Unit 1 - Section B Flashcards
Media
Milliband (Marxist)
‘The state in a capitalist society’
Ruling class create a false picture of reality that presents capitalism in a positive way
Inequalities are presented as inevitable, justifiable and effective for society and therefore the proletariat accept the values of ruling class, despite not being in their best interests
‘The new opium of the people’ - it distracts us from social problems
The institutions act like a drug to numb the senses and produce an illusion of happiness that is not real.
This therefore means the media takes the proletariat attention away from exploitation and oppression of the capitalist system and allows the ruling class to control and dominate them
Curran (Marxist)
Found evidence of owners directly manipulating media content
In middle of 20th century, “press barons” were quite open about their propagandist role, and also that there have always been a lot more Conservative-
supporting newspapers than those critical of the party, which reflects them serving the interests of their wealthy owners
In the later 20th century and today owners are even more interventionist, with Rupert Murdoch being the obvious example.
Politicians clearly believe media moguls to have a great deal of control over media content because they try to get on the right side of them.
Bagdikian (Marxist)
Notes that in 1983, 50 corporations controlled the vast majority of all news media in the USA, but by 2004 media ownership was concentrated in 7 corporations
Sutton Trust (Neo-Marxist)
Journalists and broadcasters tend to be white, middle class and male- more than 50% attended private schools
When reflecting on role of media within contemporary UK, media professionals aim to produce content that is popular in the media marketplace, but due to their backgrounds and personal values, they unconsciously produce content that promotes ruling class, norms, values and ideologies
Gilroy (Neo-Marxist)
also state that certain social groups that ‘threaten’ the position of white, middle-class males and therefore margarine listed through media portrayals and are stereotypes in a negative way
Argues that black crime, particularly in the 1970s was a form of political resistance against repressive, racist state
Denies there was greater criminality amongst black people than whites people at d stated that the media created a folk devil surrounding black people which generated deviancy amplification (Cohen)
Hall (Neo-Marxist)
Three key stereotypes of black people within media
Natives
Entertainers
Slaves
Unconscious racism
Hollywood films but also surprisingly common in contemporary media texts
Constructed by those in ‘control’ of the media meaning it doesn’t challenge their dominant views
The Glasgow Media Group (Neo-Marxist)
also state that certain social groups that ‘threaten’ the position of white, middle-class males and therefore margarine listed through media portrayals and are stereotypes in a negative way
Argues that black crime, particularly in the 1970s was a form of political resistance against repressive, racist state
Denies there was greater criminality amongst black people than whites people at d stated that the media created a folk devil surrounding black people which generated deviancy amplification (Cohen)
Hall (Neo-Marxist)
Three key stereotypes of black people within media
Natives
Entertainers
Slaves
Unconscious racism
Hollywood films but also surprisingly common in contemporary media texts
Constructed by those in ‘control’ of the media meaning it doesn’t challenge their dominant views
The Glasgow Media Group (Neo-Marxist)
Research covered issues such as workers strikes and industrial action
Alongside what Philo et al identified as representations of immigrants and asylum seekers.
Groups presented in a stereotyped and negative way.
Found range of recurring themes in media representation social groups
Conflation of forced and economic immigrants
Threatening numbers
A burden on welfare and job market
Criminality, threat, deportation and human rights
Need for immigration control
Benefits of immigration only receive limited media coverage
Problems facing asylum seekers are portrayed minimally in major media outlets
Role of the west in refugee movements and economic forced in migration
Found that the sensationalised and inaccurate media representations of different social groups, legitimise (and justify) political action which can have negative consequences on refugees, migrants and those from lowest social classes
Whale (Pluralist)
What we see in the press/news is determined by its readers/audiences
Williams (Pluralist)
Argues that journalists are vital in a democratic society as they provide the general public with information required to participate in political and cultural life
Free press is vital for democracy to work effectively as censorship’s can lead to a bias, uncritical view of politicians and policies
Newspapers that traditionally supported Conservative Party do now criticise conservative policies when necessary
Fourth estate of democracy (Pluralist)
Media holds this label as it felt that access was to information is seen as an essential part of democracy
Media channels- live worldwide updates
Tabloid press- trash papers (fake news, gossip) vs. B-road sheets- middle class (factual/objective)
Social media- others views, see what doesn’t make it to news,
Political broadcast- general info about parties
Party political broadcasts- deeper explanations about party specific policies etc.
Liberal Feminism- Mulvey (Feminism)
‘Male gaze’ - shows women how men want to see them
To characterise cinema as an instrument of male spectatorship
Semiology - study of signs; how they work and how we use them- to research the representation of women within films
Film reinforces patriarchal society
Rear Window
Vertigo
Male gaze theory- sexual objectification on women in media- women in media are viewed from point of view of heterosexual male
E.g transformers and Disney princesses
The effect on cinema: old-fashioned - repetitive style of cinema
Moderns and truthful version of cinema as we now have more realistic portrayals of women than ever
Variety of roles and viewed through a non patronising or sexualising way
Wolf (radical feminism)
Also states that women are socialised to conform to, and buy into, what she coins the “beauty myth”- referring to the notion that women feel pressure to conform to the male image of what a woman should look like in terms of sex appeal, shape, size and weight
Contemporary media takes these images and presents them as “ideal”
See this “ideal” representation of femininity as a ‘backlash’ against the women’s movement and potential developments that have been made
Women develop a ‘false consciousness’
Whelehan (Feminist)
Carried out a study into men’s magazines such as FHM, Maxim and Loaded and claimed these magazines override the message of Feminism
State that these magazines promoted a ‘laddish culture’ where women are objectified and changes in gender roles can be dismissed as an ‘ironic joke’.
Gauntlett cited Whelehan in their research but claimed that Whelehans findings were superficial and stated that she adopts an overly pessimistic view about the influence of lads mags
Gauntlett (Feminist)
Gauntlett cited Whelehan in their research but claimed that Whelehans findings were superficial and stated that she adopts an overly pessimistic view about the influence of lads mags
Gauntlett found that lads mags did also touch on changing gender roles and did not pass on one message about the objectification of women.
McRobbie (Feminist)
Conducted a range of research into womens and girls magazines over the course of four decades and is one of a very few academics to study these magazines over a long period of time
States that generally magazines do have an impact on the identity on the identity of their readers
A ‘discourse of Western enlightened values’ is presented through magazines and suggests that a ‘Western’ version of femininity is promoted as the ‘ideal’- fashion, lifestyle, love and beauty which promotes hegemonic femininity
E.g heat or closer
Globalisation- McLuhan (Postmodernism)
Global village- Suggests that information would eventually be passed on electronically due to it “moving at the speed of light”
Predicted that postmodern world would create a new pattern of communication and social interactions
Globalisation has a direct impact on media representations as it provides access to a broader range of lifestyles and identities that offers people choice- e.g. hybrid ethnic identities
“Everybody loves in the utmost proximity created by our electric involvement in one another’s lives”
Media of the internet and TV, brings information instantaneously from the four corners of the planet
Media Saturation - Strinati (Postmodernism)
We have so much media- media saturation
Media plays a significant role whilst people are constructing their identities, due to people being connected with devices and services on a daily basis
Due to diversity offered by media there are no traditional representations of social groups- erosion of identity
Identity is no longer constrained
Boundaries have been blurred between groups of people
Media Saturation - Baudrillard (Postmodernism)
Used term ‘Simulacra’ when discussing virtual reality, that can lead to a more satisfying version of the physical world
Media saturation has altered reality negatively made it difficult for people to distinguish what is real and what is fiction people engulfed by communication led to hyperreality Simulacra discussing virtual reality satisfying versions of the physical world
- E.G. Fake news - Pope Francis trafficking children
Mulhern - Traditional/negative of nationality
Irish nationals are stereotyped as
1. homesick and drinking bad Guiness whilst listening to bad ballads in north London
2. too successful to be homesick while making megabucks in the City and reporting the good wealth home via Skype
They are located in England and not Ireland
E.g.
Mrs Browns Boys - Stupid
Vir Hall and Foye - Traditional/negative of nationality (Scottish)
Highlands underrepresented outside nature programming. Biassed TV programmes exclude ‘smaller locations’. ‘The Scottish person is always drunk and an abusive drunk at that’
e.g.
Rab C Nesbitt: Loud, honest, blunt, angry, irritable, normalised drinking and rude
Vir Hall and Foye - Traditional/negative of nationality (welsh)
,Reality TV is exploitative of Welsh Dirty Sanchez: Stupid, loud, immature, argumentative, commit dangerous activities and bullies.
The Valleys: Club culture, sexual, reckless and argumentative
Graham - Traditional/negative of ethnicity
TV forces other nationalities into it leading to tokenism Gavin and Stacy: Thick, sexual, no self-respect
Barker - Traditional/negative of ethnicity
oap opera Eastenders stereotypes. Asian and black characters are doctors and shopkeepers. They had limited, stereotypical character traits opposed to white characters being hey, multifaceted, complex people. Black characters are angry, aggressive, loud, use slang, muggers and criminals. Twice as white as the actual East End
Van Dijk - Traditional/negative of ethnicity
Black people are presented how the audience wants so they are stereotyped and labelled through symbols Portrayed in five ways
1. Criminals
2. Abnormal
3. A threat
4. Dependent
5. Unimportant (priority given to issues impacting White people).
E.G.
Grenfell Tower lacks coverage. Madeleine Mccann focus and not on other children dead in last 20 years
Malik - Traditional/negative of ethnicity
,Poor and unfair representations due to lack of black and Asian people in positions of power in media companies. On Channel 4, White British people found that broadcasters were reflecting multicultural Britain to a satisfactory level, yet others felt that it was done “very poorly”. Broadcasters are guilty of the tokenism (making a symbolic effort to be inclusive by recruiting a small number of people from underrepresented groups in order to give the appearance of racial equality)
E.G.
Love Island: Black women are not chosen/picked, leave in a couple of weeks and are lonely
South Park - Token Black (Williams): Play on politically correct ‘token black guy’ in American TV shows, performative diversity and only black child
Broadcasters stereotype
Good Luck Charlie - Ivy: Loud, undesirable, ghetto, sassy, strong, pro-black and sidekick of white main
Hall - Traditional/negative of ethnicity
Black people are portrayed as natives
Moghissi - Traditional/negative of ethnicity
Muslims are huddled together. Women are victims and men are terrorists
Malik - Changing/positive of ethnicity
Reality TV and alternative media (social media) is more inclusive and less stereotypical compared to other genres Gogglebox: Siddiqui family has stayed for the whole time
Barker (1999) - Changing/positive of ethnicity
Eastenders has a range of Asian and black characters that reflects the demographic of London more fairly. They hold some significant roles and are given meaningful attention and stories
Hall (1995) - Changing/positive of ethnicity
Compares overt racism and inferential racism. Racism is inferential so it is invisible but widely spread. Based on expectations of groups which become normal stereotypes so people do not see it as racism. Despite this
Movie Nope: Two leads are black
didn’t die breaking stereotype of black people dying in horror movies
Gill - Changing/positive of ethnicity
Hybrid identity. Brasians are to Asian youths who adopt a ‘White British’ Laddish culture when with peers. Blasians are Asian youths who adopt ‘black’ culture of rap Jay Sean
Nayak - Changing/positive of ethnicity
Hybrid identity. White Wannabes are young
Tunstall (2000) - Traditional/negative of femininity
Emphasise women’s domestic
Transformers - Megan Fox: Plot would be the same without her
Tuchman (1978) - Traditional/negative of femininity
Narrow range of roles for women leads to ‘symbolic annihilation’. The mass media omits
Ferguson (1983) - Traditional/negative of femininity
‘Cult of femininity’ in women’s magazines. Excellence is achieved through caring for others
Glascock (2001) - Traditional/negative of femininity
When portrayed as aggressive in the media
Katz (2013) - Traditional/negative of masculinity
‘Epidemic’ of male violence due to the media’s inability to move away from stereotypical versions of what it means to be a man. Young men and boys receive constant messages
Easthorpe (1990) - Traditional/negative of masculinity
Supported Katz as Hollywood films and computer games transmit the view that masculinity is based on strength
Gauntlett - Traditional/negative of masculinity
Magazines aimed at male audiences sexually objectify women and present images of traditionally masculine men. They represent retributive masculinity - a way to reaffirm masculine authority by glorifying what is conventionally male
Andrew Tate: Post-pandemic rise of figures
‘I need a man like you’
Gill - Changing/positive of femininity
Rather than being presented as passive objects of the male gaze
Westwood (1999) - Changing/positive of femininity
‘Transgressive female roles’ in television
Doctor Who: Jodie Whittaker and the master was a woman
Glascock - Changing/positive of women/femininity
Supports Westwood and explains there is now a range of femininities portrayed such as ‘independent women’ reflected within films and TV shows Brave - Merida: Feminist princess Tangled - Rapunzel: Well-read
Gauntlett (2002) - Changing/positive of femininity
Media provides alternative gendered images and ideas
Easthorpe - Changing/positive of masculinity
In the 1980s
Nixon - Changing/positive of masculinity
The ‘new man’. Acceptable for men to now take care of their appearance and be sexualised as inspired by the Levi’s Laundrette advert
Mort - Changing/positive of masculinity
More consumption of mens toiletries
Whannel (2002) - Changing/positive of masculinity
The presentation of David Beckham is contradictory and fluid. His ‘good’ looks
Nairn (1988) - Traditional of upper class
‘Well bred’
Queuing to see the Queen’s coffin. 28m watching funeral live
billions later
Nairn (1988) - Changing of upper class
The narrative of their lives is presented as a soap opera which isn’t positive Telegraph: ‘Queen leaves hospital as King Charles recovers from prostate procedure’
Reiner (2010) - Changing of upper class
Representations of wealthy people show hard work
Leech - Traditional/positive of middle class
Educated
Newman (2006) - Traditional of working class
Films
Dodd and Dodd (1992) - Traditional of working class
Eastenders presents the nostalgic view of the traditional notion of communities
Jones (2012) - Traditional of working class
‘Chav’ has become a way of condemning working class culture and people. ‘Chavtainment’ is the development of TV broadcasts that portray them as “bigoted
Devereux - Changing of working class
Positive and realistic portrayals of the happy and deserving poor The TV show ‘The Royle Family’ realistically and does not negatively depict life for families on benefits
Dodd and Dodd - Changing of working class
Soap operas show a traditional nostalgic view of working class culture but shows like Eastenders have introduced realism through bravely broaching issues such as drug and alcohol abuse
Baumberg et al (2012) - Traditional of underclass
Extraordinarily disproportionate focus on benefit fraud. 29% of 6
Golding and Middleton (1982) - Traditional of underclass
Examined moral panics. ‘ Welfare issues’ were not discussed unless they were connected to other social issues such as crime
Price (2014) - Traditional of underclass
Developed ‘poverty porn’ to describe programmes Channel 4’s Benefit Street. Exploits their participant’s lifestyle in order to shock and entertain the audiences. Encourages condemnation by hard working
Price - Changing of underclass
Benefit Street has ‘narratives’ that present them as decent and compassionate people captured by an unfair society. These more empathetic aspects are missed by viewers and political commentators Panorama: Go to food banks
Heintz-Knowles (2002) - Traditional of childhood and youth
Children are stereotyped in entertainment television. Children are motivated most by peer relationships and romance
Griffin - Traditional of childhood and youth
Children seen as a threat
Wayne (2007) - Traditional of childhood and youth
286 stories in which young people were the main subject
Women in Journalism (2009) - Traditional of childhood and youth
Teenage boys were presented in national and local newspapers using negative language - thugs
Kelly (2018) - Traditional of childhood and youth
Journalists describe young people who come into contact with the law as dangerous
Cohen (1964) - Traditional of childhood and youth
Easter Sunday 1964: Sporadic fighting between two groups of bored youths in Clacton-on-Sea. These were neither serious nor noteworthy but resulted in 24 arrests. Journalists on a national newspaper were experiencing a ‘slow news day’ so they distorted and exaggerated the events. Stressed the violent
Landis (2002) - Traditional of elderly
Supports the findings of Age Concern and identified stereotypes. The elderly is depicted as ‘one-dimensional’
Cuddy and Fiske (2004) - Traditional of elderly
In the US
Milner
Van Norman and Milner (2012) - Traditional of elderly
Carrigan and Szmigin - Traditional/negative of elderly
Not represented in adverts. If they were
Heintz & Knowels (changing youth)
More realistic portrayals from children’s points of view rather than adults point of view Euphoria. Pretty Little Liars
Postman (1982) - Changing of childhood and youth
Childhood has begun to disappear as children interact more with the media. Children are sexualised
Osgerby (2002) - Changing of childhood and youth
Since the 1970s-2000s
Lee et al (2007) - Changing of elderly
Old people were underrepresented
Sontag - Older men are much more visible in the media than older women
and older men are associated with high status and work while older women are associated with family and poverty double standard of ageing especially on TV
Biggs (1993) - Changing of elderly
A larger number of older people are appearing in soap operas Eastenders: Dot
Carrigan and Szmigin (2000) - Changing of elderly
Large conglomerate advertisers are now targeting older people as consumers because of the ‘grey pound’ (more older people with higher disposable incomes/spending power of the elderly). This led to an increase in positive images of ageing and positive roles for older people Saga Cruises. Virgin
