Identities and the Media: Reading the riots

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)

Go to our Media Magazine archive, select MM38 and read the WHOLE eight-page feature. Answer the following questions on your blog with as many references to media theory and examples as possible. Refer to specific aspects of the Media Magazine article too:

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

The coverage show a ruthless and out of control representation of the youth, it indicates how they aren't afraid of breaking the law and seem to have no boundaries. They also seem to be hooded and wearing tracksuits, this indicates how they may be from a lower to middle class background.

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

In Owen Jones book chavs, he discusses how the media and how modern Britain have given this image and mindset that the lower class are scary thugs and scary.

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

The survey found that 40% of newspaper articles focused on crime, violence and anti social behaviour when linked to the youth. Also that 71% were described to have a negative manner.

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

As there is a moral panic that society believes that young people are violent and aggressive, especially males, the media does they by the gatekeeping they provide with the coverage they choose.

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

Some elements that were blamed were rap music, violent video games and reality TV for their ‘undisciplined’ nature.

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 was blamed for helping to organise and spread the riots as most people that use social media are the youth, which were also the main people in the riots. Although the coverage of the Arab springs' social media was presented to be more of a democratic platform in which people were able to express their opinions and fight against oppression.

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?

The two step-flow theory can be applied as famous people commented on the riots. Russell Brand, who has millions of twitter followers and his opinions shared on twitter could have influenced the views on people.

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?

I do think that the  response online in response to the riots highlights the democratisation of the media social media give more of a pluralist view in how we think and consume media, we can now make news viral and also create our own news, it is killing the marxist views that TV broadcast used to bring.

What were the right-wing responses to the causes of the riots?

The right wing responses to the riots werecritical of those that took part in the riots, specifically targeting youths, comparing them to animals and stating that they should be put on 'leashes'.

What were the left-wing responses to the causes of the riots?

The left wing responses were more accepting, instead blaming society's negative image of youths spread through the media as well as faults made by the government, cutting funding to youth centres, causing them to riot.

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

I believe that the riots become something it shouldn't have been, the real cause was just an excuse for the youth to express their anger gave them a chance to break the law with a lower chance of getting caught, it blew up to be something way out of proportion.

How can capitalism be blamed for the riots? What media theory (from our new/digital media unit) can this be linked to?
As many of the rioters looted shops that were selling materialistic items such as designer sports brands and expensive branded TV's, society has led the lower class wanting these items so bad that they looted during the riots.

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

There was a lack of interviews with rioters in the media, not many of their voices were being heard, although all the interviews that were showcased, it helped enforce the negative stereotypes shown such has youth wearing bandanas, masks, hoods, tracksuits and talking in a lot of slang and profanity. The only interviews published were like this, although there was also a lot of rioters who were there for a reason, such as the shooting of the young man by police, they didnt loot and were most likely well educated, although their voices were not heard by the media.

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?

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 have no sympathy for the rioters and i do believe that they should receive prison sentences, this is because they made a choice to disturb and ruin our society and towns with aggressive assault and damage within our towns.
Although there were some rioters that had a passion in what they believed what happened was wrong and they were fighting for justice, but there were also some other rioters who didn't even know what the cause was, they just joined in for fun and thought they could get away with theft and violence, which is wrong.