My Family vs Shameless – Representation of British Family life

Popular sitcom ‘My Family’ is representation of family life in Britain – But is it a fair one? It shows a white, middle class family with two parents and three children. Why does this prime time show offer such a traditional view of family? – Does this representation reflect actual experience for many people? – Is it offering an idealised view – does it tie in to deeper cultural beliefs about what family ‘should be?’

C4′s ‘Shameless’ offers a very different view of family life in Britain – Could such a programme be a ‘prime time’ BBC1 show? What sort of messages does it give out about British society and the structure of family in the modern world?

Does the media actually report the news?

This thought provoking short film focusses on the role of the media as instigator of a climate of fear. It looks at the choice of news items and makes a simple point about the agenda of the news. Why not count how many stories on the national news are about ‘muslims,’ ‘islam’ and ‘terror threats’ in comparison to those about the dangers of driving. Look at the statistics at the end of this clip and consider for yourself which is the biggest threat to YOUR life – cars or islamic terrorists? – Which is more newsworthy? – Why?

Stereotyping in the media – BBC discussion

An excellent BBC report on stereotyping in the media  - Has political correctness ‘gone mad’ or has the media got a role to play in preventing racism in everyday life? Little Britain and Borat are among the topics for discussion.