Topic 3 Flashcards
(26 cards)
Children up to the age of 14
Children are often depicted positively, mainly as consumers of toys or
comedic figures.
Youths?
Youth (from around age 15 to the early 20s) are often the
subject of negative media stereotyping.
They are frequently portrayed as a rebellious and selfish
problem group in society:
Older people?
lder people, say in their late 50s onwards, are often either
largely invisible in the media, or presented in quite negative
ways.
Szmigin and Carrigan (2000)?
found some were wary of using models in their advertisem they
considered might alienate younger audiences.
Gender & Age
There are sometimes different stereotypes for men and women.
White et al. (2012) ?
found that older viewers thought they tended to be stereotyped, and that
there was a lack of representation of middle-aged and older women on TV.
Representations of class?
The mainstream media gaze means representations of social class are filtered through the eyes of the rich
and powerful upper-class media owners and the middle-class media professionals who produce media
content.
Jones ?
suggests the media gives the
impression we’re all middle class now, with the
values and lifestyles of the middle class as the
norm, to which everyone should aspire.
McKendrick et al. ?
content analysis of UK media output in 2007, found poverty was a marginal issue, comprising only a
small proportion of media output.
Representation of working class?
The working class and the poor are generally under-represented in the media, but when they
are represented they are typically stereotyped in negative ways, with their failings seen as
arising from their lack of conformity to middle-class values, norms and lifestyles.
Curran and Seaton (2010)
suggest that newspapers
targeting working-class audiences, like the Daily Star,
Sun, and Daily Mirror, imply a lack of interest in public
affairs, focusing instead on exaggerated human
interest stories, celebrity lifestyles, entertainment,
and women’s issues related to fashion and diet.
4 main stereotypes
Dumb and foolish
Troublemakers
Romanticized communities
Chavs
Representations of middle class
Over represented
Dominant
Anxiety
Representations of upper class
The upper class—royalty, aristocrats, businesspeople, and celebrities—is most visibly represented
through monarchy coverage, including royal gossip, weddings, and jubilees.
Representations of ethnicity
Ethnic minorities are under-represented in senior management of the media companies and in
producing programmes.
Cumberbatch et al. (2014)
analysed popular TV shows
(2013–14) and found that ethnic minorities filled just over
one in seven roles, slightly above their population share.
Malik
found that African Caribbeans were more likely to be found in
programmes dealing with social issues, music, sport, light entertainment and
comedy
Beattie et al. (1999)
the GMG, in their study of TV presenters and hosts, showed black and Asian
people were more likely to appear in supporting roles and as temporary guests than as hosts.
Islamophobia
Media coverage of terrorist events, such as Al-Qaeda’s 2001 attacks and the 2005 London
bombings, has led to the stereotyping of all Muslims as a threat to society.
Representations of countries
Developing countries are often depicted as chaotic, having
diseases, famine, child soldiers, and constant conflict, relying
on Western aid.
Pluralist theories
Pluralists view media portrayals of ethnic minorities as reflecting
news values.
Cottle (2000)
suggests media representations
encourage audiences to define their identity in opposition to ‘them’,
reinforcing a sense of superiority for majority white audiences.
Neo marxists
argue that negative portrayals
are shaped by the white-dominated media, reinforcing racist
stereotypes.
