MEDIA'S IMPACT ON STEREOTYPES

Media's Impact on Stereotypes

Media's Impact on Stereotypes

Introduction

Today, we operate in a society where most developing societies move through the exchange of information. We live in an era of communications. Since its inception, where its role was purely to inform and communicate, the media have changed dramatically in a point where it dominates our perceptions and opinions, guide the course of our lives and dictate our behaviours. It is at this point that human beings should draw the line and set a limit. The stereotypes exhibited by the media ingrain our minds to the point that we perceive and label them as "natural" humans (Abraham, 2006).

The existence of stereotypes in the media is inevitable, particularly in the field of advertising, entertainment and information, three areas where information needs to be understood quickly by the widest possible audience. Stereotyping is used as codes, common denominator, to define the individuals or groups, usually according to their social class, race or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, occupation or role in society (Adoni, 1984).

Stereotypes, however, have problematic aspects; they may mask very different realities in inherent simplifications. They may set prejudices on individuals and groups as if they were "truths", justify the position of authority in place, and perpetuate inequality and social injustice.

The media continue to offer a surprisingly consistent picture of our society. In a multicultural country, like Canada, whose population is 13% in a visible minority, under-represent and often provide negative and stereotypical representation of ethnic minorities in the information and entertainment industry. Analysts use a wide variety of situations to illustrate this problem: the media use too often visible minorities as foreigners, and racial bias in the coverage of crime is common (Brown & Bradley, 2006).

This news media and the entertainment industry helps create or reinforce prejudices about ethnic minorities, especially the people of colour. This paper examines how stereotyping takes place in the artisans of the industry. It will also include research and recent articles in the field, identifying the loopholes of the contemporary media to educate and entertain their audiences. In all, this paper addresses the need to fight against stereotypes and encourage a more fair and realistic view of ethnic and visible minorities, or more specifically, the people of colour.

Thesis Statement

Modern media influence the people, changing their ways of life, their choices, their customs, consumer and public opinion.

Discussion

The twentieth century marks the history as the era in which scientific research has influenced by external pressures. The discovery of electrons, electromagnetic waves, electrical circuit and electronic equipment, etc.., served the construction and development of audiovisual communication tools. The twentieth century is, indeed, the era of electronic, atomic, and communications age. The introduction of new technologies changed the reading, the mode of living. The cultural changes introduced by new media more caused mixed reactions, from the most ardent enthusiasm until more tough sentences (Brown & Monahan, 2005).

The emergence of the book, the film of radio, television, etc. is reason enough to convulse the patterns of ...