Alexandra K-S: The Media Representation of Race

Introduction

Throughout history, the media has been perpetuating and sometimes challenging popular ideas of race. The majority of information about ethnic minorities is communicated through the mass media. It is an important social structure that can socially construct stereotypes that are reified as the norm in society. These articles examine the influence of the mass media, and its representation of various races. The first article discusses racial and ethnic stereotypes in television and movies. The second article looks at how black women are portrayed in magazine advertisements. The third examines local television news and its influential stories about race and crime. The fourth analyzes international sporting events on television and the portrayal of race, ethnicity and nationality. The last article discusses black imagery in popular media and why negative stereotypes about black men are formed.


“Ally McBeal” and Her Homies: The Reification of White Stereotypes of the Other
By Tracey Owens Patton

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This article examines how women and ethnic minorities are stereotypically depicted in the popular television show, Ally McBeal. The author, Tracey Owens Patton, contends that the representations of ethnic minorities and women on the show are negative. She also argues Ally McBeal is an example of how these stereotypes are frequently portrayed and maintained in the media as a whole. Patton discusses the history of the representation of ethnic minorities in the media. For example, many African American women in the media have been portrayed as a “jezebel,” who is defined as a “scheming, shameless, betraying, or evil woman. When used for an attractive black woman, this is a derogatory reference to her alluring ways, regarding as tempting white men” (244). Patton explains that one of the main characters on Ally McBeal, a black woman, is continuously depicted this hypersexual stereotypical black woman. She is constantly juxtaposed in scenes to Ally, who is depicted as an intelligent, White, angelic, virginal, delicate character—the typical stereotype for White females. Moreover, Patton discusses how black men are also over-sexualized and are often portrayed in the media as a predator, and someone whites should protect themselves from. On the other side of these stereotypes, however, are the depictions of Blacks as an “Aunt Jemima” or “Uncle Tom.” On one hand we have these oversexed, violent depictions of Black men and women, but on the other, we have sexless, obedient, nurturing portrayals of African Americans. Aunt Jemima, the black woman on the front of pancake boxes represents this stereotype. She is the mammy figure commonly depicted in older films such as Gone With The Wind. Uncle Tom is the male version of Aunt Jemima, who is typically portrayed as a White sympathizer and a submissive. Patton argues that an African American character on Ally McBeal is depicted as an Uncle Tom. She also examines the way in which Asian women are stereotypically portrayed. One of the characters on the show embodies the stereotype of Asian fantasy women—a seductive temptress and an skilled in eroticism.


Advertising In Black and White: How and Why Perceptions of Difference Shape Magazine Advertising

By Cheraine Stanford

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This article looks at how advertisements in magazines differ depending on the target audience. Specifically, the paper examines the differences between advertisements for the same products in two comparable magazines for middle-upper class young women. The first magazine, Glamour, has an audience mainly consisting of White women, whereas the second magazine, Essence, has an audience mainly consisting of Black women. The author of this article looked at the type of advertisers who employ target advertising, the ways in which they change ads to reach a Black audience, and what the consequences are. Today, advertisers try to avoid racist representations of Blacks. However, according to the author, that does not mean advertisers do not depict Blacks stereotypically, rather, they simply depict ethnic minorities in more implicit and moderate ways. Moreover, some stereotypes of minorities are so embedded in American society, that advertisers view many representations of Blacks as natural or “normal.” For example, Neutrogena ads in Glamour and Essence are very different. The advertisements in Glamour market face cleansers and healthy skin-make-up, whereas ads in Essence market body oil. Part of the text in the Neutrogena body oil ad reads: “you’re feeling sensual, soft and silky.” This is a typical stereotype that Black women are extremely sensual and sexual, and it dates back to the beginning of media advertising. The author argues that these “associations of sensuality and sexuality with African American women are so ingrained that they seem natural.” So, Neutrogena advertisers may argue that it is only natural that black women would want to view an ad for body oil because it will only improve their continuing sexuality. The author contends that advertisers are not necessarily overtly racist, but they are simply trying to reach a Black audience. She argues the only way they know how to do so is by using popular stereotypes.


Where You Live and What You Watch: The Impact of Racial Proximity and Local television News on Attitudes about Race and Crime
By Franklin D. Gilliam Jr.; Nicholas A. Valentino; Mathew N. Beckmann

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This article examines the relationship between racial proximity and racially stereotypic crime news and attitudes about race and crime. The researchers found that when they were showed racial stereotypes in the local news, whites living in homogenous neighborhoods supported more punitive laws to deal with crime, communicated more negative stereotypes of Blacks, and felt more isolated from Blacks as a group. Whereas Whites from heterogeneous neighborhoods were either not influenced by the stereotypical depiction of blacks, or they went so far as to support less punitive crime laws, less negative stereotypes and felt closer to blacks as a group. Researchers attribute the reason for these differences in large part to the media. Today, the majority of racial groups are geographically segregated due to social, economic and political factors in society. So, White Americans who live in all white neighborhoods often lack direct, personal everyday encounters with ethnic minorities. Thus, they frequently depend on “whatever information they may have at their disposal” (757). This information is commonly acquired from media reports, specifically from local television news, which has become the main source of public affairs information. Moreover, the researchers of this article explain that local television reports are often dependent on “crime news script” in which minorities are portrayed as the violent perpetrators and Whites are depicted as the innocent victims. It only makes sense then, that if many Whites are relying heavily on local television news to provide them with information about non-Whites, they are more likely to produce negative stereotypes and support more punitive regulations against minorities.


The Portrayal of Race, Ethnicity and Nationality in Television International Athletic Events
By Don Sabo, Sue Curry Jansen, Danny Tate, Margaret Carlisle Duncan and Susan Leggett.

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This study examines the way in which American television depicts athletes of various race and ethnicity when covering international sporting events. The researchers looked at stories, metaphors, production practices and framing methods and whether they differed based on the race, ethnicity or nationality of athletes. The study analyzed various international sporting events between 1988 and 1993; these events include the Olympic Games, the Pan American Games, and the Goodwill Games.
The researchers of this study found varying results. First, they found that sports productions tried to present racially unbiased treatment of all athletes. Sports television producers and comments seemed to make an attempt to treat athletes equally, even though their efforts were not always successful. There were several visual images during the events showing racial and cultural diversity, such as a black athlete kissing a medal, an Asian runner, and a white female gymnast. Moreover, producers chose athletes to be interviewed from a variety of different races and ethnic backgrounds. The researchers did not find a relationship between the race and ethnicity of the athlete and the probability of the athletes being interviewed.
Furthermore, researchers’ analysis shows that Black athletes were not depicted negatively. Blacks were less likely than any other racial or ethnic groups to be discussed in terms of their physical attributes. Actually, Black athletes overall were the least likely to be negatively viewed and discussed by commentators. The authors of this article believe that many media professionals have reacted to previous criticisms of negative treatment of blacks. Sports television producers and commentators have developed a “heightened sensitivity, maybe even a guardedness” when it comes to negative depictions of Black athletes.
However, the researchers did find that Asian athletes were frequently represented stereotypically. Commentators often referred to Asian athletes’ as unemotional traditionalists who are very hard-workers and obsessed with achieving success. Asian athletes were much more likely to be discussed in terms of their physical characteristics than Black or White athletes. Moreover, the researchers also discovered that although Hispanic athletes were represented positively, it was normally in physical terms. It seemed that commentators, like with Black athletes, were more aware of discussing Hispanics in a positive light; however, like Asian athletes, commentators were significantly more likely to discuss Hispanics’ physical attributes than Black or Whites’ physical attributes.
The authors of this article also point out that ethnic minorities were significantly underrepresented as sports commentators. Although racial and ethnic minorities were frequently shown as athletes, there were far more White commentators than minority commentators. The researchers also discussed that the television reporting indicated a National Bias. In some ways, it seems only natural when reporting at international sporting events to take more pride in your nation. However, the researchers discovered some disturbing bias. For example, when commentators talked about athletes from Communist or former Communist countries, they often described these athletes as cheaters, machine-like, merciless and unemotional; whereas athletes from the U.S. and from countries allied with the U.S. were depicted as warm, fair and compassionate.


“Black Male” Imagery and Media Containment of African American Men
By Helan E. Page

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This article argues that many of our beliefs about the competence and ability of “black males” come from the portrayal of African American men in the local and national media. The author contends that black male imagery is viewed through the “whiteness of our natural seeing I/eye”, meaning the national media is influenced and run by white people (106). When the imagery is filtered through this White eye, it guides the national audience to associate black men’s physical appearance and behavior with negative stereotypes. This in turn, protects and reinforces white privilege.


Conclusion
It seems to me that even today, in a supposed era of “equality,” the media continues to represent ethnic minorities negatively, and whites as the dominant norm in society. Since the media is such an influential mechanism in shaping people’s ideas of what or who is accepted in society, this institution must take responsibility for its actions. Even though ratings soar for local television news stations to show “crime news script” of violent black men and innocent white victims, the stations must look at the damage it is creating by producing stereotypes and racisms. Moreover, the audience must take responsibility for their passivity in accepting the ideals the media spouts.