What might an analysis of the London

riots tell us about media

representations, about media effects, and

about the role of the media in public

debate?

Aims & Objectives

Language Use

David Buckingham

What is the dominant representation of youth that is being

perpetuated?

In 2005 40% of newspaper coverage featuring young

people focused on violence, crime or anti-social behaviour.

(IPSOS/MORI survey)

RESEARCH!

Were certain images, video clips, adjectives recycled frequently in the press and on TV news?

What connotations did these attach to British youth?

Could we argue that the coverage was talking up the disturbances into a moral panic?

Making Links to Stanley Cohen

• Link to 1960’s mods and rockers – Cohen argued the media talked up the disturbances into a bigger moral panic.

• Buckingham argues that;• the media didn’t simply mis-represent what happened.• Moral panics are not simply ‘irrational’ responses• Media stereotypes are never simply inaccurate: they

always contain a grain of truth.• In the case of the London riots the coverage reflected a

more general fear of young people (and especially working-class young people)

Do you agree with Buckingham?Is there evidence from texts that we’ve already looked at that

this ‘fear’ already exists and the media coverage simply amplified it?

Can we link in Acland’s theory about representations reflecting adult concerns and anxieties?