British youth

Giroux argues that in media representations youth becomes an empty category. This is because media representations of young people are constructed by adults. As a result of this media representations of young people do not necessarily reflect the reality of youth identity. who constructed the representation and who it is aimed at?

Hebridge argues that the representations of young people are quite limited showing them as either fun or trouble. This does not relate to reality.

Cohen: the representation of working class youth suggest that they have become a contemporary folk devil, concerns about a benefit culture and in the long term unemployment. A moral panic occurs when the media reports on these folk devils in a sensationalised way. The effect of moral panics is to reassert  hegemony by allowing a society to make it clear what values it does not accept.

Eden lake: this film  represents contemporary working class British youth in extremely negative ways. It has a middle class adult character as the main protagonist. It begins by introducing us to Jenny and Steve who are clearly represented as middle class. They are contrasted with the working class teenagers who are initially shown engaged in anti social behaviour-listening to loud music and swearing. This escalated into them hunting and killing the middle class teenagers. The film uses the conventions of a horror film to portray working class teenagers as monsters. Middle class characters are therefore tortured and killed by working class youths which is supposed to leave the audience horrified. Aimed at a wider target audience.

Fish Tank- film employs a similar broken British approach with a sink estate setting, dysfunctional broken family and anti social behaviour. But Mia is represented in a more sympathetically way and is seen in a more victim role. Middle class boyfriend character is represented more negatively , exploiting Mia. This sympathetic approach could be related to issues of genre as it is a low budget independent film at a niche audience of art film fans.

Misfits uses stereotypical images of ASBO teens but represents them in a like able way. Does not have an adult point of view. The characters are represented quite negatively. In the opening episode the probation officer is represented as a monster. use of superhero trope to make the representation more positive. challenges negative stereotypes. shown on a channel aimed at a young audience.

Hoodies or altar boys: study of newspaper representations of teenage boys found that these representations were extremely negative. Most popular words used to describe them in news reports were thugs, yobs, evil, monsters or scum. The majority of stories about teenage boys were in relation of crime. The representation makes the audience fearful of teenagers. According to Cohen this creates a moral panic for society.  It also relates to Aclands theory as these representations reinforce hegemony by identifying what is acceptable behaviour and what is unacceptable.

Reception theory- the audience will receive the text differently depending on their class gender and ethnicity- Morley

Eastenders- =Liam gets influenced by a gang in trying to become part of them and join their 'group'. He starts to adopt their behaviour and becomes violent and talks back to his Mum. Absent father, Ricky could be the main cause of this and he does not have an adult male figure to look up to. This is as form of youth subculture and they form an identity in terms of their style; clothes. Stereotype of British youth to be apart of a gang especially in parts of London such as Brixton. Always news coverage about gangs and crimes that they have committed such as knife crime. Special slang not shared with society; they have their own vocabulary and language.

Can be identified with specific music such as Hip hop and figures and artists like 50 cent.

1960'-1970's quadrophenia film about the mods and rockers in Britain. they are engaged in getting into fights with one another in Brighton. negative representations of youth in the media is not a new construction.

Most media representations of young British youth is negative this is because it reflects the concerns of their middle class producers and as a result produce hegemony. More positive representations can be found on television channels at younger people like E4. The representations of British youth in the media has an effect on their identity as not all of young teenagers are the same eg violent. the media therefore creates a stereotype and image about them which makes the audience look down on them in a way especially by the older generation. However, social media such as social networking sites allows young people to construct their own identity however this self representation has a limited impact compared to the mass media.

Question 1a Practice

Describe the ways in which your production work was informed by research into real media texts and how your ability to use such research for production developed over time.

My production was informed and influenced by research that I conducted during the planning stages at the beginning and also throughout the creativity of my production. I researched numerous things in order to create my music video such as previous music videos made by the artist William Control as well as other music videos of the same genre. This enabled me to find out more about the conventions of a music video, but especially ones within the genre I am focusing on which is electric. I also used a number of aspects in order to conduct my research starting from using the Internet to gaining audience feedback on social networking sites. My research carried out and how this developed over time to help create my music video will be discussed throughout this essay.

Firstly, I used the internet to research previous music videos other A Level students have made in order to see the standard and quality needed to create one. I used Youtube to do this and by using this form of research it developed my ideas over time. This is because my ideas for the music video kept changing and once we finally came up with an idea we kept adding new things to it. For example, at first I chose to have the video in colour, however, after watching the video through I decided to change it into black and white. I chose to have it in this way because after researching the conventions of electric music videos I noticed a lot of dark colouring was used. This made the video look more effective and it fitted well with the genre as it is quite eerie, using colour did not give it the effect I wanted it to have. I used iMovie to edit the colour of the footage, using this programme was useful as I had already became familiar with it during my AS course. Therefore, I did not need to worry about learning to use a new programme I was not confident with.



  

Essay practice

With reference to any group of people you have studied discuss how their identity has been mediated.
Cultural identity is the identity of a group, culture or of an individual. I explored this topic further by looking at British youth and how they have been mediated through a number of representations. For example, the dominant representation of British youth's and the absent representations of them. This term mediated is when something in the media is exaggerated, changed, distorted or misrepresented which then influences the audiences views and perceptions. The shot choices made, the editing and sound bridges has an effect on what it is that is being represented, in effect mediating it. In this essay I will be focusing on the representation of British youth's and their identity has been mediated through Films, Newspapers and Social networks.

The Marxist theory fits well with this idea as they believe that the ruling class control much of our behaviour and views. The ruling classes values and beliefs are put across in the media and they are the ones who own and control the content.  For example, the editors and owners of the media are mainly from a ruling class background called the Bourgeoisie. They control what is put into the media and what gets left out. Therefore, their views and opinions will be the ones that are represented and shown in the media which reflect the ruling classes ideologies. This manipulates the way audiences think and changes and alters their views. An example of this is, in newspaper articles they always portray British Youth's in a negative way such as 'troublemakers' and 'scroungers'. The main articles in the telegraph and many other newspapers during August 2011 focused on the London Riots and the British youth's involvement in this. This is a dominant representation of British youth's and it mediates their identity and makes the audience believe that all British youngsters are the same and behave in this way. This is a typical stereotype of British youth's in the media and as Cohen states they are used as scapegoats to whip up a moral panic against them. As a result, all young people may then get labelled as a anti-social 'problem group' in society. Owners of the media create these moral panics in order to attract a wider audience and to gain more money and profit.

In the media, there are very little articles and stories published about the positive representations of British youth such as the number of students who now attend University and go onto higher education. This is referred to as absent representations, which means that certain groups and cultures are not represented at all in the media. Survival is another absent representation of British youth's in  films and documentaries due to them mostly being murdered. For example, the drama 'My Murder' displays a teenage boy being led to his death by his girlfriend, this ends up being a set up and he ends up losing his life.  However, in the film 'Fish tank' the Patriarchal ideology is challenged through the narrative outcome as Mia escapes and survives by herself. This is an alternative representation as she comes out at the other end and the film shows a positive representation of the teenager; that she is strong.

Another form of media which relates to the Marxist's theory is social networks. This is because on Facebook it asks 'What's on your mind?" this gives the audience the power to share with people what's on their mind. But Marxist's would argue that people's ideas and thoughts are already likely to be formed by major powers with capitalism being the main culprit. Another example is Twitter as it has many functions which back up these ideas. For example, the 'retweet' function is essentially the opportunity to affirm yourself to someone else's ideas and you are basically confirming that you agree and think the same as that person. However, ideas and opinions people hold should be their own as it is these opinions and beliefs that add up to make their identity. Therefore, if someone was to hold other peoples ideas most of the time them it can be questioned whether their identity is really theirs or not? Or is it through mediation that they have become a person that they are unsure of?

This view that identity in the media has been mediated also ties in with the hypodermic syringe model. This is because it explains that our behaviour is influenced by the media in the terms of what we hear, see and read about. For example, Bandura conducted an experiment called the bobo doll and he found that the violent films which the little girl had watched on television influenced her behaviour. This is because she copied the behaviour from the character in the film and became violent towards her doll. Therefore, this theory explains that the audience is more likely to copy and display the behaviour seen in the media. If this is the case, television programmes such as 'Underage and Pregnant' which follows the lives of British teenage girls who have fallen pregnant at a young age must lead to the rise in teenage pregnancy in British teenage girls in society today. This is because it  has become the 'norm' to see teenage girls pregnant as around 8,196 girls under 16 in England and Wales are estimated to have become pregnant in 2007, which represents just under 1% of all conceptions. Thirty years ago teenage pregnancy was a rare occurrence and would have been frowned upon by people in society. However, this is no longer the case as it is more acceptable and this maybe due to the fact that it is shown more in the media through programmes such as 'Underage and Pregnant'.  However, other theorists would challenge this view that the audience is passive and would argue that they are now more active. This is because they do not consume and believe everything they read and hear about; they have their own opinions and are not influenced by every representation put across in the media.

There are many things associated with the identity of British youth's in the media such as their  costume. For example, in films such as 'Kidulthood' the teenage boys tend to wear hoodies and play certain characters and roles such as the 'thug' and 'gangster'. This role includes violence, swearing and having a rude attitude. This is a form of mediation and is another dominant representation of British youth's in the media which is always included and spoken about. Their costume and attitude make them come across as dangerous and intimidating, this is because of the way that they are portrayed in the media. Another example, is the costume of the teenage girls in the film 'Fish Tank'. Mia is the main protagonist and she wears a track suit and a t-shirt and is represented as a 'chav'. She is also portrayed as having a bad attitude as she uses inappropriate language and swears a lot throughout the film. These characters are mediated in the media and this has a negative effect on their identity. This is because it influences what the audience think about them and what label they get given to them.

On the other hand, there are other representations of British youth's in the media which are based on humour. One example, is the programme 'Inbetweeners' this is about four teenage boys and their daily life events in which they usually have a comical journey. This representation of British youth's as opposed to the others show them in a way that makes them look less threatening to society. The programme has a beneficial effect as it weakens the stereotype of them being violent and aggressive. However, certain aspects have to be considered such as the show is based on four white boys. Other programmes which include black teenage boys tend to include more criminal and anti-social behaviour. This means that their identity is more mediated in films than white boys identities. Another factor which needs to be considered is the fact that the boys are all from a working class background except one. He is from a middle class background and is portrayed as more smarter than the other boys and has more common sense. Therefore, he is represented as the one that is always getting them out of trouble. This could be argued that the programme reinforces the ruling classes ideology, that working class males are more dumber than the middle class man as they tend rely on them for help.

In conclusion, the identity of British youth's is mediated greatly as they are represented in a negative way, both females and males. This could be for entertainment purposes as the audience tends to enjoy more negative portrayals as opposed to more positive ones. However, this negative portrayal has only been shown through working class youth's, it has not been shown through middle class youth's. This influences and has an impact on the audiences thoughts and views about them. The British youth are then stereotyped and labelled which makes the audience think that they are all the same and that they do not have their own identity and are not their own person. However, the representations do not influence us as much as the hyperdemic needle suggests.

representation of young black men

Gramsci's theory of hegemony: relevant to the exploration of racial representations in the media. It focuses on culture and ideology.
Many of the racist images on past television and cinema are now fading from western screens. These can be explained in hegemonic terms in relation to colonialism and white supremacy. His notion of hegemony can be used to identify elements of the old racist stereotypes and new and the representations of racial minorities in current media.

Hall points out racist stereotypes which have evolved in the media of a less liberal society. He points our three base images of the grammer of race employed in old movies. 1) slave figure. eg dependable, loving Mother with the rolling eyes who is attached devoted to "his" master. The message given here is that the slave is someone who is willing to serve their master and wait on him. Their devotion allows a white audience to displace any guilt about their history of colonialism and slavery.
Consequence: relates to Gramsci's idea of spontaneous  consent, where individuals voluntarily choose to accept the world view/ hegemony of the dominant group.

Stephen Lawrence Inquiry: Report by Sir William Macpherson of Cluny

Institutionalised Racism. The inquiry found that Unwitting racism can arise because of a number of different reasons.

• The lack of understanding, ignorance or mistaken beliefs.
• From well intentioned but patronising  words/actions.
•  From unfamiliarity with the behaviour/cultural traditions of people or families from miniority ethnic communities.
• Racist stereotyping of black people as potential criminals/troublemakers.

Sir Paul Condon at the time Police Commissioner stated that he recognised individual officers can be and are overtly racist. 
Mr Panton, the barrister acting for Greenwich council argued that if the colour of the victim and the attackers was reversed then the police would have acted differently.
Conclusion: Must be a change so that there is a genuine partnership between the police and all sections of the community.
Part 2 of the inquiry. One universal area of complaint was to do with the use of police powers of stop and search as stats for 97/98 showed that black people were on average 5 times more likely to be stopped and searched by the police than white people. Black people are also more likely to be arrested than white or other ethnic groups.

The media re-present groups, however, no media representation can be neutral. Representations are shaped usually  by genre, the target audience and the dominant ideologies in society.
Some critics would argue that representations reinforce dominant idelogies in society, ideologies of gender promote sexist  representations of women. These ideologies create inequalities and subordination appear natural. <---- STUART PRICE. A-Z MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION HANDBOOK.

Others would argue that representations in the media can challenge dominant ideologies in society.

Dossier

Trailer Trash Teens

Primary research: Jeremy Kyle show. This show represents people from a sub working class culture. It is aimed at people from the same background and class so that they can judge their own class.
Litte Britain
Catherine Tate
Fish Tank
Precious

Theories: The characters in these shows, films and programmes are used as folk devils according to Cohen. This is to whip up a moral panic for the audience.
All of the characters are portrayed in a stereotypical way according to what they wear, where they live, the way they speak and the lifestyle that they have. The characters are mostly chavs or common from a working class background. They do not work and are deprived in many ways; financially and materially.

Comparing Fish Tank with Precious

The representation and the collective identity of the two main characters in Fish Tank and Precious is socially disadvantaged girls. Mia is the main protagonist in Fish Tank and is represented as a typical teenage girl from a sub working class culture. This is shown through the mise en scene such as where  Mia lives and the costume that she wears. Precious is the main protagonist in the film Precious is also presented in a negative way; a teenager who is pregnant and who is about to give birth to her second child. This essay will compare the two ways that these characters are portrayed in the two films.

Poverty, social housing and single parent families are the themes in Fish Tank. Mia lives on a council estate in Essex and lives with her Mother who appears to not work/have a job. This is noticable as the film is set during the day and her Mother is at home. The film is very realistic as the camera is handheld and the audience gets a point of view feel of Mia's character and lifestyle. Through this we see that she plays the typical social realist protagonist who is angry, frustrated and alienated teenager. Her Mother is overtly sexualised, abusive and irresponsible. However, as the film continues the audience learns that Mia is physically abused in her home and searches for an escape.

Precious also gets physically abused in her home by her Mother. Precious' Mother is also very mentally unstable, this shows that both of these characters have irresponsible parents and that they do not have a strong bond/relationship with their Mothers. Both protagonists also seem to be deprived by their living conditions and the fact that they come from working class backgrounds. Precious also wants to escape just like Mia in the film Fish Tank. However, they both choose different ways of escaping their dysfunctional families.

In the film Fish tank the Patriarchal ideology is challenged through the narrative outcome as Mia escapes and survives. She escapes by herself without no ones help and her Mother's boyfriend is exposed. The audience see that he is a liar and a cheat as he has his own family. This is an alternative represention as she actually escapes and comes out at the other end. The end of the film shows a positive representation of Mia; that she is a strong and a heroine. Where as, at the beginning of the film she was portrayed as a 'trailer trash teen'.

The difference between Mia escaping and Precious escaping is that Precious receives help and support from people when doing so, however Mia escaped by herself. Precious received this help from a teacher and a social worker, both of which were White adults. This represention of the White teacher and social worker helping out Precious was not popular amongst Black communities because of ethnicity issues amongst society. The Black communities wanted to see them being more aspirational and dealing with problems themselves instead of depending on White citizens.

Blumer and Katz's theory called the Uses and Gratification theory explains that we consume the media for entertainment, to compare the characters identities with our own, for social interactions and for observations. This is a key element as the audience voyeuristically see the grim realism of what both character's go through. The audience see the poverty of others and the unpleasant acts which the both Mia and Precious go through.

In conclusion, Mia and Precious are both portrayed negatively at the beginning of each of the films. Their characters are very similar as they are both teenagers suffering from abuse and have irresponsible parents. However, they both escape their families differently and show how they want to break free in different ways. Mia shows it in a very symbollic way; trying to let the chained up horse free. On the other hand, Precious finds a way out of her traumatic daily existence through imagination and fantasy. In her mind, there is another world where she is loved and appreciated. Therefore, there are dominant representations as well as alternative reprensentations of the two female characters.

Essay on gypsies

How do the contemporary media represent nations, regions and ethnic/social/collective groups of people in different ways?

Contemporary media represent different groups of people in a number of different ways. For example, through the use of costume, language and behaviour. Some representations have a major affect on people's lives and the way  that they are viewed by others. This essay will be focusing on the representation of Romany gypsies and Irish travellers in films, television programmes, newspapers and in the social media.

The main words associated with the terms 'gypsies' and 'travellers' are caravans, thieves and pikeys. People associate the terms with them words because of the way that they are represented in the media today. The documentary 'My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding' is commissioned by Channel 4. It follows the travellers around showing the audience their lifestyle, how they communicate and their beliefs. It portrays gypsies and travellers in a very negative way and because of this the audience then attaches a negative label to them all. The programme is produced for entertainment however, this affects the reading as the representation of gypsies and travellers is mediated on a large scale. For example, the brides in each programme wear big meringue dresses to show that 'the bigger the better'. They also have big tier cakes and brand new cars. This shows that they have money and are very rich. The fact that is has been made for entertainment means that the editors may manipulate what we see in post production in order to make it more controversial.

Channel 4 have stayed away from the mainstream programmes like the ones shown on BBC and ITV. Instead they have gained the audiences trust through exploring and presenting stories of minority ethnic, social and collective groups. As not a lot of programmes focus on these groups we know very little about them therefore, the audience is more likely to trust the representation that Channel 4 present as this is the only source of information about these groups.

There is a strong  representation of women in the documentary 'My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding', this is for them to get married at quite a young age and to become a Housewife. Their role presented in the programme is to stay at home and complete the domestic roles in the house such as cleaning and cooking, whilst the husband goes to work and provides for the them. The programme also shows that a lot of young girls drop out of school at an early age in order to become a good Wife and get married. Therefore, this is their main priority over education and live to please men and make them happy. However, the programme 'Thelma's Gypsy Girls' shows a different side to Gypsy girls and they are choosing a career and work over being a Housewife. In this programmes Thelma teaches a group of young girls how to sew and make dresses. She shows them that there are other directions and things in life than just depending on their husband; they can also provide and earn their own money.

Feminists would criticise the way that women are represented in the programme 'My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding', as it shows an inequality amongst the two genders. It presents men as the male dominant figure and the women as dependant on men. Mulvey would argue that the presentation associated with women is that they are sexualised, she calls this the Male Gaze Theory. The Gypsy women wear limited clothing and a lot of their flesh is shown. Therefore, they are used as sex objects through the costume as well as the way that the camera angles them up and down and focuses on certain parts of their body. This creates pleasure for men and makes it seem like they are inferior to men. There are also advertisements which do this in the media, for example this advertisement is used to sell alcohol and reveals the figure of a woman to attract a wide audience, especially men.

In conclusion, there are many negative representations of Gypsies and Travellers in the media. They are always frowned upon and used as folk devils in order to create a moral panic.