Compare the media portrayal of two social groups. (June ’02 b)

Definition: Representation is the mediated versions of people, in this case woman, in the form of a re-presentation.


Women:

Women are being underrepresented in the mediaà
Ø as sex objects
Ø as suvordinate to men reinforcing a partiachal society
Positive stereotypes:
Ø Women being more independent
Ø Women try harder at education than men

Negative stereotypes
Ø Women belonging in the home
Ø Housewives
Ø Femme fatale
Ø Only men could do physical jobs such as mechanics

Changing stereotypes
Ø Women becoming more independent, active and self reliant
Ø Women no longer stereotyped as housewives
Ø Women playing as well and as much as men in sports such as football

Women are constantly portrayed in the media as objects of the male gaze.
Semi-naked models are a constant presence on the cover of men’s magazines.
SUN newspaper- Rupert Murdock owns the sun newspaper along with other newspapers. The Page Three girls were introduced in 1969 when Rupert Murdoch re-launched The Sun. The Page Three girl was topless for the first time on November 17, 1970- This meant that women were being objectified. Bare breasted women represented in most tabloids newspapers.

One of the most common stereotypes of women is the term “bimbo”. It carries particular shameful connotations in post-modern culture. A “bimbo” is supposed to have:

Ø Blond hair
Ø Flashy make up
Ø Large breast
Ø Mini skirt
Ø High heels

She is supposed to be:

Ø Promiscuous
Ø Stupid
Ø Uneducated
Ø Helpless

She argues that cinema audiences look at films in tow ways:

Ø Voyeuristically
Ø Fetishistically

Audiences are voyeurs who watch people on screen. This can lead to two effects:

àObjectification- female characters controlling male gaze and human characteristics being taken from them.

àNarcissistic identification-having an ideal image on screen

WHY!!!
The reason women are represented inadequately is due to lack of females in higher positions. Media is a male dominated as a result woman is shown representation from their point of view.

ASAINS!!!

Positive stereotypes
Ø Asians are hardworking
Ø All Asians become doctors

Negative stereotypes
Ø All Muslims are terrorists
Ø All black people are associated with crime
Ø All ethnic minorities have funny accents (speak in a freshy accent)
Ø All Asians have arranged marriages

True stereotypes
Most Asians own corner shops

Barthes- cultural myths

Racial stereotypes are among the most readily employed stereotypes. Racist ideology lie in colonialism which represented blacks as primitive, savage and whites as civilised and developed.

Soap operas have begun to reflect the ethnic diversity of Britain, although even now the Asians always appear as corner shops owners and cultural interests are taken into consideration with programmes on channel 4 and BBC 2

Successful Asian comedy shows and films include:
Ø Goodness Gracious me
Ø The Kumar’s at no. 42
Ø Bhaji on the Beach

BBC

Ø 4% of the ethnic minority of management are form ethnic minorities are pathetically low.
Ø BBC1 share among black audiences fell from 20.9% last year to 18.4% this year
Ø Asian viewer increased from 20.3% to 21.8%
Ø Listening to the radio by black and Asians people remains low
Ø BBC1 reflects cultural diversity in soaps such as EastEnders have successfully reflected multicultural Britain
Ethnic minorities now accounted for 11.8% of people seen on screen

Ø The success of films like Bend it like Beckham and East is East along with Kumars at NO 42àmulticultural entertainment is not firmly entrenched in the UK’s mainstream media.
Ø 78% of people think that ethnic minorities on both televisions and the big screen is reflected in BC news online
73% of black and 67% of Asians also say things have improved