CMN 3104: Reading #3 Jan 20th 2014
CMN 3104: Reading #3
Jan 20th 2014
Man Up: Viewer Responses to Images of less than ideal males in Advertising Neil Alperstein Sociologist Michael Kimmel (1996) has declared that masculinity proceeds from men’s bodies. The ideal male image in advertising and other media portrayals, according to Kimmel, includes standards of power and independence as well as qualities such as rugged individualism, adventurous spirit, risk taking, displays of physical prowess and having a high degree of personal autonomy. But what happens when the average guy confronts idealized images in advertising and perhaps realizes that he cannot live up to such expectations. Many men may become depressed and dissatisfied with their bodies. Social comparison of lessthanideal images in advertising: Specifically, what I have set out to do is to consider how men compare themselves with lessthanideal images in television advertising, particularly when they are portrayed as cavemen, those lessthanideal images.
Viewing lessthanideal images make us feel better about ourselves: Men who view advertisements in which they confront images of lessthan ideal men seem to feel that things could be much worse. In other words, the key figures in the commercials set the bar so low as to create a social environment in which men find comfort. When compared with the physical grotesqueness, public exposure and lack of manners portrayed by key figures in some advertising, men feel a sense of relief that this was happening to them not me. Social comparison theory is helpful in explaining the self enhancement that men experience as they encounter advertisements that feature less than ideal men. The utilization of a lessthan ideal image may serve the purpose of metaphorically “spreading the word” about a new or emergent less than ideal masculinity an unintended consequence of advertising.
As is the case with race and class, masculine gender identity takes on various cultural meanings and significance.
CMN 3104: Reading #3
Jan 20th 2014
How TV News makes Arabs and Muslisms feel about themselves: Dina Ibrahim and Aymen Abdel Halim Arab Americans and Muslims think and feel about the images and stories presented by the media about their culture and faith. Participants in a focus group explained how they think the news programming makes them feel about themselves and their sense of identity. The central principle of cultivation theory is that people learn how much of what they know from television. Electronic media play a major role in how audiences achieve a common understanding of issues. Television in particular shapes how people from diverse ethnic backgrounds are portrayed and perceived by society. Media scholars have argued that by simply watching television, an act that seems inherently passive as we stare at the scree, we are in fact actively creating and interpreting meaning from the stories we see and hear. Kinch’s theory of the selfconcept (1972) also helps us understand how television audiences feel about themselves. Selfconcept or how people perceive themselves, is the result of how other people perceive them, and their opinion and evaluation of those external appraisals. Anger and Frustration: Most of the Muslims we spoke to expressed disappointment with the mainstream news industry in the United States, which perpetuates images that lead to a feeling of frustration, anger and disgust. CNN and Fox New rely heavily on the talk show format and often hire commentators they deem experts. The Muslims in our focus group did not consider the guests or commentators credible. Systematic patterns of demeaning the Arab viewpoint that is manifested by interrupting or abruptly ending a conversation. Feelings of anger were expressed more by the men of the group than the women in the group.
CMN 3104: Reading #3
Jan 20th 2014
A woman said that she channels her anger at the news into being a better person and ambassador of her faith. Islamophobia: The focus group participants regarded these verbal and physical attacks on Muslims as a byproduct of news images and stories that fuel hatred and suspicion of Islam. Sources of News: Others praised the control that the Internet gives them, a stark contrast with the helplessness they feel when they watch cable television news. The internet provides them with a way to personally navigate and have a stronger sense of dominating the news discourse. Impact of News Images on Identity: There was a strong disapproval who change their names for more Western sounding ones. They believe that in the context of negative news coverage, relating to Arabs or Muslims, it is important to take pride in their Arab and Muslim names. The women in the group said they had become immune to people staring at their head, scarves and were always happy to explain to non Muslims they choose to wear it as an expression of their modesty. Part of the solution: recommendations Descriptors such as terrorists need to be universally applied, not just to people of their faith and culture. Through sharing their opinions on news images and stories about Arabs and Muslims, the group agreed that TV news programming cultivates narrow and limited perceptions of their people.
Jan 20th 2014
Man Up: Viewer Responses to Images of less than ideal males in Advertising Neil Alperstein Sociologist Michael Kimmel (1996) has declared that masculinity proceeds from men’s bodies. The ideal male image in advertising and other media portrayals, according to Kimmel, includes standards of power and independence as well as qualities such as rugged individualism, adventurous spirit, risk taking, displays of physical prowess and having a high degree of personal autonomy. But what happens when the average guy confronts idealized images in advertising and perhaps realizes that he cannot live up to such expectations. Many men may become depressed and dissatisfied with their bodies. Social comparison of lessthanideal images in advertising: Specifically, what I have set out to do is to consider how men compare themselves with lessthanideal images in television advertising, particularly when they are portrayed as cavemen, those lessthanideal images.
Viewing lessthanideal images make us feel better about ourselves: Men who view advertisements in which they confront images of lessthan ideal men seem to feel that things could be much worse. In other words, the key figures in the commercials set the bar so low as to create a social environment in which men find comfort. When compared with the physical grotesqueness, public exposure and lack of manners portrayed by key figures in some advertising, men feel a sense of relief that this was happening to them not me. Social comparison theory is helpful in explaining the self enhancement that men experience as they encounter advertisements that feature less than ideal men. The utilization of a lessthan ideal image may serve the purpose of metaphorically “spreading the word” about a new or emergent less than ideal masculinity an unintended consequence of advertising.
As is the case with race and class, masculine gender identity takes on various cultural meanings and significance.
CMN 3104: Reading #3
Jan 20th 2014
How TV News makes Arabs and Muslisms feel about themselves: Dina Ibrahim and Aymen Abdel Halim Arab Americans and Muslims think and feel about the images and stories presented by the media about their culture and faith. Participants in a focus group explained how they think the news programming makes them feel about themselves and their sense of identity. The central principle of cultivation theory is that people learn how much of what they know from television. Electronic media play a major role in how audiences achieve a common understanding of issues. Television in particular shapes how people from diverse ethnic backgrounds are portrayed and perceived by society. Media scholars have argued that by simply watching television, an act that seems inherently passive as we stare at the scree, we are in fact actively creating and interpreting meaning from the stories we see and hear. Kinch’s theory of the selfconcept (1972) also helps us understand how television audiences feel about themselves. Selfconcept or how people perceive themselves, is the result of how other people perceive them, and their opinion and evaluation of those external appraisals. Anger and Frustration: Most of the Muslims we spoke to expressed disappointment with the mainstream news industry in the United States, which perpetuates images that lead to a feeling of frustration, anger and disgust. CNN and Fox New rely heavily on the talk show format and often hire commentators they deem experts. The Muslims in our focus group did not consider the guests or commentators credible. Systematic patterns of demeaning the Arab viewpoint that is manifested by interrupting or abruptly ending a conversation. Feelings of anger were expressed more by the men of the group than the women in the group.
CMN 3104: Reading #3
Jan 20th 2014
A woman said that she channels her anger at the news into being a better person and ambassador of her faith. Islamophobia: The focus group participants regarded these verbal and physical attacks on Muslims as a byproduct of news images and stories that fuel hatred and suspicion of Islam. Sources of News: Others praised the control that the Internet gives them, a stark contrast with the helplessness they feel when they watch cable television news. The internet provides them with a way to personally navigate and have a stronger sense of dominating the news discourse. Impact of News Images on Identity: There was a strong disapproval who change their names for more Western sounding ones. They believe that in the context of negative news coverage, relating to Arabs or Muslims, it is important to take pride in their Arab and Muslim names. The women in the group said they had become immune to people staring at their head, scarves and were always happy to explain to non Muslims they choose to wear it as an expression of their modesty. Part of the solution: recommendations Descriptors such as terrorists need to be universally applied, not just to people of their faith and culture. Through sharing their opinions on news images and stories about Arabs and Muslims, the group agreed that TV news programming cultivates narrow and limited perceptions of their people.
