Now that we've finished our work on Identities and
the Media, you need to put together an index so you can easily access your work
for revision. It should include the following:
How did the language and selection of images in the
coverage create a particular representation of young people?
The
language and selection of images created a negative representation of the youth
and teenagers as one specific image was used on 3 different newspapers.
Why does David Buckingham mention Owen Jones and
his work Chavs: the demonization of the working class?
David
Buckingham mentions Owen Jones due to the fact Owen Jones states that there is
a new modernised Britain and that the working class are slowly becoming people
to fear within the media.
What is the typical representation of young people
– and teenage boys in particular? What did the 2005 IPSOS/MORI survey find?
40% of any
articles related with youths was to do with violence, crime or any anti-social
behaviour. Also, 71% of these articles are in a negative tone. In addition,
only 1% of the interviews were from those who are being spoken about i.e. the
youth. Other than this, only 3.4% of the stories published in the news about
the youth are positive
How can Stanley Cohen’s work on Moral Panic be
linked to the coverage of the riots?
The theory
of moral panic can be applied as the coverage of the riots constructed an
overall consensus of fear and panic for young people whist it was occurring
which undoubtedly has stayed with many individuals.
What elements of the media and popular culture were
blamed for the riots?
Elements
such as rap culture, as it glorifies violence and hate of authority, as well as
violent computer games and also reality TV
How was social media blamed for the riots? What was
interesting about the discussion of social media when compared to the Arab
Spring in 2011?
Social
media was used as it helped organise, advertise and spread the riots as its
primary users are to a similar demographic of the ones involved in the riots.
This is in contrast to the Arab springs in which social media was championed as
being a new democratic format for oppressed individuals to voice their opinions
on.
The riots generated a huge amount of comment and
opinion - both in mainstream and social media. How can the two-step flow theory
be linked to the coverage of the riots?
The Two
step flow model is a theory on the messages in media, and how opinions are
constructed by a minority, or opinion leaders. The news is something that is
published to the mass media in a variety of methods such as the traditional
newspaper, as well as news apps - that publish the most recent newstory's,
reaching a large audience. this audience can be easily influenced into what is
right and what is wrong and ''anti social'' - this is the hegemonic control.
Alternatively, how might media scholars like Henry
Jenkins view the 'tsunami' of blogs, forums and social media comments? Do you
agree that this shows the democratisation of the media?
individuals
can express their opinions and have freedom of speech without fear of backlash
due to new and digital media being anonymous. They'll believe it's good that
the media now gives an opportunity for everyone to participate, as well as
challenge the typical and tradition hierarchy and hegemonic control.
What were the right-wing responses to the causes of
the riots?
The right
wing responses were negative as the youth were compared to beasts and dogs that
could not be controlled and needed to be put on 'leashes'.
What were the left-wing responses to the causes of
the riots?
The left
wing blamed society and the inequality present in it and the continuous
negative reprobation that has existed for a number of years and also cuts youth
centres etc.
What are your OWN views on the main causes of the
riots?
I think the
riots happened due to two things. First of all, the shooting of the young male
by police officers. Secondly, the materialistic society we live in today,
meaning everyone saw an opportunity to
get “free” things and so they took it.
How can capitalism be blamed for the riots? What
media theory (from our new/digital media unit) can this be linked to?
Capitalism
can be blamed as we now live in a materialistic society and many individuals
believe their worth is characterised by their belongings.
Were people involved in the riots given a voice in
the media to explain their participation?
People
involved in the riots were not provided an chance to voice their opinion as it
may have gone against the representation many media outlets provived its
audience.
What is your own opinion on the riots? Do you have
sympathy with those involved or do you believe strong prison sentences are the
right approach to prevent such events happening in future?
I don’t have sympathy for the rioters but also don’t
believe a strong sentence should be given as the youth are reacting to the
several factors which are in society, and have affected them.
List
FIVE films, FIVE TV programmes and FIVE online-only productions that are
discussed in the article.
Kidulthood (2006), Adulthood (2008)
Anuvahood (2011) Attack The Block (2011), Sket (2011) Ill Manors (2012)
55 degrees north, Luther, Line of duty, The Kumars at 42, Goodness
gracious me, Citizen Khan
Online only: Brother with no game, Venus vs Mars, The Ryan sisters,
All about the McKenzies, Meet the adebanjos, The crouches.
Watch Destiny Ekaragha's clips
above (more of her work is available on her
website,
including the short film The Park). To what extent can we apply Alvarado's and
Fanon's theories to these films? Do they reinforce or subvert typical black
stereotypes in British film and TV? Refer to specific scenes and events in the
clips in answering this question and aim for at least 350 words.
Alvarado can be
applied here as the three characters sitting on the wall are a prime example of
humour in action. This shows that this racial representation unintentionally
makes the characters fit into this category showing the director showing an
authentic but alternative side to the black community. Also to go against
Alvarado’s theory, the dangerous representation is challenged as they are less
stereotypical of black youths, they are just relaxing and having a laugh rather
than looking intimidating. Also, in accordance to the Alvarado’s theory, the
racial representation of being humorous, where they are making fun out of each
other, in particular when the middle black youth is questioned of knowing what
a white man’s genitalia size. They were infantilized as they were arguing at
the start like little children.
In regards to the
“Gone too far” trailer, the pitied representation of black people is evident,
when the Nigerian man is presented as typically outcast, emphasised by his
costume, for example the sandals and socks. The representation of being exotic
is also embodied in the Nigerian brother as he is arrives in the UK straight
from Nigeria. The dangerous representation is subverted by the fact that there
are no stereotypical representations of a black youth being violent,
anti-social or a threat. The humorous representation of black people is evident
as the Nigerian brother is entertaining, especially in the sense where he is
singing in the chicken shop about being Nigerian. In terms of Fanon’s theory,
the character of the Nigerian has been primitivized as he is unknown to the
British lifestyle and norms; this is evident from the trailer when he attempts
to flirt with women but is shot down. The representation is also infantilized
as the Nigerian brother is seen as a child who has just entered the world and
is discovering new things.
Alvarado
Alvarado’s theory of post-colonialism, suggests
that there are 4 racial representations of minority groups. The representations
are:
Pitied - looked down upon
Exotic - groups from a good and rich culture
Dangerous – groups that appear as a threat and can cause
harm
Humorous – an image that is created for the
amusement of the white
Frantz Fanon
Fanon came up with the quote “black skin, white
mask”, this means black people would put on white masks in order to become like
the White man to be successful.He came up with four ways of stereotyping People:
Infantilize- portray them as children, small and
cute, for example using them in Aid commercials.
Primitivize- the exotic tribal warriors or ‘bare
breasted maidens’ with a natural sense of rhythm.
Decivilize- The ‘gangster’ pimp.
Essentialize- Clumping the group together,
undifferentiating them.
Edward Said’s Orientalism
Said argued that the west- in particular colonising
Europe- constructed a meaning of the East (Middle East ) that suggested it was
different, dangerous and uncivilised.
West v/s East = Civilised v/s uncivilised =superior
v/s inferior
Does it offer a positive or negative view of British Muslims? To what
extent does it reinforce or challenge Edward Said's theory of Orientalism -
that the west is superior to the exotic or uncivilised east?
Yasmin offers both a positive and negative view of
Muslims. Positive as the beginning shows the boy singing in his language and
shows them as peaceful, minding their own business, but when the white locals
begin to move away they are presented as a nuisance, which show negativity and
that they aren’t very helpful but annoying. Also, the facts that the elderly
man is cleaning “Paki, Go Home” off the shutter shows them as quiet and calm,
as well as refusing to retaliate at the fact that they are unwelcome.
The west is superior to the exotic/uncivilised east
as the woman is changing from her religious clothes in a field, which is an
insult in itself as women in the Islamic community are supposed to keep their
bodies covered, furthermore the women is changing in to western clothes,
meaning jeans and a t-shirt.
Research
the No More Page 3 campaign. Who started it and why?
Lucy Holmes started the campaign in the summer when
she kept contemplating the fact the only full page representation of woman was
a derogatory one.
What are
the six reasons the campaign gives for why Page 3 has to go?
1. It is 2015; page 3 was made in the sexist times,
1970's. A lot has changed over the last 30+ years in our society; they think it’s
time The Sun caught up.
2. Soft porn- It’s soft porn in the UK’s no.1 selling family
newspaper that children are exposed to.
3. Bad teachings for children - They see page after
page of pictures of men in clothes doing stuff (running the country, having
opinions, achieving in sport!) and what are the women doing in this society
they’re learning about? Not much really, other than standing topless in their
pants showing their bare breasts for men
4. Women are known for doing better things in the
world
5. Showing that women are only needed for sexual
needs - Every single weekday for the last 44 years in The Sun newspaper the largest
female image has been of a young woman (usually of a very particular age, race,
physicality) showing her breasts for men, sending out a powerful message that
whatever else a woman achieves, her primary role is to serve men sexually.
6. The Sun could be better without page 3- Because currently, any
story they have about women issues such as rape, sexual abuse, harassment or
domestic violence is drowned out and contradicted by the pictures on Page 3,
allowing them to not be taken seriously
Read this debate in the Guardian regarding whether the campaign should
be dropped. What are Barbara Ellen and Susan Boniface's contrasting opinions in
the debate?
Boniface believes the sun should no longer have page
three and the concept of the girls as we do not live in the 1970's and the sun
is holding back the progression of an equal society which women have been
currently fighting for.
Barbara argues that being in page 3 is a decision
that the women have taken and also removing this freedom (the ability to decide
and choose) from women will help in constricting them in what society says they
can and can’t do.
How can the No More Page 3 campaign be linked to
the idea of post-feminism?
It can be liked with post-feminism as the removal
of material such as this will help society become more democratic meaning the
need for feminism is severely reduced as women will not be objectified and will
treated in the same manner as men.
What are your
OWN views on the No More Page 3 campaign. Do you agree with the campaign's
aims? Should the campaign continue?
I agree with the point that Barbara argues that
being in page 3 is a decision that the women have taken and also removing this
freedom (the ability to decide and choose) from women will help in constricting
them in what society says they can and can’t do. But there also needs to be
some sort of restriction or censorship of who can access the page.
Do you
agree that we are in a post-feminist state or is there still a need for
feminism?
I believe that there is still a need for feminism
as materials that objectify and reinforce traditional stereotypical views of
woman still exist which means that this ideology of society needs something to
challenge this and this is where the use of feminism plays a part thus showing
the need to combat this via feminism.
