Topic 5- Media Representations Flashcards
what does CAGEDS stand for?
- class
- age
- gender
- ethnicity
- disability
- sexuality
what is an example of the upper class being displayed positively?
- Nairn focuses on the representation of the monarchy.
- He argues they are often represented positively and in a way which makes them seem ‘just like us’ so just another
whats an example of upper class being represented negatively?
- contemporary media representations of the monarchy are moving away from being positive
- People are becoming more skeptical of the wealth associated with the Royal Family and some argue it isn’t distributed fairly into society where there are clear inequalities.
what does moore et al argue about the representation of middle class in the media?
- Moore et al argues that research into the representation of the M/C is limited but it is evident that the M/Cs take priority and are the most dominant group featured in the media.
what are dominant values and what class do they represent?
- middle class values
- There is a dominance of the M/C ‘cereal packet family’ which is evidence of the incorporation of M/C values into advertising.
how are working class represented in the media and where does it result from?
- symbolically annihilated or stereotyped and portrayed negatively in the media.
- a failure to conform to M/C life-styles
what is one way that the working class are represented negatively?
- Butsch examined TV in the USA; he found a persistent image of the W/C as dumb or figures of fun.
- They were often well intended, but lacked common-sense, were immature, irresponsible and inarticulate.
what is a way that the working class are represented positively? (perspective)
- Pluralism: the media does not represent groups negatively or stereotypically;
- it represents groups in ways which the audience demands (which appears to be more positive in recent years).
what did cohen argue about the media and how they portrayed the underclass?
- Cohen argues some sections of the media actually revel in the suffering of the poor by commissioning shows that deliberately portray the poor as parasitic scroungers.
what is the difference between how children and youths are portrayed?
- children (0-14) are commonly represented in a positive light,
- youths (15-23) are often portrayed negatively.
what is an example of young people being portrayed negatively?
1
- Cohen’s (1972) pioneering Folk Devil and Moral Panics investigates the representation of two youth subcultures (Mods and Rockers)
- highlights how the media, ‘amplifies’ and ‘sensationalises’ youth behaviour, turning them into ‘folk devils’ creating ‘moral panics’ in society.
what is an example of young people being represented positively?
- As the largest demographic using the New Media, young people are using newly created technology
- e.g. blogs and YouTube to challenge, revolutionise and change traditional ‘old media’ and ‘adult-gazed’ representations of them.
what is the functionalist theoretical link to media representations of young?
- argue media representations function to maintain and normalise boundaries of socially expected behaviour.
- Media representations remind adolescents what is socially expected of them and the punishments they can expect if they do not conform.
how are old people represented in society?
- symbolically annihilated from the media
- negative
what is an example of old people being represented negatively?
- Age Concern (2000) argue the elderly are under-represented across a variety of mass media and media portrayals are generally ageist.
- E.g. grumpy , mentally challenged and dependant and a burden
what is an example of older people being represented positively?
- Williams and Yianne identified positive representations of older people:
- golden ager, perfect grandparent, mentor, cheeky or as an older celebrity.
what does connell argue about gender and how they are influenced by the media?
- gender identities are influenced and constructed through secondary socialization by the media
- and as a result are now: ‘hegemonic’ or ‘culturally’ dominant.
what is the hegemonic representation of females?
- Wolf and Tebbel suggest the media has traditionally focused on the physical appearance of women,
portraying them as young, pretty and sexually attractive.
give 4 common stereotypes of women in the media
- WAGS
- sex objects
- victim
- super mum
give an example how females are represented negatively
- Wolf argues the media sells a ‘beauty myth’ – this tells females, if they don’t look good, they won’t be wanted.
- The media tells women they must conform to traditional female stereotypes, controlling their actions and appearance.
what is an example where females are represented positively?
- McRobbie argues there has been a rise in popular feminism.
- This can be seen in a number of pre-teen and teen magazines,
- popular feminism is equipping girls with positive values and empowering them
what does gilmore argue about male representation in the media?
Gilmore argues the media represents males as “the provider, the protector and the impregnator’
what is one way that males are represented negatively in the media?
- Easthorpe suggests much of the stereotypical representation of males in the media emerges from a longstanding ‘myth of masculinity.’
- This helps the media stereotype male characteristics and behaviour and argues to be ‘male’ you must be: strong, aggressive, competitive and violent.
- This is then internalized by the media audience.
how are males represented positively by the media?
- Gauntlett notes how male representations in the media are changing, there is now a plurality of male representations.
- He specifically argues the case that the media is allowing an emergence of a ‘new man’ – a new form of masculinity is being constructed through men’s lifestyle magazines
what is the liberal feminist explanation of the hegemonic representation of females?
- media representations are slow to change in response to women’s achievements in society.
- This ‘cultural lag’ is due to the fact that women rarely achieve high positions in media organisations
what is the media representation of ethnicity?
- representations of ethnicity are problematic
what are the 3 negative stereotypes that the media portrays ethnic minorities?
- Minority ethnic groups as criminals
- Minority ethnic groups as a threat
- Minority ethnic groups as unimportant
how are ethnic minority groups represented negatively?
- Van Dijk argues in recent years three groups seem to be portrayed as the greatest threat in the UK: immigrants,
- refugees (portrayed as abusing the welfare state)
- and asylum seekers
- Muslims (demonized by the western media and presented as a threat to security of the UK and British values).
how are ethnic minority groups portrayed as positive?
- There is a range of home-grown media agencies that are owned, managed and controlled by ethnic minorities themselves to combat this stereotype of criminals, including:
- desi xpress
- eastern eye
what are the 2 main views of the representation of the disabled?
- the disabled are dependent on the able bodies
- disabled are disabled by society, particularly by the prejudicial stereotypes and attitudes
what is an example of when the disabled are represented negatively?
- Roper suggests that programs like ‘Children in Need’ aims to raise money for the disabled, but they rely too heavily on ‘cute’ children who are not representative of the range of disabled people in the UK.
- This confirms social prejudices about the disabled such as they are dependent upon the help of able-bodied people
what is a way that the media represents disability positively?
- After the Paralympic Games in 2012, the perception of disability in society is changing and improving.
- This suggests the increased presence of disabled people within the media is building momentum for a positive change within society.
what does bachelor argue about the domnant sexuality in the media and what doe she say about homosexuals?
- the dominant sexuality within the media is heterosexuality.
- Being homosexual is not integrated into the media, homosexuality is underrepresented.
- When homosexuality is shown, it is often a source of anxiety or embarrassment and homosexuals are a target of homophobic teasing or bullying.
what is one way that sexuality is representing dominant heterosexuality?
- Dyer argues that the media construct stereotypical ‘signs of gayness’, such as vocal tics, facial expressions, stances and clothing, in order to ‘make visible the invisible’.
- Consequently, if a person demonstrates these signifiers in the course of their everyday behaviour (whether heterosexual or homosexual),
- they may be labelled as ‘gay’ be their peers and subjected to prejudice and discrimination by others.
give an example of where media is representing alternative sexualities
- Recently there has been an increased the representation of homosexuals within media content,
- such as Alan Carr, Gok Wan and Sue Perkins.
- Additionally, there has been a rise in media with a specific-focus upon homosexuality e.g. L-Word, Queer as Folk and the magazine Diva.
