Media Stereotypes

Gender
This is often stereotyped in Hollywood films, following character theories that the
main character should be male, and the female is the sidekick, or more likely a
weaker character, referred to as the damsel in distress. Females are also
stereotyped for the purpose of attracting people to the media product, according
to the male gaze theory.

Age
There is a variety of stereotypes that go with age. Older people are often
stereotyped as being weak but well mannered, compared to the younger
generation stereotyped as somewhat lazy and not too bothered about their
education, which is shown in TV dramas such as Waterloo Road.
Old people can also be stereotyped as a bit boring and sometimes outgoing in
their opinions, often towards the stereotyped attitude of the younger culture.

Ethnicity
Ethnics stereotypes help diversify media and make it more relatable to more of
the audience, and stereotypes have been reinforced here. For example, Asians
are stereotyped to be aspiring and smart and very intelligent. This stereotype is
seen in EastEnders, since the Asian character Tamwar has often been
stereotyped as very intelligent.

Disability
Disabled people are seen to be quite helpless and weak, and needing some sort
of support with them at all times, which could be a person, wheelchair, or a guide
dog for the blind. However, it is often seen to be challenged in media, where a
disabled person achieves something great, or they are able to live normally,
without constant support. This could be shown in a programme like EastEnders
also, since one of the characters is confined to a wheelchair to get around,
however, she still has a good amount of on-screen time and is sometimes
included in larger sub-plots in the programme.

Sexuality
The stereotype of sexuality is still being challenged since it is being accepted as
the norm to not be heterosexual. The stereotypes often challenged are that
heterosexuality is the norm for everyone, and anyone who isnt is different.
Homosexuals have often been stereotyped to act like the opposite gender, with
homosexual men being stereotyped as more feminine and camp, with a good
fashion sense, and homosexual women, or lesbians, to be more masculine, and
sometimes referred to as butch, with short hair. However, these stereotypes are
being worn off slowly, with new dramas like Russell T Davies Cucumber
surrounding homosexual characters, with many of them not conforming to the
camp and feminine stereotype.

Regional Identity
The media often exaggerates stereotypes, and with things like the Scottish
referendum having passed, the Scottish could be seen as nationalists. People
from the North are often associated with a general Northern accent, which is
different to the Souths generally more received pronunciation accent, so this
often shows Northerners are less intelligent and less well educated. People from
the West of the UK, in parts like Devon and Somerset like farmers, sometimes
because of their accent.
Again, this is shown in TV dramas, and mainly the soaps to allow the audience to
identify where the characters are from, with Coronation Street characters having
a strong Mancunian accent, showing that they are from Manchester.

Social Class
The class system, sometimes helped to stereotype with things like the socioeconomic scale, ranging from A-E, is used a lot in media. This is more present in
period dramas, such as Downton Abbey, where servants and the Lords have their
places, and their different costumes, with Lord type characters being dressed
more fancily. This is still stereotyped today, with those in the upper class seen as
arrogant and rich towards the lower classes. Unemployed people could be seen
as lazy and living off the government.