A 500 analytical summary essay - focusing on the wider issues and impact of your results

The media has the power through selection and reinforcement to give us very influential portrayals of a whole range of groups, situations and ideas. We interpret theses representations in different ways depending on the values and assumptions we carry around in our own heads. Representation is not how things are presented but also how we react to media text in order for us to understand the portrayal of things, in this case the youth culture.

Throughout my research I found out that most representations of the youth culture are usually negative. World strictest parents was an example of this because the youths in the programme went out drinking, did drugs, smoked and had underage sex, which was most probably done because of peer pressure or by following the crowd and also done without discipline. However as the show progresses their attitude towards life and towards their parents changes dramatically. Also in the film Adulthood youths are again negative portrayal because their main focus revolves around sex, drugs and crime. They are given a self centred ideology where the world revolves around them with slight expectations for example Alisha has a baby and she is her main priority.
From my research it’s clear to state that youths are influences by what they see through the media, institutions have a large impact on youths for instance the female gender representations for youths are developed by girl magazines, the representations of girl magazines are both positive and negative.
Most young females are able to see themselves in privileged positions as opposed to the usual subservient roles developed in other media. Male magazines such as Loaded and FHM which focus on other male lifestyles such as cars, sports, holidays and clothes as well as females. The press has little youth representations because it tends to sell to youths when they are really aiming to sell to adults. From a Marxist point of view they would agree with this statement because they believe that “institutions feed the audience with what they want by aiming to protect their economic interest.

In today’s society, we live in a world where social networking plays a very important role. Institutions allow everyone to watch episodes online, have fan pages, adverts on popular sites, etc these would give a sense of communication and give audiences a chance to express there opinions, Adulthood has an official site, a twitter and facebook page. Another example of using E-media, is when audiences can watch their particular text on the internet, for example BBC iplayer allows us to watch ‘world’s strictest parents’.

Many youth are stereotyped because of the way they dress, their race, where they live and how they talk .For instance a boy dressed in black with his hoody up and trousers down low and living in an estate is automatically bad and represented negatively .As most boys with hoods on are "gangsters and intimidating. Strauss states that the savage mind has the same structure as the civilised mind and that human characteristics are the same everywhere. So once the audience witness a way a teenager is portrayed through the media they automatically believe that all youths are the same.

discusion of choice of platforms and effects

I have chosen to look at a range of platforms (Print, Broadcast and E-media), which associates itself with the youth culture. The majority of all institutions aim thier products at the youth culture or know how to have an impact on youth whether its in a positive or negative way.

By researching many youtube videos and watching a film and a tv programme based on the youth culture its clear to see that the representations of these youths comes from how they are perceived in the media text. Both adulthood and Worlds strictist parents as shown chronologically; Worlds strictest parents is filmed on a daily bases and is shown to us so that we believe that the teens behaviour is gettinig worse when infact their behaviour and attitude towards life is changing day by day.

Print has a large impact on youths as most print articles are aimed at the youth for instance Heat magazine often show glamourous celebrities , which most girls want to look like and some pages gives them tips on how to look like their favourtie celebrity. By doing so not only are they increasing there economic interest but also attracting many of their target audience.However most newspapers get at the youth culture in a negative way because the majority of the time youths have bad press, most of the time its to do with violence, drugs, bullying and alcohol.
In today’s society, we live in a world where social networking plays a very important role. Institutions should allow everyone to watch episodes online, have fan pages, adverts on popular sites, etc these would give a sense of communication and give audiences a chance to express there opinions , Adulthood has an official site, a twitter and facebook page. Another example of using E-media, is when audiences can watch their particular text on the internet, for example BBC iplayer allows us to watch ‘worlds strictest parents’.

Overview Of Topics And Issues

The media has the power through selection and reinforcement to give us very influential portrayals of a whole range of groups, situations and ideas. we interpret theses representations in different ways depending on the values and assumptions we carry around in our own heads. representation is not how things are presented but also how we react to media text in order for us to understand the portrayal of things, in this case the youth culture.

Is the youth portrayed in a negative or positive way ?

many of today youth are portrayed negatively , usually aggressive , disobedient and disrespectful. for example the telegraph newspaper stated that half of 15 year old were involved in a violent fights and youths were more likely to "hang out" with mates on the street. due to several stabbings in the UK committed by teenagers Gordon Brown suggested that by unveiling a £150 million package which will include opening a youth club in every neighbourhood will prevent young people congregating on street corners. however some youths are portrayed in a positive way for example on the programme the junior apprentice a group of 10 young people , between the ages of 16 and 17, compete to win a £25,000 prize from the British business magnate Lord Sugar. The teenagers are represented as hard working and aiming to be successful in life unlike most TV programmes where teenager are portrayed negatively.

does the representation of youth differ around the world?

The representations of youth differ around the world as each culture has different ideologies and values for instance on the programme "worlds strictest parent "the strict parents children tend to be respectful and never take life for granted not only that they are presented as the complete opposite compared to the teenagers in the UK . However most of the time the representations of teenagers around the world always tend to be the same because of what we witness through the media. the majority of people know that when kids reach their teenage years that when they tend to be out of control , so they are given negative portrayals because of how most people their age behave.

Are they influenced by what they see through the media ?

The majority of youths are influenced by what they see through the media , for instance the female gender representations for youth are developed by girl magazines. the representations of females in girl magazines are negative portrayals of young females because most of the females shown either have hardly any clothes on or are seen as a goddess and if you are not like them you do not fit in. however not all girl magazines have negative portrayals , because most young females are able to see themselves in privileged positions as opposed to the usual subservient roles developed in other media. so the magazines that show young females in lead or have dominant roles provide positive representations. Male magazines such as Loaded and FHM which focus on other male lifestyles such as cars, sports, holidays and clothes as well as females. the press has little youth representations because it tends to sell to youths when they are really aiming to sell to adults.

Many press stories, music videos , films and TV programmes involve youth (gang culture, club scenes, drug stories etc) and the accuracy or otherwise of these portrayals needs to be addressed. youth are influenced by celebrities, if one was to see there favourite celebrity dressed or acting in a specific way they tend to do the same. for example Lil Wayne smoking in his music videos looks cool so therefore because Lil Wayne does it so must his fan.

The impact the older generations and celebrities have on youths?

Celebrities and the older generation have a large impact on youth whether its negative or positive , they always have an influence on youths. for example in most hip hop music videos there always seems to be sexy girls or boys with lots of money and girls around them , this influences youths to be like their role models. most female celebrities always seem to look like goddesses this influences teenage girls to be like them. some celebrities and the older generation influence the youths positively for example Barrack Obama being elected as the first black president emphasizes the fact that everything is possible and you can achieve something in life.

Are all youths stereotyped the same or does it depend on where they come from and what they do and how they dress?

many youth are stereotyped because of the way they dress , their race , where they live and how they talk .for instance a boy dressed in black with his hoody up and trousers down low and living in an estate is automatically bad and represented negatively . as most boys with hoods on are "gangsters and intimidating.

Migrain

Migrain analysis of youth culture, Adulthood and World Strictest Parents


M:




I: the bbc are a public service broadcaster and have to fulfill there misson statement which is to entertain, inform and educate whilst being innovitie. this means that there approach to youth culture has to serve a positive purpose and be new and cunning. however some institions portray a negative sterotype in order to achieve a profit and possible to influence mainsteam ideologies in order to ensure there overall economic interest(marxism).




G: most genres in mainstream media are targetted at youths this is because the most popular age group in advetsiment and marketing is that of the 16-34 demographic. so anything mainstream appeals to them appose to niche markets.




R: Many youths are given a negative portrayal, there main focus revolves around sex,drugs and crime. the majority of youths are portrayed as loud, rowdy, disrespectful and disobedient. In adulthood the youths are portrayed as sex obsessed and involved with a lot of violence, however Alicia plays the role of a single young mother who her only priority is to look after her baby daughter. A small minority of youths are portrayed positively for example the programe junior apprentice portrays them as successful, well mannered and ambitious. "World Strictest Parents" Both teenagers went out drinking, did drugs, smoked and had underage sex, which was probably done either by peer pressure or following the crowd, but all was done without discipline but as the show progresses the teenagers behavior changes and there attitude towards life and there family changes.

A: the youth culture has been hot topic in the media for a number of years there is a numerous number of reasons why these might be the case. for example the mainstream media is targeted at youths and therefore they are interested in seeing them selfs in the media(user and gratifacations theroy).

I:A savage mind has the same structure as the civilised mind and that human characterisitics are the same everywhere this statement relates with the youth culture just because they are portrayed in a certain way through the media it doesnt neccessarily mean they are bad people.



N:

M:editing has a big role in this as it is used so that each day would look like its getting worse,

I: The BBC

G: Documentary

R: portrayed as loud , rowdy, disrespectful and disobedient but alsoa contrast is shown because the children of the parents homes in which they visit are always discplined and obedient.

A: 16- 34

I: Both teenagers went out drinking, did drugs, smoked and had underage sex, which was probably done either by peer pressure or, by following the crowd, but all was done without discipline

N:chronological order, the narrator and the editing makes the adolescence's look as if their getting worse, leaving it entertaining for the audience.




M:

I: pathe pictures international

G: uk drama, crime (gangster flick)

R: youths are given a negative portrayal, there main focus revolve around sex,drugs and crime.

A: 15 - 24

I: the youth in the film are gvien a self centered ideology. everything in there world revovles around them with slight exceptions for example alisha has a baby and she is her main priority

N: the film flows in chronological order with a few flashbacks for example when sam is laying in bed with becky and thinks back to his time in prison

A focus on the Advertising and Promotions strategies involved DAY 11

Adulthood : is a british drama film directed, written by and starring Noel Clarke. the film is a sequel to the 2006 film Kidulthood, which was also written by Clarke. it follows the story of Sam Peel (Noel Clarke) after he is released from jail for killing Trife. he realizes that life is no easier on the outside than it was on the inside ad he's forced to confront the people he hurt the most. Through his journey Sam struggles to deal with sorrow and guilt and something else he clearly didn't expect - those seeking revenge. Sam sets about trying to get the message across to his pursuers that they should stop the violence, much like Trife tried to tell him all those years ago.

Cast : Noel Clarke, Scarlet Johnson,Adam Deacon, Jacob Anderson, Femi Oyeniran,Red Madrell, Ben Drew, Cornell john, Nathan Constance and Danny Dyer

Distrubuted by : Pathe pictures international

E-MEDIA :

Adulthood website: http://www.adulthoodthemovie.co.uk/

Adulthood Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/

Adulthood Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Adulthood-The-Movie/8507043732

adulthoodthemovie

PRINT:

http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/review.asp?FID=135601

BroadCast:

Adulthood Premiere

Dvd Realese


Opening Weekend
£1,203,319 (UK) (22 June 2008) (157 Screens)

Gross
£3,247,651 (UK) (13 July 2008)
£2,997,371 (UK) (6 July 2008)
£2,402,166 (UK) (29 June 2008)
£1,203,319 (UK) (22 June 2008)

Weekend Gross
£88,633 (UK) (13 July 2008) (130 Screens)
£270,102 (UK) (6 July 2008) (179 Screens)
£649,162 (UK) (29 June 2008) (176 Screens)
£1,203,319 (UK) (22 June 2008) (157 Screens)

Country Date
UK 17 June 2008 (London) (premiere)
UK 20 June 2008
Netherlands 7 July 2009 (DVD premiere)
Czech Republic 10 July 2009 (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)
Germany 4 January 2010 (DVD premiere)

youth culture : media influences on youths DAY 7

http://hubpages.com/hub/Mass-Media-Influence-on-Society

youtube videos of how the media influences youths

Teen truth video on body image

youth culture DAY 5

Today i focused on how the youth is represented on the programme Worlds Strictest Parents - Jamaica. the programme is basically about two "unruly" teenagers who are sent to live abroad with a strict family for a week in an attempt to change their behavior.
several notes on how the teenagers are portrayed are written in my book.

brief summary : the teenagers in this programme are represented as selfish, rude and disrespectful at first before they leave the country. however as the week progresses the teens begin to realize how their behavior has effected their parents and how lucky they are to be privileged and have parents who love and care bout them.

Broadcast youth culture DAY 4

Today i was searching for videos that focused on the youth culture.

knife crime in london

why the youth is important to the business world

youth culture : media influences on youths day 2

Print :

Telegraph : http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1558580/After-school-clubs-will-combat-yob-culture.html

The Independent : http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/advertising/is-manipulation-by-the-media-killing-british-youth-culture-1671282.html

BBC :http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/348814.stm

Representation of youth in the media :http://www.mediaed.org.uk/posted_documents/repsyouth.html

Drug youth culture in uk and america: http://www.cruelcrew.net/2010/08/06/drug-youth-culture-in-the-uk-america/

Exam Case Study ;; DAY ONE 25.11.10

Idea ; Representation of youth culture in the media

i will be focusing on the youth in all different cultures around the world.

Platforms: Print and Broadcast

Text types:

Broadcast text - Adulthood , X Factor ,Kidulthood, 16 and pregnant , worlds strictest parents, the apprentice.

Print : heat, the sun , metro, the guardian, marie claire , sugar etc

i will be focusing on all text which involve youths and the representations of youth through these texts.

Wider Context :

• is the youth portrayed in a negative or positive way ?
• does the representation of youth differ in other cultures around the world ?
• have the representations of these youth changed over the years?
• are they influenced by what they see through the media ?
• the impact the older generations and celebrities have on youths?
• Are all youths stereotyped the same or does it depend on where they come from and what they
• do and how they dress?

Time Frames: contemporary over the past 5 years

Theoretical findings: focusing on all theories

Postmodernism:

Marxism : david gauntlett , Richard Dyer - does the stereotypes of youth differ depending on social class.

Media Issues: British VS Other Cultures

William Merrin

Merrin believs " the media do not reflect and represent reality but instead produce it, employing this simulation to justify their own continuing existence" - suggesting that the media no longer reflects and represents us but now produces reality and controls us.Merrin offers an overview and evaluation of his key arguments and themes, focusing especially his work: his theory of symbolic exchange and critique of the semiotic and of simulation.


Print:

emedia: http://www.blogger.com/profile/09127640658084479636

broadcast:

Dominic Strinati

"Postmodernism tries to come to terms with and understand a media-saturated society. The mass media, for example, were once thought of as holding up a mirror to, and thereby reflecting, a wider social reality. Now that reality is only definable in terms of surface reflection of the mirror" - Strinati suggest that society was once in control of representations but now the media represents society to us , they are so in control that they are dictating how society now works. It is now difficult to distinguish between reality and media, the mirror was once our reality but now the mirror makes our reality.


print :

Broadcast:

E-media:

John Berger

John Berger is an art critic, novelist, painter and author.Berger published an infuential book based on a BBC television series called "In Ways Of Seeing". Berger observes that men act as woman appear. Men look at women , whilst woman watch themselves being looked at.Berger argues that in european art from the Renaissance onwards woman were depicted as being aware of being seen by a 'male' spectator.

Broadcast:

e-media:http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/gaze/gaze08.html

Print:

Levi Strauss

Strauss was a french anthropologist and ethnologist , he has been named the "father of modern anthropology", he argued that the savage mind has the same structure as the civilised mind and that human characterisitics are the same everywhere. He specifically focused on the brasilian , north and south american tribes focusing on males. his observation were culminated in his book Tristes Tropiques his ideas reached a number of subjects such as sociology and philosophy.Structuralism has been defined as "the search for the underlying patterns of thought in all forms of human activity."

broadcast:

emedia: http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/information/biography/klmno/levi-strauss_claude.html

print:

Jean Francois Lyotard

Lyotard is well known for his articulation of postmodernism amd the analysis of the impact of postmodernity on the human condition.He believes in grand narratives, large scale theories and philosophies of the world for instance history, religion , the knowability of everything by science. Lyotard argues that we are made to believe that narratives of this kind are acceptable to represent us all. we have become aware of diffrences, aspirations and beliefs and desries and for that reason postmodernity is charactisied by micronarratives.

Broadcast:

emedia:http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/fr/lyotard.htm

print :

Jean Baudrillard

jean was a french sociologist, pholisopher and a cultural theorist.He beleives that everything is made up and nothing is original. its the signs that gives of meaning. For instance if some people was to see an actor on the road they will call them by there acting name rather than their real name and question them on the act they was given. even though we know there storyline is not true we carry on believing it is.

jean qouted " the secret o theory is that truth does not exist" suggesting that there is no longer and truth and it is difficult to tell wheather something is real or jus a matter of images.



emedia :http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2007/mar/07/guardianobituaries.france

print:

broadcast:

Laura Mulvey

Mulvey beleives that there is plenty of feminism in the media industry. she believes that the world is seen from a males gaze and that we have no control over the male dominance. woman dont really have a say and must accept masculine views.



Print : mulvey published a book visual pleasure and narrative cinema http://www.jahsonic.com/VPNC.html



e media :http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/michaelwalford/entry/women_film_hub/



Broadcast

David Gauntlett

Gauntlett argues through making thing online and offline, we make connections with others and increase or engagement with the world. he specialised in the study of contemporary media audiences, the everyday making and sharing of digital media - the role of such media in self identity and self expression.

Gauntlett quoted " identities are not given but are constructed and negotiated" - suggesting that we all dont have our own idenetities but our identites are constructed through representations.

Print : Media, Gender and Identity

E-media : theory page based on Gauntlett http://www.theory.org.uk/david/

Broadcast:

Richard Dyer

"how we are seen determines how we are treated, how we treat others is based on how we see them. how we see them comes from representations" - (matter of images"

Dyer is suggesting that how we see people represented is how we treat them. for instance if we was to see homosexual being abused on tv we automatically beleive that is how they act. whatever we see in the media we believe it too be true and act towards it, thats how representations comes about. he also created the pop star theory he believes "A star is an image not a real person that is constructed (as any other aspect of fiction is) out of a range of materials (eg advertising, magazines etc as well as films"

Print : the matter of images
Emedia : http://www.mediaknowall.com/Popular%20Music/popstartheory.html
Broadcast:

Media Conference

Professor David Buckingham

why do people talk such rubbish about Media?

many people believe that media is a worthless qualification as it gives "false hopes to state pupils" - they say media is a dumb , soft subject for state schools. The majority of people believe media is not academic enough for students, people class media as a trivial, dumbing down , cope out subject. Many parents accuse state schools of dumbing down english as well as media by showing simpsons in class in stead of shakespeare. David stated that simpsons uses a good use of narrative, irony and paraodies which students can relate to their studies.

The independent newspaper quoted " tories to tackle media studies menace" - media studies should get lower points and students are misled and deceived to getting jobs in the future.

Matthew Arold; 19th century teacher cultural critic. He published a book called cultural anarchy in 1869.

Julian Mcdougall

julian spoke briefly about online media. he stated that everybody has opinions this comes from the TON BENNS theory , people with power are accountable for us there able to get our views and opinons across.

he gave us tips such as

Read all diffrent ideas to do with your case study

apply the reading to the examples

weigh up the debate

develop infrome academice view

he also gave us a variety of books to read such as

sonia livingstone - children use of internet

annette hill - reality

henry jenkins books

graeme turner - orinary people in the media

david buckingham- video cultures

TOP TIPS MEDIA STUDENTS SHOULD KNOW

Teachers wont know everything

collaborate- share ideas,research, working progress

diversify- come out of the bx

NO right answers

Take risks

make connections

get active- beyong the basics

build your writing skills

research:

really look at real examples - make it relevant

keep evidence of all your research

research every angle

conventions, audience and institutions

planning:

plan for al eventualites - what could possiblt go wrong?

record all your planning - visuals

show the process of your journey

blogging

a blog allows you to link to examples, ideas and inspirations

evidence:

storyboards , animatic

ideas:

keep ideas simple

have a workable concept with realistic plans

try the "25 word pitch"

feedback:

all stages from peers and teachers

keep records of the feedback

Logisitics

people, place, props, costumes

get it done early rehearse and prepare

MEST 4

1: Outline the Text and Topic to be investigated
celebrity obsession : i will be focusing on the following questions
why are people obsessed with celebrities?
Does the media create celebrity obsession?
Are celebrities famous for what they do or who they actually are?
how does audience obsession start?
how do celebrities keep up there status in order for them to have so much fans?
do they become famous instantly or does it take them years in order for them to be well known?
I will be looking at celebrities such as Trey songs, Beyonce, Miley Cyrus , Justin Bieber

2: Outline the proposed linked production piece

The proposed linked production piece could be either a fan web site linked onto face book or an article interviewing and focusing on a celebrities life and their achievements.

3: List at least 2 Media texts that you plan to investigate.

i plan to investigate the institutions behind these celebrities.

4: Why have you chosen these texts?

5: Apply MIGRAIN to the 2 texts.

M:

I: mtv, celeb fan sites

G: music, film , singers and actors

R:

A: all ages mainly teenagers males and females

I: fox warner bros, record companies

N: how are celebrities constructed and how are they concieved by the audience

6: What are the issues and debates surrounding these two texts?

some issuses and debates surrounding these two texts is does the audience make celebrites who they are? does the media make the celebrites who they are? wheres does obsession come from the way the media represents the audience or is it how the celebrites potray themselves.

7: State why you believe the 2 texts fit the 'contemporary media landscape'.

8: Discuss the reason this topic area resonates so deeply with you?

This topic resonates so deeply with me as i feel as i can relate to why people can be obsessed with celebrities and its a topic which is intresting and i enjoy investigating.

Media Guardian Top 100 - 2010

1) The media guardian 100 is a rank of people who have had an impact on how we consume the media and issues that have been raised in the UK within the media industry.

The panelists on media guardian are a group of successful leaders in the media industry,they are people who have spent many years working close to the media. For example Farah Ramzan Golant is a cheif executive of advertising agency and has been working with them since 1990.

2) There is 19 woman in the top 100.

3)

Dawn Airey ;chairman and chief executive, channel five

Sly Bailey; chief executive trinity mirror

Jana Bennett ; director of vision BBC

Helen Borden ; director BBC news

Rebecca Brooks ; chief executive news international

Jane Bruton ; editor grazia

Roisin Donelly ; corporate marketing director and head of marketing, Procter & Gamble UK and Ireland

Janice Hadlow ; Controller BBC2

Angela Jain ; Head of E4

They are all part of the broadcasting and publishing industry.

4) A fifth of the top 100 are women.

5) The list clearly states that men are more dominant in the media industry; out of 100 only 19 women, 81 being men were listed. This could suggest that men can handle the media industry way better than woman, they have the ability to influence “economic, political and cultural” in the UK media industry better than woman .