An investigation into ethnic minority representations in broadcasting. Do they reinforce or challenge stereotypes and are they responsible for creating moral panics?
Introduction
This essay will discuss how ethnic minorities are represented within broadcasting media and if whether these representations reinforce or challenge stereotypes, and if whether they are responsible for creating moral panics. A stereotype is a generalised image based on a specific social group; it can be argued that stereotypes have been reinforced by the role in which the media play, and how they choose to represent people. Representing ethnic minorities in a specific way has allowed for the formation and reinforcement of stereotypes as the media acts as a learning tool and informs us of what is happening within the world. 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. To make a distinction between if whether ethnic minority representations reinforce or challenge stereotypes, I will analyse Menhaj Huda’s “Kidulthood” and Gurinder Chadha’s “Bend It Like Beckham”, which in favour puts into perspective both sides of the argument and in turn allows us to see if whether stereotypes among ethnic minorities have been reinforced or if whether they have been challenged.
First Paragraph
Representation can be seen to reinforce and challenge stereotypes. “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” [1], “Kidulthood” is a film which portrays black males as criminals through their actions and behaviour, in this sense it can be said that stereotypes have been reinforced as it suggests that all black males are alike and therefore act in the same way. “Stereotypes are thus neither neutral nor fair, preventing the examination of differences within groups” [2] this suggests that by stereotyping young black males as criminals, the film has chosen to ignore characteristics of an individual and in turn just rely on the overall image of the individual’s social group. Ethnic minority groups have accused broadcasters of perpetuating racial stereotypes with token characters; Dev Alahan is an Asian corner-shop owner in the British soap-opera “Coronation Street”. Ethnic minority groups have accused “Coronation Street” of using this stereotype in order to show that all corner-shops are owned by Asians, and sequentially trying to make efforts in reflecting a multi-cultural society, to which ethnic groups have called “very poor”, as not all Asians are the same. By stereotyping black and Asian people in particular ways, it can be seen as though the media wants to maintain a control over how audiences view ethnics in society.
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