ÔExamine some of the ways in which the mass media may create
negative images of certain social groups.Õ
Written by Sarah Furzer
There is no
question that within the post-modern society of which we live in today that influences do not come exclusively from mainstream
institutions (e.g. the family) anymore. The role of and participation of the
media in the coverage of current affairs has accelerated in recent years.
With
the rapid development of technology, even in the remotest of locations, an
individual can acquire up-to-the-moment information on an event unfolding on
the other side of the world at the click of a button. And with this powerful
hold that the media has secured, it is able to portray and distribute both
negative and positive images. They can use this power to such an extent that
the political views of the correspondent can mean the difference between
portraying the actions of a particular social group in either a good or a bad
way.
Introduction
In this essay, I
am going to be examining some of the ways in which the media can create
negative images of specific social groups. I will be doing this through,
firstly, describing what is meant by the terms Ôsocial groupsÕ and Ômass mediaÕ,
along with the forms it can take. I will then go onto describe some of the models
of media influence which can form this negative imagery. In order to compose a
balanced argument, I shall end with giving suitable examples of when the media
can convey a positive impression of the social groups that it provides coverage
for.
What are social
groupings and the mass media?
The term social
group can simply be defined as people sharing some social relation. This
relation is something between a group of individuals which brings them together
to form a bond, for example, a common interest.
As
the name suggests, the mass media is a form of mass communication – conveying a message to a large audience
simultaneously. Media can take many forms; newspapers, television broadcasts,
radio, and the internet, to name but a few.
However,
the content of the media that actually reaches the public has been manipulated
by the team of employees associated with the media. These people (including
editors and journalists) heavily influence what most people experience as the
Ôfinished productÕ – what actually ends up on our television screens and
in the literature that we read. As mentioned above, it has been ÔgroomedÕ to
the extent that third parties have added their own interpretations and beliefs to
potentially create a false consciousness that may actually distort the reality.
This
poses the question whether the media is a valid form of communication. To
explain this, I shall now use two models of ownership of mass media to identify
the extent to which media content is influenced; The Hegemonic Model and The
Pluralist Model.
The Hegemonic
Model and The Pluralist Model
The Hegemonic
Model identifies an underlying potential hazard that could taint the media.
This is the fact that the mass media industry is dominated by a vast majority
of typically male, middle-class, white, and southern employees. Therefore, the
content and broadcasting of the reportings are likely to encompass only a
limited range of issues. This is not representative of the multi-cultural
society of Britain in which we live and could lead to the Ôsingling-outÕ or
discrimination against other races and ethics because of a lack of cultural
understanding.
The
second model I am doing to discuss is The Pluralist Model.
The Pluralist
Model considers that there may be more to negative/positive perspectives of
media as a result of the publicÕs perception than it is accredited for. It is
more concerned with the way in which mass media is perceived by its recipients
rather than the way it has been delivered by the owners of the media.
The
media maintains is dominant position in society because people are Ôbuying intoÕ.
Understandably, as long as an industry continues to flourish and profit, so it
shall remain. And so long as this is the case, it makes perfect economic sense
that the media are still in existence, despite negative viewing; i.e. the basic
economic concept of supply and demand in an economy – hence, if there was
no demand this would lead to the inevitable demise of media and, therefore,
also their influence. Therefore, it could be said that the media can create
negative images of specific social groups because the general public engaging
in mass media, effectively, allows them to act in this way.
Examples of
negative images created by the media
One example of
negative images portrayed in the media is of an article published in The
Independent containing an explosive race-related argument. The article,
entitled ÔFury at DNA pioneerÕs theory: Africans are less intelligent than
WesternersÕ, fuelled this debate after a Nobel Prize
winning scientist unravelled his theory that ÔWestern
policies towards African countries were wrongly based on an assumption that
black people were as clever as their white counterpartsÕ. Undoubtedly, the
absurd statement sparked an angry public interest.
Much
of the race-related media coverage tends to expose ethnic minorities,
particularly blacks, as creating a moral panic in society. Official statistics
published by the Home Office and continual media attention has thrown light on
to the police potentially being a racist institution. This could possibly be
true with media coverage into the area. It has shown that the number of stop
and searches of people recorded as being black by race are consistently five
times more likely to be stopped and searched than a white person.
Similarly,
the young social groups tend to be broadcast in a negative light by the media.
Extensive media coverage surrounding youths tends to send a message of a
stereotypical young person. The characteristics commonly associated include hoodie-wearers,
who loiter on street corners, and will unquestionably cause some sort of
trouble (usually some form of non-utilitarian crime e.g. vandalism). The social
background of these youths, predominantly boys, is of the lower/under class. Their
crimes are typical to areas more likely to experience higher levels of poverty,
such as inner-city regions.
A Guardian newspaper article
clearly portrays this negative stereotypical image, entitled ÔFagin's
Kitchen crew, the smash and grab scooter raiders plaguing LondonÕ. The
repetitive nature of repeatedly reporting on youth crime and burglary in such
way has the potential to distort reality. People have a tendency to believe all
they read and witness through the media and so regard the youth subculture as a
problem in society. This demonstrates the power of the media creating negative
images of certain social groups.
These
negative images can be misleading. Does this media coverage give the impression
we should believe that crime in non-existent in the middle/upper classes? Or,
more to the point, that there are fewer adults committing crime than juveniles?
ItÕs
not just the newspapers that are keen to highlight negative aspects in social
groups. Also, the internet could arguably be given credit for being the most
influential tool the media can use – the diversity of the internet can
allow any person to either gather information or publish it. Many sites on the
internet are aimed at provoking negative attitudes towards specific social
groups. One such example is RedWatch. This website was created by Simon
Sheppard, a former member of the British National Party (BNP), but was
eliminated from the party after having been found distributing leaflets not in
compliance with race-discrimination legislation. The RedWatch website, inspired
by the British Neo-Nazi magazine, gathers information on the profiles of people
who are members of the Anti-Nazi League, individuals who take extreme left wing
views, and anti-racists. The website aims to incite hatred towards those with
such political perspectives.
A different perspective – The
Traditional Marxist Model
The Traditional
Marxist Model approach is based on the work and findings of German philosopher
and political economist Karl Marx. Marxist theory suggests and emphasises in
every aspect of society the existence of an elite ruling class. Hence, Marx
claims that this elite minority or bourgeois guarantee to publish the most
favourable headlines to maintain this ruling class ideology; the effect is that
the public see only the positive aspects and believe this to be the truth. In
this way, this process of selecting the most appropriate headlines maintains
social control. Therefore, it can be understood from this that the media can
also promote positive images, as a way of justifying society.
Positive images
in the media
As with most
models, The Traditional Marxist Model is an extreme approach to the ownership
and role of the media. Nevertheless, there is some positive imagery exposed by
mass media. More locally based newspapers, in particular, regularly report on
active citizenship in the local community of particular social groups.
There
are also issues popular with the media that have developed from something
negative to a more positive, accepted, and respected position in the eyes of
society. For example, homosexuality – a generation ago, the stigma
attached to being ÔgayÕ would have been enormous. Although not all people still
accept homosexuality, it cannot be doubted that it has become more accepted,
generally speaking, in society as a whole. Although there is much debate
surrounding the issue, 2002 saw the Church of England granting the rights of
homosexual priests (on the condition of celibacy). Much positive media coverage
was made over this announcement as the church accepting homosexuality was a
turning point in history.
Moreover,
in 2005, The Times published an article that announced the allowing of Ôgay
clergy to marry their boyfriendsÕ under the Civil Partnerships law. In this
way, the media has created a positive image of people from homosexual social
groups through coverage of these events. This has led to previously homophobic
or stereotypical attitudes towards gays and lesbians lessen and homosexuality,
itself, become more socially accepted.
Conclusion
In
conclusion, I have attempted to examine some of the ways in which the mass
media can create negative images of particular social groups. It is clear the
power of the media in todayÕs society is certainly a force to be reckoned with
and its influence has rapidly inclined in more recent years. Although a lot of
negativity about certain social groups can arise within the media, it can also
be of benefit to society. However, individuals should be wary of the
information they receive, where it came from, and how they perceive it.
Personal perception and jumping to conclusions is more likely to cause a
societal panic. The images, negative or positive, that the media amplify are
left mostly to personal perception so perhaps the media is not as responsible for
the stereotyping in society as may be thought at first glance.
Bibliography
Holden-Rowley
T., Blewitt J., Mitchell M., ÒAS CitizenshipÓ, Hodder Murray (2004)
Pilkington
A, Taylor P., Yeo A., ÒSociology in Focus for AQA A2
LevelÓ, Causeway Press Ltd. (2006)
Haralambos
M., Holborn M., ÒHaralambos and Holborn Sociology
Themes and PerspectivesÓ, Collins (2004)
The
Independent article: ÒFury at DNA pioneer's
theory: Africans are less intelligent than WesternersÓ:
A
racist police force?:
http://www.radstats.org.uk/no070/article6.htm
Stereotype
of youths involved in crime and deviance?:
The
Guardian article: ÒFagin's Kitchen crew,
the smash and grab scooter raiders plaguing LondonÓ:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2006/mar/11/ukcrime.sandralaville
RedWatch:
The
Times Online: ÒChurch to let gay clergy
ÔmarryÕ but they must stay celibateÓ:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article527686.ece
BBC
- Decline,
ordination of women, and homosexuality:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/cofe/cofe_3.shtml