20 mark question on media and working class PDF

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20 mark question on whether the media portray the working class unfavourably, achieved 19/20...

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Applying material from item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that the media portray the working classes unfavourably (20 marks) It is generally viewed by many sociologists from Marxist and a new-Marxist perspective that the media is heavily biased towards the Bourgeoise in our Capitalist society and so consequently, the working class is portrayed unfavourably. I personally agree with this perspective as I believe there is significant evidence to argue the working class is presented unfavourably by the media, especially in comparison to that of the middle class. Item B suggests that the working class is portrayed in a negative light, this argument is supported by Newman. Newman argues that when news organisations focus on the working class, it is generally to label them as a problem, for example, as welfare cheats, drug addicts or criminals. Working class groups are often the subject of moral panics, whilst reporting of issues such as poverty, unemployment or single-parent families often suggests that personal inadequacy is the main cause of these social problems, rather than government policies or poor business practices. This argument can be supported by studies of industrial relations reported by the Glasgow University Media Group who suggest that the media portray ‘unreasonable’ workers as making trouble for ‘reasonable’ employers. However, this line of argument can be evaluated by the postmodernist argument that the media has given society a consumerist identity and has made consumption more important than class identity, suggesting that the media give less focus to working class as a result of this as opposed to unfavourably.

Item B also suggests that there are very few TV shows which show the life of the working class in a positive light. This point is supported by Newman Who argues there have been very few situation comedies, TV dramas or films in the past 10 years focusing on the working class and in a positive light. For example, although EastEnders is very popular, the middle class director made it to mock the working class. Butsch’s Study of USTV programmes in 2013 found that TV media that exist on the working class represents them as figures to make fun of with little substance and as dumb and stupid. However this can be evaluated by the fact there are films that exist challenge working class stereotypes for example, made in Dagenham, Pride - both of which portray working-class life in a sympathetic way there more realistic and attempt to challenge social inequality racial tolerance in class exploitation. This disprove the argument that the working class are portrayed as unfavourable.

Item B states that “newspaper aimed at the working-class assume they are not interested in serious political debate, instead focusing on gossip and lifestyle “. This and favourable view of the working class can be supported by Curan and Seatons (2003) Argument that newspaper is aimed at the working class are saying that there is an interesting and serious analysis Of either the political or social organisation of British society. Political debate is often reduced to conflict between personalities. This is evidenced by the example of the content of newspapers such as the sun and the daily star who has seen the working-class audience want to read about celebrity gossip in lifestyles, trivial human interest stories and sport. This portrays the working classes unfavourable as it categorise them into a stereotype. However this may be criticised by the pluralist perspective as they argue that this is a correct

representation of the working class and is what they are really like therefore presenting the working class truthfully as opposed to unfavourably. The working class are presented as unfavourable as, suggested by ice and B, the media really shows the reality of poverty in the UK. Cohen supports despite arguing the media often fails to see the connection between deprivation and wealth, the media created a hopeless at reporting or dramatising The plight of the poor. Some sections of the media revel in the suffering of the poor portraying them as parasitic scroungers. This is evidenced by McKendrick Et Al’s research (2008) which From a study of a weeks output of mainstream media that coverage of property were very rarely explored across the news, documentaries or drama. Drama such a shame as presented a sanitised picture of poverty, despite featuring characters who are economically deprived, whilst family issue based program such as the Jeremy Kyle show treated poverty as an aspect of entertainment. However, this study can be evaluated in the sense that one weeks worth of media is not representative of the whole years worth which would be more accurate. This discredits the study as it makes the data less accurate and therefore less reliable in arguing that the working-class are represented unfavourably. Overall, there is sufficient enough evidence to argue that the media do indeed present the working class as an available, however the evidence can be criticised for its weaknesses and not acknowledging the rare times in which the truth is revealed about the working cl as sand t heyar enotpr esent edasunf a v our abl e....