Download - 5 age representation 1
• Look at the media figures you have been given.
• Place adjectives on a media celebrity that you feel describes their age.
• How old are they?
Do Now!
Age-when are we happiest?
• http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/5645800/Women-happiest-at-28.html
Representation of Agein TV Drama
Learning Objective: To explore how different age groups
are represented in the media, specifically TV Drama.
Age representation-starter
• Task: With your partner list the stereotypical qualities of one of these age groups.
• What adjectives could be used to describe them?
• Babies and toddlers• Primary Children• Teenagers• 20 – 30 year olds• Middle age- 40-55?• Elderly- 60+
• Now think about media examples in the age ranges. How do they represent their age?
The elderly
• Discussion point: The elderly are often represented in the media as being weak, vulnerable and needy?
Age construction• Remember all fictional characters presented in the media
are ‘re-presentations!• They have been constructed as a product of someone's
imagination.
• They all offer a certain view of what it is to be that particular age.
• Question: Which age are most commonly seen on TV?
• 35-45• Why? • Because that is the age group that make most of the
decisions in power!
Teenagers in the media
• List some stereotypes of teenagers.• Lazy• Moody• Argumentative• Immature• Irresponsible• Confused• Aggressive• Rebellious• Ignorant• Threatening• Creative• Ambitious• Focussed• Formative development into adulthood- ‘finding yourselves’
Teenage Representation in TV drama• Which TV dramas are specifically aimed at
teenagers?
• What TV dramas feature teenagers heavily?
• Do these dramas accurately reflect teenage life?
Analysis
Watch this clip from Waterloo Road and make
notes on the following:
• How the different age groups are constructed.
• The relationships between age groups
• The way the technical aspects assist our understanding of age.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHj9aavgpvQ&index=11&list=PL39RK5NuuAt2KlzNcuz4SHM2okAMCC9_W
‘Eastenders’- a wide audience• Eastenders more than any other show on UK TV feels it has a responsibility to
represent everyone. Why?
• Because it is a BBC programme and therefore funded by our licence fee. The BBC must be seen to fairly represent all of us regardless of gender, ethnicity, age etc.
• Therefore Eastenders has a variety of characters to appeal to a variety of demographics. The spin off show ‘E20’ was an attempt to win back the youth market who were said to be not as interested in the show.
• It is one of the few programmes that gives elderly characters a prominent voice.
• Task: Watch this clip and write down two adjectives to describe the elderly characters.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oshePdbkk2Y
• Feedback to class in groups.
• Homework: • ‘How is age constructed in the scene from
Waterloo Road and how are stereotypes conformed or subverted to’.
• 400 words min.
Skins
• Skins (E4) was said to be an attempt to offer a more realistic representation of teenage life in Britain today.
• It centres on the lives of a group of 16 – 19 year olds living in Bristol.
• Some critics claimed that show depicted teenagers stereotypically and unrealistically others praised the show for showing teenagers in a more adult fashion and not treating them like little kids.