Introduction Paragraph

‘1Xtra, MTV Base and ZeeTV are all hugely popular. But whenever I watch these channels, all I see is ghetto...Nobody wants to be in the ghetto, OK? We all want to live in the mainstream.”

Why would the group or place you have studied want to be represented in the mainstream media?

To a younger audience, the mainstream media offers youth’s a sense of security, embracing a communion of youths in society which will be accepted by young passive viewers everywhere, because they too share the same interests as them. However, as society has become more diverse, it is debatable whether youth’s being part of the mainstream media is something we actually consider as a healthier option or is it damaging how people in our society see youths. Over the years, society has become bombarded with negative criticism, targeting youths in general. Institutions and the news are frequently hypodermically syringing youths as: drug dealers, hookers, binge drinkers, gang members, and shoplifters. Examples of this is not only seen visually through the moving image platform but printed in the news, all playing its part in making sure the negativity of youths goes viral throughout the web. The fact some teenagers then aim to be a part of this mainstream audience and conform the stereotypes society gives them is debatable, yet if society has already made up its mind on what kind of people youths are, then how hard would it be to change the whole nation’s perspective of them. Whilst the mainstream media freely gives them Maslow’s sense of belonging, society refuses to provide us with this. This is then reinforced by institutions to create verisimilitude in films/Series, such as; Ill Manors, kidult hood, Top boy, some girls and Our girl.

LR- Re-write your introduction for the actual question setting out your case study and an answer.

Using the group or place you have studied, consider whether media portrayals are more complex than simple positive or negative representations. (48 marks)

As society has become more diverse, it is debatable whether media portrayals are more complex than simple positive or negative representations. Successfully, Institutions and editors use verisimilitude and Mediation as a way to hypodermically syringe negative or positive representation of the youths in London. Conversely, the complexity of these representations defines the lack of misunderstanding between the older and younger generation. Negative representations can be identified as sufficient, representing the dangerous (Alvarado) and troublesome youths (such as the London riots). Yet these can be opposed to the good representations such as Top boy, where we are persuaded to represent the youths negatively because of conflict but the little boy overrules these stereotypes because of how he takes care of his mentally ill mother. Another example of a positive representation would be the London Olympics where youths are viewed as quite dominant individuals, taking part in the dancing and creating a lively atmosphere, Whilst, although Adulthood emphasises the negative representations of a particular percentage of youths in London, its moral message represents how some of these youths can change for the better.

Top boy	Negative representations	Good representations
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Top boy

Throughout the beginning of Top boy, it is clear to see that the institutions have focused more on reinforcing the negative stereotypes of young people we see in the media today. However, the audience demographic could then argue that the institutions do actually challenge these stereotypes.

Negative points

·         Drug dealing

·         Guy slaps girl in the face

·         Bad language they use

·         Trying to recruit young people

·         The focus on black people

Good points

·         Boy going to school

·         Protagonist looking after his mum

·         Refusing to take money from drug dealers.

The most significant negative scene within the beginning of Top boy is probably the fight scene, displaying conflict and violence. The quick paced medium to close up shots connotes the conflict and danger between the two people. Whilst the point of view shots reinforce how intimidating youths can be. During the disruption of the scene (Todorov- Equilibrium), conveys the divergence between two black groups. The way the male character calls on his partner, could reinforce the team work and loyalty between friends, especially when the top drug dealer says: “Are you alright?” However, this can then be thoroughly subverted as when the guy knows that his stock has been taken he uses diegetic dialogue to say: ‘Are you serious? How can you be so stupid man’? This could then connote that young people are always in it for themselves. Another example of conflict is the close up of the pan shot when the man in the car pulls out a gun, the close up shot focusing on the barrel, further connoting that youths are ‘declilized’ and Alvarado’s ‘dangerous’. Also the close up to over the shoulder shot of the guy slapping the girl connotes the domestic violence between man and women, and how the boy things it’s okay to abuse the girl, further connoting that young people have no morals or remorse for the actions that they perform. Whilst the way her friend then says: ‘I don’t give an f***,” when she moans about the man slapping her, connotes the lack of loyalty and protection of their friends.

However, in comparison, there are quite a few good representations that the audiences have focused on during the beginning scenes of top boy. The most significant one is focused through the protagonist, as he is represented as being a career for her his mother. The first depiction of him during the equilibrium, of him looking out of the window at the gang, could connote the idea of the glass being the barrier that keeps him away from taking that bad path. Whilst, this could also connote a preservation of his innocence, as he’s looking on it from a child’s perspective. This can be further linked to when the gang attempt to recruit him as a drug dealer, the guy trying to bribe him for money and he says: ‘my mum wouldn’t like it”. The way his friend says: “How come you don’t take money from them, you never say no to money”, subverts the idea of youths being easily influenced, as at a young age he is sticking up for himself by the way the drug dealers say ‘smart kid!’ when they leave. Nevertheless, the way the protagonist tries to help his mum (getting her breakfast, coaxing her to get up and dressed, and promising her that she’ll look for a new apartment), allows the audience to sympathize with him, whilst also reinforcing that youths aren’t always in it for themselves and can be respectful and care for others.

BBC Coverwork

What representations of young people can be found in E20?

There are many representations within the E20 clip that allow the younger audiences to self-identify with the characters (good or bad). The Bbc have reinforced traditional stereotypes within the E20, such as Donnie. Donnie’s character is a stereotypical Black Youth (Frantz Fernon) within todays society, He is represented as dressing in a hoodie and pants, colloquial slang as well as being connoted as being quite intimidating because of his facial expressions and stern direct mode of address faced at other characters. However, In a society where there are more of a majority of white then black, could then further connote that he is trying to put on his white mask. During the disruption of the narrative (Todorov- narrative equilibrium), BBC shoot a scene where Donnie is represented as having a knife in his hand and blood on his face. This could then distinctively reinforce the media stereotypes of black people being ‘decilized’ (Fanon), whilst also being Dangerous (Alvarado). However, his despair of what has happened and the way he tries to protect his friends, subverts the idea of youths being represented as selfish and irresponsible and conveyed more as a role model for young people. Its as if the Bbc are trying to represent the idea that youths do make mistake but that they still have a chance to change. Whilst, an oppositional reading could suggest that by his two very different personas being represented within the short clip (his ‘bad boy’ image vs. responsible young man) connotes that not all black youths are stereotypically going to harm or hurt anyone.

Other representations consist of Ava and her sister who are stereotyped as living in quite a bit of poverty and have had a hard start in life. Audiences will be able to self-identify with this, especially the lone-parent families or families on benefits. The differentiation between class (bourgeoise- lower class) allow both audiences to either appreciate what they are given or identify there own hard start in life. Bbc also represent the idea of family. These characters don’t have all the materialistic luxuaries that most kids desire, but theirs a sense of a moral bond, of looking out for one another. This then could subvert to the idea of negative representations of young people because of the loyalty, teamwork and love in between the strong friendships of todays youth.

Why might producers and audiences be more interested in negative stereotypes of young people?

• Negative representations could be used within BBC public broadcaster to reinforcing how the media and older generation are representing the youth. It allows the audiences to create a certain trust in the media, as if the media is honestly showing how truth of how youths are being represented.
• Injecting (hypodermic model – effects theory) the audience with negative representations of the youth. Allowing the audiences to believe theirs a certain truth to their fears of young people today.
• To give the audience a sense of explanation of the recent events that have caused chaos in todays society. The idea that blaming them, distangles the older generation from talking any responsibility for what has occurred in the past, whilst making the audience believe that justice has been done to humiliate and uncover the real notorious youths of today.
• Pure entertainment- Audiences are entertained about debatable issues that can be proven to be either right or wrong. Institutions use this to their own advantage by balancing stereotypes to what could entertain the audience. It would attract more audiences if the younger characters were murdering, then taking part in charity events. By reinforcing the representations of youths that have been conveyed by the media, allows them to use this to make money and create publicity.

What other examples of representations of young people can you find from British Television. Can you think of any positive or unexpected representations of young people?

Eastenders- Lucy vs. Lauren

Although most of the younger characters are represented as high school drop-outs, there’s a sense of repition within the characters flaws. Examples of this are Whitney and Lauren, both dropped out of school, Whitney fell in love with her mums boyfriend and then ran away and became a prostitute. Whilst, Lauren ran over her dad and let her mum take the blame for it and waste her life away with alcohol, eventhough she has the ability to make something with her life by her talent of drawing. Although this reinforces a stereotype of typically ‘white chavvy youths’, it also conveys the sheer vulnerability of their characters, subverting to the idea that they are stereotpyicaly loud-mouthed and ‘decilized’. This could then allow audiences to self-identify with their characters, whilst representing to the audiences that there not as irresponsible and useless as they appear to be, but vulnerable teenagers with a low self asteem. However, this representation can then be subverted by the use of Lucy’s character, as although she is a dropout, she ran two businesses and took care of her little brother whilst their father abandoned them. On a level, this represents her with a sense of maturity and responsibility of having to deal with that at such a young age, further subverting the negative stereotypes of youths today.

Some girls is also a Bbc series based on four teenage girls that have been brought up on estates and have been represented as less privileged as other teenagers. However, although the show breaches on some quite serious topics (e.g. teenage pregnacies, underage sex and std’s), the institutions seem to be represented as making a mockery out of it. This can be reinforced by the way all four girls are seemed to be represented as airheaded, pathetic, sex driven and immoral. Whilst an oppositional reading could also connote that female teenagers will be able to self-identify with them, relating to themselves and other people they know.

Young apprentice is one of the series that can be connoted as conveying a good representation of young people, due to the young, work driven individuals who strive on their thirst for knowledge and making something of their lives. These individuals can inject the idea that these intellectual young people hold the key to the future, allowing the audiences demographic to hold on to a sense of hope for our younger generation.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/dec/05/newspaper-editors-sign-up-leveson

Newspaper editors sign up to Leveson recommendations

This week national editors signed up to the Lord Justice Levesons non-statutory recommendations to kill off the ‘Hunt-black plan as a template to reform’. The overall editors of over every “fleet street” signed up to 40 of the 47 Leveson recommendations. The ultimate aim is to create an independent regulator with the power to fine up to £1 million, whilst operating a low-cost tribunal system that that will handle the ‘libel and privacy claims’. The 7 recommendations that editors failed to sign up consisted of the Ofcom or any other regulator ‘agreeing to wait to see what non-statutory proposals Downing Street would have to offer’. The chairman (Lord Hunt) of the Press complaints commission will be continuing to to work at setting up this new regulator. The Editors at the meeting also agreed to wait for Oliver Letwin and David Cameron’s policy fixer to come back with a proposal. On how to toughen up and support the planned new regulator. Whilst, it is still unclear whether newspapers ‘deemed the Letwin plan to be uneffective.

In my own opinion

·         Although some say that restricting print media won’t cause much of a problem because of the opportunity our society now has with new and digital media. However, I do think this will cause a problem as the percentage buyers of print platforms are old pensioners who aren’t as intact with the web as others of society. Restricting this will cause a loss of profit from businesses (such as local postoffices, Whsmith, Tesco’s) but also restrict what we will be letting our older generation read.

·         The seven recommendations that the editors refused on were to wait and see what Downing Street would come up with. The idea of waiting will give way to other ideas that might not be proved as effective. Society is becoming restless waiting for the problem to be fixed. If we wait it’s almost as if we are putting the scandal on hold, further allowing others to do the same thing.

Media homework- Mr Hausely

1)      What representation of young people in London do we see in the opening of kidult hood?

2)      Is it a fair representation?

3)      Is it a good example of verisimilitude (think of realism or being true-to-life?)

4)      Has a process of mediation taken place with the filmmakers concentrating on one aspect of youth culture?

Throughout the beginning of kidult hood, the institutions condense many different representations of young adults, which not only reinforce negative stereotypical ideologies of the youth but depict the differentiation between the verisimilitude of the media and the mediation of reality. A few examples of this are represented through the use of cliques (groups), teenage moral dilemmas, sex, conflict and violence.

• Cliques are used within the opening of ‘Kidult hood’ to represent how teenagers seem to maintain their own covens depending on their personalities and hobbies. Although this is often used within American films to represent the status of the most wealthy to the less fortunate nerds, British filmmakers have opposed this by also representing a variety of groups representing all different journeys that a teenage audience will be able to relate too. During the beginning of the opening scene there are quite a few distinct representations of groups enveloping the students that are playing football. The close up and point of view shots of the boys playing football connotes a sense of realism as audiences will be able to self-identify with the stereotypical sport that plays a part in representing London’s youth culture. There’s then two girls watching the boys, who could be stereotyped as the stereotypical ‘chavs’, by their slicked back hair, use of strong ghetto/colloquial phrases and sayings and the overuse of makeup. Theirs a slight sense of binary opposition between the friends as instead of the black girl being stereotypically ‘loud and rude’, she seems more quite, whilst the white girl seems more loud-mouthed and open. The majority of their conversations seem to be about ‘getting hammered’, who they ‘f****’ up last night, and how they ‘cheated on their boyfriends representing them as being ‘slutty’ and common. This can also be reinforced as the black girl is pregnant but her ex boyfriend doesn’t want anything to do with it, further representing the females as vulnerable and desperate to be given attention by the way the white girl is always seen to be crowded over by boys (challenging Judith Butlers theories). This could then convey a negative representations of white ‘chavvy’ girls attempting to put on their ‘black masks’ and how the women are portrayed as being easy, whilst subverts the idea of all black females being loud mouthed. However, the way the black female is pregnant reinforces a negative representation of youths, as the Uk is know for its high statistics of teenage pregnancy, further creating the assumption that all girls are sex-crazed and used. This can then be emphasised as being reinforced as theirs a medium shot of a girl being in a sexually intimate stance with a boy that is not her boyfriend during the beginning of the opening scene.

The next group seem to be seen as the stereotypical ‘out casters’ who don’t entirely fit in to the schools regime. The stereotypical middle class white girl often gets bullied and abused within the whole opening of the scene. Her lack of ‘direct mode of address’ and the way she doesn’t stand up for herself also reinforces the vulnerability and degradation of some women within the opening scenes. The Asian girl within the ‘outcaster group’ is the only Asian girl represented strongly within the film, which institutions could have used as a way to create the sense of isolation. Whilst, the fact that she’s overweight further stereotypically reinforces how the bullies would have reason to bully her. This could then create an unfair representation of all youths bullying out casters because of their individuality or race, connoting intimidation and insecurity within London schools. Nevertheless, this also represents an unfair representation of youths today as they are represented as threatening and unsafe within their own schools.

The other main categories that are quite predominantly represented within the scenes is in the forms of popularity. The popular girls are conveyed as the school bully’s as they pick on the vulnerable individuals, whilst harassing the out casters for homework and humiliating them for being a virgin. This then further creates a negative representation of youth bullies. The fact that these girls are a mixture of white and black girls is cleverly used by the filmmakers as it makes the two different races seem equally intimidating and threatening (Alvarado’s sense of ‘dangerous’. The popular boys are mainly represented as all black boys with one white guy being represented as putting on his black mask by the way the use of his colloquial language and use of slang. The boys are mainly represented by the institutions as the ‘clowns’ of the school, rather insensitive, mucking about, and smoking weed. Whilst, also trying to act hard by getting themselves into situations involving drugs and becoming acquainted with  gun crime, further creating a bad representation of youth as they are connoted as being stringed along by their bad choices and the way this leads them to the wrong paths or death (in some of the characters case).

The last group are probably represented as the most ‘decilized’ and ‘dangerous’ as the black group are represented by wearing stereotypical hoodies, connoting a sense of intimidation to the audience. Whilst, the way they pick on the students and mug them reinforce a stereotypical representation of black youths in hoodies, also creating an unfair representation of all boys in hoodies being ready to break the law.

• Race is also represented as being a significant part in the structure of the scenes. The most predominant race that the filmmakers have stereotyped negatively is the black characters within the film as they are represented as intimidating and threatening, especially towards the teachers (as they seem to feel intimidated by them- school bell scene) and other students. The unfair stereotypes variety from being ‘promiscuous’ and getting ‘knocked up’. Whilst, getting into gun and knife crime (the boys uncle), getting themselves into fights and mugging people. However, although this reinforces society’s opinions of the black race within society, it also subverts some elements to this by the shyness of some of the black characters and the way the black girl and black boy seem to feel uncomfortable and want to help when the white girl gets beaten up by the bullies.

• Conflict and violence also play a distinctive part in representing youths in a negative light by the serious issues displayed in within Kidult hood. An example of the white girl being constantly abused and bullied, resulting in her hanging herself. The sensitivity of her death was lacked by individuals as they seemed happier about having a day off school. It’s almost as if the filmmakers are trying to connote the selfishness of youths, having no heart and being insensitive to every issue that doesn’t involve them. Whilst, the way theirs black on black rivalry leading to gun and knife crime, reinforce a reason for the audiences to feel intimidated by these individuals and how they have just been represented as being ‘decilized’.

All of these elements portrayed connote the differentiation of verisimilitude and mediation. Verisimilitude links in well with how the filmmakers wanted to target younger audiences by allowing them to self-identify with the youths of today. However, it seems the institutions have represented the hegemony of groups and some basic representations of people but have excluded some sense of realism. Its as if the filmmakers have packed in a few youths whole life experience into one short film. The idea of suicide, gun crime, teenage pregnancy and death seems pretty far-fetched even for west London. These events have occurred on the news, but it seems as if the institutions have tried to force the representations, making them less realistic as they try and target a teenage audience. Whilst also subliminally (and debatably accidental) representing a majority of youths in west London as aggressive and ready to harm, further connoting a sense of mediation. Without the mediation of the film, institutions would find it hard to target younger audiences, so by exploring the use of gun crime, suicide and other serious issues makes it more likely for the audience to want to watch the film.

“To what extent does American film/ Tv institutions use the vampire genre  (through texts such as ‘Twilight’ and ‘the vampire diaries’ to target younger audiences?”

keyword	Synonym 1	Synonym 2	Synonym 3
Vampire genre	Thwarted desire	Forbidden love	Modern day romance
Young audiences	identification	subcultures	Teenage desire
Binary oppostion	Human vs. immortal	Nature vs. man made	Vampires vs. werewolf
American institutions	CBS	Warner bros	CW

Search operators

‘+’ plus

‘-‘ minus

‘”’ speechmarks

Source: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~elektra/thesis.html

              http://forums.syfy.com/index.php?showtopic=2295352

location: http://news.ku.dk/all_news/2012/2012.5/vampires_give_danish_teenagers_a_taste_for_spirituality/

site: http://www.monsterlibrarian.com/vampiresya.htm

in url: www.examiner.com/article/vampire-wars-waged-box-office-gross-outs

In title: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampires_in_popular_culture

Filetype: www.tc.umn.edu/~rbeach/teachingmedia/print/module7.doc

3 BBC news night articles

·         http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20284124

George Entwistle resigns as BBC director general.

·         http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/nov/10/bbc-crisis-george-entwistle-resigns

BBC in crisis as George Entwistle quits over news night fiasco.

·         http://www.newstatesman.com/staggers/2012/11/bbcs-director-general-george-entwistle-resigns-over-newsnight-mistakes

·         BBC’s director-general, George Entwistle, resigns over news night mistake.

Summary

·         Entwistle (BBC’s director general) resigned after making a mistake of the allegations of the child abuse occurring in a care home in North Wales. At 9pm, patten (The trust chairman) said that it was ‘unacceptable shoddy’, but that Entwistle represented ‘courage’ as he stepped down from his Duties. On the 9^th of November, the BBC gave their sincere apologies at wrongly accusing Lord McAlphine. Whilst, the actual victim- Steve Messham actually identified that it wasn’t McAlphine but another man.

Enwistle stated: ‘In the light of the fact that the Director-General is also the Editor-in-Chief and ultimately responsible for all content; and in the light of the unacceptable journalistic standards of the Newsnight film broadcast on Friday 2nd November; I have decided that the honourable thing to do is to step down from the post of Director-General’.

My opinion: Personally I believe that the BBC had gotten their facts right before they made these accusations. To be honest, I believe Entwistle became so excited with this news and wanted to make a public outbreak within the first few days of his post, that he didn’t actually think through this predicament logically. However, I also do believe that he did the right thing about accepting he was wrong and stepping down from his post as it brings less of a negative representation of the BBC and to him.