Section BAnalysing Representation (TV)

A2 Media Studies

David Buckingham

“A focus on identity requires us to pay closer attention to the ways in which media and

technologies are used in everyday life and their consequences for social groups”

Relates ideas of identity to media consumption

Main Concept

• Ideology and hegemony (MARXISM)

• Groups in power exercise their influence culturally rather than by force

• David Gauntlett (2002)• “Identities are not ‘given’ but are constructed and

negotiated” • Links to the idea of STEREOTYPES

Martin Barker (1989) - Stereotypes

• Rejects the idea of stereotypes • Stereotypes mis-represent the real world • Stereotypes are condemned for being too

close to the real world

• Stereotyping (like identity) is something of a paradox

Tessa Perkins (1979) - Stereotypes

• Stereotyping is not a simple process• Stereotypes would not work if they were

simplified • They are fluid and changing

Recap

1. Buckingham relates identity to what...?2. David Gauntlett says what about identity...?3. Hegemony can be roughly described as

what...? 4. Tessa Perkins says stereotypes are what....?5. Martin Barker says what about

stereotypes...?

Grange Hill

• Early example of youth television • First broadcast 8th Feb 1978 • Controversial, gritty portrayal of school life• Students throwing benches into a swimming pool

prompted a number of complaints

• Use the pilot as a historical example in your essay• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdI1kWkl-N4

Grange Hill – Issues

• Highest profile period was mid-late 1980s• Zammo McGuire – heroin addiction • Accompanied by ‘Just say No’ campaign• Future series dealt with:

• Knife crime (1998)• Rape (2001)• Attempted suicide (2005)

• Last episode shown in 2008 • http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/jan/

13/television.bbc

BBC – No kids TV on BBC One

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18083178

• Highlights pluralism within television • Diversity of views and representations • Specialist channels (CBBC) cater to a youth

audience

John Ellis (2000) Development of TV

• Era of Scarcity (few channels) up to 1970s

• Era of Availability (more choice, VCR) 80s and early 90s

• Era of Plenty (satellite, cable, on demand) 90s onwards

• Age of uncertainty as television redefines itself • Biggest audiences are 10m out of a possible 24m• Threats posed by YouTube and VOD• Television appears slow to respond to social change compared

with film

Misfits

“We're young. We’re supposed to drink too much. We're supposed to have bad attitudes and shag each other's brains out. We were designed to party. We owe it to

ourselves to party hard. We owe it to each other. This is it. This is our time. So a few of us will overdose, or go mental. Charles Darwin said you can't make an omelette without

breaking a few eggs. That's what it's about - breaking eggs - by eggs, I mean, getting twatted on a cocktail of class As.”

http://vimeo.com/40894694

Misfits

• Complicates the idea of stereotypes • Good example of Barker’s views of stereotypes • Highlights the absence of youth voices in

contemporary media• Challenges some traditional associations with the

demonisation of youth (Cohen – Moral panics) • Broadcast on a niche channel – era of plenty• Provides an interesting counterpoint to the

morally justified PSB content of BBC

Your Turn

• Choose two contemporary television programmes that focus on youth

• Choose two scenes from each that you feel reflect their relevance

• Analyse these scenes using technical language

• What do your programmes tell us about youth? • How does this compare with representations in

the news and your own impression of youth?

Helpful Resources

• http://collectiveidentity.posterous.com

• http://petesmediablog.blogspot.co.uk

• You will find some great examples and some good info on theorists that you may want to integrate within your work

• Complete this task by Friday