Media Representations of Social Class

Question 1

what are the four main representations of social class

Answer 1

-the rich /regal
-middle class
-working class
-underclass/ poverty

Question 2

what theorist studied representations of royals in the media

Answer 2

Nairn 1988

Question 3

what was Nairns study about representations of the royals

Answer 3

Royals rebranded themselves after WW2 and their personal events eg weddings and funerals are publicised and treated like national events
They are apart of the UKs national identity

Question 4

what theorists studied the representations of the rich and wealthy in the media(2)

Answer 4

Cohen and Young
Newman

Question 5

what was Cohen and Young’s study in representations of the rich and wealthy

Answer 5

media represented UK as a meritocracy society and celebs / businessmen are over rewarded for their talents

Question 6

what was Newmans study on representations of the rich and wealthy

Answer 6

-tabloid media consistently examine the lives of wealthy elite and their lifestyles
-business news and stock markets feature in sections of tabloid media but only in reference to how businessmen are affected not the working people or inequalities

Question 7

describe how the middle class are represented (3)

Answer 7

-over represented in media especially TV
-concerned about manners, decency, decorum, social responsibility and the decline of moral standards
-m/c dominant in the media industry

Question 8

what are the four main media representations of the working class and their theorists

Answer 8

-dumb and stupid Butsch
-problems Newman
-living in romanticised communities
-white trash/chavs Weltman

Question 9

explain the stupid and dumb stereotype for w/c ppl

Answer 9

Butsch; in US TV programmes w/c presented as immature/irresponsible/inept which reinforces ideological hegemony

Question 10

explain the problem stereotype for w/c ppl (Newman)

Answer 10

Newman ; w/c represented as welfare cheats or criminals with marginal self causes problems

Question 11

explain the romanticised w/c community stereotype of w/c ppl

Answer 11

seen as hard working heroes trying to overcome adversity eg Call the Midwife and Eastenders
this is the middle class gaze (Jones)

Question 12

explain the white trash stereotype for w/c ppl (Weltman, Tyler)

Answer 12

Weltman ; suggested the chav stereotype is a media technique that devalues w/c taste and culture
-Tyler; chav is a common form of m/c abuse of w/c

Question 13

what is Curran and Seaton’s study for w/c representations

Answer 13

-newspapers with w/c audiences assume they are uninterested in analysis of political and social issues and is replaced with personality conflicts

Question 14

who criticised curran and seatings study and why

Answer 14

pluralists argue that the newspapers are just meeting public demand

Question 15

give some examples of sympathetic w/c representations

Answer 15

-1960s british ‘kitchen sink’ cinema eg Our Friends in the North and Kes

Question 16

what are the two main representations of poverty / the underclass and their theorists

Answer 16

-dehumanised McKendrick et al and Cohen
-entertainment

Question 17

explain the dehumanised stereotype of the underclass (McKendrick and Cohen)

Answer 17

-McKendrick ; coverage of poverty is marginal in UK media and are usually negative and victim blaming
-Cohen; journalists incapable of realistically reporting realities of poverty and instead entertain negative stereotypes

Question 18

explain the entertainment stereotype of the underclass

Answer 18

-negative stereotypes used for comedy and to undermine real issues of poverty eg Shameless

Question 19

what would marxists argue about representations of social class

Answer 19

media is an ideological agency that functions to maintain, legitimise and reproduce class inequalities and bring about FCC

Question 20

what is the pluralist perspective of media representations of social class

Answer 20

-representations reflect the reality of capitalist society
-if w/c ppl didn’t like them then they would not invest in these types of media