MEST 4: Xmas Task #1 - TEXTUAL ANALYSIS

Analysis: 4:04 - 5:49

“Kidulthood” is a 2006 British-made drama film which focuses on the life of several teenagers in the area of Inner West London. The film was written by Noel Clarke and directed by Menhaj Huda. It was produced and distributed by Revolver Entertainment which is one of the UK’s largest film distributors.

The semiotics used within this extract comes in the form of denotations and connotations. For example, the shopkeeper in the shop where Jay is paying for his drinks is Asian, which could be seen as a stereotype as it could connote that most corner shops are owned by Asians. In turn, this puts into perspective how the film has elements of representing people of a specific social group in a particular way by using stereotypes, in order to make it seem as though all people of that social group are the same. The mise-en-scéne allows us to see a complete image of what is going on on-screen and allows us to make meaning of each of its elements. For example, the clothing used within this extract and the entire film is mainly tracksuits and hats, which could connote towards the audience that either all teenagers dress like this, or all those who commit crimes dress like this. Due to the actors’ clothing and film’s setting, and props, it quickly connotes to the audience that the film has been set in London as a result of it showing black cabs and red double-decker buses, which as a result allows the audience to know that the film revolves around the character’s life in the largely inhabited city.

Due to what is seen within this extract, it is easy to see that the film has been made in the UK as it is set in West London, and allows us to see that it is non-Hollywood putting into perspective that it may have been produced on a low-budget due to the mise-en-scéne. By using trailers, posters, and a website, this film has been promoted by making use of the three media platforms allowing it to reach people through the use of different media elements. As a result of some of the film’s characters being interviewed and by them appearing on day-time TV shows such as GMTV and This Morning, the film has received a lot of publicity as people from that moment are able to decide for themselves whether they would want to see the film. Distribution for the film comes in the form of multiplex cinemas. These are large cinema complexes which operate a various number of screens under one-roof. By distributing the film in multiplex cinemas, it has allowed the distribution company to earn back the money that was made to produce the film as it may have as a result boosted ticket sales.

As a result of what is seen and heard within this extract, it appears as though there is only one type of target audience, with it being the teenagers, and people of ethnic minorities. This can be said as a result of the extract featuring black and Asian people. With the film being from the drama genre, it is expected that the film will contain many scenes which take on the form of drama by basing it on actual events. For example, by linking this extract to what they think the film is about, viewers are able to make a distinction between what is fiction and what is reality as they are able to make a division between what could be fake and what could be real as a result of them being able to link to what’s going on in society. It is easy for this film to attract teenagers, as the film’s certificate is 15, this can also be said due to the authorship of the film. With the film’s writer being black and the director being Asian, it may put into perspective that they intend to represent ethnic minorities as criminals and a threat to society, by reinforcing the used stereotypes. By them doing this, it may lead non-ethnic people into thinking that it is okay to see ethnic minorities in this way, and that they have the right to see them in this way, if the ethnic minority groups see themselves in this way.

Symbolic iconographies of the drama genre will usually contain a lot of scenes where there could be elements of violence, and aggression. This links to what is seen within the extract as the shopkeeper is shown trying to fend himself off from Jay with a baseball bat, and when Jay smashes the glass bottle on the wall. Narratives for drama films, as with this one contain a lot of build-up into the last scene of the film. Within this extract the characters Jay, Trife, and Moony begin to talk about another character Sam and express their hatred towards him by saying that they will “bang him up”, while Trife pretends that he is kicking him in the head. With them doing this, it could connote towards the audience that this may lead to a dramatic ending where Sam may wish to get his own revenge on them for doing this.

The extract shows that ethnic minority males are being represented within the film. The representation of males from ethnic minority groups can be seen as both negative, but accurate as it is shown to reflect society and what is going on around us. The way in which these ethnic minority males have been represented can reinforce the stereotypes formed against them as this film reinforces the stereotypical view that all young black men are violent and take part in criminal activities. This puts into perspective the theory of Marxism and hegemony and allows us to see how the media controls our ideas, views and opinions by ensuring that we as the audience are passive in terms of where we stand when watching a media text. By representing a social group in a particular way, and in turn reinforcing stereotypes, this film can link to social issue of moral panics. A moral panic can be put into focus by the continued use of stereotypes and the public’s overreaction at a supposed threat to society. With this film reinforcing stereotypes, and with the media having a control over what we think about ethnic minorities, it can lead to the public finding a link between the current crime wave and the way in which this film represents ethnic minorities.

As seen within this extract are the ideologies and values of what could be underpinning this text. This allows us to make sense of what type of ideas the film’s writer and director had in mind when producing this film. This extract appears to reinforce the liberal value of multi-culturalism within Britain now that we are a more inclusive and multi-cultural society; this is put into perspective by the fact that the film was both written and produced by people from ethnic minorities, and also by the presence of black and Asian characters seen within this extract. By using stereotypes within this extract, as well as probably the rest of the film it appears as though the film wishes to maintain the status quo and leave things as they are by supporting the status quo view in regards to aspects of the cultural behaviour of black males. Through the use of montage editing, the film follows a linear narrative where the scenes are chronological and follow through with one another. The tracking shot from the corner shop to the streets of West London and the continued use of it when Jay, Trife, and Moony are walking allows the scene to continue to flow as we are able to follow their movements to ensure that we are able to keep up with narrative.

The extract puts into perspective the audience theory as it raises the question if whether the media shapes an audience’s perception of the world around them and the people within it, or if whether it is up to the audience to decide for themselves if whether these representations reflect reality. It can be said that the media fills the audience with information which is resistant to social change but on the other hand it can be said that representations of ethnic minorities are open to different interpretations and that their meanings are not fixed, and therefore puts into perspective that it is up to the audience about how they want to interpret the representation of a particular group, it is not the media who is influencing them. This links to the hypodermic needle theory as it states that media content is shot at the audience like a magic bullet, directly penetrating the viewer’s mind, in turn making us realise as the audience if whether we are passive and just accept the ways ethnic people are represented, or if whether we are active and decide for ourselves if the representations of ethnic people are real.

With this film reinforcing stereotypes among ethnic minorities, it can relate to the position of ethnic minorities within today’s society. 2009 saw the increase in the stop and search surge among ethnic minorities with there being a 100% increase among blacks, and a 130% increase among Asians; more so than that of whites. As a result of this, we are able to see the impact that films such as “Kidulthood” have on society. For example, a black man walks into a shop, he is being followed based on the fact that he is black, and people may think that he is a thief; this links to Dyer’s quote that “how we are seen determines in part how we are treated; how we treat others is based on how we see them; such seeing comes from representation”, this puts into perspective how the way in which black minority characters are routinely stereotyped could contribute to feelings of low-self esteem and fear, as black people may always feel as though they are being watched due to the fact that they have been represented as criminals and a danger to society. However, films such as “Kidulthood” also mark a social change among society and put into perspective how Britain has now become more diverse and multi-cultural. In a way, this allows us to see that the film is in fact informing us of how Britain has changed which in turn puts into context the positive values that the film has as a result of integrating both Asian and black characters as seen within the extract.

The extract is able to put into perspective how far people of ethnic minority groups have come in terms of their position within society. Black people were regularly subjected to slave work among society and within films, whereas Asians were set out as ‘the other’ as a result of Britain colonising India. This film is able to inform others that the world has now changed and does not work in the same way it use to, as a result letting us know that we are now able to see ethnic minorities as equivalent rather than seeing them as lower subjects within society. Due to the fact that the film has been written and directed by people of ethnic minorities, it allows us to see that there has also been an increase of ethnic minorities in the workforce marking the impact that equal opportunities act has had on ethnic groups. The introduction of equal pay for equal work may have encouraged people of the ethnic minority groups to seek more job roles, those of which they may not have been able to apply for if they were still represented as being less equal than whites or if they were still set out as ‘the other’.

To conclude, with films such as “Kidulthood” representing black people as criminals, and the increase in gun and knife crime within Britain, the film reflects the moral panic at the time over the increase in knife crime, which in turn links to if whether the Government has done enough to decrease the numbers of deaths caused by it or to completely put a stop to it. This can be put into context with them putting into action the “Stop and Search Surge” in 2007 in order to decrease the number of people carrying knives. However, with a film like “Kidulthood”, it may also come as somewhat of a contribution towards the decrease of knife crime, among others as people are able to see the impact that it can have on society, and in turn may make them stop carrying knives or inform others to stop carrying them.

MEST 4: Xmas Task #2 - ADDITIONAL READING

1. Malik, Sarita (2002) Representing Black Britain: Black and Asian Images on Television: London. Sage Publications

“The way in which these visions of diversity are delivered will ultimately determine their efficacy and meaningfulness”. Page 11

The above quote can be linked to my study as it discusses if the representations of ethnic minorities within the media are real representations of ethnic minorities within society, and if whether they have any real meaning to them.

“Race or racism is a problem which only arrived when ‘the Blacks’ did, that Britain was inherently homogenous and conflict-free before ‘the Blacks’ came”. Page 11

The above quote is relevant to my study as it discusses the social impact that Black people have had on society and puts into perspective that more crime was committed when Black people came to the UK, which is something of which I will be able to link to my study when discussing S.H.E.P. contexts regarding ethnic minorities.

2. Curran, James. Gurevitch, Michael (2005) Mass Media and Society: London. Hodder Education

“Local TV news also tended to focus on decontextualised acts of crime by black perpetrators on white victims in ways that strengthened racial stereotypes and animosity”. Page 130

As I will also be analyzing news stories which concern ethnic minorities, the above quote is relevant to my study as I will be able to link it to how the news contributes to the reinforcement of stereotypes surrounding ethnic minorities.

3. Rayner, Philip. Wall, Peter. Kruger, Stephen (2004) Media Studies: The Essential Resource: New York. Routledge

“The media, and particularly television, are often described as a ‘window on the world’ although in fact media are highly selective in the way in which they construct and represent the world back to us”. Page 47

The above quote is relevant to my study as I will be able to investigate if whether the media choose to use stereotypes to represent ethnic minority groups in order to show and teach viewers about the world around them.

“Hegemony is the process by which a dominant class or group maintains power by making everyone accept their ideology as normal or neutral, through cultural influence rather than force”. Page 85

The above quote is relevant to my study as it puts into perspective how the media maintains power over its viewers by representing social groups in a particular way, and therefore forcing the viewers to become passive rather than active as they will be just accept what is being shown rather than questioning it.

4. Clark, Vivienne. Baker, James. Lewis, Eileen (2003) Key Concepts & Skills for Media Studies: London. Hodder Headline

“There is a constant struggle between the dominant groups’ need to sustain their position and the subordinate groups’ attempts to gain recognition and status”. Page 76

The above quote is relevant to my study as it discusses the media wanting to maintain control over their audience’s views and opinions whilst the ethnic minorities try to gain recognition and status on-and-off screen.

“The hegemonic model acknowledges that much of the media in controlled by a relatively small group of people (who are generally male, middle class and white) and that the viewpoints associated with these groups inevitably become embedded in the products themselves”. Page 113

The above quote is relevant to my study as it suggests that these small groups of people may use stereotypes in order to represent a social group in a particular way as they may not know or understand how to represent them if they are not part of that social group themselves.

5. Bennet, Peter. Slater, Jerry. Wall, Peter (2006) A2 Media Studies: The Essential Introduction: New York. Routledge

“The lack of positive role models and the way in which black minority characters are routinely stereotyped contribute to feelings of low self-esteem and failure”. Page 79

The above quote is relevant to my study as it puts into perspective that the continued use of stereotypes within television and film could have a negative effect on those who are being stereotyped, where I will be able to apply this quote when discussing the social context of S.H.E.P.

“Stereotypes are moulds into which reality can be poured, or at least part of it”. Page 81

The above quote suggests that stereotypes are things of which parts of reality can be showcased and therefore is relevant to my study as I will be able to investigate if there is any truth to stereotypes.

“The repetition of stereotypes and the absence of plausible alternative means that the values wrapped up in the stereotype come to appear as ‘common sense’”. Page 81

The above quote applies to my study as it suggests that we end up seeing the stereotypical images of a particular social group as normal, and something of which we should all know, which in turn puts into perspective how we live in a hegemonic society where the media controls our ideas, views and opinions.

6. Williams, Kevin (2003) Understanding Media Theory: New York. Arnold Publishers

“An individual cannot personally experience the vast majority of events in which they might be interested and thus must rely on their own mental maps in order to make sense of what is going on”. Page 130

The above quote is relevant to my study as it suggests that people rely on what they see on-screen in order to make sense of what is going on in the world, and therefore by using stereotypes, the media choose to use them in order to help others learn.

“Stereotypes are thus neither neutral nor fair, preventing the examination of differences within groups”. Page 130

The above quote is relevant to my study as it suggests that stereotyping can often lead to the loss of individualized understanding of people which puts into perspective that when a group is stereotyped, the person or group stereotyping is ignoring the characteristics of an individual and is therefore just relying on the whole image of the group.

“The media have been criticised for the generalised, partial and selective way in which they have represented different groups, emphasizing easily identifiable, unchanging and often negative characteristics”. Page 131

The above quote is relevant to my study as it puts into perspective that the media decide what they want to show even if it is negative portrayals of a particular group.

“Media stereotyping occurs when the roles, behaviour on personal characteristics of a particular group are portrayed in a limited fashion. Young black men are stereotyped by linking their behaviour with violent or criminal activity”. Page 131

The above quote discusses how stereotypes occur within the media and suggests how young black men are likely to be stereotyped, and is therefore relevant to my study as I will be able to relate it to my main text, "Kidulthood".

“Stereotypes are criticised for both misrepresenting the world and for representing things as they are”. Page 134

The above quote is relevant to my study as it puts into perspective that stereotypes can be seen as both a positive thing and a negative thing as they help to teach us but sometimes do it in the wrong way.

7. Casey, Bernadette. Casey, Neil. Calvert, Ben. French, Liam. Lewis, Justin (2003): Television Studies: The Key Concepts: New York. Routledge

“Stereotyping as a mechanism is persistent; the form stereotypes take must change with shifting cultural norms and expectations”. Page 230

This quote discusses the change in stereotypes due to new cultural norms and expectations. This links to my critical investigation as I will be investigating the media's role within the forming of stereotypes, and to see if whether it challenges or reinforces them. I will be able to discuss what this quote could connote when investigating if whether stereotypes will continue to be used or if whether it is just a temporary thing.

“A weakness of the ‘positive images’ approach is that it tends to de-politicise and trivialise the experience of the stereotyped group. This ‘we are all alike’ approach can run the risk of ignoring specific cultural conditions in the effort to provide pleasant, acceptable images for an assumed ‘mainstream’ audience and raises a number of questions”. Page 231

This quote can be used when discussing if whether stereotypes have been used in order to portray a specific group. Generalised images of a specific group within the media suggest that all people of that group are alike. For example, Dev Alahan (a character from EastEnders) is a shopkeeper, which Asians suggest reinforces the stereotype that all Asians are shopkeepers. The above quote puts into perspective that television broadcasters have used these characters in order to show a relation to society, although they may not notice that they have in fact reinforced stereotypes as a result of portraying somewhat of a negative image of these groups.

8. Bignell, John (2004): An Introduction to Television Studies. New York, NY: Routledge

David Buckingham commented “Perhaps the most significant fact about EastEnders’ black characters is simply that they exist. Furthermore, the black characters are often given central dramatic roles within the narrative”. Page 220

EastEnders is one of the texts of which I will be analysing. David Buckingham's quote could connote that black characters have no real position within the text, they are just there to provide a dramatic storyline, which puts into perspective the way in which they are represented and if whether the television programme could be reinforcing stereotypes by using tokenism as a way of including characters of ethnic minorities.

“The crucial question is not whether EastEnders’ black characters are ‘realistic’, but how the serial invites its viewers to make sense of questions of ethnicity and in particular, how it defines ethnic difference and inequality or racism”. Page 221

The above quote indicates significance towards the way black characters are represented in EastEnders and if whether they are realistic enough to believe. This could link to the social context when investigating the audience's position within the media text, and how they are likely to interpret what the difference is between realism and racism by investigating if whether stereotypes have been used in order to represent others.

“Tokenism: that is the tendency to insert, for example one black person into a programme as a ‘positive’ character regardless of their relevance to the narrative”. Page 231

Ethnic minority groups have accused broadcasters of perpetuating racial stereotypes with token characters in a report which says their efforts to reflect a multicultural society are "very poor", and state that part of the problem is the way in which they have been represented within soaps. For example, Denise Fox (a character within EastEnders) has two children by different fathers. People of these ethnic minority groups have accused EastEnders of using stereotypes in order to represent those within society. The above quote relates to this claim as she can be shown as a positive character due to the fact that she has been able to do it on her own, however this can also be opposed as all people are not like this.

MEST 4: Xmas Task #3 - HISTORICAL TEXT ANALYSIS & RESEARCH

...Gone with the Wind...

“Gone with the Wind” is a 1939 American film which was directed by Victor Fleming. It was adapted from Margaret Mitchell’s 1936 novel of the same. It tells the story of the Civil War and its aftermath from a white Southern viewpoint. The film takes on the portrayal of masters and slaves and their actions following the Civil War. Professor DJ Reynolds wrote that "The white women are elegant, their menfolk noble or at least dashing. And, in the background, the black slaves are mostly dutiful and content, clearly incapable of an independent existence". The film takes on the role of showcasing the South during the era of segregation, in which white Southerners are portrayed as defending traditional values and the issue of slavery is largely ignored. The way in which the film portrays black people and slaves could be said to reinforce the stereotypes and allow for the reinforcement of racism.

Mammy, who was the house servant for the O’Hara family was shown to be stern, wise, strong and devoted to her family. Although this character played the part of a slave, the way in which she was portrayed was not of the stereotypical image of the black slave, more as a person who is able to stand her ground and be there for others. However, the way in which other characters who took on the roles as slaves, shows how stereotypes were used in early eras. Prissy who was also a house servant, was shown to be lazy and dim-witted, which followed on by her high pitch voice, allowed a stereotyped image to be portrayed.

“Gone with the Wind” was likened to “Birth of a Nation” due its portrayal of white people trying to sustain their roles within society, whilst putting into perspective how black people had no freedom and were not given any choice. Whilst researching this film, I came across many websites which talked about the film being racist. One website stated that the book, which preceded the film almost legitmises the Ku Klux Klan and provides a very warped view of African Americans. Whilst the protagonist Miss Scarlett is travelling via carriage and horse across a bridge towards Shantytown, two men approach. “It was a big ragged white man and a squat black negro with shoulders and chest like a gorilla”, this quote comes from the book which was written by Margaret Mitchell, and illustrates the image of the two men. The way in which the white man has been portrayed allows for the imagination of the man looking all tattered and torn, however due to the way in which the black man has been portrayed it allows us to see that even among slaves of different races; the black ones are mostly discriminated. The black negro is portrayed as being a man with shoulders and chest like a gorilla, however when watching the film, this was not the image that was given across, both men were shown to have similar body builds, and although the black man had quite a bit of hair on his chest, it was certainly nothing close to that of a gorilla.

The book goes on further to show how racist, black people were towards their own race. Sam who is a black field foreman within the O’Hara household runs to Miss Scarlett’s defense after she is attacked by the two men. After fighting them off, and running after Miss Scarlett to see if she is okay, he says “Ah hope Ah done kill dat black baboon”, referring to the black man. By Sam referring to the man as a baboon, it is putting into perspective how much of a racist book and possibly film “Gone with the Wind” is. This in turn shows how racism can become engrained in society, how it can become acceptable and almost unconscious to the human mind, as anyone can be shown to do it even if it is against their own race.

“It must be said at this point that the slaves in “Gone with the Wind” never complain once about their fate and are as devoted to “Miss Scarlett” as poodles are to their master”. This quote puts into perspective how the issue of slavery was largely ignored. In turn, it connotes how little of a freedom black slaves had back in the early eras of the 20^th century. It also shows how black people almost accept the roles and portrayals of which they are given within films.

...The Birth of a Nation...

“The Birth of a Nation” which is a 1915 silent film and directed by D.W Griffith also show how difficult it was for black people to have freedom and be represented in the right way, if being represented at all. It was originally titled “The Clansman” when it first premiered, however it was re-titled to its current name to show the birth of the USA. The film, in its earliest previews provoked a great controversy as it was shown to be promoting white supremacy and positively portraying the Ku Klux Klan as heroes.

Whilst researching this film, I came across a lot of useful information which could help me make sense of how and why black people were once again subjected to slave work. However, the thing of which I found most intriguing about this film is the character Gus. Gus is a black former slave who became educated and gained a title of recognition for himself. It wasn’t the fact that a slave had gained an education for himself of which I found most intriguing, it was the fact that Gus wasn’t even played by a black man. The character Gus was played by white actor Walter Long who was in blackface in order to take on the role. Blackface is theatrical makeup used by white people to play black people. Due to the fact that this character was in fact played by a white man, this to me connotes how difficult it possibly was for black people to star alongside white people. For example, if there was an actual black man on set, who was going to be playing the role of Gus, they may have themselves been subjected to racial and crude remarks. This in turn also shows how black people were not entirely represented within films from that era, especially ones which exploited them.

As the film appeared to show a positive image of the Ku Klux Klan, this led to it provoking even more controversy, as the film led to riots breaking out among black and white people. One state, St. Louis refused to allow the film to be played. The film’s portrayal and imagery of the various characters was a catalyst for gangs of whites to attack blacks. It was at the forefront of more controversy after it was shown in Indiana. Following its screening, a white man murdered a black teenager. The subject matter of race riots breaking out shows how much of a negative impact this film had on society.

However, the film also portrays positive images of black people. Although played by a white man, the character Gus puts into perspective the emergence of the “new Negro”. The "new Negro" was a concept of the second half of the 19th century, after the Civil War, when African-Americans were hoping to represent themselves in new, progressive ways, even in culture. Up until this point, black people may have been seen as dumb, dim-witted, and unintelligent, a stereotype which was further put into perspective in the film “Gone with the Wind”. With the emergence of the “new Negro” there was a move from the old Negro which was the stereotypical image of the plantation slave worker, to the now refined, educated, and sophisticated image cast upon black people. The concept of this is put into perspective within this film, due to the fact that the character Gus had gained an education for himself.

_______________________________________________

Both of these films put into perspective the position of black people within society, as they both showcase scenes where black people are subjected to doing slave work under the control of white people, who are their masters which in terms of theory puts into perspective that during those periods of time, people lived in a hegemonic society where one social group had control over the over.

When comparing either of these films to my contemporary one, both will be able to put into perspective how much society has changed as there is now more freedom for black people as well as other ethnic minority groups to do what they want due to the fact that they are no longer being controlled by another race. Representing the multi-cultural society within “Kidulthood” shows how things have changed from what is shown within “Gone with the Wind” and “The Birth of a Nation” as black people now have more of a right to do what they want.

In terms of whether these historical texts are similar to the contemporary one, it shows that we still live in a hegemonic society where black people are still shown to be less equal than white people due to the fact that “Kidulthood” represents black teenagers in ways which reinforce the hegemonic values of society and puts into perspective that although we live in a multi-cultural society, we are still somewhat not all that multi-cultural as stereotypes have been used in order to represent ethnic groups in a particular way.

MEST 4: Xmas Task #4 - ADDITIONAL WEB RESEARCH

1. How UK media fuelled race prejudice

http://www.africaspeaks.com/reasoning/index.php?topic=6519.0;prev_next=prev

“Negative racial images cannot not be resolved by ‘a few more black faces on the screen’ or by an extra documentary or two on immigrant problems"

The above quote is linked to my study as I will be looking into whether the media challenges or reinforces racial stereotypes among ethnic minorities. It was said by Stuart Hall, the creator of stereotypes. It puts into perspective that in order to allow ethnic minorities to be represented, the media put more Black and Asian faces on the screen in order to show that they are being represented rather than putting a stop to the current problems surrounding their portrayal within the media.

2. How are ethnic minorities portrayed in the media

http://www.helium.com/items/265124-how-are-ethnic-minorites-portrayed-in-the-media

"Black people, particularly Afro-Caribbeans are often portrayed in the media as criminals."

This can be applied to my study as I can relate it to my main text. The film "Kidulthood" could show the reinforcement of stereotypes among ethnic minorities as it portrays Black teenagers as criminals by showcasing scenes of them making weapons, selling drugs, and stealing other people’s possessions. The above quote puts into perspective that there is already a current stereotype which surrounds Black people which as a result could allow me to investigate further reasons as to why this may be.

3. Top soaps accused of stereotyping ethnic minorities

http://blogs.coventrytelegraph.net/passtheremote/2008/07/top-soaps-accused-of-stereotyp.html

“Ethnic minority viewers accused all broadcasters of tokenism and stereotyping, screening exaggerated and extreme representations of minorities and failing to reflect modern ethnic minority culture.”

These misguided representations could be seen as somewhat of a positive sign as ethnic minorities are being represented, however they are more than likely to be seen as negative as ethnic minority viewers feel that they are being represented in the wrong way. As a result, the above quote can be applied to my study as I can put into perspective that although ethnic minorities are being represented they are being represented in the wrong way.

4. Moral Panic

http://www.iampanicked.com/glossary/moral-panic.htm

“A moral panic refers to the reaction of a group of people based on the false belief that another sub-culture or a group poses danger to the society.”

The above quote can be linked to my study as I will be looking into what moral panics are and how they are created. I can also apply this to my study when talking about the recent increase in the amount of Blacks and Asians being stopped and searched following the 7/7 London bomb attack, and how films such as “Kidulthood” and “Adulthood” could have created a moral panic among society.

5. All-black EastEnders makes soap history - as in lesson

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/feb/25/eastenders-black-tv-review

“EastEnders is a show that claims to represent life in the heart of multicultural London, which has put out thousands of hours of television - and yet it has taken more than two decades to dedicate a full 30 minutes to a black family.”

“While I admire the intention, you can't just ignore race for 23 years then try to cram everything you know into 30 minutes.” Hannah Pool - (writer of the article)

The above quotes comes from an article which talks about EastEnders broadcasting its first episode in its 23-year history with an all-black cast. The said episode focused on Patrick Trueman reminiscing about his arrival in London in the 1950s and how he had faced many obstacles like all black people such as the Notting Hill race riots. Both quotes set up a possible connotation that this may have been EastEnders’ way of trying to show a fair representation of black people, and put into perspective how far they have come over the years .i.e. from being the subjects of racial torments to being accepted among society.

Both quotes link to my study as they put into perspective that although EastEnders may have produced this episode in good spirits, they have tried to cram everything they know into one 30 minute episode which on the positive allows them to be represented in a more equal and fair way than they usually are.

6. A Long Way to Go: Minorities and the Media

http://www.medialit.org/reading_room/article231.html

“Whether intentionally or unintentionally, both the news and the entertainment media ‘teach’ the public about minorities, other ethnic groups and societal groups, such as women, gays, and the elderly. Second, this mass media curriculum has a particularly powerful educational impact on people who have little or no direct contact with members of the groups being treated.”

The above quote can be linked to my study as it showcases elements of the media theory of Marxism and Hegemony and puts into perspective that the media play a vital role in forming our views and opinions for us, and forces us to think in the same way it does. By stating that the mass media teaches people who have had little or no direct contact with members of the groups being treated, it connotes that the mass media tend to represent specific groups in a particular way in order to have a control over what people will think about them, and also allows for the development of stereotypes and prejudice thinking as people will already think in a particular way and will have already formed their views and opinions about these groups even without having contact with them.

7. Does TV shape ethnic images?

http://www.medialit.org/reading_room/article388.html

“Many regard television as a learning tool and an accurate reflection of the real world. Forty percent of students say they learn a lot from TV, and one in four agree that "TV shows what life is really like," and "people on TV are like in real life."

The above quote links to my study as it showcases elements of putting into perspective the media theory of Marxism and Hegemony. It states that one in four students watch TV in order to see what people are like in real life. This can put into perspective that the media reinforces the way in which we think about the world around us and possibly maintains a control over what we think.

8. Insinuating Images Influence Perceptions

http://www.medialit.org/reading_room/article352.html

“The media have contributed powerfully to the way that minority groups are viewed, including the ways minority members view themselves.”

Through the ways in which ethnic minority groups have been represented in the media, it has contributed to the way in which others view them and how they view themselves. The above quote links to my study as it puts into context that the media represent ethnic minorities in their own way, whether it be positive or negative which as a result allows for the development of stereotypes but also for the development of personal identification as it enables the ethnic minorities to see if they can relate to what is being shown onscreen.

9. Media Stereotyping - Introduction

http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/index.cfm

“Stereotypes act like codes that give audiences a quick, common understanding of a person or group of people - usually relating to their class, ethnicity or race, gender, sexual orientation, social role or occupation.”

The above quote links to my study as I will be discussing what stereotypes are and how they can come about.

10. Channel 4. Race, Representation and the Media 2007 Research Report

http://www.channel4.com/about4/pdf/race-representation-media.pdf

“Representation in itself is not a clear-cut concept as it can mean different things to different groups and expectations vary between communities.”

The above quote links to my study as they discuss ways in which people view representation. It can put into context that white audience members may view ethnic minority representations as positive as a result of them playing a role within UK broadcasting, whilst on the other hand it can put into perspective that ethnic minority audiences may view the representations as negative due to the fact that they may feel that the media is using stereotypes in order to represent them. It also puts into perspective that people have their own opinions about what they feel is representation and what is misrepresentation.