Media Representations Flashcards
The media
the media plays an important role in shaping ideas and fear about crime in society. Left realists argue that there is a real fear of come by ordinary people which is a large extent due to the media, peoples perceptions of crime come from newspapers and programs like crime watch.
Interactionism
The idea that crime and deviance is socially constructed is from the interactionist theory. It states that the media has a large role in labelling theory.
Becker
Identified two processes which they associate with the media.
Sensitisation - This is the process by which the media creates public awareness of an issue to the public.
Deviancy amplification - There is a distortion and manipulation by the media of a imagined event its magnified then labelled. Results in SFP and marginalisation.
Cohen Mods and Rockers
This an example of deviancy amplification, the media got hold of the story and magnified it, they two grouped attend but didn’t know what to do. It still made headline and arrests were made. This distortion of labelling them as folk rebels created a stereotype which led them to use force against the moral panic.
Evidence of Mods and Rockers
The fact the words have been added in the dictionary shows influential it is. The 2011 riots and terrorism show its still happening. But its subjective he was criticised of bias towards the deviants.
Young (Drug takers)
An early example of media is the drug takers he studies drug users and found that the actions of the police negatively labelling them actually contributed the move from cannabis to heroin. He argued that it led to a drug subculture because more sensitiser (awareness) so they became isolated and focused more on drugs because they were marginalised.
McRobbie and Thornton
Argued moral panics is dates due to reasons such as…
Frequency- Increases amount of moral panic people are desensitised.
Reflexability- many group try to generate moral panics for publicity the media rejects them.
Difficulty- Society is now too fragmented to generate one specific idea of good/bad people.
Left realists would argue about media
The media promotes that buying a product will make you happy the person may feel RD because they can’t afford the product. It promotes crime.
Miller and Reilly
The media embarks on a “moral crusade” against “folk devils” they see some moral panics act as a form of “ideological social control”.
Media promote islamophobia marxist argue that is not surprising that moral panic centre around groups who threaten the rich and powerful.
Media and Victims
The media can focus on some victims more than other, such as old people abuse is likely to be front page news.
Missing white Woman
Missing white woman syndrome is the term used to describe excessive coverage of a specific white girl. They displace other newsworthy issues.
