Plague):** During the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, gay men were stereotyped as carriers of a "gay plague." News coverage often blamed homosexual behavior for the spread of AIDS, reflecting societal fear and hatred of the gay community (Watney).

Answer 38

-Gross (1991): The media often "symbolically annihilates" gays and lesbians by excluding them, trivializing, condemning, or making fun of them. -Gauntlett (2008): While progress is being made, gays and lesbians are still underrepresented or portrayed negatively in mainstream media.

Answer 39

-Only 5% of TV programs popular with young people feature gay or lesbian characters, mostly in a few shows like Hollyoaks and Emmerdale. -Half of these portrayals are based on stereotypes, and 36% are negative, depicting gays as figures of fun, predatory, or promiscuous.

Answer 40

-1 in 5 people believes TV is responsible for anti-gay prejudice. -Cowan & Valentine (2005): Gay people are five times more likely to be portrayed negatively than positively on the BBC. Gay life is mainly featured in entertainment programs, rarely in factual content.

Answer 41

-The traditional stereotypes of the camp gay man and butch lesbian are fading, reflecting growing social acceptance of homosexuality. -Matt Lucas, Alan Carr highlight changing representations of gay people in the media, signaling a shift in portrayal. -The Influence of the 'Pink Pound' - purchasing power of gay people, particularly those who are professionals with higher disposable incomes, is being recognised by companies, influencing more positive portrayals of the community. **Pluralists** -The media is responding to the demands of gay and lesbian audiences, particularly through advertising and media products. -New media platforms, such as gay and lesbian websites and apps, reflect this shift.

Answer 42

-Gay men’s sexuality is often toned down in the media, focusing on style rather than sexual intimacy to avoid challenging heterosexual norms and alienating advertisers **(Gill)** -Lesbian imagery is often sexualized through the male gaze, focusing on women's bodies for male pleasure. -The commercial nature of media limits diverse sexual representations to prevent alienating audiences and advertisers. -Media often avoids showing the sexual aspects of gay identity, as seen in shows like Will and Grace.

Answer 43

These portrayals marginalise gay and lesbian experiences, suggesting their lives are less important than heterosexual ones. They also portray heterosexuals as tolerant for having gay friends.

Answer 44

-The media increasingly sensationalises issues like paedophilia and child grooming, especially through internet chatrooms. -Headlines often focus on how children are exposed to adult sexual behaviours - e.g. provocative dress, body language, or access to porn. -These topics frequently spark moral panics, becoming recurring headline-grabbing stories in the press.

Answer 45

Children are often shown in a positive light, especially as consumers in adverts or as sources of humour in sitcoms. 1. Victims – seen as innocent, led astray or harmed by others. 2. Cute kids – used to generate emotional, feel-good reactions. 3. Little devils – portrayed as naughty, disruptive or dangerous. 4. Brilliant kids – exceptional achievers, often exaggerated. 5. Accessories – children enhancing their parents' public image. 6. Modern – adults express nostalgia, suggesting kids today are too grown up or corrupted. 7. Little angels – brave, innocent, or enduring adversity with grace.

Answer 46

-Often shown in a negative light: rebellious, lazy, violent, and involved in anti-social behaviour, especially young working-class males. -Linked to crime, gangs, drugs, alcohol, and binge drinking. -Rarely shown as responsible or facing real societal challenges.

Answer 47

-Analysed 2130 TV news items: -> Only 286 focused on young people. -> Of those, 82% portrayed them as perpetrators or victims of violent crime. -> Only 1% included the perspective or voice of young people themselves. Conclusion: media presents a one-sided view that promotes fear and condemnation, rather than understanding real youth issues like poverty, lack of housing, or unemployment.

Answer 48

-Teenage boys were usually represented in crime stories, described using terms like: -> “Yobs,” “thugs,” “feral,” “louts,” “heartless,” “evil,” “scum”. -Reinforces a hostile and threatening image of teenage boys.

Answer 49

-Found that broadcasters often negatively stereotype young people. -Over 40% of young viewers felt misrepresented as disrespectful and living “unproductive and vacuous lives.”

Answer 50

-Young people are powerless and easily blamed for society’s problems. -Particularly young Black males are turned into “folk devils” to create a sense of public unity. -Media fuels moral panics, which justify tougher control and criminalisation of youth.

Answer 51

-Over half of media stories were about intervention or prevention (e.g. teen pregnancy, STDs). -Only 20% included actual input or quotes from teenage girls. -Shows a lack of youth voice and a focus on controlling their behaviour rather than understanding it.

Answer 52

-“Ladette” culture (drinking, swearing). -Sexualisation and pressure to conform to beauty standards. -Focus on body image and moral judgement.

Answer 53

-Young people are major users of digital platforms, including social media, YouTube, and TikTok. -This enables “citizen journalism”- they can challenge stereotypes, share real experiences, and reclaim their own narratives. -Over time, this may pressure traditional media to portray youth in a more balanced and realistic way.

Answer 54

-Cuddy & Fiske (2004): Only 1.5% of US TV characters are elderly; when shown, they’re often used for comic relief and mocked for physical, mental or sexual decline. -Biggs (1993): In the UK, elderly characters are often portrayed as forgetful or difficult. -White et al. (2012): Older viewers find media stereotypes insulting, especially portrayals of them as bigoted.

Answer 55

-Old age shown as a social and economic burden: -> Associated with poverty, ill health, and loss of independence. -> Represented as “out of touch” with modern life and technology. -**Lasch (Marxist view):** Capitalism sees the elderly as economically useless because they don’t work or spend much. -Society promotes “youthfulness”: Industries profit from fear of ageing (e.g. cosmetics, fitness, surgery).

Answer 56

-US study: Only 3% of prime-time characters were over 70. -33% of male prime-time characters were over 40, but only 19% of females. -Hollywood often pairs older men with much younger women, but rarely the reverse. **Age Concern (2000):** -65+ population was 21%, but only 7% of TV characters were in that age group.

Answer 57

**Newman (2006):** -Middle-class elderly shown more positively in high-status roles like judges, politicians, executives. -Older men = wise, authoritative, successful. Often romantically paired with younger women. **Older women:** -Symbolically annihilated in media after a certain age. -Naomi Wolf: “In patriarchy, a woman dies twice — at menopause, and then at death.” -Rare to see older women in romantic roles, especially not with younger men.

Answer 58

-Media slowly shifting to target elderly consumers. -Older people now seen as an important market with spending power. -E.g. Dove advertising campaign featuring older women to market beauty products.

Answer 59

-Disability = a physical or mental impairment with long-term effects on a person’s ability to carry out everyday tasks. In 2025 YouGov, 25% of UK adults were classed as disabled — yet they are severely underrepresented in media (symbolic annihilation).

Answer 60

-Shakespeare (1998) - a sociologist with dwarfism: -> Argues disability is a social construction. -> The real "problem" isn't the impairment itself, but society’s attitudes towards it. -Most of what people understand about disability comes from media and socialisation, not direct experience. -This means media stereotypes shape public attitudes, often inaccurately or harmfully.

Answer 61

-Content analysis (2013–2014) showed only 2.5% of TV characters were portrayed as disabled, despite over 20% of people being disabled in real life. -In 2/3 of cases, the disability was the main part of their character. -Only 1/3 of disabled characters were just shown as people who happened to have a disability. -Over a third were shown as needing aids (e.g. wheelchairs).

Answer 62

-40%+ of disabled portrayals appeared in shows discussing prejudice, stereotypes, or discrimination. -80% of impairments shown were mobility, sensory, disfigurement, or physical/mental illnesses

Answer 63

**Briant et al (GMG study)** -Compared 5 newspapers (2010–11). -Media had shifted from sympathy to hostility. -Articles linking disability to benefit fraud more than doubled in 5 years. -Nearly 1 in 5 used terms like "scrounger", "cheat", "skiver". **Philo et al (GMG):** -Focused on mental illness. -Nearly 50% of peak-time portrayals of mental illness showed individuals as dangerous/threatening. -Reinforced fear and stigma.

Answer 64

-Noted improvement in soap/drama portrayals of mental illness. -More authentic, nuanced, and sympathetic representations. -Fewer “mad and bad” stereotypes. -However, portraying disabled people only as victims is still seen as limiting and problematic.

Answer 65

1. The Criminal – Disabled characters shown as dangerous or villainous. 2. The Subhuman – Lacking full human qualities. 3. The Powerless/Pathetic – Weak, dependent, and helpless

Answer 66

1. Pitiable or Pathetic – Disabled people are shown to evoke pity, often used in charity appeals and emotional storytelling. 2. Atmospheric or Object of Curiosity – They are included to create mood, mystery or intrigue, rather than as full characters. 3. Object of Violence – Disabled characters are often portrayed as helpless victims of abuse or bullying. 4. Sinister or Evil – Disability is linked with villainy, madness, or danger, especially in horror and thriller genres. 5. Super Cripple – They are portrayed as inspirational heroes who overcome their impairments with extraordinary strength or abilities. 6. Laughable or Ridiculed – Disabled people are used as comic relief or mocked for their condition. 7. Own Worst Enemy – Media blames the individual for their struggles, suggesting it’s their attitude holding them back. 8. Burden – They are depicted as dependent and a heavy responsibility for others to care for. 9. Non-Sexual – Disabled people are seen as lacking sexual desire or attractiveness, making their lives appear incomplete. 10. Unable to Participate in Daily Life – They are rarely shown living normal lives, with roles like workers, friends or parents often excluded.

Answer 67

**Karpf (1988):** The media focuses on miracle cures and portraying disabled people (especially children) as pitiful victims in charity telethons, which promotes patronising stereotypes and benefits corporate sponsors more than the disabled community. **Roper (2003):** Telethons turn disabled people into passive beggars, encouraging viewers to donate out of guilt rather than educating them about the real social and structural issues faced by disabled people.

Answer 68

-Unrealistic and stereotypical portrayals of disability. -Overuse of visual symbols like wheelchairs and guide dogs. -Disabled characters often shown as angry, bitter, or unable to accept their condition. -Lack of representation of disabled people living normal lives. -Media practitioners often lack firsthand experience with disability.

Answer 69

-New media (e.g., social media, YouTube) allows disabled people to control their own narratives. -These platforms enable sharing of real-life experiences and challenging stereotypes. -Increased visibility of disabled influencers pushes for more inclusive media portrayals. -Traditional media may adapt to changing demands for more authentic representation.

Answer 70

-Argue there are more disabled people on TV now. -Disabled people are being portrayed in a more rounded and complex way in films. -Disability is depicted more authentically and diversely, moving beyond stereotypes.

Answer 71

-**Postmodernists' View:** Media representations were more fixed in the modern era, but have since become fragmented and more diverse. -Movements like feminism influencing portrayals of gender, age, and sexuality. -**Political Correctness:** The media appears more politically correct in its portrayal of minority groups, suggesting a shift toward more inclusive representations. -**Democratic Influence:** Complaints to regulators (e.g., OFCOM) and the rise of new media have allowed individuals to influence media content and create their own media, making it more democratic. -**Legal Reforms:** The Equality Act, 2010 has improved legal protections against discrimination, impacting media portrayals. -**Underrepresentation in Media Employment:** Despite progress, minority groups remain underrepresented in media employment, leading to inaccurate or limited coverage of these groups, like people with disabilities.