This document provides guidance for a homework assignment to analyze the representation of teens in two media texts. Students are instructed to choose one or two contemporary programs/films, watch them and take notes, then write 3-4 paragraphs analyzing how teens are represented in terms of narratives, discourses, ideologies, and stereotypes. A second section involves 1-2 paragraphs analyzing the intended audience in terms of size, engagement, offerings, and positioning. Questions are provided under each section to help guide the analysis.

1. This was a homework I set to investigate the representation of teens in two media texts. If
you didn’t do it, you should: this is the basis of your case study.
Exploring representations of teens in…………….
Pick one or two programmes/ films
At least one MUST be contemporary (last few years)
You might compare to something older
Watch and make notes/ analyse.
Use the questions below to help.
Write 3-4 paragraphs for the first section of questions.
Write 1 (or 2) paragraphs for the second section
Section 1 – Analysing the representations
 What narratives and discourses of teenhood are constructed by…? (narratives = what
teenagers do; discourses = the language of teenagers (what they speak about; the
topics they are concerned with; how they speak)
o E.g. Skins constructs narratives and discourses of sex, drugs, incompetent
parents, hedonism, self-hate, homosexuality…
 How are teens represented?
 How are teens represented as homogenous/ heterogenous? Is their a singularity or
plurality in the representation?
 What ideologies are constructed around teens?
 Are stereotypical representations perpetuated/ used/ challenged in the programme/
film?
 Are the representations hegemonic representations? (Do they reinforce conventional
views of teens? Do they reinforce the dominant ideology?) Or do they construct an
alternative/ subversive representation?
 How could these terms be adapted or used to explore the representation: conformity;
‘cult of femininity’; false sisterhood; socialisation; solidarity and unity; fragmented;
constructed certitude?
 Is the representation positive/ negative?
 Does the representation create/ exploit people’s fears about teenagers? (Moral Panics/
Folk Devils)
 Are the teens represented as victims?
 How is sexuality/ gender/ race/ social tribe/ consumerism/ ambition/ society
represented as being central to teen identity?
Section 2 – Analysing the Audience
 Who is the audience?
 How wide/ big is the audience?
 How are audiences actively engaging with the programme? (Find out about fansites/
fan-art/ fan-fiction)
 How does the programme encourage audience engagement?
 Are there other media products/ spin-offs/ merchandise that audiences can use to ‘buy
in’ to the brand/ the programme?
 What does the programme offer audiences? How does it offer identification/
aspiration/ escapism/ socialisation?
 Is the audience niche or mass? Is it mainstream or alternative?
 How does the programme position the audience? Does it speak directly to them? Does it
use irony? Does it
 How do audiences respond to the messages/ ideologies of the text?