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Media Representation of the Under-Represented Communities and its Impacts

Dilasha Shrestha

Dallas College

HUMA-1302

10/10/2021

Media Portrayal of the Minority Communities and its Impacts

I. INTRODUCTION

a) Individuals in the U. S and globally spend most of their time accessing the content in different forms of media ranging from televisions to newspapers to social media.

b) Therefore, the way the media portrays issues strongly influences how individuals perceive them (Yuen, 2019).

c) Statistics indicate significant bias in how the media portrays minority communities compared to other populations like white communities (Lemish & Johnson, 2019).

d) They are presented as less significant individuals whose understanding of issues is wanting, and their influence on different societal matters is inconsequential (Tukachinsky et al., 2017).

e) This aspect contributes to the way other individuals perceive and treat this under-represented population.

II. THESIS: The minority communities are portrayed by the media as an insignificant group of individuals whose perceptions of significant issues are inferior; hence, their influence on significant social matters is inconsequential. This has contributed to the prevalence of vices against the population, including stereotyping, discrimination, sexism, and homophobia.

III. ARGUMENTS THAT SUPPORT THE THESIS

a) The media depicts individuals from the under-represented communities are less learned and therefore unqualified to handle significant positions in the community (Yuen, 2019).

1) In films and movies, they are given minor or derogatory roles such as servants, maids, prisoners, or criminals (UCLA College Social Science, 2020).

2) The media also creates documentaries and productions that portray them as abusers of illicit substances and uneducated individuals who need help.

3) The depictions negatively impact the individuals from the communities when they seek employment opportunities or promotions in their workplaces because of the stereotyping that makes them seem incompetent (Jackson, 2019).

b) The individuals who work in prominent positions in the media are often from marginalized communities, creating the impression that those from minority communities cannot perform these significant roles (Lemish & Johnson, 2019).

1) Most of the news anchors in television networks are often male, white individuals. Only a tiny percentage comes from minority communities such as women, African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics, and members of the LBTQ community (Mastro, 2017).

2) Media producers are also from the majority of communities.

3) The small percentage of individuals from minority communities decreases their power in the industry and their ability to solicit for their rights, increasing their chances of being discriminated against. It opens doors for vices such as racism and sexism.

c) The terms used about the individuals from the minority communities in the media portray them negatively and demonizes race relations in society. These triggers stereotyping of members of the community, discrimination against, sexist trends, and homophobia.

1) The use of a term such as “negroes” and its association with the era of slavery makes the Black community members seem less powerful, hence predisposing them to discrimination and racisms (Tukachinsky et al., 2017).

2) The use of terms such as “immigrants” to refer to individuals of the under-represented communities such as Hispanics links them to unemployment and criminality; hence contributes to the formation of negative stereotypes against them.

3) The use of terms such as “bitch” to refer to women creates a negative perception about them and increases and predisposes them to sexism. It makes them appear unintelligent and incapable of making wise decisions (Tukachinsky et al., 2017).

4) The use of words such as individuals with deviant sexual behaviors to allude to members of the LGBTQ group creates hostilities against them, increasing the chances of their being stereotyped, promoting homophobia, and encouraging discriminatory practices against them.

IV. FACTUAL CONTENT THAT CONTRADICTS THE ARGUMENT

a) There are legal stipulations that have been instigated to protect all individuals; hence, individuals from minority communities cannot be discriminated against.

1) The Civil Rights Act created in 1964 ensures that all individuals get the same entitlements in workplaces (Mastro, 2017).

b) There are prominent media personalities who are from minority communities. Also, there are productions such as films where the main actors or actresses are from minority communities.

V. IMPORTANCE OF THE TOPIC

a) The negative influences of media portrayals of members of the minority groups have adverse effects on the individuals from the communities.

1) It promotes inequalities hence decreases their chances of getting significant opportunities such as well-paying employment, educations, healthcare services, and leadership positions (UCLA College Social Science, 2020).

2) It increases their chances of being harmed by lowering their self-esteem and making them subjects of ridicule and hostilities (Jackson, 2019).

b) Discussion of the topic increases awareness about the negative trends in society, hence stimulating individuals to respond to it.

1) It promotes the initialization of advocacy programs to solicit for their entitlements (Mastro, 2017).

2) It is vital in promoting policy changes to include clauses that promote the wellbeing of individuals from minority communities.

VI. CONSEQUENCES OF DOING NOTHING

a) The negative portrayal of members of the minority community will continue with negative results such as:

1) An increase of abusive tendencies against individuals from the minority communities will experience a rise in domestic violence cases, abuse of members of the LGBTQ communities, and discrimination of the populations in the workplaces (Tukachinsky et al., 217).

2) The economy of the country will be affected. The infliction of injuries to the individuals will increase the countries healthcare burden. Subsequently, the individuals from the community will not utilize their competencies in the workplace optimally (Yuen, 2019).

VII. CONSEQUENCES OF DOING SOMETHING

a) There will be equality in society which will eradicate negative social trends such as

1) Discrimination of the individuals from minority communities in public places such as schools, healthcare facilities, and workplaces (Yuen, 2019)

2) Violence against the individuals

b) The individuals from the community will be more empowered because of the opportunities available to them hence:

1) They will have well-paying jobs and desist from engaging in illegal activities and using addictive substances, which are actions precipitated by abject poverty.

2) The individuals will have more opportunities to serve in leadership positions, hence advocating for the entitlement of members of their groups (UCLA College Social Science, 2020).

VIII. CONCLUSION

a) The media often portrays members of minority groups negatively

b) This representation has negative impacts on the population.

c) Although some individuals may refuse this claim, it should be addressed because failing to act has adverse consequences in society and the entire country.

References

Jackson, J. M. (2019). Black Americans and the “crime narrative”: comments on the use of news frames and their impacts on public opinion formation. Politics, Groups, and Identities, 7(1), 231-241. https://doi.org/10.1080/21565503.2018.1553198

Lemish, D., & Johnson, C. R. (2019). The landscape of children’s television in the US & Canada. New York, NY: The Center for Scholars and Storytellers. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c0da585da02bc56793a0b31/t/5cb8ce1b15fcc0e19f3e16b9/1555615269351/The+Landscape+of+Children%27s+TV.pdf

Mastro, D. (2017). Race and ethnicity in US media content and effects. In Oxford research encyclopedia of communication. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.122

Tukachinsky, R., Mastro, D., & Yarchi, M. (2017). The effect of prime-time television ethnic/racial stereotypes on Latino and Black Americans: A longitudinal national level study. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 61(3), 538-556. https://doi.org/10.1080/08838151.2017.1344669

UCLA College Social Science. (2020). Hollywood Diversity Report, 2020. Retrieved from https://socialsciences.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/UCLA-Hollywood-Diversity-

Yuen, N. W. (2019). How Racial Stereotypes in Popular Media Affect People- and What Hollywood can do to Become More Inclusive. Retrieved from https://scholars.org/contribution/how-racial-stereotypes-popular-media-affect-people-and-