Mass Media Representation Young People As A Problem Group

Using materials from Item C and elsewhere, assess the view that the mass media represent young people as a problem group? (18 Marks)
Youth are often portrayed as a ‘problem group’ in society, and as a major source of anti – social behaviour, particularly young working class, and especially African Caribbean, males. The Mass Media often generate this excitement by creating stereotypes of young people as troublemakers, layabouts and vandals, and by exaggerating the occasional deviant behaviour by a few young people out of the proportion to its real significance in society. Media strongly affects youth culture. The media executives are quick to defend their role in youth violence and bullying while selling millions of dollars in ads focused on youth. TV producers, network executives, motion picture companies and others in the media deny any impact of their programs on the attitudes and actions of youth. This essay using materials from Item C asses the view the mass media represent young people as a problem group. …show more content…
He argued that during the “golden age” media had represented young people with low rates of crime and the youth had respected the police. Pearson believes that the media are in a permanent panic about whatever manifestation of ‘youth as a problem’ is current: the Hooligans of Victorian Times, the Teds of the 1950s or the Travellers of today. A recent event that backs up Pearson’s theory is the London Summer 2010 Riots where young people were represented in the media as trouble makers and cause of the whole disturbance, although after research had been conducted more adults were found to be looting and rioting than young people. As well as, the media did not show much of the Young people gathering together to clean the streets of London. Therefore this shows that the media represents young people as problem groups. However Pearson theory has been