, Research Paper
Racial And Sexual Stereotypes In Television Class Handout From: Suzanne, Andy, Stacy The invention of radio allowed the stereotypical images to be introduced. TV is a medium of social implications, that contributes to the social injustice by portraying African Americans in a negative light Commercials from companies like Nabisco and Goodyear were highly offensive. For example, the Nabisco Company had a group of African Americans who were dressed like stereotypical natives, with war paint on their faces and bones in their noses. They were dancing around white hostages tied to stakes. The natives were supposed to be cannibals who will devour the white hostages if they were not given Nabisco snacks. A Goodyear commercial was even worse. A white man and a black man were talking about tires and how good they are. The white man commented that the tires are as big as the black man’s lips. The black man was really a man in black face with a buckwheat wig on, fake large lips, and large eyes. A young girl who watches Saturday morning TV will see about 123 characters, but rarely (if ever) a genuine female role model. Most female characters are highly stereotyped. Women are most often portrayed in all media in the context of relationships, whereas men are most often portrayed in the context of their careers. On TV, 32 per cent of men want to get or succeed in a job, while only 24 per cent of women do. Men are seen "on the job" 41 per cent of the time; women only 28 per cent. Women are shown seeking romance 32 per cent of the time on TV. For men, the figure is only 20 per cent in TV. Women are much more likely than men to have their appearance commented on in TV shows (28 per cent for women, 10 per cent for men); and especially in TV commercials (26 per cent for women, less than one per cent for men). The media also portray women spending far more time than men on appearance-related activities such as grooming . In TV shows, 10 per cent for women and 3 per cent for men; and in commercials, 17 per cent for women and 1 per cent for men. Across all media, up to 46 per cent of women are portrayed as "thin," while only 16 per cent of men are. Out of more than 200 prime-time shows surveyed, not one devoted its plot to a female character’s academic activities or career plans. The most common women’s jobs on TV are clerical. Most girls on TV are interested only in boys and clothes.