Role of the Media in Portraying People in Realistic Ways - Essay Sample

The media impacts the image and stereotypes that are created by individuals in the larger society. The media has an ethical responsibility towards the viewers to ensure that there are realistic representations of the men as well as the women in the different models that are defined and identified. However, it is imperative to note that the media through entertainment, news and advertisement that is presented in newspapers and televisions creates stereotypes that identifies different qualities of men and women in the society. Whereas the men are elevated and given the responsibility in the society, the women are showcased as weak and are mainly placed in disadvantaged situations where they are given passive and submissive roles. The traditional roles by the society inform the models that are used by mass media in the society. The men and women are given individual roles that are a creation of the models and aspects that are created through the mass media. This paper aims at debunking and highlighting the importance of ensuring that the media conveys message that are aimed at depicting realistic aspects in the society.

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The media is critical in forming the peoples opinion, beliefs and attitudes towards a specific aspect in the society. The television is one of the most effective tools that forms the opinions, beliefs and attitudes by people in the society. It is therefore, critical to ensure that the models that are used meet the required standards and attributes that are needed in the society accordingly. Manhood is depicted through strength, fitness and courage. Masculinity is defined through specific concepts that elevate an individual who is fit to be a man in a society that defines the men through their strength and capability (Katz 351). The strongest and most handsome people in movies take up the leading roles in most of the television cast. The men also get the most beautiful women a factor that forms the masculinity of an individual. These stereotypes that are formed by the society, defined what a man is supposed to be and impact the decisions made by the young boys in their lives. The boys look to become the action figures and are in most cases impacted by the models that are adopted by the individuals in these societies. The boys are also more likely to join sports teams and engage in different activities that are aimed at exemplifying their masculinity in the society.

On the other hand, most of the shows, movies and pictures on magazines showcase women as fragile, caring, emotionally drawn people who require the protection of the men in their lives. Women are presented as weak and in most cases are involved in gruesome murder or kidnapping that requires a man to rescue them (Croteau and Williams 52). The women are also valued for their sexuality and are mostly based in the confines of their homes. Mass media has managed to exemplify the women as impotent in handling the dangers in the world, thereby requiring the help of the men to ensure that they are protected. Whereas the men are in most cases presented while working outdoors and tackling the dangers of the world the women are drawn to the confines of their homes. It is therefore, critical to ensure the models that are presented are not stereotypical since the media has a responsibility towards its people making it critical to ensure that the models used are realistic (Katz 350). The unattractive men are intelligent and remarkable and are in most cases attracted to the action figures. These are stereotypes that end up being a norm that is formed across the society making the creators of the movies and shows to showcase the people in these ways.

The media needs to support realistic and conventional aspects that are drawn from a point of reality and not fictional models based on unrealistic tendencies. The media needs to adopt and develop programs that showcase the strength of the women and compound the issue of masculinity in the society. There is a need to ensure that the models adopted are not derived from a point of inclined preferences, but from accurate and realistic models. It is imperative to note that, as much as the media is to blame for forming these stereotypes the society is to blame for advancing it. The shows that have the highest ratings and are highly sorted after are shows where the stereotypical references are used(Dyer 250). The mass media has no option but to give the people what they expect from the media since it promotes their sales. It is therefore critical to establish the best models and aspects that are meant to give and develop better models. The media needs to play its part in developing realistic models that should also be accepted and developed by the society as well.

Annotated Bibliography

Collins, Rebecca L. "Content analysis of gender roles in media: Where are we now and where should we go?." Sex Roles 64.3-4 (2011): 290-298.

Summary: The article by Collins highlights the different aspects of gender roles in the society through the media. The author asserts that the media through the different stereotypes formed by the society makes the distinctions and forms models based on these stereotypes. There are different models that are represented that are all in line with the inclinations and beliefs of the gender roles represented. The paper assesses the different aspects of the media in its representation of the present aspects and the direction that the media is moving towards changing these aspects.

Assessment: The article is informative and helps in identifying a pattern and model that is being adopted by the society. Since it assess the content of the present and future models that are being adopted in the society, it offers a good model and aspect that is critical in giving the society and the people a way forward.

Reflection: the article highlights the different aspects in the society and how they have shaped the present and future aspects in the media. It is a well-articulated article since it offers the reader with an in-depth of important aspects and concepts in the society. It compares the society stereotypes to the media and offers a basis for the models that have been used between the two organs in informing the society concepts. There are different models that can be used and the forecast to the future with an examination of the present and the past is a good way towards achieving these models.

De Bruin, Marjan. "Gender and newsroom cultures." Media and gender: a scholarly agenda for the Global Alliance on Media and Gender (2014): 49.

Summary: The article by De Bruin offers an insight on the gender and newsroom cultures that are developed by individuals in these models. It highlights the important models of the media and gender in the society creating a working model that is critical in the society. The gender and newsroom cultures are defined and developed in the society through distinctively assessing the roles of the men and women at the newsroom. The roles of men and women are differentiated at the newsroom that offers an understanding to the different principles adopted by individuals in different cultural models.

Assessment: The article offers an insightful view and model that is critical at establishing the best working principle and model that is born out of individual aspects and models in the society. It is an indicative review and model that is particularly important in understanding and evaluating societal structures and models accordingly.

Reflection: In comparison to the source above the article offers a complementary analysis and basis for understanding and reviewing important aspects in the society. It is critical in highlighting how the society apportions roles depending on the gender and how the roles are distributed through the gender roles identified accordingly.

England, Dawn Elizabeth, Lara Descartes, and Melissa A. Collier-Meek. "Gender role portrayal and the Disney princesses." Sex roles 64.7-8 (2011): 555-567.

Summary: Disney is a company that its main target market is the children therefore, the article highlights the portrayal of gender in different movies produced by the company. The article highlights the importance of forming a proper basis that can be emulated by the children and the different aspects as highlighted by Disney world. In the article, the princesses and the gender roles of the women are addressed with the different stereotypical aspects in these films highlighted. It is therefore, an important article that gives information on the beliefs and attributes that can be derived and modelled in the case of princesses who are juxta positioned to the role of the prince in these films.

Assessment: the basis and model of the article is accurate since it draws examples from the different films that are highlighted in the film. There are different models and characters who are exemplified and identified in the film who are critical in deriving the roles as identified by the author. Princesses according to the author have forged the integral parts of the films and have been exemplified in a unique way that is critical in giving the best models for the article and model that has since been developed.

Reflection: the article offers a different perspective through giving the fundamental aspects that forge the stereotype that are formed by people in the society. The article highlights that through the models adopted there is a chance to create a working model that is in line with fundamental concepts and attributes that can be identified. It gives background information on how the presentation of princesses in these films form the stereotypes in the society.

Lindsey, Linda L. Gender roles: A sociological perspective. Routledge, 2015.

Summary: Lindsey assesses the gender roles as exemplified by the media from a sociological perspective. The book uses fundamental sociological theories in identifying the underlying aspects and models that can be represented in the society through the definition of gender roles. The book assesses the role that the society has to play in determining the models that are used by mass media in highlighting different aspects of gender in the society.

Assessment: the book identifies and helps in giving an insightful view on the underlying sociological concepts that need to be assessed. Depending on the issues and the different aspects of gender it highlights the important concepts that are needed in making the best models and attributes in the society. It is therefore, critical in establishing fundamental models and principles that are critical in giving the people a chance in the society.

Reflection: depending on the models and fundamental sociological aspects highlighted it is clear that the society defines the content aired through the media. Every society has its stereotypes and for the media to reach out to these individuals it needs to institute a working that is important in forming the best models and approaches in the society. The resource on sociological perspectives offers different dimensions and deeper understanding of the models and critical aspects that can be identified in peoples culture. It complements the other sources through giving a comprehensive view on the underlining principles and models that can be associated with individual models and attributes in the society.

Works Cited

Croteau, David, and William Hoynes. Media/Society: Industries, Images, and Audiences: Industries, Images, and Audiences. Sage Publications, 2013.

Dyer, Richard. "The role of stereotypes." Media studies: A reader (2000): 245-51.

Katz, Jackson. "Advertising and the construction of violent white masculinity." Gender, Race, and Class in the Media. A Text Reader (2003): 349-358.