How Does the Media Stereotype You, Essay Example

Quote: “You see a black family, it says they’re looting. You see a white family, it says they’re looking for food.” Tania Ralli

Two photos shot in the aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina, exploded the debate yet again on stereotyping, with the news media being no exception. Newspapers, television and magazines, the so called modern mirror in every man’s life, are blamed for encouraging stereotypes and glamorising the jigs in the process.

The first photo, taken by Dave Martin, an Associated Press photographer shows a young black man wading through water…clutching a case of soda and pulling a floating bag. The caption provided by The A.P. says he has just been ”looting a grocery store.” (Ralli- 640-641).

The second photo, was taken by Chris Graythen for Getty Images and distributed by Agence France-Presse and shows a white couple in the above context.. Their caption says ‘‘after finding bread and soda from a local grocery store.” (Ralli- 640-641)

Mr. Martin had seen the man in his photograph wade into a grocery store and come out with the sodas and bag, so by A.P‘s definition the man had looted. (Ralli 641). While Mr. Graythen said that he was not able to talk to the couple, ‘so I had to draw my own conclusions'” (Ralli 641).

Many thought that the photos had the cliché of being racist. But since the photos came from two different agencies it does not prove their prejudice. However after reading the account of both the photographers it was necessarily evident that stereotypes have penetrated deep in the media skin. Both of them had witnessed the same incident but the only difference seems to be the colour of individual skin that had eventually affected their judgements.

In the aftermath of hurricane, it was obvious that both the photos showed individuals who were trying to gather food and water- the basic needs for survival. So why would the question of ‘loot’ come in the minds of the photographers? Was the black man carrying electronic goods or in that case gold from the neighbourhood stores? So why in the circumstances of life and death the young man was blamed of looting a store? Does it not signify the stereotype that has eaten the basic foundation of journalism and media insights? Does it not point a clear finger in the intentions and contentions of a man based on the basis of colour? Well, media is better defined as a hype, where the facts are demurred and glorified as per their TRP (Television rating Points) or the newspaper circulation statistics – they also often instigate these popular stereotypes to create a hustle in the market and also make a conscious attempt to give public what they think they want.

On Covers of Many Magazines, A Full Racial Palette Is Still Rare” David Carr, P. 649

Another stereotype of media paranoia is the use of white models in the cover pages of their magazine. The essay entitled “On Covers of Many Magazines, a Full Racial Palette is Still Rare” by David Carr, discloses the alarming racial indignity suffered by generation of magazine publishers. They still typify beauty in the ‘blonde’ style and refuse to acknowledge the beauty of spirit and personality.

The article was written in 2002 when Halle Berry featured as the cover page model of Cosmopolitan. There was a huge fuss created by the media – because a non white model had hit the stands after quite a while. Yes, it was shock of a life indeed. Halle Berry was not only the fifth black woman to appear on the cover of cosmopolitan, but also the fifth black women to appear on cover after a span of thirty eight years. (Carr 649)

Why were non white models left in oblivion? And why did suddenly Halle Berry get a lifetime opportunity? As for the December Cosmopolitan, Kate White, the magazine’s editor in chief, said Ms. Berry was on her cover simply because she meets all the criteria of a typical Cosmo girl. ”She is beautiful, powerful, successful, and she can open a movie,” Ms. White said, suggesting that Ms. Berry has the kind of wattage that can draw people into a movie, or to buy a magazine.  “We choose models that have already started to gain critical mass, regardless of hair or eye color,” said a Hearst spokeswoman in response. ”We want the reader to have a sense of having seen them before.’” (www.nytimes.com) Oh really!! Just because she starred in “Die another Day,’” helps James Bond save the world from certain doom – she gets to feature among the tiny cadre of nonwhite celebrities who are deemed suitable enough to have crossover appeal of the consumer magazines. Carr while analyzing the impact of Halle Berry as the cover girl realized that the triumph of her cover page feature was more to adorn her celebrity portfolio, than an acknowledgement of non white beauty and sensuality. The fact should not be interpreted as consumer’s acceptance of a black model on the cover page of a Caucasian dominated magazine, but one of celebration of the James Bond flick- suggestive enough to imply that the crossover appeal lies in the James Bond movie heroine, and not in the non white model. These magazine brands have a high level of exposure and huge monetary sake – so it may be difficult for them to experiment with non white cover page models…but the fact remains why don’t they put a step forward and gauge their consumer sentiments by giving them something more sensuous and appealing; and why don’t they start developing the taste of the consumers? They will do so I guess once they realize the potential consumer demand and the huge market within the non white circle, ”Part of what is going on is that the beauty industry woke up and realized there was a big market there,” said Roberta Myers, editor in chief of Elle, a women’s fashion magazine that is uncommonly diverse in cover selections. ”The old assumptions that there was only one kind of beauty, the typical blond, blue-eyed Christie Brinkley type, are gone.” (www.nytimes.com)

Not Only Natalee Is Missing” Anne-Marie O’Conner, P. 659

This article would highlight the stereotypes of the television industry, especially the news channels. “Not Only Natalee is Missing” an article written by Anne-Marie O’ Conner tries to understand the media ethics and intentions – whether it is purposive or intentional on part of the audio visual media to highlight the reporting’s of kidnapping cases of white gentry while being reluctant or racist in the reporting of non white kidnappings. Is the Media Inattention to Missing Women Who Aren’t White Due to Deliberate Racism or Unconscious Bias?

The article lists a number of high profile kidnapping cases like Laci Peterson, Natalee Holloway and Chandra Levy – all these cases have had their share of contemplated media coverage. Why? “The common thread between all of the aforementioned women is that they were all white and from the middle-upper class of society” (O’Connor 659). However, there are two more cases namely Evelyn Hernandez and Arden Carter – cases which have not got their eligible share of media attention. Sadly enough to say that they were from the non-white kidnapping cases.

Connor further analyses the circumstances to find out whether such stereotypes are unintentional on part of the television channels. He justifies by reasoning that since crimes and violence are more synonymous with the black communities – a kidnapping is not such a huge impact on the viewers or the audience. There is nothing unusual about crimes in the black community. On the contrary, the vice present of MSNBC News Daytime Programming, Mark Effron said, that “decisions of who matter are made unconsciously, “I’m not disputing numbers. What I’m telling you is that we have never, ever, ever turned down a story based on race or any of those factors. (O’Connor 660) However, the article also suggests that the TRP of a channel increases with the increased viewership – and the viewers are more interested to view white woman, Mary Kaplan, the associate dean of Southern California Anneneberg School of Communication, says that people are interested in “every lurid tale about a white woman” (O’ Connor 661)

Advertising Sets Double Standard for the Male Gender” William Sea, P. 667

This article highlights the new genre of male stereotypes set by the industry standards. Written by William Sea, he criticizes the inane beer commercial, “of the Miller Brewing Company’s latest series of television spots for Milwaukee’s Best Light offends both good taste and gender stereotypes.”

It seems that the media is confused in its portrayal of a man- once it goes to glamorize the lethal masculinity in contrast to the regular ‘metro sexual backlash’, while certain advertisement carries androgynous males – and are quite deceptive in the actual definition of a perfect man. They seem to make the concept of an ideal man ambiguous, When Milwaukee’s Best tells us that “men should act like men,” the statement is unclear: How should they act?

Should the men be bold and masculine – should they be fragile and feminine males- should they be ‘buffoonish males’ dominated by their wives: advertisement complicates the realization of the consumer. Not only such stereotypes according to their advertisement requirements confuses the general consumer but are in bad taste and humor…such popular propagandas are complicated and offensive. It is obvious that eventually males would be puzzled and bored to see such foolish and grumpy images, dominated by the other genders and would be tired of ascertaining the gender roles.

Works Cited

Carr, David. “On Covers of Many Magazines a Full Racial Palette Is Still Rare.”Everything’s An Argument.  Andrea A. Lunsford, John J. Ruszkiewicz and Keith Walters. 4^th ed. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martins, 2007. 649-650.

O’Connor, Anne-Marie. “Not Only Natalee Is Missing; Is the Media Inattention to Missing Women Who Aren’t White Due to Deliberate Racism or Unconscious Bias?” Everything’s An Argument. Ed. Andrea A. Lunsford, John J. Ruszkiewicz and Keith Walters. 4^th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2007

Ralli, Tania. “Who’s a Looter? In Storm’s Aftermath, Pictures Kick Up a Different Kind of Tempest.”Everything’s An Argument. Ed. Andrea A. Lunsford, John J. Ruszkiewicz and Keith Walters. 4^th ed. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martins, 2007. 640-41.

Anne-Marie O’Conner, p. 659.