Identities and the Media: Reading the riots

The media coverage of the UK riots in 2011 provides a strong case study in the representation of young people and how identity is constructed in the media. 

There was an excellent extended analysis of the media coverage of the riots by media professor David Buckingham in Media Magazine - it's essential reading for any Media student. Complete the following tasks:

Read the Media Magazine extended feature on the media coverage of the UK riots (MM38 page 5)

Go to our Media Magazine archive, select MM38 and read the WHOLE eight-page feature. Answer the following questions on your blog with as many references to media theory and examples as possible. Refer to specific aspects of the Media Magazine article too:

1. How did the language and selection of images in the coverage create a particular representation of young people? 
2. Why does David Buckingham mention Owen Jones and his work Chavs: the demonisation of the working class?
3. What is the typical representation of young people – and teenage boys in particular? What did the 2005 IPSOS/MORI survey find?
4. How can Stanley Cohen’s work on Moral Panic be linked to the coverage of the riots?
5. What elements of the media and popular culture were blamed for the riots?
6. How was social media blamed for the riots? What was interesting about the discussion of social media when compared to the Arab Spring in 2011?
7. The riots generated a huge amount of comment and opinion - both in mainstream and social media. How can the two-step flow theory be linked to the coverage of the riots? 
8. Alternatively, how might media scholars like Henry Jenkins view the 'tsunami' of blogs, forums and social media comments? Do you agree that this shows the democratisation of the media?
9. What were the right-wing responses to the causes of the riots?
10. What were the left-wing responses to the causes of the riots?
11. What are your OWN views on the main causes of the riots?
12. How can capitalism be blamed for the riots? What media theory (from our new/digital media unit) can this be linked to?
13. Were people involved in the riots given a voice in the media to explain their participation?
14. In the Guardian website's investigation into the causes of the riots, they did interview rioters themselves. Read this Guardian article from their Reading the Riots academic research project - what causes are outlined by those involved in the disturbances?
15. What is your own opinion on the riots? Do you have sympathy with those involved or do you believe strong prison sentences are the right approach to prevent such events happening in future?

Complete for homework if you don't complete it during the lesson. Due date: set by exam teacher

Note: your TWO new/digital media stories (one news/journalism based) are STILL due every week on your MEST3 exam blogs. These will continue right up until the exam in June.