Identities and the Media: Reading the riots

1. How did the language and selection of images in the coverage create a particular representation of young people? The use of language, 'riots' rather than 'uprisings' or 'protests' immediately creates connotations of mindless, barbaric behaviour. Furthermore, in majority of images used include fire, police geared with riot uniform and youths dressed in tracksuits and hoodies. The images of the fire imitates images that are generally seen in warzones. Also, the way in which the police are represented in pictures portray them in the light as the protectors against the 'mindless youth' rioting and causing mayhem.   
2. Why does David Buckingham mention Owen Jones and his work Chavs: the demonisation of the working class? In Jones' work 'Chavs', he discuss the new form of class contempt. This is where the working class, is argued, to have become an object of 'fear and ridicule'. This isn't just seen in the news industry, but also seen elsewhere in popular figures like Little Britain's 'Vicky Pollard' and Cathrine Tate's 'Am I bovvered'. 
3. What is the typical representation of young people – and teenage boys in particular? What did the 2005 IPSOS/MORI survey find? 40% newspaper articles featuring young people focused on violence, crime or anti-social behaviour. 71% could be described as having a negative tone.
4. How can Stanley Cohen’s work on Moral Panic be linked to the coverage of the riots? Stan Cohen says that the media play a role in ‘deviance amplification’: in reporting the phenomenon, and in expressing the fear and outrage of ‘respectable society’, they make it more attractive to those who might not otherwise have thought about becoming involved. Media stereotypes are never simply inaccurate: they always contain a ‘grain of truth’. Yet in this case, the media coverage can be seen to reflect a much more general fear of young people, and especially of working-class young people
5. What elements of the media and popular culture were blamed for the riots? Much of the initial blame for the violencewas put on popular culture: it was rap music, violent computer games or reality TV that was somehow provoking young people to go out and start rioting.
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? Despite being depicted by tabloids as mindless thugs and morons, the rioters were also seen as somehow skilful enough to co-ordinate their actions by using Facebook, Blackberry and Twitter. According to The Telegraph:technology fuelled Britain’s first 21st century riot. The Tottenham riots were orchestrated by teenage gang members, who used the latest mobile phone technology to incite and film the looting and violence. 
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? Different people – politicians,community leaders, media commentators, ‘experts’ – offer different accounts of what is happening; although they often receive most attention if they can come up with simple explanations, and propose simple solutions. Yet how they do this often reflects their own social or political interests: the issue becomes an opportunity for them to make broader points, and to promote their own views.
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? system. They argue that theage of ‘Big Media’ – of powerful, centralised corporations controlling media – is now finished: hierarchical, top-down communications have been replaced by a more egalitarian approach.
9. What were the right-wing responses to the causes of the riots? Too much permissiveness, he argues, has bred a generation of young people with no respect for their elders and betters, and no ‘moral compass’. Working-class youth – apparently live lives of ‘absolute futility. He also says 'They are essentially wild beasts.'
10. What were the left-wing responses to the causes of the riots? They argue that it was unsurprising that most of the disturbances erupted in areas with high levels of poverty and deprivation – and, they point out, it was tragic that these communities also bore the brunt of the damage.
11. How can capitalism be blamed for the riots? What media theory (from our new/digital media unit) can this be linked to? British society has become acceptable for our politicians to lie and to cheat... the sad young men and women, without hope or aspiration, have caused such mayhem and chaos over the past few days. They are just following the example set by senior and respected figures in society.
12. Were people involved in the riots given a voice in the media to explain their participation? On all sides of the media debate, there was rush to instant judgment – or at least instant opinion. No, people for example Tudor historian Professor David Starkey tried to explain, talking about how ‘the chavs, the whites are now black’, and about gangsta rap – a topic on which he clearly knew nothing at all.    
13. 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? Anger and frustration at the way police engage with communities was a significant cause of the summer riots in every major city where disorder took place. Interviews with people who took part in the disturbances which spread across England in August revealed deep-seated and sometimes visceral antipathy towards police.  Many rioters conceded that their involvement in looting was simply down to opportunism, saying that a perceived suspension of normal rules presented them with an opportunity to acquire goods and luxury items they could not ordinarily afford. Rioters identified a range of political grievances, but at the heart of their complaints was a pervasive sense of injustice. For some this was economic: the lack of money, jobs or opportunity. For others it was more broadly social: how they felt they were treated compared with others.   
14. 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? I have sympathy for the people punished for rioting for the reason of feeling that the government are treating them unjust. This is because it is a way that they feel that they will get the attention that they deserve and a means of which that they are able to get some sort of equality. Although it became very barbaric and violent, if equality was in place initially, the events wouldn't have happened in the first place. Also, I think that the riots escalated to such a high degree because it was anger that was bottled up by the youth. If the youth were given a fair share, or at least shown to be cared for, the events wouldn't have escalated to such a high degree. Ultimately, a strong prison sentence would deter participants, however the right way of preventing a repeat would to establish a good relationship with the youth. To give them a share of equality and a means to speak out.