Representations on ethnicity in the media 



The media has enough power to indoctrinate a nation to think or do what they want them to, to an extent. Saying this, the media also has enough power to change audiences thoughts based on how its represented or portrayed. In this instance, how the media influence  mass audiences decisions on different ethnicity's simply based upon how they they're represented. Representations can be made in different formats such as moving image media consisting of adverts and trailers to print media such as magazines and newspapers.Different ethnicity's can be represented and portrayed in different ways.

 For example how Rihanna represents herself in the ' Work ' music video compare to the hosts of top gear. For example Rihanna represents the black ethnicity in her Work music video the way in which she dresses as well as her dance moves. In the beginning of the music video she dances seductively by whining (essentially just the rotation of your hips) with her face facing away from the camera but still looking back. This form of dancing is very common within the black community and also creates a sense of identity for the song itself. She also appears to be wearing island style clothing which could signify what they wear in her hometown of Barbados. Within the music video she goes from toned down island girl with a mature yet short blue dress which shows maturity with a hint of sexual quotation due to the dress being short. What next appears to be night time in the music video Rihanna is shown to be wearing a long mesh dress with Rastafarian colours symbolising the typical tradition in Barbados. Due to the factor of the dress being mesh, and showing her bra and underwear set, it shows again being seductive and quite sexual which could have been done in order to target the song towards male audiences. The video also features big black men drinking alcohol which is also a common trait in Bajan nightlife. She also challenges a gender stereotype by having a black women rolling up some weed to smoke which is never really shown or associated with black women in the media. After that, we then get a scene of a women grinding on a man to the music which is also not only normal and generalised in the Bajan community but also proves women to be shown as sex objects in the music industry.

Moving onto Top gear. Its a British TV show based on motor sport (vehicles) hosted/represented by middle aged white men. The factor of it being hosted by middle aged white men backs up the theory of them being the richest genre of people in Britain today especially as they mostly work in middle or higher work sectors. The hosts of this TV show also have a tendency of representing white middle aged men through their job as they probably worked hard for what they have now in the long run but however doing it by working in higher sectored jobs eg in offices.