Growing up in a time in which social media consumes most of our lives, it is agreeable that it is bound to have an influence in the way we understand certain matters. For many, the media is the only source they have available in order to receive information and if the information is not given accurately, then they are deprived of what could’ve otherwise been valuable information. At the present time, some notable cultures that the media has continuously targeted over the course of various generations include ethnic groups, mental illnesses, natural disasters, and mass shootings. The media has unfortunately misrepresented these cultures in misleading ways which result in false impressions of what individuals who associate with these cultures are like. By taking at look at how the media misinterprets these cultures, we can see the negative influence it has on the opinions of many individuals. “This approach offers a bird’s eye view on temporal shifts in media representations and their contribution to public opinion” (Tukachinsky 539).
Notably, the representation of ethnic groups has been a long-standing argument through the course of many decades. The misconceptions people have formed in regards to certain ethnic groups are not new, however, the vast increase in social media use as well as the continued misrepresentation of these groups has made these misconceptions even more commonly widespread. “America is becoming a majority-minority nation with a multi-racial and multicultural population” (Chidey 37). Nevertheless, we still continue to view these circumstances very narrow-mindedly. Even with the increase in media use, the representation of minority groups continues to decrease. For example, the representation of latinos, which are the largest minority group in America, on tv has dropped from 3% to 1% in just a span of 30 years (Chideya 35). Taking that into perspective, the misrepresentation of the largest minority group is very insignificant, so imagining what those numbers might look like when compared to other minority groups is quite shameful. The lack of minority group representation in the media isn’t new, but considering the amount of years this problem has been going on for, you’d figure that minority groups would at least gain notice.
Another key point includes the fact that minority groups are not being represented in an accurate and realistic way. Most times, African Americans are portrayed as criminals and unemployed and other groups such as Latinos are portrayed as unintelligent, criminals, and servants (Tukachinsky 540-541). These inaccurate depictions of minority groups are what contribute to the negative opinions many form based on what they see. Someone who has never met an African American might try and understand them from what they learn at school, they hear through songs and see in the media (Chideya 35). It's understandable and clever of a person to use the media as a source, however, if these depictions are wrong then that person is going to form false judgments merely based on what they discovered. These narrow viewpoints many contribute to negative impressions towards ethnic groups (Tukachinsky 540).
With this in mind, it is important to recognize how prominent these negative perceptions are in specific media platforms. On tv for example, movies are a particular platform in which stereotypes and misrepresentations of ethnic groups are found. In 2016, the hashtag “oscars so white” emerged due to the lack of diversity in awards presented to movies that night. The entire movie industry in general remains conquered by whites (Dargis 56). This is not the problem of course, the problem is the fact that ethnic groups are either hardly ever present in well known films and when they are, they’re represented based on stereotypes. The film industry is made up of mostly white filmmakers and directors. The problem with this is that although they may not be trying to be racist, they depict characters to their ideas and conform with what they think that person should be like (Dargis 56).
Additionally, another specific platform in which negative stereotypes and misrepresentations of ethnic groups are found are in advertisements. Advertisements carry a message along with information about a product they are trying to sell. They can be found anywhere from billboards, bus stops, magazines, newspapers, radios, television, and the internet (“Depictions of Minorities in Advertisements Are Becoming More Positive”). Since they are found in just about every corner of every platform, advertisements have a great influence on people's perspectives, opinions, and standards, which is why it is important to recognize the messages and images we are instilling in the general public’s eye (“Depictions of Minorities in Advertisements Are Becoming More Positive”).
In continuation, mental illnesses have too become a victim of the negative influence and misrepresentation of the media. The media has unceasingly portrayed mental illnesses wrongfully and in a negative light. The media amplifies the misconceptions about mental illnesses because those who rely on the media as their only source, form false judgements (Granello 162). A study showed that “individuals who received their information from the electronic media were less tolerant than those who had received their information primarily from classes they had taken, from the print media, and from experience working with or having a family member work with people with mental illnesses” (Granello 163). Based on what they’d seen or read in the media, many believed that individuals with mental illnesses had engaged in acts of cruelty, were violent, and were capable of hurting or assassinating others (Granello 163). Because of what the media represents, the general public who may or may not be commonly familiarized with those who have a mental illness form judgements of the individual's competence at home, work, and in society. The study also found that those were less tolerant of individuals with mental illnesses believed they didn’t belong in a social atmosphere and that they required special care and hospitalization; they approved of social isolation and didn’t advocate for health facilities (Granello 168).
Furthermore, the broadcasting of natural disasters in poverty-stricken countries is yet another culture that has fallen into the mix of misrepresentation and negative stereotypes. The media reports disasters in a repetitive and procedural way. In the beginning stages, the media reports the tragedy and describes the severity of the situation. The middle stages consist of the media's descriptions on how the situation has worsened and how the executives of that region are overwhelmingly in desperate need for help. The final stages discuss the concerns for aid efforts and reveal heartening testimonies all while the headlines and news coverage begins to subside (“Formulaic Natural-Disaster Reporting Undermines Aid Efforts and Stereotypes Victims”). This procedure is pretty precise on how the media reports natural disasters. Journalists at first are eager to tell the story, but as time passes the news coverage declines. “The history, politics, economy, geography and culture of a country becomes irrelevant as it’s reduced to an icon of suffering” (“Formulaic Natural-Disaster Reporting Undermines Aid Efforts and Stereotypes Victims”). Viewers make presumptions based on the broadcasts over poverty-stricken nations and deem them as victims. The downside of inaccurate reports is that “we come to see them as just a part of a broader narrative of hopelessness and incompetence” and how “we’re left with the impression that there’s nothing left to do to help” (“Formulaic Natural-Disaster Reporting Undermines Aid Efforts and Stereotypes Victims”).