Topic 5

• What is media gaze

  First used by Mulvey to describe how men look at woman as sexual objects (male gaze). Used to describe how audiences see those in media establishments
• What is symbolic annihilation

  The lack of visibility, under-representation and limited roles of certain groups in media representations as they are condemned from many roles
• Baudrillard

  Suggests media representations can become a form of hyperreality which become more real than reality.

  Media creates reality
• Seven stereotypes of children

  Kids as victims

  Cute kids

  Little devils

  Brilliant

  Accessories

  Kids these days!

  Little angels
• Representations of the youth

  Youth (15-20) are subject of negative media stereotypes. Driven news values as exciting stories and sensational headlines which exaggerate the occasional deviant behaviour. Older people are particularly vulnerable to believing such stereotypes
• Cohen - Youth representations

  Youth are relatively powerless and easily identifiable to blame for society's ills. Been used as scapegoats to create a sense of unity by creating a moral panic against the folk devils. Moral panics mean all young people get labelled and stereotyped as troublesome.
• MORI - Youth representations

  57% of stories about young people are negative

  12% are positive
• White et al - Youth representations

  Broadcasters negatively stereotyped young people.

  40% young people were dissatisfied with the way they were portrayed on television
• Representations of old age

  Invisible in the media or portrayed negatively or portrayed negatively . Either figures of fun based on impaired capacities
• Cuddy and Fiske - Older representations

  US TV - 1.5% characters were elderly with most in minor roles
• Biggs - Older representations

  UK TV Sitcoms - Presented them in similar negative ways such as being forgetful and difficult, suggesting it is an undesirable state
• White et al - Older representations

  OLder viewers thought that they were stereotyped on TV and there was a lack of representation of middle-aged and older women on TV. Viewers accused the media of insulting and out of step with the ageing society
• Representations of the working class

  Dumb buffoons

  Source of trouble and conflict

  Living in idealised communities

  White scum
• Butsch - WC representations

  Presented as dumb or fun. Reinforces the ideological hegemony of dominant values which justifies the inequality as MC need to supervise and be role models
• Neo marxism - WC representations

  Media presents WC as trouble and conflict as a way of acting against groups who challenge dominant ideology
• Jones - WC presentations

  Been change in representation from patronised to despised due to decline of the WC
• Lawler - WC representations

  Suggests this representations WC as worthless and disgusting
• MC representations

  Over-represented in the media which are portrayed in positive lights. MC families are seen as well-functioning and presented as the norm.
• How do representations of class promote dominant ideology

  Positive representations of MC and negative WC are the product of media gaze of a MC media establishment. Confirms these ideologies and legitimises the class inequalities as it suggests the ones higher up the class structure are more compenent
• Media stereotypes of ethnicity

  Deviant and criminal

  Posing a threat

  Causing social problems
• 2007 report - Ethnicity representations

  91% articles about muslims were negative as they had been demonised and stereotyped as fundamentalists who threaten British values
• Goffman - Ethnic representations

  Muslim became to be a stigmatised identity as they were seen as abnormal which contributes to creating islamophobia
• Baroness Warsi - Ethnic representations

  Fashionable islamophobia would be seen as normal in MC white britain
• Hargrave - Ethnic representations

  Found great concern over the stereotypes and the way only certain aspects of Islamic faith were depicted. The moral panics bring harassment and fear for British Muslims who accept norms of British society
• Beattie et al - Ethnic representations

  Ethnic minority groups were more likely to appear in supporting roles or temporary guests rather than hosts and stars
• Pluralist explanation of ethnic representations

  Simply reflecting the news values of journalists and providing material that the audiences want
• Neo-marxist explanation of ethnic representations

  Created through the white eyes of media establishment and ideology and news values of journalists. May create maintain or reinforce racists stereotypes making ethnic minority groups vulnerable to scapegoating which diverts attention away from the structure of inequality
• Connell - Gender representations

  Gender identities are in part constructed by the media reproducing hegemonic stereotypes of the role and relations between men and women
• Traits of hegemonic masculinity - Connell

  Heterosexual

  Physically strong

  Emotional distance

  Independence

  Task orientated
• Traits of hegemonic femininity - Connell

  Hetereosexual

  Physically weak

  Emotional warmth

  Dependent on men

  People orientated
• Female stereotypes

  Wolf & Tebbel - Women in the media have traditionally been shown as young and sexually attractive. Frequently shown indoors, emotional and unstable and presented in 6 stereotypical roles
• 6 stereotypes of women - Wolf and Tebbel

  The WAG - Wives of men, concerned with being pretty

  The Sex Object - Sexually seductive, slim women

  The Supermum - Happy home-maker who manages family emotions

  The Angel - "good", little sexuality and domesticated

  The Ball-Breaking - Sexually active, selfish and independent

  The Victim - Men are cause of their problems but also their saviour
• Ferguson - Female stereotypes


  Teenage girls' magazines traditionally prepared girls for feminised adult roles to generate a cult of femininity
• Male stereotypes

  Appear in a wider range of roles, most outside of the home in a range of occupations. Male voices more likely to be played in voice overs, reinforcing the idea of men as authority figures of opinion leaders.

  Hegemonic stereotyped masculine identity is tough, assertive and dominant
• 6 male stereotypes

  The Joker - Uses laughter to avoid seriousness or emotion

  The Jock - Shows aggression to demonstrate his power

  The Strong, Silent type - In control, successful with women

  The Big Shot - Has high social status and economically successful

  The Action Hero - Strong but not necessary silent, extreme aggression

  The Buffoon - Well intentioned but inept when it comes to parenting
• Pluralist explanations of gender representations

  Stereotyping is because that is what the audiences want. Media companies are driven by a need to attract audiences to make more money, stereotypes are a simple way to satisfy all wishes
• Liberal feminist explanations of gender representations

  Product of under-representation of women as senior figures in the industry, encouraging the male gaze being spread. This will change as women break through the glass ceiling
• Radical feminist explanations of gender representations

  Arise from necessity to promote patriarchal ideology, keeping women in stereotypes roles where they subordinate to men and look good to satisfy the male gaze. Discourages women from making the most of opportunities.
• Marxist explanations of gender representations

  Share the radical view that it is driven by patriarchal ideology, emphasis on this being linked with social class inequality.

  Media-generated patriarchal imagery projects a lifestyle where EC can at least afford to participate which confirms their own sense of inadequacy and reasserts hegemonic views.
• McRobbie - Gender representations

  In a postmodern society, there is much more fluidity and flexibility in gender representations in the media