Task 1

Bully and Skins

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSq2q45ohB8&feature=related]

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lA86kQcE1I]

1. Compare and contrast the representation of teenagers in the two texts. (8 marks)

The representation of teenagers in Skins is quite different from that of the Bully trailer. The Skins opening represents teenagers as having a sensitive nature, easily hurt and upset where hormones and emotions take their toll during school. The shot of the two girls kissing abruptly cuts to another where the same girl is kissing a male instead. This also connotes that hormones are at their peak at a time where it is difficult to distinguish sexual preference. At the same time, it shows teenagers to still be immature and concentrating on the insignificant aspects of life – like the shot of Ollie pouring water out of his ears.

Bully seems to take a different side in terms of representation, showing teenagers to be violent, rude and involved in antisocial behaviour such as criminal damage. Similar to Skins, it shows an element of carelessness and immaturity – referring to the shot of the main protagonist slipping on some glass. However, the fact that the creators of the game have chosen to represent the main protagonist in this way shows that they are trying to create a sort-of “teenage gaze”, in order to allow users to play the game through the bully’s perspective. Some could argue that this promotes and encourages violent behaviour, showing teenagers that they should strive to take the easy way out in difficult situations.

2. Consider the view that the current representation of teenagers is simply another ‘moral panic’. (12 marks)

There has been a great controversy regarding the representation of teenagers in the media. Teenagers have been criticised constantly in the media since the 1960s, when teenage lifestyle began through popular music and youth culture. Some argue that the media seem to consider the actions of a minority in society as a stereotype with which to represent all teenagers in news articles and broadcasts. There has been more teenage crime in the last decade than ever in the history of UK, which has essentially caused audiences to become accustomed to stereotyping all teenagers as being dangerous, uneducated and unmannered. This sort of moral panic normally originates when newspaper institutions realise that certain stereotypes produce a higher readership and circulation than stories which are unusual. Therefore, it is common for certain newspapers and broadcast channels to reinforce these stereotypes for their own gain, knowing that audiences will be anxiously waiting for the next story that will follow this trend.

A recent example is that of the student protests in London, following the rise in University tuition fees ordered by the new British coalition government. These protests soon turned into riots, ultimately ending in destruction, violence and injuries. Most media coverage soon after these events failed to focus on the point that teenagers were making through the use of violence, but focused on stereotyping teenagers as being dangerous and a threat to society when joined in groups. Therefore, the media are creating moral panics for the profit of institutions. This Marxist view would argue that the institutions providing this news footage are like hypodermic needles, injecting the values and ideologies into audiences which would ultimately benefit the institution financially. Although User Generated Content has also become such a big form of contemporary news, the footage from people’s mobile phones and low-quality cameras showing police handling innocent and peaceful protesters violently, were not given as much attention as those that proved teenage crime was at its toll. These forms of Citizen Journalism have allowed the media to shape stories to fit the representations they are trying to disperse among the public. Therefore, even though it is simple and fast to create User Generated Content through the use of new and digital media, it is not as simple trying to convince institutions to portray the completely true story of the events shown in the footage.

Therefore, it could be said that the media are creating a moral panic in order to allow the public to stereotype certain people/groups of people for their own personal gain. It is a form of entertainment and also a form of profit that is easy to accomplish and carry out.

3. To what extent has new and digital media given younger audiences the opportunities to shape their own media representations? (12 marks)

User Generated Content has been one of the biggest advantages for audiences in terms of shaping their own media representations. Websites such as YouTube were invented in order to allow anybody to post videos containing their own views and opinions. Some argue that this brings out the Democratic values of the UK, allowing anybody to have their voices heard and accepted by majorities around the world. However, it is debatable whether YouTube’s censorship and regulation is in support of younger audiences shaping their own media representations. This is because, since its takeover by Google Inc. in 2006, certain content has been banned from being uploaded and shared due to its explicit nature. Therefore, it could be argued that the content being consumed by younger audiences on sites like YouTube is not the view of every uploading user, but simply the view that Google Inc. are trying to portray to its viewers, by banning other materials it thinks are too explicit or extreme.

Another E-Media platform that has contributed greatly to the younger generation and its stereotyping of certain places/people is Facebook. The social networking site allows any users over the age of 13 to interact and encourage their views and opinions on their own profiles. It has arguably been one of the most accepting social networking sites since the launch of the Internet, not undermining those who have extremist beliefs and judgments. Although the regulatory body of Facebook allows users to report anybody with racist or offensive remarks, users are able to simply block those who they do not wish to interact or communicate with. This leaves the younger generation with a new-found sense of power and freedom, where they are able to choose what kind of representations they are comfortable with, and accept these as being their own.