neo marxism

Question 1

Sutton Trust - Neo Marxism

Answer 1

Journalists and broadcasters tend to be white, middle class and male and more than 50% attended private school, when only 7% of the UK population attends private school.

Therefore when they’re trying to produce content that is popular in the media marketplace, their backgrounds and personal values make them unconsciously produce content that’s: promotes ruling class norms, values and ideologies.

Question 2

Gilroy - Neo Marxism

Answer 2

If groups threaten the position of white middle class males, they are marginalised through media portrayals and stereotyped in a negative way.

The media created a folk devil surrounding black people which generated deviancy amplification. It was seen as worse to have the police in the wrong so black people were depicted as the baddies.

Question 3

Hall - Neo Marxism

Answer 3

Supports agility in ‘The White of their Eyes’. 3 main stereotypes of black peoples within the media: natives, entertainers, slaves.

This was portrayed in traditional Hollywood films but also surprisingly in contemporary media texts. It is still constructed by those in control of the media meaning it does not challenge the dominant view.

Question 4

The Glasgow Media Group - Neo Marxism

Answer 4

The media creates moral panics to help keep the few in ruling by making the mass fight against each other. Threatening numbers- exaggerate actual numbers of people immigrating to the UK. Burden of welfare and job market- ignores the possible economic benefits of immigration for the UK, in favour of exaggerating their perceived burden. A need for immigration control- shown in political debates through the media, it is presented that relaxing controls would not benefit the UK.

In conclusion, if certain groups are presented as a problem, we feel like something must be done about it.

However, Neo Marxism ignores evidence that shows significant improvements in media representations, whereas Pluralists acknowledge that there are now a range of media outlets (eg. social media) so we now have more choice over what we access and what gets presented.