Analyse the ways in which the media represent groups of people.

There is numerous of ways in which the media represent groups of people. It can be through TV programmes, Films, and the News/Magazines. It portrays certain category in a specific way which can cause an affect on the society and sometimes separation. 

Focusing on young adults and teenagers, during the 1960s’, when the Mods and the Rockers fought on Brighton Beach, the Daily Mirror’s head line was ‘Wild Ones’ indicating that all teenagers were wild and violent. There is a possibility that adult readers will now try to avoid teenagers and think that all teenagers are dangerous. This is cause a separation between the youth and the adults and form an identity for the youths that we are dangerous, violent, rude and have no manners. A film called Quadrophenia supports the stereotype of youths being malicious as there are scenes of teenagers being involved in gang crimes, and also drinking, smoking and having sex. Again, adult watchers of the film will then think that all youths are careless and hardly thinks of consequences due to their actions through the hypodermic needle, which causes a moral panic and a further separation and judgement from the adults to the teenagers. However it can be argued that the separation is not only caused by teen behaviour. It can be argues that because teen has seen the adults reacting this way and not think that the tabloids can be over-exggarating to sell their papers and that films are only storylines, and that they believe the stereotypes, the teen will try to avoid any contact with adults as being afraid of being judged and not having any faith. The two examples of how media has portrayed teens in the 60’s goes against the historical representation of youths, as in the 60’s, teen boys were commonly known for being polite, gentlemanly, helpful and well-mannered, and teen girls were commonly known as respectful, kind, caring and obedient. There are films such as …… and …… which supports the historical stereotypes of teens in a positive way as there are scenes where …………………., yet, when adults sees whats on the news and films like quadrophenia, they forget all about the positives due to the hypodermic needle and cultivation theory. 

The hypodermic needle is an idea that the mass media injects thoughts, values and beliefs into the audience. This influences and change their opinions on what they have been injected. This means your opinions of teens may have changed to a negative after reading the article of mods and rockers on the Daily Mirror newspaper, and assume that all teenagers are uncalimg. It is argued that the media is controlling and powerful. This theory came form a media theorist who discovered the theory during world war 1 and how they have used propaganda. 

The cultivation theory was developed by George Gerbner. The theory argues that television has gradual long-term effects but they are small and over time. So if you have seen a teen helping and elderly but watch Quadrophenia, although there are teens who are kind, you will have a negative thought about teens under the influence of media. Also another argument is that if have read the article about the mods and rockers then a day after you have watched Quodrophenia, your negative opinions about teenagers may become stronger and want to avoid them even further. 

The media still represent groups of people in different ways possible, today.

However, due to the build up of representations of teens, representation of teenagers has changed gradually. The contemporary representation is now anti-social, rude, disrespectful and lazy.

The media uses TV programmes and Films which supports this stereotypes. Through out TV programmes such as “Skins” and films such as “Attack The Block”, teenagers are still being portrayed as doing drugs, getting drunk, parties, against school, and are involved in gangs and crime. For example, on the TV programme; “Skins”, there are scenes which includes teenagers doing drugs and partying, which supports the contemporary stereotype. Adult viewers will watch the scenes and assume all teenagers do this in their spare time. However, in Skins there are scenes where the teen attends to their lessons and achieve good grades which goes against their typical stereotypes, however the adults will forget about that and only remember the negatives. Again, this is done under the influence of the hypodermic needle.

Then, in the film “attack the block”, you can see a separation which has been created in the first 30 minutes when a women is walking her self home, she sees the group of teen boys looking at her and immediately crosses to avoid them. This shows that adults are afraid of teens and adults who watched the scene, will think that they must do that as well to be safer. Even though the group leader saves the world from monsters. 

I feel that because of the way media has portrayed teenagers, it has changed them. When new technologies like the television came out, there was only a separation between the adults and the teens, however I feel today, there is a separation between teenagers also, under the influence of media. This my be because of different interests and how we identify ourselves, however teenagers are scared of each other. Some teenagers says they would avoid other teenagers wearing tracksuits with caps because on films like “attack the block”, they carried weapons such as knives and immediately will rob you. It has also shown in a documentary called ……. when a reporter asks few teens how many percentage of crimes are commented by teens, it was a high percentage which says a lot as they are teenagers themselevs. 

Although media does try and embrace teen’s bravery from articles such as “Man thanks heroic teenagjrwho saved his fiancés’ life after dragging her from burning house” - Watford Observer, it does not get out there more than it should. Also the media uses the advantages of negative stereotypes of teens as they know negative stories will profit better. 

Overall, I feel that media creates the separation between adults and teenagers and instead of enjoying the TV programmes and films, it ends up affective for the society which bring us far apart.