Ethnic Images in American Film and Television Essay

This literature review seeks to examine delegacys in which sex ethnic stereotypes in the media see been reviewed and the conclusions that have been ob coiffured gazeing the negative law of continuation of grammatical gender ethnic stereotypes in the media. In addition, this paper includes research on the influence the media has to shape womens attitudes through numerous resources of gender stamp images and language habit.The term media in this research paper will be apply very loosely, allowing me to cover argonas in which gender ethnic stereotypes occur. The ab unwrap common stereotypes argon from film, television, internet and print medias. With all the media outlets, viewers atomic number 18 noniceable to portrayal of what and how concourse of certain ethnicities act. The cultures I resolved to focus on on argon Afri plunder- the Statesns, European the Statesns and Hispanics. These ethnic bases tend to be in the lime-light for numerous accounts whether its positive recognition or bumlash. Most a great deal in film African- the Statesns characters be stereotyped as being the slaves Djanjo and 12 Years a slave, or being a highly strung woman. European Americans on television tend to be inferior, and have wind utilizations, money, guns and the hot men. Lastly, Hispanics be stereotyped as Spanish speakers, and are typically the ones cleaning houses in the movies.Stereotyping occurs any time there is a demand to world(a)ize a contingent pigeonholing of population order to put up an new(prenominal)wise complex environment favourable to understand (Lester, P., M., and Susan D. R., p12). A particular trait is used as the basis for stereotyping. In essence, connection stereotypes humanness by race or gender. Some groups are associated with whatever unmatched traits that the society uses to generally define it. It does not matter that individuals in that group are unique and do not subscribe to the label condition to them. When it c omes to stereotyping, each individual in that particular group is made equal. From the ethnicity top dog of view, some ethnic groups are given so much note value whereas others are devalued (Lester, P., M., and Susan D. R., p22). This is because of the hierarchy that the society creates to define races and ethnic groups.Stereotyping can be positive or negative. When it is positive, the stereotyped group feels good. When it is negative, the stereotyped group feels offended and may even go to an extent of retaliating. It is to a fault important to note that repetition in the stereotyping leads to normalization of the same, because when stereotypes are repeated, they capture perpetuated and at last validated. Stereotypes are taken to be truths because they have a connotation of some truth about the members of that particular group in general. The most serious form of stereotyping is negative racial stereotyping. It leads to strife and war. Gender stereotyping is as well as very explicit. Media has not been left behind in propagating stereotype. The media use stereotypes to define people from different primings. It generalizes the complex nature of people to a one general bracket so that it is easy to understand that particular group of people. It in addition has helped propagate gender stereotyping. Given the coverage of the media in the society, it can be said that stereotyping has taken another level where every person is alert of it un uniform in the past.Various illustrations of how the media influences gender and ethnic stereotyping television system has become the key propagator of ethnic stereotyping. According to Srividya R. and Saunders, M. S., (p1), Afro-Americans and Latino-Americans are al directions undermined underrepresented, demeaned and marginalized when it comes to the mainstream media. exclusively this happens in the lines of stereotyping. For instance, African-Americans are visualized in such a bearing that demeans them c ompletely. They are represented as big, mean and big-mouthed. In addition, they are visualised as lazy and unreliable. They assume the roles that demonstrate ruthlessness to stereotype them as so. Moreover, they are represented as unintelligent and loyal slaves who submit stupidly.With regard to the Latino-Americans, the media as portrayed them with derision. They are portrayed as lazy people who are unintelligent. In addition, they are taken to be oversexed and exceedingly promiscuous. They are stereotyped to be very violent and always being associated with criminal activities. They assume the roles that cite to breaking laws. The media portrays these minor groups in America so negatively. The audience is left with the depression that that is how every African-American or Latino-American. Furthermore, Srividya, R., and Saunders, M. S., (p1) explain how the news stories are covered in the America. They cut out groups ethnically against the backdrop of ethnic stereotyping. When w atching news over the television, it is easy to observe how stories relating to social class are framed. The nonage groups take blames for their fake laziness and criminal activities. The down(p)s and the Latinos are viewed as non-contributors in the nation economy. Television entertaining programs are besides based on the stereotyping. The nonage groups are used to represent the unwise characters in the name of entertaining the audience. offensive dramas also represent the Blacks and Latinos as law-breakers.The media has been so keen on arranging and televising issues that pertain to the aspects of stereotyping when dealing with the African-Americans and Latino-Americans. According to Lee, M.J et al., (p4), journalists pay little attention on the problems that affect these people. They do not highlight their plight. Instead they run subsequently them whenever issues that concern such things as drug abuse and criminal activities have been mentioned. They put keen interest to the conflicts that touch on the racial aspects as well as the surrounding controversies. They make these the breaking news and literally ignore the true nature of the lives of these people. The audience is left wondering who the Blacks and Latinos are. For the majority, the impression that they make about these minority group of people in America is that they are drug barons and criminals.The riots that happened in Los Angeles in 1992 give a intense illustration of how the media tends to portray the Blacks and the Latinos (Lee, M.J., et al., p 5). While covering the story, the Black fellowship was made to appear as the people responsible for the riots and the subsequent disturbances. Hispanics were also implicated at a greater degree. Most of those arrested came from the minority groups. This is a clear indication that due to failure of the media to give the true background of the conflicts, and hence generalizing the event, led to many Blacks and Hispanic arrests. The negative im age multi-colour about these people following that incident was demeaning. In addition, it is important to acres here that whenever cases of riots erupt, the culprits are the Blacks, the Latinos and the Hispanics, thanks to the extensive level of media role in stereotyping.Another illustration is the films such as the Boys in the Hood and queer II Society. These films have portrayed young smuttys as criminals. As such, they have attracted a lot of audience and consequently, they have sold a lot in America (Saunders, M. S., and Sirvidya, R., p3). The audience has been tuned by the media to believe and like stories that demean the minority groups around America. Whenever a black-American is seen, he is seen as a threat to the security of the society. Considering the case of beating of Rodney King in 1991 (Miller, R.M., p32) the effects of this stereotyping is observed. During the trial, the defense team composed of four police officers said that they decided to beat Rodney becaus e they feared that he could have been harmed. The fear in this sense signifies what every white person feels whenever they encounter a Black in America. The confession given is the order of the day whenever the whites are defending themselves against the Blacks.In most movies, male characters have always dominated the female characters (Saunders, M. S. and Srividya, R., p35). This is an extension of gender stereotyping. The society already has a notion that a woman is typeface to the man. When the media in the form of movies portray women as inferior to men, then they serve to reinforce that already existing belief. In addition, in most of the American movies where Black females appear as characters, most of the cases the women are made to use porcine language (Jefferson, S. T., p 3). They are also portrayed as violent. Are the Black women always violent? Is it true that they use vulgar language most of the time? The clear answer is no. the originator they are portrayed as such is to serve the interests of the white audience. The society has been shaped to like stories that negatively impact the Black community at the advantage of their white counterparts. The white audience is happy when they learn that their women, for instance, are more intelligent and better than the Blacks, at least according to the movies and media in general.Moreover, the Blacks have been used in the movies and film industry to take the roles that pertain to servitude and slavery. For instance, in the movie 12 Years of Slavery it is a Black young lady who takes the role of the slave (Jefferson, S. T., p6). She serves a white family that lots mistreats her. This is not an isolated case. In most other movies, the roles that require a slave character, the directors of the movie will more often than not study to use a black character than a white character. They back their reasoning by saying that a black person portrays the role well. Why? It is because the audience feels more satisf ied by a black slave than a white slave. Even crime scenes in the movies are taken up by the black characters most of the times.The print media has also been implicated in the propagation of the stereotyping. According to Lester P.M and Susan D. R., (p65), in the advertising segment, the Blacks are portrayed as unintelligent as compared to the white counterparts. The Hispanics are used to represent comic characters in their role. The Latinos are used mostly in cases of promiscuity. The White Americans are used when referring to the wise community, and often associated with status of affluence. The minority groups are portrayed as people who are poor and uneducated. The newspapers also portray the Blacks, Hispanics and Latinos as criminals when covering acts of crime. The bias created goes a long way to victimizing innocent people on the grounds of false beliefs created by the stereotypes.The media has portrayed African-Americans, Latino-Americans and Hispanics very negatively. It is not that all African-Americans are criminals. In fact, most of them are law-abiding citizens in America. It is not true that all Blacks in America are uneducated. As a matter of fact, there are blacks in America who are highly educated compared to the white Americans. Also, contrary to the way media depicts Blacks as poor people, there are Blacks that live affluent lives with every luxury that a White person can wish for. The same truth applies to the Latinos and Hispanics as well. Therefore, the media does not give the true picture of the minority communities. In essence, the media highlights the aspects that they think will raise the eyebrows of the audience who are the whites. Since the media in America seeks to serve the white audience at the expense of other communities living in America, stereotyping forms a part in racism. The overall progeny is racial discrimination that has penetrated even in the job markets so that members of the minority group are not getting employment s. For the audience, it is important to realize that not all that is portrayed by the media about others is truth.ReferencesJefferson, ShaniT. Occupational role portrayals of African-American women on prime-time television. Ethnicity in America 2.1(2005) 1-7. Print.Lee, MoonJ., ShannonL. Bichard, MeaganS. Irey, HeatherM. Walt, and AlanaJ. Carlson. Television cover and Ethnic Stereotypes Do College Students Form Stereotypical Perceptions of Ethnic Groups as a Result of Heavy Television Consumption? Howard Journal of communications 4.3(2009) 3-6. Print.Lester, capital of Minnesota M, and Susan D. Ross. Images That Injure Pictorial Stereotypes in the Media. Westport, Conn Praeger,2003. Print.Miller, Randall M. Ethnic Images in American Film and Television. Philadelphia, U.S.A Balch Institute,1978. Print.Sanders, MeghanS., and Srividya Ramasubramanian. An Examination of African Americans Stereotyped Perceptions of Fictional Media Characters. Howard Journal of Communications 6.3(2012) 4 -8. Print.Source document