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“Concealed”. That’s the only word I can describe how the media is able to do tremendous effect on its audience. It’s so powerful yet subtle. It’s so well concealed that the audience don’t realize that the media is changing perceptions and beliefs. Especially visually interpreted which makes it even more believable.

Honestly, I have very little awareness of media stereotyping in what I conceive from television, music, and movies. I never bothered and digest them with ease. Only by doing a little search and readings that struck me that the media is really playing a game on the audience. Wow!

I thought of logging on the keyword “racism in media” in google and sure enough there’s plenty to discuss and brought forward. In movies and TV program, film makers induce the audience into believing that certain human traits have a much specified personality. If you have a latin American in a film, you are sure to relate them to be from a slum and deals with drugs. If there’s an asian actor in an English film, he’s got to have super martial art ability. This stereotype trait makes it easy for film directors to portray a certain character of which the mass has already believed and accept. But, I’d say they are all deceived and narrowed to an extent that their social behaviors towards the victimized race are affected. Whether it be positively or negatively.

Speaking of conceal-ness, I read on stereotypes in children’s movies. I was surprised that in my younger years, I used to watch them! Movies like “The Jungle Book”, “Lady and the Tramp” and numerous other titles. I personally think it did shaped how I percept certain race.

Here are some examples;

In the Jungle Book, all animals in the jungle speak in proper British accents. Except, of course; for the jive-talking, gibberish-spouting monkeys which portray the blacks.

Even in Aladdin, portrays “bad” characters with very thick Arab accent while Jasmine and Aladdin has a very American English accent.

In The Lion King, the hyenas use African-American accents which are considered the bad guys.

See, whether it is intentionally or not; to make a film diverse in culture and language, I don’t think it’s appropriate for children to conceive the idea of simplified characteristic by stereotyping unless they are informed and explained of this inaccuracy. Because without it, they may form bias and prejudice towards other races.

It’s almost difficult to distinct whether their portrayals of certain races are true or false in the media. But one thing is for sure that simplifying a character with stereotype affects a lot on how audience percept on them (victims of stereotypes).

Brenden Undan

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