The document discusses how different social classes are represented in British media. It analyzes representations of the upper class, middle class, working class, and those in poverty. The upper class is often portrayed through depictions of the monarchy and as cultured with estates. The middle class is overrepresented as educated and successful. The working class and poor are generally depicted in a negative stereotypical light as troubled or undeserving. Neo-Marxist perspectives argue that media representations reinforce social inequalities by celebrating hierarchy.

2. Social Classes?
• How many social classes are there?
• How would you describe them?

3. Working class
• Presented in the stereotypical context of
traditional working class communities such
Eastenders and Corrie, Shameless
• Community values often praised but do not
reflect reality,
• Working class communities have declined with
the collapse of traditional industries such as coal
mining,
• Often presented in the context of trouble,
undesirable welfare scroungers, unable to cope
with their delinquent children.

4. Upper class
• Mainly done through the coverage of the
monarchy,
• Seen as well bred and cultured,
• Represented through their accents, estates,
and a taste for shooting and hunting,
• Usually represented in costume and period
drama.

5. How does the media represent social
class ?
• Lack of focus on the tensions or class conflict
which exist within society and have been
highlighted by key sociological perspectives such
as Marxism
• Media through its representation of social class
ensures the cultural hegemony of the dominant
capitalist class which maintains inequality and
exploitation.

6. Nairn (1988) – Monarchy
• “Royal Family” concept = niceness, decency,
ordinariness,
• Royal family can be deemed to be “like us” but
“not like us” – the queen seen as ordinary
working mother doing extraordinary things,
• Obsession with the royal family develops
through the British society following WWII

7. Representations of the upper class and
wealth
• Neo-marxist believe that the mass media representations
of social class tend to be celebrate hierarchy and wealth,
• UK mass media never portrays the upper class in a critical
light,
• Upper classes usually portrayed in an eccentric or nostalgic
way.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwtZuGvawwY&featur
e=related

8. Reiner (2007) and Young (2007)
• Media tends to portray the UK as a meritocratic society
in which intelligence, talent and hard work are
rewarded;
• Neo Marxists argue that this concept of meritocracy is
in fact a myth as wealth rather than ability opens up
the doors and access to Oxbridge and top jobs;
• This supports Cohen and Young (1981) theory, which
believed that the British culture is a monetary culture
characterized by a “chaos of reward”:
– Top businessmen are rewarded for failure (e.g bankers),
– Celebrities are over rewarded by their “talent”.

9. Newman (2006)
• Argues that the tabloid media dedicate a great
deal of their content to examining the lives of
another section of the wealthy elite,
• This dedication invites the audiences to
admire the achievements of these celebrities,
• Media over focuses on consumer items such
as luxury cars, costly holiday spots and fashion
accessories

10. The middle class
• Presented as educated and successful as well as
able to cope with problems,
• Over represented in the media due to their
lifestyle,
• Representation fits in with the hegemonic
ideology of the dominant class in society,
• Representation justifies the existing class
structure and inequalities by suggesting people
need to become more competent and successful
in order to cope with life.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp5U7J-7NTk

11. Representations of the middle class
• Overrepresented on TV in dramas, soap operas,
and situation comedies,
• Substantial percentage of newspapers and
magazines are aimed at the middle classes such
as a Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph which
focuses on their consumptions and taste,
• Content of newspapers expresses the concerns of
the middle classes with regards to the declining
moral standards along with their pride for their
British identity and heritage,

12. Representations of the working class
• Newman (2006) argues that there are very few
situation comedies, television or drama which
focuses on the everyday lives of working class
who constitute a significant section of society,
• Newman argues that when in the media working
class are often depicted in a very non positive
light dumb buffoons (Homer Simpson) and
immature machos (Phil Mitchell),
• Butsch (1992) – working class portrayed as
flawed individuals (benefit cheats, etc)

13. Representations of the working class
• Curran and Seaton (2003) – newspapers aimed at
the working class make the assumption that they
are uninterested in serious analysis of either the
political or social organisation,
• Marxists argue that the content of newspapers
such as the Sun and the Daily Star is an attempt
to distract the working class audiences from the
inequalities of capitalism.

14. Representations of poverty and
underclass
• Portrayal usually negative and stereotypical,
• Portrayed in the form of statistics in news bulletin such as
figures of unemployment,
• Recent media interest in the labelling of the poor such as
“chavs” which according to Shildrick and MacDonald (2007)
suggest that the poor are undeserving of sympathy,
• Hayward and Yar (2006) – the term chav is used as an
amusing term of abuse for young poor people
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVjKVBf-AxI
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7BFZqQ4ruA

15. Lawler (2005)
• Chav is used as a term of disgust and contempt,
• Argues that the media use the discriminatory and
offensive language to vilify what they depict as a
peasant underclass symbolised by stereotypical
forms of appearance,
• Swale (2006) – usage of the term NEET (Not in
Employment Education or Training),
• Newspapers suggest that those from the
underclass are responsible for their own poverty.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHoOHfQWB
ME

16. McKendrick et al (2008)
• Poverty is rarely explored in the media,
• Programmes such as Shameless present a sanitized
picture of poverty,
• Jeremy Kyle paints a picture of poverty which is seen as
entertainment.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gfsh5NeCeLU&feat
ure=related
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnI3ez5jIU&feature=related

17. Cohen (2009)
• Argues that the UK mass media was so
concerned about trumpeting the good fortune
of British capitalism that it paid less attention
to its casualties

18. HOMEWORK:
Research any of the classes. Find a Youtube clip to
analyse.
How is your chosen class represented in your
example?
Look at:
• Mise-en-scene
• Camera shots, movement, angles and
composition
• Editing
• Sound