Essay: Do media representations of youth reflect societies perceptions and concerns?

Referenced Examples

Modern Examples of Youth

St Trinians

\

Ill Manors




The Inbetweeners Movie



Older examples of youth
Quadrophenia




Newspaper Example
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2024486/UK-RIOTS-2011-British-youths-unpleasant-violent-world.html

Essay key
Theorist 
Example
Definition

Essay
The media contributes widely and effectively the publics perception of the collective identity of numerous social groups.  This misrepresentation has a particulary harsh effect on the publics view of youth and youth culture.  The dictionary refers to youth as "the period between childhood and adult age.".  This means that those between 13 and 18 would be traditionally affected by youth stereotyping.  The general presentation of youth by the media is that they are either violent and aggressive or idiotic and incapable of success.

Hebdige states that youth are either conceived as fun or trouble, meaning that youth are either violent and nihilistic in keeping with Ann Goulds 6 traits of youth or are fun and idiotic.  Hebdiges understanding of youth is displayed frequently in the way that films will present youth a modern example of this being "The Inbetweeners" where youth are displayed as foolish and idiotic fuelled only by a desire for sex as well as "Ill Manors" which focuses on urban teens and the violence associated with gang cultures.  Goulds six traits of youth are also featured in "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" in which rebellion is displayed through the music of the time, the artificial tribe is displayed through the "wallflowers", self destructive nature is portrayed through the suicide of Michael and violence is portrayed through Candace and Derrick fighting.  Hebdige is also portrayed again in this film where elements of fun can be seen through the use of recreational drugs and dancing, trouble is then displayed as name calling and domestic violence.

An example of an older media texts which portrays the same ideology as the above texts is "Bullet Boy".  Goulds theory can be seen frequently throughout the piece for example violence is displayed throughout the killing of the dog, sexuality is displayed through the sex scene between the protagonist and his girlfriend and self destructive behaviour can be seen through the downward spiral of the protagonist who acts out the more people put him down.  This is a prime example of Wilkins deviancy amplification spiral in which people who are repeatedly subjected to negative stereotyping re more likely to eventually conform to them.

Newspapers also play a part in the negative stereotyping of youth with the Mail Online in 2011 branding the British youth as 'the most unpleasant and violent in the world' in the period of time when the London riots were in progress.  These riots are a prime example of Cohen's Moral Panic theory in which a single event such as the riots can lead to a negative stereotype being created around one collective identity and an inflammatory stereotype being formed which in turn creates folk Devils.  The importance of youth being negatively described in newspapers specifically is especially important due to the fact that the negative views of youth will be imparted on those who may not necessarily agree with the view, this is the hypodermic syringe model.  This model focuses on the way in which the public are injected with a certain concept that they may not have agreed with previously through a media text.

Youth are also represented as being part of artificial tribes which relates to Ann Goulds theory of the 6 traits of youth.  In older media texts such as "Quadrophenia" which focuses around the conflict present between the mods and the rockers.  This film shows youth in a negative and raw light leading youth being perceived by the public in a negative light.  In more modern adaptions of youth groups such as "St. Trinians" youth are presented in a less gritty and negative way whilst still maintaining the underlying message of teenage rebellion.  

In conclusion the way in which youth are perceived by the public is affected by the way that the media portray youth.  Negative portrayals of select groups of youth lead to a negative impact on the entire youth population due to the fact that all youth subgroups exist under the collective identity of youth.

Essay: Do media representations of youth reflect societies perceptions and concerns?

Referenced Examples

Modern Examples of Youth

St Trinians

\

Ill Manors




The Inbetweeners Movie



Older examples of youth
Quadrophenia



Essay key
Theorist 
Example
Definition

Essay
The media contributes widely and effectively the publics perception of the collective identity of numerous social groups.  This misrepresentation has a particulary harsh effect on the publics view of youth and youth culture.  The dictionary refers to youth as "the period between childhood and adult age.".  This means that those between 13 and 18 would be traditionally affected by youth stereotyping.  The general presentation of youth by the media is that they are either violent and aggressive or idiotic and incapable of success.

Hebdige states that youth are either conceived as fun or trouble, meaning that youth are either violent and nihilistic in keeping with Ann Goulds 6 traits of youth or are fun and idiotic.  Hebdiges understanding of youth is displayed frequently in the way that films will present youth a modern example of this being "The Inbetweeners" where youth are displayed as foolish and idiotic fuelled only by a desire for sex as well as "Ill Manors" which focuses on urban teens and the violence associated with gang cultures.

Newspapers also play a part in the negative stereotyping of youth with the Mail Online in 2011 branding the British youth as 'the most unpleasant and violent in the world' in the period of time when the London riots were in progress.  These riots are a prime example of Cohen's Moral Panic theory in which a single event such as the riots can lead to a negative stereotype being created around one collective identity and an inflammatory stereotype being formed which in turn creates folk Devils.  The importance of youth being negatively described in newspapers specifically is especially important due to the fact that the negative views of youth will be imparted on those who may not necessarily agree with the view, this is the hypodermic syringe model.  This model focuses on the way in which the public are injected with a certain concept that they may not have agreed with previously through a media text.

Youth are also represented as being part of artificial tribes which relates to Ann Goulds theory of the 6 traits of youth.  In older media texts such as "Quadrophenia" which focuses around the conflict present between the mods and the rockers.  This film shows youth in a negative and raw light leading youth being perceived by the public in a negative light.  In more modern adaptions of youth groups such as "St. Trinians" youth are presented in a less gritty and negative way whilst still maintaining the underlying message of teenage rebellion.

In conclusion the way in which youth are perceived by the public is affected by the way that the media portray youth.  Negative portrayals of select groups of youth lead to a negative impact on the entire youth population due to the fact that all youth subgroups exist under the collective identity of youth.

Youth Newspaper- Analysis

Context




















Planning

• The above papers suggest the way in which youth can be violent and aggressive.  
• They are presented as rebellious "YOB"s and founders of "Anarchy".  
• This is not an accurate repersetnaion of youth and supports Cohen's Moral Panic Code which leads to negative events creating a lasting stereotype.

Essay

The newspapers above are examples of youth displayed as public villains by media outlets.  The purpose of these newspaper articles is to display youth a dangerous and rebellious which sparks Cohen's Moral Panic Theory in which one events used to spark hatred to an individual cultural subgroup.  

Both of the newspapers featured above are guided by right-wing views however are in fact targeted to the working classes whom are generally left-wing supporters.  This is an example of the hypodermic syringe theory in which the public are "injected" injected with views which they may not normally support, through media consumption.

The Sun has a front page created predominately from image opposed with limited information.  This design is employed to spark interest in the article without actually providing extensive detail in order to make the reader make a snap judgement without knowing all of the facts.  This kind of snap judgement is important to note as it leads to a mob mentality against an entire race and is a prime example of Cohen's Moral Panic Theory, this states that a stereotype about a culture or subgroup is formed from the media coverage of single shocking event.  The fact that "ANARCHY" is shown as the main title of the piece with a large level of contrast between the white of the text and black and red of the fire draws the reader in and imprints the idea that youth are dangerous and anarchists (ideas which are supported by theorist Ann Gould).

The second Newspaper article from the Daily Mirror has a busier front page however roughly 1/3 of the page space is again taken up by an image of flames and chaos with youth's silhouetted against the flames.  The symbolism of this image shows youth as being dark and chaotic due to the connotations between hell and sining and flames.  This symbolism implants the idea that youth are dangerous before the reader has started to delve deeper into the story and again the title "YOB RULE" (a play on words of mob rule) is shown with high levels of contrast in order to make it stand out.  The use of "YOB" shows the fact that youth are viewed as an angry mob which links to Ann Gould's theory of youth as rebellious and the artificial tribe.

For the reasons listed above both newspapers are attacking youth and shaping them into folk devils who are to blame for the riots however youths were not the only people to blame for the 2011 riots.