The Media’s Portrayal of Poverty
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The Media’s Portrayal of Poverty
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The Media’s Portrayal of Poverty. The Face of Poverty. The face of poverty has been continually changing. Media coverage of poverty during the 20 th century was a “story of big blips on a blank background.” - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of The Media’s Portrayal of Poverty
The Media’s Portrayal of Poverty
The face of poverty has been continually changing.
Media coverage of poverty during the 20th century was a “story of big blips on a blank background.”The Great Depression in the 1930’s provoked
intense coverage of poverty for a limited period of time.
Coverage in the 60’s was the second blip and the third came in the 80’s.
Within the last few years media coverage of poverty has been steady.Needed to keep the issue alive.
The Face of Poverty
In the 1960’s was the white poor man in the “hollars of Appalachia.”
In the 1980’s, the face of poverty was a Cadillac-driving “welfare queen,” almost always Black.
Today, the face of poverty is mostly portrayed as urban Black.
Who Has the Face of Poverty?
SentimentalThe story is usually written by information
obtained from an interview. This interview would be with someone such as a woman who cannot do any wrong. She heroically works to keep her kids fed, clothed, educated and clean, etc.
The source of poverty is entirely societal.Sensationalist
This coverage depicts the poor as the dangerous criminals, drunks and drug addicts with no morals.
Two Stereotypical Ways of Media Portrayal of Poverty
Not as people, but as a problem
Uneducated/uninformed
Third World Countries
Lazy or undeserving of wealth
So How does the Media Portray Poverty?
Become less negativeMore representative
What are some ways the media can be more fair?
Television ProgramsRosanne
CopsJerry Springer
Teen MomReality Repo
programs
CinderellaAngels in the Outfield
The Notebook Titanic
OverboardSlumdog Millionaire
The Blindside Precious
The Soloist
Poverty in the Media
Movies
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate FactoryAladdinA Raisin in the SunCoal Miner’s DaughterTo Kill a MockingbirdIn America
Poverty in the Media Continued…
Does it matter how the media portrays poor
people?
Are “poverty” and “poor” even the right
words?
Should charities engage with the media on
this issue?
How would it feel to be portrayed in one of
these programs?
Some Questions for Thought
