Edia Representations Are Complex, Not Simple and Straight Forward. How Far Do You Agree with This Statement in Relation to the Collective Group That You Have Studied?
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- Date Submitted: 03/24/2011 11:40 AM
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Various media, through all types of medium, try and present or represent different people or collective groups into categories and that, as far as the reader, viewer or listener is concerned is that.
I have been studying the media's representation of youth / teens as a collective group and, as far as I can see, this element of society is generally portrayed in a poor light. It would appear that all media, whether it is newspapers, TV, adverts or films, for example, tend to cast a dim light on teens today. But has it ever been any different?
All media is driven by its readership / viewer / listener based on age or political viewpoint. If the traditional newspaper reader, much like the paper's editor and proprietors, are of a certain age, then youth is a fair target.
As a world with many different generations and opinions we make sense of these representations in different ways according to the values and assumptions we carry around in our own heads.
This 'listless, disrespectful' bunch of teens, have different ideas to their parents (the consumers of information presented to them) and are outside their direct control.
All forms of media highlight gangland stabbings, disrespectful youth with no respect for anyone else, particularly the elderly.
Hollywood blockbusters, or TV docusoaps like Skins, tend to cast the unruly youth as the villain, but this is seen differently by the age group watching. Teenagers will see life as it is whereas older viewers, whatever the medium, will see it as break down in family values - 'bring back the birch or National Service'.
But yesterday's yob - Malcolm Mcclaren or any of the problem teens that followed his fashion or music in the 'punk era' are now music and fashion legends, much like the mods and rockers AND even Elvis that followed before them.
The popular media will always present the world in the way they want or anticipate the consumer's need. They are normally preaching to, and feeding the converted....
I have been studying the media's representation of youth / teens as a collective group and, as far as I can see, this element of society is generally portrayed in a poor light. It would appear that all media, whether it is newspapers, TV, adverts or films, for example, tend to cast a dim light on teens today. But has it ever been any different?
All media is driven by its readership / viewer / listener based on age or political viewpoint. If the traditional newspaper reader, much like the paper's editor and proprietors, are of a certain age, then youth is a fair target.
As a world with many different generations and opinions we make sense of these representations in different ways according to the values and assumptions we carry around in our own heads.
This 'listless, disrespectful' bunch of teens, have different ideas to their parents (the consumers of information presented to them) and are outside their direct control.
All forms of media highlight gangland stabbings, disrespectful youth with no respect for anyone else, particularly the elderly.
Hollywood blockbusters, or TV docusoaps like Skins, tend to cast the unruly youth as the villain, but this is seen differently by the age group watching. Teenagers will see life as it is whereas older viewers, whatever the medium, will see it as break down in family values - 'bring back the birch or National Service'.
But yesterday's yob - Malcolm Mcclaren or any of the problem teens that followed his fashion or music in the 'punk era' are now music and fashion legends, much like the mods and rockers AND even Elvis that followed before them.
The popular media will always present the world in the way they want or anticipate the consumer's need. They are normally preaching to, and feeding the converted....