Identities and the Media: Reading the riots

The media coverage of the UK riots in 2011 provides a strong case study in the representation of young people. There is an excellent extended analysis of the media coverage of the riots by media professor David Buckingham in Media Magazine.

Read the Media Magazine extended feature on the media coverage of the UK riots (MM38 page 5)

1. How did the language and selection of images in the coverage create a particular representation of young people? 

the media has clearly demonised the representation of the youth, marginalising them as people who are uncivil and juvenile in out society. This is through the violent and inhumane imagery on the front pages of the some of the tabloid left and right wing news papers. This makes the youth in London seem like they are a threat to the establishment of society and generating an anarchy. 

This was reinforced by the selection of images – and perhaps especially by the iconic image of one black, hooded young man which appeared on at least five front pages of teh daily mirror and daily express.

the first day of the disturbances, and in many reports

1. Why does David Buckingham mention Owen Jones and his work Chavs: the demonisation of the working class?

There is obviously a class dimension to these representations. The ‘feral youth’ imagined by the politicians and the tabloid headline writers are implicitly working-class. In his recent book Chavs, Owen Jones points to the emergence of a new form of class contempt in modern Britain. The working class, he argues, has become an object of fear and ridicule, not just in this kind of media coverage but also in popular figures such as Little Britain’s Vicky Pollard and Catherine Tate’s ‘Am I bovvered?’ character.

1. What is the typical representation of young people – and teenage boys in particular? What did the 2005 IPSOS/MORI survey find?

These kinds of images of young people are unfortunately typical of much news media coverage. A 2005 IPSOS/MORI survey found that 40% of newspaper articles featuring young people focused on violence, crime or anti-social behaviour; and that 71% could be described as having a negative tone.

More recently, a study by the organisation Women in Journalism analysed 7,000+ stories involving teenage boys, published in online, national and regional newspapers during 2008. 72% were negative – more than twenty times the number of positive stories (3.4%). Over 75% were about crime, drugs, or police: the great majority of these were negative (81.5%) while only a handful were positive (0.3%).

1. How can Stanley Cohen’s work on Moral Panic be linked to the coverage of the riots?

Well, the fact that the whole situation has been sensationalised, exaggerated and amplified, people become more aware and concerned for the frequent occurrence on the news. This creates a moral panic as members of the public are seeing a version of events which is not as severe as its portrayed in the media. Also hyperreality is also evident here, as some consumers of the text are not able to distinguish the reality with the simulation of reality. 

1. What elements of the media and popular culture were blamed for the riots?

gang culture

unemployment

poverty

failure of schools teaching discipline 

lack of parental engagement

the police shooting Mark Duggun

1. How was social media blamed for the riots? What was interesting about the discussion of social media when compared to the Arab Spring in 2011?

Social media played its part by helping to pump up the youth and overwhelming them with emotions of anger towards the political system, this can be seen even through some of the most popular artists the youth listen to. However, freedom of expression and speech is also a very significant part of the liberation of our selves, and ideologies being expressed should not have been shunned but also should constrained to a certain extent.

1. The riots generated a huge amount of comment and opinion - both in mainstream and social media. How can the two-step flow theory be linked to the coverage of the riots? 

well some may say that what we witness in the media, influences us, our ideologies and decisions too. However the the reception theory may contrast this approach by arguing that the human mind has the ability to to generate its own opinions and idea's rather than bing weak minded and taking in everything presented to us from another persons perspective or outlook on the situation. 

1. Alternatively, how might media scholars like Henry Jenkins view the 'tsunami' of blogs, forums and social media comments? Do you agree that this shows the democratisation of the media?

Some media scholars like Henry Jenkinstend to celebrate these kinds of ‘participatory’ media; while some even see this as evidence of a wholesale democratisation of the communications system. They argue that the age of ‘Big Media’ – of powerful, centralised corporations controlling media – is now finished: hierarchical, top-down communications have been replaced by a more egalitarian (equal opportunities) approach.

I agree to him to a certain degree, this is because ultimately although people are able to input their views opinions and debates onto the internet, one may argue that it is not always recognised or signified and even often marginalised. 

1. What were the right-wing responses to the causes of the riots, What were the left-wing responses to the causes of the riots?
2. both were very saddened by the death of Mark Duggun however through a more political perspective the right wing

1. What are your OWN views on the main causes of the riots?

i believe that the main reason to unrest of the violence that had occurred was the lack of communication with the youth and those in political power. They could not get their voice heard in a more rational and appropriate manner and so therefore, the rioters felt they had to do what they did to get the attention of the state. Although the way they addressed the situation was wrong I understand where some of them might be coming from and where there anger and frustration may be stemming from. 

1. How can capitalism be blamed for the riots? What media theory (from our new/digital media unit) can this be linked to?

Daily Telegraph was one of many to make the link between the rioters and the bankers and politicians. The rioting, he argued:... cannot be dissociated from the moral disintegration in the highest ranks of modern British society... It has become acceptable for our politicians to lie and to cheat... the sad young men and women, without hope or aspiration, who have caused such mayhem and chaos over the past few days... have this defence: they are just following the example set by senior and respected figures in society.Others, like Dan Hind on Al Jazeera, argued that the government’s decision to bail out the banks was indicative of ‘a social and political order that rewards vandalism and the looting of public property, so long as the perpetrators are sufficiently rich and powerful’.

1. Were people involved in the riots given a voice in the media to explain their participation?

No, and even if they did they were misrepresented or even unrepresented.

1. In the Guardian website's investigation into the causes of the riots, they did interview rioters themselves. Read this Guardian article from their Reading the Riots academic research project - what causes are outlined by those involved in the disturbances? 

1. What is your own opinion on the riots? Do you have sympathy with those involved or do you believe strong prison sentences are the right approach to prevent such events happening in future?

i believe that there is a real problem in our society after all something big like this had occurred, and I sympathise with them to a certain extant as they are members of our society too despite their age and for them not to have a voice and contribute on the way the country makes decisions with them will obviously frustrate them however the whole method of going about the whole problem was incorrect and needs to be developed, they need to find a more rational way to he heard rather than to cause disturbances, injustices and also harm people.