Show How the Media Portray Young People and Teenagers (Un-finished)

Young people are portrayed in many different ways through the media, the same as any other group of people, however some believe that coverage of the youth can often be biased and can be emotive rather than informative (and neutral). In an article from the Independent they reveal some facts about the extent of this problem. According to the article, “Figures show that half of the stories about teenage boys in the national and regional newspapers in the past year (4,374 out of 8,629) were about crime.” A result of this extensive reporting on youth crimes means the the public will be exposed to it more, which in turn could lead to a false belief in the amount of crime that is committed by teenagers. This problem was highlighted in a 2011 documentary ran by Channel 4. In one section of the documentary the presenter Ben Steele asks random adults on the street to guess the percentage of total crime committed by teenagers, the majority of people greatly overestimated the figure and there reasoning was because they'd seen it so much in the media.

Another issue that the article highlights is the fact that the coverage is also affecting the young people themselves, “As a result of the negative press, 80 per cent [of teenagers] felt adults were more wary of them now than they had been a year ago. However, the most striking finding, according to the research, was that many were now more wary of boys of their own age.” 

This quote shows just how powerful the media are in establishing and re-enforcing stereotypes and ideas around the youth. 

In the opening to the film Attack the Block (Joe Cornish - 2011), the stereotype of teenagers is explored and is used for comical effect. During the beginning scenes, we see a gang robbing a woman of her purse. The gang are presented as being stupid and aggressive. Stereotypical youth clothing such as hoodies and track suits are also used to further re-enforce this perception of youth. We also see scenes where the adults in the film are cursing or talking negatively the teenagers, for example one lady refers to them as “fucking monsters”.

However as the movie goes on the teenagers in the film redeem themselves and are presented as being loyal and brave, this is in stark contrast to the beginning of the film.