Abstract
Public media provides a channel for people to communicate among each other. This communication takes on various forms. Advertising is one area where meaning is intentionally created. Newspapers and magazines report both news and opinions. Even music is a means of communicating to a mass audience. All of these forms of communication create meaning and one of the underlying factors present in all is gender. Each of these forms of media create certain ideas about masculinity and femininity. Some authors argue that the end result of this is that men become objectified as masculine and women become objectified as feminine. The emphasis is often especially on the dehumanization and stereotyping of women via their physical body and class status. For example, women are seen as objects of desire, valued for their attractiveness but with little else to offer, while men are seen as superior to women. The paper discusses three authors who consider these meanings and how they are created - Susan Faludi, Joan Morgan, and Jean Kilbourne. Each of these authors look at how gender is created in a certain form of media and each suggest that the media creates an exaggerated and misconfigured view of the role of gender. The paper shows, however, that what these authors fail to recognize is that the media as a whole is communicating a range of ideas on gender roles and that those ideas generated have their basis in society itself. The paper argues that these authors seem to generalize themselves, suggesting that the media is responsible for exaggerated roles of gender. In contrast, by taking a closer look, this paper illustrates that the media only represents the general views of people and that the media does not really offer only one view of gender.

Paper Outline:
Introduction
1. Media as Communication
2. Argument that Media Creates Ideas on Gender
3. Focus on Gender Ideas about Women
4. Introduce Three Authors with Ideas on Gender Creation in the Media
5. Argument: The Media only Represents the General Views of People and the Media does not really offer only one View of Gender

From the Paper
"Each of these articles expresses the view that the media creates a certain image of women. In each case, it is also expressed that this is an exaggerated view of women. Kilbourne offers advertisements where the sexuality of women is taken to an extreme, such as by including bondage and violent images in addition to sexual ones. Morgan describes hip-hop music where the lyrics represent an exaggerated view of women. Faludi shows how a group of boys with behavior that can be described as extreme in the way they view women, came to represent the general view of the young male's view of women. In each case, the views expressed are exaggerated claims. For example, the young boys in Faludi's articles do not likely represent the views of the average young male. However, their coverage in the media may have created the impression that their views are closer to the norm than they really are. In summary, each of the articles are correct in saying that the examples they represent create exaggerated views."

Tags:Sexual, harassment, Nike

Abstract
The negative portrayal of gender roles in the media can be seen in television, movies, music and advertising and the repercussions of such are exhibited in actions and thoughts of individuals within that society. The paper contends that this mania, this explosion in glorification and objectification of women's bodies, promotes unreal images of women, distorts physical reality, creates an obsession with visual stimulation and trivializes all other natural features of a healthy psychosexual relationship. Furthermore, the paper argues that the media overload of degrading and objectifying women is the cause of society thinking that this practice is acceptable and right, when it, in reality, is an outdated practice that needs to be corrected.

From the Paper
"A myth is something everyone thinks is true, but in reality, is not. In "The Beauty Myth" by Naomi Wolf, she defines the beauty myth as the thought that beauty is universal, time transcending, and that women have to be beautiful to be socially accepted. The reality is, though, that beauty does not transcend time. From the voluptuous Marilyn Monroe to the famished-looking Kate Moss, American ideas of beauty have changed with media influence. In the mid-twentieth century, Monroe was a full-figured size 16, while models today, like Moss, are thought to be overweight if they are not bone thin and their cheekbones are not protruding from their faces. In addition, this trend has so widely spread that "In New York, you go to a cocktail party and they'll tell you where they had surgery. In L.A, you go to a party and they'll show you where they had the surgery" (Gerhart 404)."

Tags:subordination, models, feminization, culture

Abstract
The paper focuses on the media coverage of the Rodney King trial, verdict, and post-verdict riots in order to demonstrate how racism permeates American society. The paper then illustrates how film and television, while they may portray black people in ways which are not entirely negative, view blacks as nothing more than a corollary to a society which is founded for and by white people. The paper also explores gender stereotypes in the media and paints a picture of how society is built upon an ideal which affords the white male the greatest amount of status and minorities and females lesser levels.

From the Paper
"Whiteness permeates American culture, although it can sometimes be difficult to see. Television, books, and movies present culture and whiteness as the norm by which all else is judged. Though culture can admittedly have different meanings for different people, it nonetheless portrays whitness as a societal norm and all other cultures as those which are just slightly outside of that norm.
"One area which displayed that senses of order was the media coverage of the Rodney King trial, verdict, and post-verdict riots. Rodney King was a young black man from Los Angeles who was horribly beaten during an arrest by police officers from the Los Angeles Police Department. A witness with a video camera recorded the beating and the video was subsequently picked up and aired by several television networks."

Tags:whiteness, Rodney, King, gender, television, film

Abstract
This six page undergraduate paper examines representations of social class, gender, ethnicity, race, and/or age in the media. It seems evident that the best way to accomplish this is to examine television ads, radio ads, billboard ads, newspaper ads, magazine ads, and Internet ads. The writer points out that since ads are trying to sell a certain product or service, their content represents people who buy their product as extremely attractive, friendly, popular and happy people.

From the Paper
"In conducting a content analysis of representations of social class, gender, ethnicity, race, and/or age in the media, it seemed evident that the best way to accomplish this would be to examine television ads, radio ads, billboard ads, newspaper ads, magazine ads, and Internet ads. Since ads are trying to sell a certain product or service, their content represents people who buy their product as extremely attractive, friendly, popular, and happy people. These representations in media ads may differ in specific content, but they all reach out to their target audience in the same way by appealing to the social instincts and values of people."

Tags:social, class, media

Abstract
In this essay, the advertising images of women are evaluated in order to understand how the media portrays women. This essay argues that the gender identity of women is inextricable from the proliferation of multi-media representations of women and that the contradictory messages of advertising produce a conflicted value system for American women.

Abstract
This paper addresses two questions regarding gender and race problems in mass media. First, the paper questions how women and minorities are depicted in mass media, and how they are represented, compared to the white majority. Secondly, the paper considers how the media covers gender and race. The paper concludes by stating that government needs to provide legislation to even the playing field of who and how gender and race are covered in the media.

From the Paper
"There are two problem areas within the mass media: One, how they portray women and various ethnic and racial groups, and, second, how females and minorities are represented as anchors, reporters, spokesmen, reporters and editors. Yet, if the balance does not seem quite equal, it is still fair to state that the government should not become legislatively involved. Our governments, state, provincial, local and national, are already far too involved in our daily lives- social as well as economic. There are Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity laws on the books, Further intrusion should be avoided."

Tags:television, communication laws, minorities

Abstract
This paper presents an examination of the way television commercials portray women of color. The writer explores past and present issues that media entertainment has had with minority women and details the current trends and attitudes in television advertising.

From the Paper
"Since the 1960's the civil rights movements have worked to equalize the playing field for everyone in America. Whole the constitution of the nation claims all men are created equal the fact has remained that minorities have suffered racism and indignities in many life areas. One of the areas that minorities have been portrayed differently than non minorities has been the area of entertainment. Television has been a recreational tool for Americans for about six decades and during that time minorities have been portrayed in ways that reflected society's mind set. Today, current portrayals of minorities, specifically women of color make an interesting study in societal views."

Tags:race, gender, discrimination, civil, rights

Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that many media sources, have targeted, not commercial or cultural pressures that encourage women to tailor their bodies to fit the image of the moment--whether that be fat or thin, voluptuous or skinny--but instead have cited gay men's dominance in the fashion industry as the reason that so many thin models dominate the catwalks. The writer discusses whether this supposed cause of female emaciation is endemic to the popular media's homophobia, or whether it has its roots in academic discourse. Further, the writer discusses how academic discourse can help us escape this polarization of gay and feminist liberation ideals, or whether these two movements are really opposed in their larger cultural and epistemological aims. The writer concludes that women must reject the objectifying gaze that forces them to 'see' one another as heterosexual men provided by the industry, and offer new ways of seeing, thinking, and conceptualizing sexuality beyond the idea of beauty at all.

Outline:
Position Paper
Works Cited

From the Paper
"The desires of an individual designer can hardly explain the validation of a certain body type for an entire media industry that spills over into advertising and other forms of representational culture, not simply fashion. The aesthetic discourse privileges images of masculinity transposed upon women's bodies, according to Bordo, not femininity, and masculinity is associated with wealth, intelligence, hard work, and restraint. That is why women strive to embody slenderness, not because fashion advertisements 'tell' them to do so, or because designers are consciously communicating explicitly anti-female messages.
"Writing around the same time as Bordo, Robert Radford noted in the Journal of Design History, that the blame for negative or desexualized female images being laid at the feet of gay men is long-standing within the academic discourse of psychoanalysis and cultural criticism. "

Tags:female, bodies, images, homosexual

Abstract
This paper discusses the phenomenon of sexism in the media. This is done by an examination of sports coverage. The paper explains that gender differences and inequality in media coverage are very prevalent in the area of sports or athletic coverage. Women are not only portrayed less often than men, but also with a more sexist scope and utilization of language. The paper offers a suggestion to correct this problem.

From the Paper
"Sexist portrayal of men's versus women's athletic events and sporting events has prevailed in the media for some time. Armstrong and Hallmark (1999) note that until very recently, women in profession NCAA Division I women's basketball teams, though popular, had received "virtually no television exposure" during key station segments; women also suffered unfavorable practice times and "hand me down uniforms" (p. 1). Perhaps no other area of media portrayal reveals as much gender inequality as the portrayal of women athletes. This is not because of a lack of interest in female sports necessarily. More and more women are participating in sports formerly considered male only."

Tags:women, sports, discrimination, television

Abstract
This paper discusses, through example, the differences between communication in men and women in casual circumstances and within relationships. It highlights eye contact, decision making and emotions. The paper also explores gender specific communication within the media, using "Judging Amy" as its example.

Table of Contents:
Why I Broke Up with Philip (Relational Communication)
Gender and Media Communication
Bibliography

From the Paper
"Amy can be very assertive when it comes to defending children. In one scene I watched she was being interviewed on a television news talk show. She debated a corrupt politician who was running for office on the issue of trying children as adults for their crimes. The male politician was pictured as exploiting the issue in order to make a name for himself and get elected. He didn't care about children at all. Amy talks about her knowledge of children as human beings whom she relates to every day eye-to-eye. She tells off the politician and calls him a "self-seeking demagogue." "

Tags:male, female, media, contact