Racial Stereotypes in Television and Film Media - Essay Example

Section/# Racial Stereotypes in TV and Film Media It is without question that the media plays a powerful role in determining the manner through which different groups of individuals you one another and ultimately interact. Taking television as a powerful case in point, it can be readily seen that racial stereotypes are invariably used as a means of representing both minority and majority compliments of society. Naturally, this is a harmful approach due to the fact that it does not catch the nuanced realities that are represented within each of these respective groups. As a function of seeking to understand racial stereotypes and the racial profiles that are built within the context of the human mind, the following analysis will engage the reader with an understanding of representation of ethnic groups within television, a discussion of how certain television shows help to reinforce shallow and rather absurd stereotypes, the way in which television and video have altered representations and perceptions of hip-hop music, and the manner through which these representations are oftentimes utilized as a type of fear mongering. Within contemporary times, it is without question that a general improvement has taken place with regards to the content and ranges of social issues that media, specifically television, has sought to engage. Yet, before delving directly in to whether or not race is portrayed fairly, ethically, or reasonably, it must first be noted that media, whether television or some other form, only exists as a means of serving as a platform for selling products or services. Within such an understanding, analyzing the actual content of the show was, documentaries, or films is actually secondary to understanding the way in which product placement and services are represented to an increasingly diverse demographic. Whether an individual is watching a rerun of the Cosby show, primetime news, or another form of television show, the invariable fact is that approximately 3 times in 30 minutes a commercial break takes place. Within this commercial break, the reader would do well to pay close attention to what types of people are represented. In order to sell the products and services, firms engage middle-aged, normally attractive, white models. This helps to underscore the inherent level of racism and the interpretation of personal worth in society. In terms of the portrayal of different racial or ethnic groups within television and film media, it can be noted that strong stereotypes continue to pervade the system. Invariably, when one considers a film or television show that features a Latino American, or an individual of Hispanic origin, they are represented in terms of the most base and crass stereotypes; invariably involving mustaches, mariachi music, traditional clothing, sick accents, and a smattering of other offensive stereotypes (Mastro & Tukachinsky, 2011). For those individuals that have resided in the United States for a longer period of time, namely African-Americans, the representation of stereotypes are more oblique. For instance, a clear and definitive level of comparison and contrast exists between television and film as they represent the black middle class as compared to the “other” blacks. Naturally, such a representation is not any less harmful than the one which is been discussed concerning Hispanics; however, it portrays a very one dimensional view of African American society and does not consider any of the social issues or ramifications that extreme poverty, police abuse, continual suspicion, and several hundred years of second-class citizenship have expected (Ramasubramanian, 2007). Contrary to what an individual might be led to believe, television shows such as The Cosby Show, Bernie Mac, the George Lopez Show, The Wire, and others do a great deal of harm with regards even though it is true that minorities are represented within the television programs, they only tell a very small fraction of the story and do not come anywhere close to representing the reality that so many individuals within society face on a daily basis (Pickering, 2008). Taking The Cosby Show as an example, the reader can quickly come to an understanding of the fact that even though and upper-middle-class African-American family in the Northeast is represented, this does not come anywhere close to explicating the reality that hundreds of thousands of African-Americans who live in abject poverty and our daily in a struggle for survival face. Naturally, it cannot be expected that one single television show can capture the reality of an entire race and its experience (Holt, 2013). Yet, it would be enough for such a show to at least attempt to represent the reality that other African-Americans face. However, as is clearly noted, The Cosby Show made no such attempts to represent the plight of the average poor African-American during its multi-year run. One particular representation of race that is changed a great deal over the past several decades is with regards to the music videos that are associated with hip-hop/rap music. In its infancy, hip-hop was an art form that served as a release mechanism that Yahoo disenfranchised African-Americans could utilize as a means of expressing their grievances and the hardships they faced on a daily basis (Hancock et al., 2013). Naturally, not each and every form of hip-hop in the early stages whereas noble as has been described in the previous definition. However, a noted and marked change has taken place over the past several years. When an individual turns on the television and flips to one of the channels that plays music videos of the hip-hop variety, the grievances, hardships, and daily struggles of the African-American community are no longer displayed. Instead, an incessant barrage of images that disparage women, promote wealth and excess at any and all costs, and have a common theme of self aggrandizement that are represented nearly continually. In such a way, this is not only damaging to the African-American’s interpretation of their own culture, it is also damaging with respect to the way in which other stakeholders in society assumed that this representation of culture is indicative for the entire African-American community. Such a stereotyped, promoted by both blacks and whites in the entertainment industry is unfair, unreasonable, and extraordinarily harmful. Sadly, it can be largely noted that the media’s representation of race oftentimes reaffirms fear. For instance, “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” oftentimes represented the way in which white Americans were intimidated and fearful of African-American; regardless of the affluence that they represented. This particular theme has been carried over a litany of different television shows; both comedies and dramas. By perpetrating the inherent fear that African-Americans are violent, dangerous, and unpredictable, the remainder of society only finds themselves reinforcing incorrect and ludicrous stereotypes that have pervaded through the decades. In much the same way, racial themes that are promoted in hip-hop music are gratuitous and oftentimes done as a shock mechanism to sell records; not as they were in the old days of hip-hop when the racial discussions that were taking place were in fact grievances and hardships being vented. From the discussion that has thus far been engaged, it can clearly be seen that the media has a profound and relevant impact with regards to the way in which was race, stereotypes, and norms are perceived and perpetrated. Within such an understanding, the reader can come to the realize nation of the fact that even though it is inherently impossible for television or film media to accurately represent all the realities that face a specific demographic, this particular task has hardly even begun. Instead, media elites continue to foist unrealistic stereotypes and absurd representations of race and society that are neither relevant to the real world nor serve as an effective level of comedic relief. References Hancock, Q., Jolls, T., & Jolls, P. (2013). Racism and Stereotypes in Electronic Media. Public Library Quarterly, 32(4), 333-344. doi:10.1080/01616846.2013.848135 Holt, L. (2013). Writing the Wrong: Can Counter-Stereotypes Offset Negative Media Messages about African Americans?. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 90(1), 108-125. doi:10.1177/1077699012468699 Mastro, D., & Tukachinsky, R. (2011). The Influence of Exemplar Versus Prototype-Based Media Primes on Racial/Ethnic Evaluations. Journal Of Communication, 61(5), 916-937. doi:10.1111/j.1460-2466.2011.01587.x Pickering, M. (2008). Sex in the sun: racial stereotypes and tabloid news. Social Semiotics, 18(3), 363-375. doi:10.1080/10350330802217139 Ramasubramanian, S. (2007). MEDIA-BASED STRATEGIES TO REDUCE RACIAL STEREOTYPES ACTIVATED BY NEWS STORIES.Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 84(2), 249-264. Read More