Introduction
From time immemorial, the social world portrays human beings in terms of race, culture stereotypes, and even gender. Then, the educational system plays a part in worsening the situation further and entrenches the perceptions around race. The media also takes part in the conception, preservation, and depiction of race. From the beginning of the 20th century, minorities made significant alterations in terms of equal rights in the American society. From the right to own private property to the right to vote in their own leaders and furthermore, integration with the rest of the community members. However, these rights did not sip through the entire society. The mass media broadcast negative stereotypes, which in turn causes stigmatization. This paper discusses the depiction of traditions, concepts, and images of black communities’ members through television image. This paper will incorporate the Narrative theory in order to assist gain insight on how television content and messages affects the value system of the black community.
The functionality of The mass media in perpetrating unequal rights
Based on the concepts of Narrative theory, the unequal rights and inaccessibility to values are main features of human communities (Lewis 113). The unequal rights benefit only a few of the population while the minority suffers. Then, the mass media can set up an imaginary wall to convince the exploited group that the conditions are normal and necessary. Historically, racial bias materialized via political systems, religious institutions and judicial processes and other societal set ups. The media is always at the center of normalizing racism and prejudice against black people. Generally, television has an immense audience, the most used form of mass media tool hence through broadcasts, art, and movies, racism thrived. Most of the time people believe what they see in their television sets.
As subtle as it looks like, negative stereotypes are emerging in sitcoms, news broadcasting, and movies. During the 1980s, numerous materials portrayed black people and their traditions in negative light on television (Lewis, 109). Major stakeholders claimed that white people favored black individuals acting roles associated with their stereotypes such as comedians, maidservants and broke struggling individuals. For instance, a recent study carried out by ABC television firm exposed that other races negatively stereotype black people as a result black end up playing criminals, entertainers, and sportsmen. It is rare for television to see a black person play a loving or responsible role.
In addition, Nielson survey results unveiled that 10% black people watch more television than white people do. The survey goes further to suggest that before an ordinary black child begins college education; he or she spent an estimated 15,000 hours watching their favorite shows (Lewis 145). Since a good number of television shows concentrate on showing the negative side of black community members, it is correct to argue along the lines that television creates false sense of dominance on behalf of white people. On the other side, it generates an untrue sense of subordination among black people.
Television And Its Role In Shaping Reality
After emerging in the American societies in the 1950s, its aim was to unite citizens and as a result promote peace, patriotism while keeping the general good will of the public at heart. The optimism surrounding television was immense and promising (Pardo 5). Blacks existed in the advent of television and hoped the device would change their lives through better display of racial relationships. However, television became a tool used for spewing hate a widening the gap between the whites and blacks.
In earlier times, blacks made appearances on television during musical shows or under any entertainment context. In fact, they were visitors and regulars at the televisions studios. A part from engaging in entertainment tasks such as singing and dancing, black people, who made television appearances, would act as clown for the amusement of viewers at home. In summary, blacks appeared on television to perpetrate and cement the conventional stereotypes such as happy, lazy, and musical (Pardo 12). For instance, Rochester was a clown and Louise a maid in 1950s shows. Once television shows took black people and made them play stereotypical roles, the deed had a pendulum effect. The little Rascals painted a naughty picture of black Americans. The show playfully had an undertone of racism and spite.
Racism Stereotypes
Whereas there are numerous instances of television insensitivity to the essential requirement for uprightness and realistic displays of black people, one of the most outstanding phenomena are, the ‘Little Rascal show’ .The intention of the series was to playfully show the mischievous but innocence of young children. The show attained its goals but via negative stereotypical perspectives of black Americans (Harding 13). The characters rolled eyes when angry and their afros would stand up when confronted with danger. The characters uttered demeaning words that an ordinary young child would shy away from saying. Thus, in the end, the series was able to ridicule, degrade, and indirectly abuse members of the black community. Majority whites found the acts funny but blacks found it degrading and annoying.
However, in the beginning of the 1970s, civil right movements had an influence on television shows such as the ‘Little Rascals’. The production house of the series realized its offensive elements especially among black communities (Harding 34). Hence, the director had to revise the concept or the production would seize. In the end, the civil rights movement had their way, re-editing of the show began the removal of racial slurs, and other offensive racial undertones contained in the series.
Apart from the ‘Little Rascals’ other shows labelled blacks as slow and unintelligent and love reckless lifestyles while neglecting their duties for the viewers to see (Harding, 19). However, civil rights movement was able to avert the of the television shows from airing. For example, Bill cosby would play a tennis trainer who did not restrained himself from sexual relationships unless a black woman showed up.
‘The Little Rascals’ was not just a show but also contained the worst negative stereotypes on blacks. In relation to pursuing negativity labels, the ABC was the first company to give a black woman a show of her own, ‘Beulah’. Although the show was perceived well by the public, it has a lot of racial slurs in it (Harding, 11). The storyline portrayed blacks as low-level servant that would do anything for money even it meant serving a racist family.
The Narrative Theory in relation to Racism Perpetration
The fact that the media conveys racism in society, constructs a certain mentality around bias, which in turn awakens racism in the heart of citizens (Green, Melanie, and Jenna 15). As seen earlier, African Americans had a hard time telling their stories, points of view, principles, shaping the identity of their race because whites dominated the television media companies, and determined what blacks can show and what they could not.
The narrative theory explains the manner of thinking and connecting it to the sequences of information processed through access of information (Green, Melanie, and Jenna 21). More so, the concepts build around the narrative theory interpret the reasoning after a viewing a racially biased program or film. Hence, one does not need to apply general principle to interpretation and analysis of information.
Prejudice, disempowerment, and discrimination in terms of race, for a long time shaped views on mainstream media such as television. No one can deny the fact that representation of African Americans on television influenced how the world perceives them (Green, Melanie, and Jenna 5). The media has a wider insight on patterns and beliefs formed around black people. Thus, they take advantage and manipulate or exaggerate the information to suit their message they would like to convey in the public domain. The media tend to be on the side of the dominant race by presenting them as powerful and black communities as weak and immoral via images that seem to solidify the distorted notions.
The harmful depiction of African American as savages or irresponsible beings in successful movies watched by many only deepens the animosity between two different races and destroys the social fabrics of communities (Green, Melanie, and Jenna 12). Some people watch movies so that they can acquire new information and later apply it in the real world. Giving a bad representation shapes thoughts, which then harms black people. For example, some employers can deny positions to black people because they automatically think they are ex-convicts.
Media Influence
Crime reporting during live television news is contentious since its early days. The anchors shed light on stories that shows a negative side among minority people. The stories may contain racial bias and may exaggerate facts (Green, Melanie, and Jenna 7). A research on television stated that black when a black person committed a crime, glowing mugshot would be on display or pictures of them handicapped in a police van. On the other hand, white criminals did not have their mugshots displayed or images made public. Although the study took a one week duration, it revealed many aspects of the local television stations.
Entman research outlines basis concepts depicted in crime reporting, relevant in present times. That is, news items on crimes perpetrated by African American people are more exclusive and intensive, loaded with visual information whereas stories by blacks are brief, with less images (Green, Melanie, and Jenna 23). Furthermore, the Entman research went on to revealed that criminal news covered black crimes 90% of the times as opposed to other races. There is no other data to compare to other races. It is vital to note that criminal reporting has an overall effect on how the media propagates race to its audience.
In summary, stereotypes incorporated into opinions within the media help propagate racism against black communities. Television watching, sentiments displayed on race and various socioeconomic progresses shape the way whites see black Americans. More so, biased journalism practices result to negative stereotypes which latter make their way on television news. In other words, is an indicator of ineffaceable marks left on communities from historic ordeals and suffering. The political, social, and economic policies can help unite members of the society against racism and promote equality. Race should unit, bond people despite of divergent characteristics.
Works cited
Green, Melanie C., and Jenna L. Clark. "Transportation into narrative worlds: implications for entertainment media influences on tobacco use." Addiction 108.3 (2013): 477-484.
Harding, Sue-Ann. "“How do I apply narrative theory?”: Socio-narrative theory in translation studies." Target. International Journal of Translation Studies 24.2 (2012): 286-309.
Lewis, Justin. The ideological octopus: An exploration of television and its audience. Routledge, 2013.
Pardo, Rebecca. "Reality television and the metapragmatics of racism." Journal of Linguistic Anthropology 23.1 (2013): 65-81.
