Representations of Social class

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  • Created by: ecotts
  • Created on: 02-01-18 12:52
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  • Representations of Social Class
    • media representations rarely focus on the social tensions or class conflict that some see as the underling of society
    • Upper Class representations
      • Representations
        • Media celebrates hierarchy and wealth
        • Period dramas like 'The King's Speech and Downton Abby show a rosy idealised ruling elite
      • Nairn
        • Monarchy
        • The monarchy has successfully converted much of the mass media
          • This was because after WW2, the monarchy reinvented itself as the Royal Family which has a cast of characters
            • members of the Royal family were seen to be like us as the Queen is an ordinary mother but with an extraordinary job
        • Due to the change, the royal family became a national obsession with the media
          • it focussed positively turning them into a narrative e.g focussing on weddings, births
        • The Queen is represented as the ultimate symbol of the nation, reinforcing a sense on national identity
    • Wealthy representations
      • Newman
        • The media focus positively on the lifestyles of the wealthy and the privileged
        • 1. the media focus too much on consumer items that only the wealthy can afford, luxury cars, costly holidays
          • Romeo Beckham modelling for burberry
        • 2. international news are reported on their impact on the business world and wealthy investors,
          • Rather than on ordinary working people
        • 3. the media rarely focus on the inequalities of capitalism
          • Such as the growing divide between rich and poor
      • Pluralist
        • The representations on the elites/ wealthy , lifestyles and business world are justified for three reasons
        • 1. Uk is a meritocracy and the wealthy are talented and deserving of high rewards
        • 2. stories may motive people to work hard in belief that they can attain these rewards
        • 3. The focus on finance and shares may reflect the important of these sectors for the economy
    • Middle class representations
      • Some sociologist argue that the middle class and their concerns are overrepresented in the media
      • The middle class are overrepresented on T.V
        • as middle class families are predominant and newspapers aim at the missile class by focussing on their rates and interest
          • Such as The Brockman family in outnumbered
          • Car adverts; the perfect family car
      • Newspapers cause the middle class moral panic on issues such as terrorism and asylum seekers
        • The M/C then worry about the decline of moral standard in society
      • Most people in the media are from the middle class
        • This is why news and current affairs are dominated by the middle class
    • Working Class representations
      • Jones
        • The media represents the working class as feckless, promiscuous,foul-mouthed racist who hate minorities and multiculturalism
      • Curran & Seaton
        • Newspapers assume that the working class are uninterested in serious analysis of political or social events
          • Marxist see this as an excuse and they do this to cover up the exploitation
      • Marxist
        • The use of celebrity gossip is to distract them aways from the inequalities of capitalism
          • However, pluralist say that this is what tabloid readers want
      • Films like "Made in Dagenham' and 'Pride' portray the working class life and problems in a realistic but sympathic way
        • They do this by challenging inequality which show the positive and sympathy representations
    • Poverty and Underclass representations
      • McKendrick et al
        • The coverage of poverty is marginal
          • the causes and consequences of poverty are rarely explored through the media
      • Cohen
        • The media is so concerned about 'trumpeting the good fortune' of british capitalism
          • Therefore, it pays less attention to it's casualties
            • Journalist, entertainers and artists are hopeless at reporting the difficulty of the poor
        • The media uses discriminatory terms such as chav and shirkers which vilifies and socially stigmatise the poor
          • It reinforces the view that the poor are poor because of their own weakness and depravity
          • This means the public don't have sympathy for the poor

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