Moral panics occur when the media uses a scapegoat to explain an issue, manipulating audiences into believing the issue has been solved by controlling the scapegoats. This follows a typical cycle: a crisis occurs and is reported, the public becomes sensitive to the issue and deviants are blamed as scapegoats, experts amplify the threat, public panic ensues, and the government takes counteractive measures against the deviants while rarely solving the real problem. Examples include video nasties, dangerous dogs, and Islamicphobia. The video nasties panic in the 1980s saw films blamed for crimes and censored despite rarely being the cause.

1. AUDIENCES KEY CONCEPTS IN MEDIA- MORAL PANICS

2. MORAL PANICS What is a Moral Panic? Moral Panics are cyclical in motion, they are when the Media use a scapegoat to explain an issue and through various methods of manipulation they persuade their audience- “the masses” to believe that the issue has been discovered and solved by controlling the scapegoats. Disproportionate reactions by public to a media reporting are seen as endangering social values therefore solutions must be seen to be found in order to prevent MASS HYSTERIA.

3. MORAL PANICS A Crisis or event happens And is reported in the Media SENSIFICATION: The Public become sensitive To the issue WITCH HUNT: Deviants In society are found and Become folk devils/ Scapegoats for the issue. AMPLIFICATION: Primary Definers-Drs, Scotland Yard, BBFC, Government add definition to The issue of the deviant, it now Appears to be FACT! PANIC: The deviant issue Is escalated; the original Problem disguised. There is Panic in general public. COUNTER-ACTION: Government/ Legislation/ Punishment is agreed on to Take action against the Deviants.

4. MORAL PANICS Moral Panics are cyclical because the REAL PROBLEM is very rarely solved. The “Deviants” are usually not the be all and end all of the issue therefore it is able to happen over and over again.

5. MORAL PANICS Examples of Moral Panics: -AIDS -Dangerous Dogs -Video Nasties -Islamicphobia -”Hoodies” -Mad Cow Disease -Anthrax

6. MORAL PANICS CASE STUDY: VIDEO NASTIES 1980s- Video became available for the first time. Uncensored, people wanted things on video they couldn’t see at the cinema. Mary Whitehouse (a religious UK pensioner) started up the National Viewers and Listeners Association, originally in order to call for a clean up of TV and then moved on to the video nasties. People were made to believe that the poverty and strikes they suffered under Thatcherism were no longer issues, no…the cause of all their problems was the video nasties. The Department of Obscene Publications, Scotland Yard assisted in the campaign to collect all of the 36 “official” video nasties, raiding video stores and prosecuting store owners.

7. MORAL PANICS CASE STUDY: VIDEO NASTIES It appeared the Video Nasties had been washed away. But then in 1993 the phrase returned to the Press with the Jamie Bulger case when two young boys were convicted of his murder. The film Child’s Play 3 was blamed for their crime as Jon Venebales’ (one of the young boys) Dad was known to have rented the film. The judge said that “although it was not for him to pass judgement on their upbringing he suspected exposure to violent video film may, in part, be an explanation.” Again in 2007 the Korean film Oldboy was blamed for influencing Cho Seung-Hui’s killings at Virginia Tech. Many of the newspaper headlines mentioned his “mimicking”. Later in 2007 the video game Manhunt 2 was banned for it’s extreme and unnecessary violent content after the 1 st video game had instigated similar video nasty rumours.

8. MORAL PANICS TERMINOLOGY CHECK: Primary Definer- Someone with standing in the community who’s words can generally be taken as proof for example Drs, Politicians, Lawyers, BBFC etc…. Scapegoat- Someone who is blamed for an event, but did not necessarily do it. Deviant- Someone who is seen as being no good to society or trouble. Sometimes just someone who is over looked in society and doesn’t seem to contribute in a positive manner to society. Witch Hunt- The process of hunting down the “deviants” in society and finding out who they are. Amplification- The process of over exaggerating an issue and making sure everyone knows about it. Like amplifying sound- making it louder. Cyclical- Something that goes in a circular motion- never ending.

9. MORAL PANICS EXERCISES: 1. Put the 6 stages of a moral panic in the right order: AMPLIFICATION, CRISIS HAPPENS, COUNTER-ACTION, SENSIFICATION, PANIC, WITCH HUNT. 2. Can you spot the 6 different stages of a moral panic in the video nasty case study? Pick one of the moral panics listed as an example (not the video nasties) and try and identify the different stages and the scapegoats in that case. Can you think of any other things which may be Moral Panics? Try and fit your ideas into the formula.