Tuesday 23 November 2010

Alternative representations of obese people in different cultures

Q9. Does the representation of your group vary in texts from different cultures and from different institutions in different countries (do they perhaps offer an alternative or oppositional representation)? If so why may this be the case? If not, why not?

In many ways, the representation of obese people varies from different cultures, as evident in The Biggest Loser, which constructs obese people as being lazy, yet active in wanting to be more thinner and are mentally confident.

Though, in both the US and the UK , in particular, obesity is common amongst the working classes, as families are more obese, with children from working class families being more 'heavier' than other children.

However, in the US, obese people are negatively represented, as being lazy, with the common stereotype of the Southern American being more laid back and lazy. In contrast to the UK, the groups such as Black Americans, Latinos and the poor are marginalised for being more lazy and obese as a result of not exercising

Audience consumption of obesity related media texts

Q8. Now consider the issues of consumption by an audience and production (e.g. supply and demand). Other than political reasons, why might it be that such representations exist?

Such representations may exist , due to the fact that the audience is interested in watching factual programming which cites important social concerns in the media, such as obesity. Therefore, by constructing factual prgramme which represents obese people as being lazy and unfit, audiences have scopohilic pleasures in watching interesting documentaries and relaity shows such as The Biggest Loser.

As well as this, these negative representations may exist, in order to reflect society, in the fact, that audiences seem to be affected by advertising and a more relaxed lifestyle, which is evidentyl shown in thier physical appearance. Yet, these representations are accurate, as they inform audiences of the health risks of obeesity and the fact that it is such a major concern.

Monday 22 November 2010

Audience reception of obesity texts

Q7. How might the target audience respond to and/ or be affected by the representation of your group in your chosen texts?

The Biggest Loser

The audience might have negotiated readings with the text, as they, like the competitiors on the show aspire to be thin. Therefore, the audience might have negotiated readings with the competitiors, as they are enduring physical and mental pain, in order to achieve thier goal.

In effect, the readings are important, as the audience can accept these stereotypes and give positive representations of obese people as being confident individuals who aspire to be slim.

Supersize vs Superskinny

In this programme, the audience have intentional readings with the obese characters who are instructed to try to eat healthy food such as salads, vegetable soups, smoothies and a host of healthy food.

By having an intended reading,the audience can identify with the obese person, as he/ she goes on a journey to try and become slimmer. Also, the audience can witness and get useful advice, such as dieting tips on how to become healthier by watching the programme.

Panorama: Taxing the Fat

In contrast to the other texts, the audience are intended to have oppositional readings against obesity, as it is a moral panic, due to the constant news stories on obesity and the number of people who are obese in the UK. Therefore, governments in UK and the US intend to solve this crisis, as it is ranked as the number 1 health concern in the UK and will need to be financially controlled, through the use of medical treatments.

Therefore, the documentary signfies how obesity needs to be controlled, by using different methods such as imposing taxes on junk food, which would, to some extent cut obesity by a huge amount.

Primary target audiences for the media texts

Q6. Who are the primary target audience for each of your three media texts and how do you know?

The Biggest Loser US/UK

Male/ Female Audience

Both sexes are trying to lose weight, therefore a male and female audience could identify with the competitors who are trying physically to become thin. In addition, the programme would appeal to aspirers ,as they seek to be more thinner, therefore the programme fulfills audience expectations, as the show is based around losing weight

Supersize vs Superskinny

Female Audience

This programme is mainly aimed toward a female audience, as women tend to be more concerned about their beauty and body, therefore females would tend to watch the show , as it represents obese people negatively, as they are compulsive eaters. Though, the show gives dieting tips on how to become thinner by altering your lifestyle.


Panorama : Taxing the Fat

Male and Female adults

The show features an insight into junk food,with interviews with obese families and obese people such as teenage girls and men, which would enable a male and female audience to identify with them. This documentary intends to inform the audience on the dangers of junk food and the fact that it causes health problems

Historical Representations of obese people

Q5. Consider if your group of people have always been represented the same way or has it changed over time?

In regards to history, obese people have been negatively represented, as signified in the early 1990s, with television shows such as Family Guy and the Simpsons. In these shows, Homer Simpson and Peter Griffin are alternatively represented as being immature, unhealthy and foolish.

Though, in the 2000s, obese people seemed to be positively represented as being more professional, as people such as Eamon Holmes, Fern Britton, Johnny Vegas , James Corden and many other obese celebrities have managed to be accepted in society and are hugely successful in the media. Therefore, there has been a change in the representation of obese people since the 1990s, as obese people are successful across the media and seem to be accepted in society for who they are.

However, the global concern of obesity , has resulted in a moral panic in society, as people are worried about the effects of obesity and the fact that millions of people are dying. In accordance, society is more health conscious, as the government is trying to solve the problem of obesity which is estimated to cost 9.1bn to treat obesity, as over a million people in the UK are obese.

Alternative representations of obese people

Q4. Is there evidence or any alternative representations of this group of people in the media, perhaps in different genres? If not, why do you think this is the case?

In terms of obese people in the media, obese people are represented as being quite intelligent and successful, yet they are ridiculed for being overweight, as signified in Family Guy, with Peter Griffin being immature and foolish. Similarly, Homer Simpson is also negatively represented as the fool, who is very irrational.

However, obese people are positively represented across the media,with Eamon Holmes and Fern Britton being successful in the broadcast platform. Though, in terms of comedy, obese people such as Matt Lucas, Johnny Vegas, James Corden are hugely successful . This shows that obese people in the media are not entirely represented negatively and can enable audiences to identify with them, as they are like role models However, the fact that these comedians are white males, signifies how the hegemonic structures seem to represent white people as being more successful, in contrast to ethnic minorities who comprise a small percentage of obese comedians.


Institutions and the representation of obesity and obese people

Q2. What institutions are responsible for the production of your media texts?

Panorama: Tax the Fat, BBC might represent obese people differently to a commercial channel, as the issue is a more political issue which needs to be resolved. As obesity is the number 1 health concern in the UK, the government is finding ways to cut the levels of obesity, as many people are dying rapidly.

Though, commercial channels seem to maintain the status quo of negatively representing obese people. Shows such as The Biggest Loser on ITV seems to degrade obese people as being comical, as the audience have scopophilic pleasures in watching obese people suffer,which has generally been accepted in the media.


Q3. What other reasons might there be for why your group of people/place is represented the way it is?

In regards to the hegemonic structures, obese people are often misrepresented in documentaries and reality television shows such as The Biggest Loser, as they are ridiculed and rejected as being weaker and ugly , which may not be the case in society.

Though, the constant exposure of obesity being a serious concern is signified in the news, therefore, obese people may be negatively represented as being undesirable due to thier weight issues.

Generally, magazines perpetuate the idea of obese people being ugly, as magazine institutions airbrush models to look more appealing to the audience. Therefore, obese people are often misrepresented, as they are rejected in the media for being overwieght.

Tuesday 16 November 2010

Representation of obese people and obesity in the media

Q1. How is your group of people represented typically in the media? Explore specifically how the representations are constructed.

Within the media, obese people seem to be victimised, as signified in TV documentaries, as they are trying to overcome their weight problems and admit their abuse at being 'fat'. Though much of the blame is on the media, due to the fact that "the proliferation of television channels are causing obesity, particularly in children". Therefore, advertising is mostly to blame, as adverts for fast food are shown during prime time television.

Generally, "obese people are ostracized or expelled from fictional formats/ platforms such as magazine advertising"." Obese and overweight characters tended to be unattractive , unpopular and unsuccessful" As a result, magazine companies seem to airbrush models to make them look thin and refrain from using people that look fat or unattractive.

Interestingly, an experiment was carried out at Yale University , where students were asked to rank pictures of hypothetical sexual partners that included an obese partner or partners with various disabilities - including missing an arm or described as having history of sexually transmitted diseases. They ranked the obese person as the least desirable sexual partner compared to the others. This shows how obese people are unattractive and the fact that they are marginalised in society as being undesirable.

To some extent, "... the only place on television where they see bodies similar to their own is on shows where the entire cast is trying to be thin", this therefore suggests that shows such as The Biggest Loser seem promote the perception that "obesity is caused by individual failure rather than a mixture of the individual, the environment and genetic sources..."

In regards to Cohen and moral panic, "obese people are treated as 'folk devils' who violate societal values of self control". This idea supports the idea of people as being unattractive and selfish, as they are ignorant .

Though, the media seems to have a "focus on the individual rather more than structural obesity causes and solutions, especially when discussing African Americans, the poor, which suggests that the issue of obesity and inequality is based on race , ethnicity and class, as it reinforces prejudice based on body size".

Monday 15 November 2010

Representation Case Study: Obesity in the media

The representation of obese people and obesity in TV documentaries and related texts such as magazines

For my representation case study, I chose to focus on obesity in media, especially across the platforms of broadcast and print. Interestingly, I decided to focus on this group, as the media is seemingly concerned with the growing levels of people becoming overweight. As a result, there is a growing moral panic of obesity being on the rise, with a host of documentaries such as Tax the Fat , Super Size vs Super Skinny , The Biggest Loser focusing on obesity and how groups such as children are growing obese.

In conjunction to my study, I have identified theorists such as
Nick Lacey, who focused on image and representation. Lacey will be a useful in order to focus on the image of obese people in magazines and documentaries. As well as Lacey, I have chosen to use Richard Dyer, who focused in role of stereotypes, in order to research how obese people are stereotyped as being ugly in gossip magazines and documentaries. Though, a crucial theorist which I will refer to is Stanley Cohen, who is prominent for his theory on moral panic. Cohen's theory will be used in the case study, as I will focus on how audiences are worried due to the constant mediation of obesity in the news and across other platforms, with documentaries on Channel 4 showing the dangers of obesity.

Monday 1 November 2010

Alternative representation of women in hip hop genre



Janet Jackson ft Missy Elliot- Son of a Gun (2001)

In this particular video, there are alternative representations of women which go against the stereotypical representations of women as subordinates and sex objects in hip hop music videos. The title of the song 'Son of a Gun' has connotations of sex and infidelity and revolves around women who are getting their own back on men for being promiscuous and unfaithful.

The low angle shot of the man in the opening of the video connotes male oppression, as Janet Jackson is seemingly being more intimidating, as signified through the use of a high angle shot, which also connotes her dominant status. In many ways, women in this video are dominant , due to their clothing and gestures and are constructed to be more androgynous

The use of the long shot connotes female power, as Janet Jackson is towering over the man which connotes power and is an alternative representation to women in other hip hop videos, as they seem to jirate around the men and are constructed to appear more seductive in order to raise the scopophilic pleasures of the male audience. However, this video is constructed in order to include the female gaze, as a female audience are seemingly encouraged to get pleasure out of being the dominant sex in this video.

The use of the long shot of Missy Elliot rising on top of the lion connotes female dominance, as the lion is iconic as being a symbol of masculinity. However, the lion is subordinated by Missy Elliot who is more dominant instead of the lion. Whats more, the fact that Missy Elliot is wearing a leather suit , signifies how she is more androgynous as she is more aggressive in terms of her rapping and is more assertive, as signified when she is swaying in a shot. In contrast to other videos, Missy Elliot and Janet Jackson are dressed more masculine. The use of the leather jeans are seemingly fetishized, as they are a symbol of sexual malice and arouse erotic pleasures out of a male audience. However the other women are wearing more revealing clothes and are more predatory, as signified in a close up shot of the women getting out from the sofa.

Missy Elliot is more dominant in this video, as her facial expressions are more resolute and are more intimidating as she is attacking men for being unfaithful and promiscuous. The use of close up shots signify her dominance, as well as her appearance which is androgynous, as she is moving like a rapper and has masculine traits.

On the contrary, men are negatively represented as being promiscuous, as signified with the over the shoulder shot, where the computer monitor reads, 'You're a pig'. Therefore men are subordinated due to their sexual promiscuity. Also, the long shot of the man emerging from the toilet connotes how men are objectified as being worthless and adulterous. The use of the low key lighting connotes how the man is being victimised by his girlfriend after having an affair and shows how he is trapped.

The use of the prop, in the form of a baseball bat is a phallic symbol, as Janet Jackson comes out of the lift in a medium shot with a bat which shows her power over the man. However, the long shot of Janet Jackson walking seductively connotes female seduction and could raise sexual gratifications from a male audience, as she is seemingly tempting the audience to have sex with her. The fact that she is wearing a short top raises scopophilic pleasures out of a male audience, as her stomach is fetishized , which most men would be attracted at.

The tracking shot follows the man as he tries to escape from Janet Jackson. This therefore connotes how women are in control and are dominant, as the men are the victims. The use of the medium shot of Janet Jackson breaking the water dispenser gives women an alternative representation as being violent and strong. As mentioned before, Janet Jackson is more androgynous, as she has physical power which would be stereotypical of men in hip hop videos, as they are strong and assert their physique in that sense.

The use of the dialogue signifies how women are getting their 'revenge' at men as they have cheated on women and are seemingly paying the price. In accordance, the use of the long shot of the other women wearing lingerie seemingly subordinates women. However, the reverse shot of the array of women connotes how the man is more vulnerable as he is intimidated by the women who are constructed as being predators, as signified by the way they are walking and looking intently at the man. Further on in the video, the man is being lifted unnaturally in the air by the women, which connotes how men are puppets who are being controlled by women who have been cheated.

The low angle shot of the man being hanged on the gate signifies the women's power in this video, as he is dragged up onto the gate by force which shows he is trapped by the women. Though, the low angle shot of the man being dragged connotes how he is subordinated in the video, whereas in other hip hop videos the men would be fetishised and be more dominant. The female audience would have negotiated readings with the video, as men are being punished for their infidelity by women, who are more dominant. Though, men could have oppositional readings to the video, as it undermines men and raises strong feminist messages, as men are inferior.


Near the end of the video, the same long shot at the beginning of the video of Janet Jackson on top of the man is used, which reiterates the ideologies of the song which are based on promiscuity and the fact that men are subordinated, as they are adulterous and are unfaithful to their wives and girlfriends. In contrast to other hip hop videos, women have the upper hand and are not stereotyped as being sex objects for the male gaze. Instead, the video responds to how women are cheated by men and seemingly get away with being more promiscuous.

1,024 words