Representation in the media

Representation in the media

In media, representation is the way that different forms of media portray and shape various social groups or issues in a certain way whether it is based on prejudice, bias or stereotypes. Representation can be shown in either a negative way or a positive one. The different social groups that are categorised in media are gender, age and ethnic background, race and identity. However, these groups can be portrayed in a positive or a negative way.

Ethnic backgrounds, race and identity is another main social group that people around the world are put in due to their representation in the media. The difference between ethnicity and race is that ethnicity is normally defined by language, cultural and national customs as well as beliefs whereas race can be defined by physical attributes and characteristics that could link to skin colour. Media and society today can make representation of ethnicity powerful whether it is good or bad. Certain ethnic groups are seen more positively. One predominant racial and ethnic stereotype for Muslims and Arabians is that they are terrorists, but they are only seen as this because the media has swayed people into believing that this is true by striking fear into society’s eyes by labelling them due to the previous events of terrorist and bomber attacks such as 9/11. Other stereotypes include things like the French are the best chefs and are very romantic or that black people are violent are normally apart of gangs which all of these stereotypes can easily be debunked but due to the media picking certain ways to portray these people, it is affecting how society sees them in general.

The first example of representation in the media is through the music video of Childish Gambino’s (aka Donald Glover) “this is America”. It is said to be a narrative video as it displays the various problems that black people in particular have had to face over the years. This music video is well known for its subliminal messages and meanings behind the work. The first representation is through the stance he does at the beginning of the video while holding a gun. This is known as “Jim Crow”. The stance is named after a racist fictional character which labelled African-Americans as stupid, lazy and inhumane while being performed and created in the early 1800s to represent the ethnic minority. Another representation is in the background. As Glover is singing and dancing in the foreground, many people do not notice the events occurring behind him such as riots and even a man jumping off a railing. This is to show that society is so fixated on good things that they fail to come to terms with reality and that we don’t focus on details. 

Also in the beginning when Glover shoots the man, we soon see that the gun he used is taken with a red cloth and treated with care. However, the body of the deceased man is dragged off to the side. This makes audiences believe that in America, guns are more valued for than individuals. Another intriguing representation is through the choir scene where the choir begin to sing and then get shot by Glover. This is a reference to the 2015 Charleston church shooting performed by white supremacist Dylann Roof while killing nine innocent black people in South Carolina. Glover put this in the video to raise awareness about the situation as well as to show people that black people are mistreated daily due to the colour of their skin. The final way that representation is shown through the video is at the very end where you see Glover running from a group of white people. This represents the fact that black people in America particularly are still living in fear while running away from the social injustices in society today. This can also be viewed as a slave running away from their slave owners as Glover, a black male, is running away in fear from white people. All of these representations relate to Stuart Hall’s Reception Theory and George Gerbner’s Cultivation Theory as the video uses media language and concepts in the narrative to convey meaning. It also helps to tackle some of the various problems people are dealing with in society.

In media today, men and women are noticeably different in the way that they are portrayed. The portrayal of women in the media has changed progressively in the years to view them in a more positive and acceptable light. However, women are still seen in a negative light due to what the media called “the male gaze”. The male gaze is how different media texts visualise women through the perspective of a male and their attitudes towards women. This also plays in with the typical stereotypes of a woman which are to be submissive and inferior to men, domestic, infatuated with looks, feminine and vulnerable. This also pals on they are meant to dress. In the 20^th century, women were seen as housewives and are expected to be seen in dresses, heels and skirts with their hair done whereas now, women are sexualised more than ever as they are seen with heaps of makeup and hardly any clothing to wear at all. Due to social and cultural aspects in the media, this is how society sees women now. Just like women, the representation of men has also changed over the years. The traditional stereotypical attributes of men are to be athletic, dominant, superior, independent, heroic and highly intelligent. However, metro sexuality is slowly emerging into the media where a man gets in touch with his femininity while being into fashion, health and fitness and romance.

The second example of representation in music videos is in The Weeknd’s “Earned It”. The main representation that is predominant through the whole video is gender. Throughout the whole video, audiences can see that he is wearing a black suit which gives connotations of a strong, powerful and authorial man. Linking to this, he is sitting in the audience while a group of women who are wearing a minimal amount of clothing are dancing for him. This reflects on the view that in media, women are seen as inferior to men who are seen as dominant and superior. Later on in the video, the audience see a woman descending from the ceiling while being tied up. This makes viewers seem as if she and the other women in the video as objects which plays on the “male gaze”. This is when the director makes a media product through the male’s perspective. This relates to Liesbet van Zoonen’s Feminist theory where men and women are represented differently in the media while women are normally objectified due to media these days in society.

In conclusion, even though representations of certain groups of people may not seem wrong, the media can be manipulative as it can paint anyone as good or bad without really knowing who the person they are targeting or talking about personally or what challenges they have endured during their life. They may not always be negative, but it may not give audiences a true look into the social group and could really damage our society which can influence someone’s knowledge of the group and actions as well as behaviour towards them.