Age - Media Representations

Representations of Children (under 14)

‘Seven Deadly Stereotypes’

• Victims

• Cute

• Devils

• Brilliant

• Accessories

• Kids these days!

• Angels

Representations of Youth (14-20ish)

Youth media industry has sought to create youth culture through its media products - industry has grown and expanded into other areas

• hugely influential on youth identity and lifestyle - media companies create the concept of youth and what it means to be a teenager in the UK today

Pluralists - products are primarily giving youths what they want, reflecting their identities and responding to market needs

Attack on Youth - Cohen

Mods & Rockers

• media reaction to clashes - creates folk devils

Media presents youth as “bad behaviour”

Attack on Youth - Wayne et al

Content of news programmes across the main channels

• 82% items concerned young people and violent crimes

Modern Links to Age Representations

• Kardashians

• Golden age

• Immigration (unite the flags)

Representations of Older People (65+)

Five Stereotypes

• Grumpy

• A burden

• Infantile

• “Demented” or Confused

• Second Childhood

Representations of Old People - Cuddy and Fiske

older people are largely invisible or presented in a negative of way

• US older characters 1.5% of characters

• more likely to be portrayed as having impaired mental, physical or sexual activates

Age and Gender

Differences in stereotypes between older men and women

• men - depicted positively as desirable romantic partners for younger women or distinguished figures like leaders, experts, and successful professionals

• women - often rendered invisible or symbolically annihilated in media imagery

Age and Gender - White et al

older viewers felt stereotypes on television = lack of representation of middle-aged and older women

• viewers criticised the media for being insulting and out of touch with an aging society

Age and Gender - Szmignin and Carrigan

increasing numbers of older individuals with disposable income - may lead to more positive images of aging emerging

• cautious about older models in advertisements, fearing alienating younger audiences