Media - Topic 3 Flashcards
(43 cards)
Representations of age
Different age groups are represented in different ways
Media gaze -filtered through the eyes of young to middle-aged male adult
This influences the representation of children, young people and old people
Older people are under-represented in the media
Children (up to the age of 14)
Study by children’s express identified 7 stereotype sin the media;
1. Kids as victims - portrayed as innocent
2. Cute kids - evoke positive feelings in ads etc
3. little devils - represent mischievous behaviour
4. Kids are brilliant - achievements highlighted
5. Kids as accessories - enhance parents’ image
6. Kids these days? - adults express nostalgia for the past
7. Little angels - children endure hardships with resilience e.g. illnesses
Youth (age 15-20s)
Often subject to negative stereotypes
Frequently portrayed as rebellious etc
2005 analysis - by MORI for young people now magazine - majority of stories about young people were negative - only 12% positive - 40% of articles focused on crime and anti-social behaviour
What did White et al find (young people)
More than 40% of young people were dissatisfied with the way they were portrayed n television as ‘disrespectful’ and living ‘unproductive lives’
News values linking to representation of age
Headlines etc are exaggerated e.g. Deviant behaviour
Storie like this help attract TV viewers
Older people are more home-based, meaning they are more likely to believe these stereotypes of young people
What did Cohen (2002) find (young people)
Young people tend to be powerless
Young people ( specifically African-Caribbean) are often used as scapegoats by the media
Creating a moral panic within society
Young people may get labelled and stereotyped as troublesome
AO3 evaluation of youths
It should be remembered that these young people are major users of the media
Older people (50s onwards)
Largely invisible in the media or presented as quite negative
What did Cuddy and Fiske find (older people)
The US TV portrayed just 1.5% of its characters as elderly, with most of them in minor roles
Older people are more likely to be figures of fun and comic relief, usually based on physical or sexual capacities
What did Biggs find (older people)
Uk sitcoms present older people in negative ways as being forgetful
Usually presented as an undesirable state
E.g. being poor, ill-health
What did Szmigin and Carrigan find
Some were wary of using models in their advertisements they considered might alienate younger audiences
Gender and age
Different stereotypes for men and women
E.g. men - ‘wise old men’ such as political
Contract - a few positive images of older women - often rendered invisible
Women are media imagery, expected to be young forever
AO3 evaluation for older people
Lee et al - older adults in advertisements are generally represented positively, as healthy, active people with a wide range of interest enjoying a ‘golden age’
Representation of class
Mainstream media gaze - representations of social classes are filtered through the eyes of the rich and powerful upper-class media owners
What does the representation of class result in
- More favourable stereotypes of the upper and middle classes than the working class
- Over representation of the upper and middle classes and the w/c are under-represented
What did Jones find (class)
Media gives impressions were all middle class now, with values and lifestyles of the m/c
What did Lawler find (class)
‘Taste’ is used as a symbol of class identity
People’s lives are shaped by individuals choices
Focus is on the individual rather than on their social class etc
Makes it out like we can construct our identities by whatever we consume in the media
What did Weltman find (class)
Across a range of entertainment formats, w/c people are devalued relative to the m/c
Representation of the w/c
They are under-represented
But when they are represented they are typically stereotyped in a negative way
What did Curran and Seaton find about representation of w/c
Newspapers target w/c audiences
Imply a lack of interest in public affairs instead of celebrity stories etc
Four main stereotypes given to the w/c
- Dumb and foolish
- Troublemakers
- Romanticised communities
- ‘Chavs’
- Dumb and Foolish (Butsch)
TV portrays w/c as immature, irresponsible etc
Doyle family shows this - lazy,clueless characters
Reinforces middle-class dominance by saying they are ‘supervisors’ of the w/c
- Troublemakers (Neo-Marxists)
Linked to crime and struggling parents
These portrayals discredit those who challenge dominant ideologies
- Romanticed communities (Jones)
East Enders etc depict the w/c as hard-working
Jones - this idealised view is outdated and shaped by m/c perspective
