Representation of Age

I have not failed. I've just found

10,000 ways that won't work.
Thomas Edison
You have 4 weeks left! You have a
few sessions left, but at least 3 of
those will be mock exam sessions!

Mock exam

20 something May 2014

In the mean time, you also need some
practice
on Q1 print based analysis see blog.
Make sure you have the practice papers
set READY FOR THURSDAY

6 Point Plan: Case study

template

Find and use Handout

How to write representation answer

Stereotypes of Age
Write down some stereotypes of age
in the media for;
Old
Young

Stereotypical
Characteristics
Young

Old

Immature
stupid
greedy,
lazy
selfish
unfit
obese
violent
callous
gullible
unreliable
careless
self-entitled
never going to achieve anything

Grumpy
out-dated
slow
weak
whining
unable to use technology
unhealthy
miserly
hard-of-hearing
ugly
never go anywhere
Forgetful

YOUTH

OLD AGE

POSITIVES

Active
Sociable
Innocent
Strong
Long future ahead
Adventurous
Fun

Wise
Authoritative
Well educated
Freedom
Wealth
Stability

NEGATIVES

Lazy
Rebellious
Rude
Hormonal
Vulnerable
Naive
Dependent

Weak
Vulnerable
Fragile
Mentally incompetent
Not in control of their own
bodies
Lonely
Dependent
Boring
Unwilling to try new things

History
Media representations of young people have always
tended to be negative, e.g. The Wild One (1953)
shows a motorcycle gang terrorising a small town.
Made in Britain (1982) focused on a delinquent,
anti-social youth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCENBce_dls
(TWO)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFp5KkPp5EQ
(MIB)
Both representations reflect anxieties of middle
class adult society, in relation to the threat to
hegemony posed by young people.

Who is being represented?

Representations
which are the
same as the
dominant
representation
REINFORCE the
stereotype

Representations
which are
different from
the dominant
representation
CHALLENGE the
stereotype

What representation
does the front cover
create?
How would the majority
of readers respond to
this front page?
Discuss the use of
language on the front
cover how does this
create a response?
What visual codes are
being used?
How does the front
cover as a whole
create a negative
representation of
young people?

Stereotypes of young people

Read Handout 3mins Discuss

Are they true? Reason why media use
stereotypes? What can be the effects
of stereotypes?
Discriminati

on

 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti
cle-2024486/UK-RIOTS-2011-British-yo
uths-unpleasant-violentworld.html
To print

Crime and Age Is is right to rep as

criminal?
Age
Age also makes a difference in criminal behavior: Offending rates are highest in the late teens
and early twenties and decline thereafter. Accordingly, people in the 1524 age range account
for about 40 percent of all arrests even though they comprise only about 14 percent of the
population.
Several factors again seem to account for this pattern (Shoemaker, 2010).Shoemaker, D. J.
(2010). Theories of delinquency: An examination of explanations of delinquent behavior (6th
ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
First, peer relationships matter more during this time of ones life than later, and peers are also
more likely during this period than later to be offenders themselves. For both reasons, our peer
relationships during our teens and early twenties are more likely than those in our later years to
draw us into crime.
Second, adolescents and young adults are more likely than older adults to lack full-time jobs;
for this reason, they are more likely to need money and thus to commit offenses to obtain
money and other possessions.
Third, as we age out of our early twenties, our ties to conventional society increase: Many
people marry, have children, and begin full-time employment, though not necessarily in that
order. These events and bonds increase our stakes in conformity, to use some social science
jargon, and thus reduce our desire to break the law (Laub, Sampson, & Sweeten, 2006).Laub, J.
H., Sampson, R. J., & Sweeten, G. A. (2006). Assessing Sampson and Laubs life-course theory of
crime. In F. T. Cullen (Ed.), Taking stock: The status of criminological theory (Vol. 15, pp. 313
333). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.
See handout

But

Theorists
Dick Hebdige (1979) explored the polarised
(contradictory) media representations of teens
as trouble(dominant) or fun (alternative).
Michael Brake (1985) categorises the media
representations of teens into:
o Respectable (alternative)
o Delinquent (dominant)

More Theory
Daren Garratt (1997) suggests that
negative media representations of teens as
trouble invite teens to be trouble. Media
coverage represents how they should
behave, even if, largely, they havent been.
Graeme Burton (1999) argues that teen
subculture is in opposition to the dominant
culture (of adults). He uses the term
problematisation to describe the idea of
youths as problems.

One more bit: Stuart Hall

(1978)
Argues that the negative representations of
young men by the media, is deliberate as it
justifies social control by authority figures,
such as the police and government.
Hall identifies the media as having a key role
in this social production of news. Youths are
often portrayed by new media as a social
problem.

Moral panics!
Stanley

Cohen (1972)

A moral

panic occurs when society

sees itself threatened by the
values and activities of a group
who are stigmatised as deviant
and seen as threatening to
mainstream societys values,
ideologies and /or way of life.

Mods

& Rockers (1960s), football

hooligans (1980s), hoodies,
muggers, vandals, knife/gun
crime, binge drinking, under age
pregnancy

Ideology

Process of a moral panic

1. Occurrence of deviant act.
2. Act or problem widely reported in media:
news outlets; internet chat rooms;
fictional narratives; video games
3. Call for government control either from
legislation/policy initiatives or the more
vigilant operation of already existing
social controls.

The Dominant
Representation of youths

Delinquent

(Michael
Brake).
Trouble
(Dick
Hebdige)

Dominant
Representation
of Youth
(Music Video
Example

roups, using the case study template,

onstruct this text
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8GvLKTsTuI

Dominant/Alternative
Representation = (depending
on your reading: Skins seems
fun for a teen audience, but
more like trouble for an
older audience).
THE POSTER WAS BANNED BY THE

ASA COMPLAINTS OF ORGY

"could cause serious or widespread
Channel 4 said it did not mean to cause
offence" and was inappropriate for posteroffence and the second series of Skins
sites that could be seen by children.
clearly showed the "consequences of
hedonistic and irresponsible behaviour".

Skins

Alternatives

Representations
which are the same as
the dominant
representation
REINFORCE the
stereotype

Representations
which are different
from the dominant
representation
CHALLENGE the
stereotype

Positive Alternative
Representation Teen
Awards (Website/
video Jack G 15)
In groups, using the
case study template,
deconstruct this text BBC Radio 1s
http://
Teen Awards. TEEN HEROES
www.bbc.co.uk/events/eqbc6q/videos/p0

BBC Radio 1s Teen

Awards - WEBSITE
Every year BBC Radio 1 host a special awards show in
honour of some outstanding teenagers who have acted
selflessly, bravely, with courage, or have inspired other
people.
And to show the award winners they really have done a
good thing, a few famous faces from the world of pop
turn up to sing at the star-stuffed ceremony.
Use of Pull Quotes
Shots next to celebrities (two shot)
BBC - remit

 Skyfall - James Bond meeting Q The scene in the

James Bond movie "Skyfall" where 007 and Q meet
each other for the first time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57Uy9jPxxwI
Representations? Subverting stereotypes

Reasoning
50th anniversary of the film Pillars of British acting, selfparody jokes throughout Sam Mendes plays with the
generic conventions of the Bond franchise to ensure
Skyfall is contemporary and offers something different
for the mass target audience.
Brave new World

Context and Purpose

The representation in a media text may have a
different purpose. This may change according
to the type of text it is, i.e. the context.

Ill Manors (MUSIC VIDEO)

Teen Awards (WEBSITE/ VIDEO)
London Riots (Newspaper)
Skins (Poster/ Trailer)
What are the purposes of these?

 Sum up argument As I have shown most media

representations of young people are negative. This is
because they reflect the concerns of their middle class
producers, and as a result usually reinforce hegemony
More positive representations can be found on television
channels aimed at younger people.
The effect of media representations of young people is
In the future I believe(social media, young people can
construct their own representations Student Fees
protests, power of mass media).

THE REPRESENTATION
OF AGE Lesson 3
Older Age

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of media

concepts, contexts and critical debates

Starter:
Rep of older age in the
media

Think of examples where you have

seen older people being portrayed in
media texts. This could have been in
a newspaper article, TV programme,
music video or a poster. Were they
positive or negative representations?

What is older age?

According to a 2012 survey, old
age that is believed to start at
59.
Among 16 to 24-year-olds, this marker of middle age
begins at 32. The over-80s believed that for them it began
at 52.
A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions
said the disparity in perceptions of ageing showed
the potential for age stereotypes to be applied in very
inconsistent ways".

Older people

The representation of older ages in the media today is as

equally a controversial area as that of young people.
Ageing is not always seen positively and older people
are often constructed in a very stereotypical way
However it is important that your discussion of age does
not become stereotypical itself! You must demonstrate a
more sophisticated knowledge supported by a range of
examples.

Look at this advert then answer the following questions;

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

What product is being advertised?

What is the age of the model/actress?
How old is the man compared to the woman?
What type of representation is created?
How is the representation created?

 There seems to be unspoken agreement

amongst magazine/ advertising editors (in
print and online) that we prefer to look at
images of young, smooth-skinned models in
connection with both advertising and
editorial copy.
This establishes youth as the hegemonic
norm. Everyone is expected to young, no
matter what their biological age.
When an individual feels that they might be
deviating from that norm, there is a whole
industry out there of "age-defying"
cosmetic products ready to supply a
remedy - at a price.

Some typical ideologies and

stereotypes of old age
Sociological studies show that when that older people do
appear in the media, they tend to be portrayed in the
following one dimensional ways:
1) As GRUMPY (conservative, stubborn, resistant to
social change)

Demonstrate knowledge and

understanding of media concepts,
contexts and critical debates

7. Which TV genres often use

those negative stereotypes
(grumpy) in their
representations of older
people. Why?

Demonstrate knowledge and

understanding of media concepts,
contexts and critical debates

How has Catherine Tate

represented Nan?
Is she stereotypical?
Why? Why not?
Look at her iconography.
What genre of
programme does she
exist in?
http://
www.tubechop.com/watch/244862
Demonstrate knowledge and
of media concepts,
7 understanding
contexts and critical debates

How does this affect her

representation?

Genre: Sitcom
Humorous idiosyncrasies (mode of
behaviour):
o Forgetfulness
o Senility
o Grumpiness
o Saying the wrong thing
Does this reinforce the stereotype?
Demonstrate knowledge and
understanding of media concepts,
contexts and critical debates

 2) Older people are also portrayed as,

enjoying a second childhood as reliving
their adolescence and engaging in activities
that they have always longed to do before
they die. Or just being a bit cheeky.

Nana Shreddies

AO!: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of media concepts, contexts

and critical debates

The elderly in the News

3) Older people are also represented as pitied,
dependent or an economic burden helpless and
dependent on other younger members of society
or family - economic burden

In groups, use the case study template to

deconstruct this text.
AO!: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of media concepts, contexts and critical
debates

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
6Tuc3zjvJU8
Amour (Love) Official Trailer #1
(2012) - Michael Haneke Palm
d'Or Winner HD

M Skyfall
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
xMOYiV7hUR0
Silvas Reunion with M
Retirement planning Skyfall
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
uzDxqKlKOTw

M may hold the highest position of power as the head of

the Foreign Intelligence Wing, but she constantly
makes poor decisions that cost numerous people
their lives. For example, Silva holds her responsible for
being tortured by the Chinese and plans a cyber attack
against her and MI6. M is also forced to go on trial to
defend the competency of her programme. M is asked to
retire from her position, being informed she has become
too old to handle matters properly. Her position is
then filled by a presumably more capable man, Gareth
Mallory (who is shown to being able to handle
himself in a gun-fight, unlike the terrified and
vulnerable M). Silva even patronises her: Youre
smaller than I remembered and Bond refers to her as
a "Bitch" when her name is mentioned in a psychology
test. Bond both kidnaps and recues M. This is surprising
given M is Bonds boss and in a superior position of power

Representation of women

Representation
Bond films are notorious for their sexist representation of women. When Judi
Dench was first cast as the character M, her character called Bond "a sexist,
misogynist dinosaur" - a nod to how things were going to change. Although
change has been incremental rather than revolutionary (we're still a long way
off from a female Bond).
The film does appear to offer a positive representation of women in the
opening scene. The character Eve Moneypenny does appear to be powerful
and confident (taking part in a car-chase and gun fight with villains).
This is much more positive than historical
And yet M instructs Moneypenny to shoot at Patrice on the train, yet
Moneypenny is hesitant and instead hits Bond with her bullet. It could be
argued this suggests Moneypenny is an incompetent agent.
Moneypenny then only appears a few more times in the film; as a potential
seductress for Bond, rather than assisting him with his mission. Bond makes
many patronising comments about her capability in the field.
At the end of the film, Moneypenny decides to retire as a field agent and
instead work for Mallory as his secretary. This appears as if he is pleased that
women have realised their position and not over-stepped their position.

When Bond and Severine meet in the casino, her hands start shaking
indicating her fear, suggesting she is vulnerable and in need of help.
She is also shown wearing an elegant, figure-hugging and cleavage-showing
dress - positioning the audience to consider her as an object of sexual
gratification (furthered by the fact that both Bond and Silva desire her).
Her character reinforces Laura Mulveys male gaze concept (1975),
arguing women are often presented as passive sexualised objects for the
pleasure of the male gaze (the audience is gratified by seeing her naked in
the shower) and vicariously enter this intimate space with Bond.
This follows the tradition of Bond. For instance, in Tomorrow Never Dies,
Bond bites the womans shoulders, Im just here in Oxford, brushing up on
a little Danish comical dialogue degrading to women, female subject
merely represented as an object of sexual desire.
She is treated as an object in the film (we learn that she was forced into
prostitution). She is also stereotyped as being amorous - inviting Bond to
sleep with her after a brief meeting with him. The morning after, she is shot
by Silva. Bond's remorse is displayed through his comment that "That was
a waste of good scotch" (referring to the drink on her head). This has a
double meaning. Firstly, that she is so insignificant that the waste of whisky
was the greater same, or that she was the "good Scotch" and this positions
us to think of her as a quality product. Either interpretation is arguably

M may hold the highest position of power as the head of the Foreign
Intelligence Wing, but she constantly makes poor decisions that cost
numerous people their lives. For example, Silva holds her responsible for
being tortured by the Chinese and plans a cyber attack against her and MI6.
M is also forced to go on trial to defend the competency of her programme.
M is asked to retire from her position, being informed she has become too old
to handle matters properly. Her position is then filled by a presumably more
capable man, Gareth Mallory (who is shown to being able to handle himself in
a gun-fight, unlike the terrified and vulnerable M). Silva even patronises her:
Youre smaller than I remembered and Bond refers to her as a "Bitch" when
her name is mentioned in a psychology test. Bond both kidnaps and recues
M. This is surprising given M is Bonds boss and in a superior position of
power and authority.
All three women were shown to be inept at their jobs and ended up dead or in
a subservient position. It seems the women are positioned merely to be
decorative foils for Bonds masculinity.
Through Bond, hegemonic masculinity (the dominant position of men and
the subordination of women) is reinforced throughout the film.
In contrast to the representation of women, the male characters, were made
to be heroes and masterminds - they progressed the narrative, throughout.
However, Gamman & Marshment (1988) argued that men can also be
positioned as sexualised objects for the pleasure of the female gaze. In

Alternatives

 Skyfall - James Bond meeting Q

The scene in the James Bond movie
"Skyfall" where 007 and Q meet each
other for the first time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
57Uy9jPxxwI
Representations? Subverting
stereotypes

Reasoning
50th anniversary of the film Pillars
of British acting, self-parody jokes
throughout Sam Mendes plays with
the generic conventions of the Bond
franchise to ensure Skyfall is
contemporary and offers something
different for the mass target
audience.
Brave new World

Confident and Independent Baby

Boomers (alternative
representation)!
4) However, recent research suggests that
media producers may be gradually reinventing
how they deal with the elderly, especially as
they realise that this groups may have
disposable incomes, i.e. extra money to spend
on consumer goods!

Saga Magazine
In groups, use the
case study template to
deconstruct this text.

AO!: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of media concepts, contexts

and critical debates

A final thought
There is no single 'media
representation' of youth or older age;
there may be dominant
representations
(delinquent/trouble/grumpy), but
across films, TV, fiction and
documentary there are significant
differences and nuances which need
to be teased out and considered.
AO!: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of media concepts, contexts
and critical debates

Homework Written Task (50

mins)
Using Representation Essay
Template. Students to work in groups
of 3/4 and develop an essay plan for
representation of age (20 mins).
Then write up essay individually (4050 mins).
With reference to your own
detailed examples, explore the
representation of age in the media
today.
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of media concepts,
contexts and critical debates

Homework Written Task

With reference to your own detailed
examples, explore how media texts target
different audiences (30)

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of media concepts, contexts

and critical debates

Representation of Age:
This focused on looking at whether
we were presented with stereotypes
or representations that challenged
how age is normally shown.
- Teenage Meets Old Age (BBC3 )
2011(stereotypical youths who
develop a caring side; frail old age
who can live a full life and have some
surprisingly significant past lives)