Current Ethnic Issues in Television Drama

Current Ethnic Issues
In various shows, ethnicity is a main issue, as the black characters, are often portrayed in a lower living, or as a dangerous or pitied character. Alvadaro (1987) concluded that in television dramas, black people are shown in one of four lights:
1) Racial difference was represented as something exotic ( different/unusual)
2)Represented as a dangerous character (blaxploitation)
3) The humorous character (Lenny Henry)
4) A character who is pitied, by other characters.


On Waterloo Road (BBC1) a young girl from a muslim background is found pregnant, when confronted by her brother. She belongs to the only muslim family at her school. Trudi discovers her pregnancy. 

Hotel Babylon Extract

Stereotypes (3:00-4:00)
Foremost, during this clip of an immigrant raid during the clip of Hotel Babylon, all of the police officers leading the raid are white. This is promoting the fact that in the media, immigrants are only black, or a different skin colour. The opening begins with 3 white men, arresting and man handling a black man who was cleaning. They force him downstairs. They protest to him being deported due to the fact he will be killed, as the rest of the family were killed. The editing is fast-paced, this shows how the immigrants are rushed, panicked and have very little time. This can also represent the nature of the immigration officers, that they are, in a rush, to catch as many illegal workers as a possible before they hide away. One black man, "Ibrahim" was captured. Once the multi-lingual supervisor finds out he was captured, she protests in front of all guests and workers, this is when the frames and editing slows. Also, the head immigration officer then declares that he is aware of the codes that are used to give the immigrants minutes to hide away, hence the multi-lingual supervisor. This clip of footage, in my opinion strongly shows how all immigrants are branded as violent, low-life aggressive thieves. However, it contradicts the stereotype by
showing the immigrants to be, clever and hard-working people. During this scene we meet a cleaner, Adam, who we discover is a former doctor. He saves a diabetic woman who whilst hiding for her life in the cupboard has a hypoglycemic attack. Adam helps recover the woman, by placing jam in her mouth. This is confronting media and everyday views that immigrants bring crime and violence with them. They all appear to be a strong 'family' unit. However, when it comes to meals, each racial group, eats only with others from the same background. It's as if they are segregated into their own cultures for meals.
This clip, conforms, and combats, various media and personal views about the stereotypes of immigrants, illegal and legal.

Common Stereotypes of Immigrants

Common Stereotypes of Immigrants
Common Stereotypes of Immigrants:

• All immigrants are bad news and cause and bring trouble and crime
• Immigrants are played in negative roles and portrayals
• Always played in a derogatory role, or pitiful situation being looked down upon often by a middle-class white British citizen

From the media and parents, my views are continually swayed that all types of immmigrants are bad for the economy, social lifes, and jobs. It is the common media view that immigrants bring trouble, crime and drugs with them, and by claiming from the government or turning to crime, are costing our government thousnads, if not millions of pounds a year. From experiences, media and parental guidance, I have come to the conclusion that, immigrants are bad for the country, economy, and affects all people.

Ethnicity

Ethnicity
Alvadaro 1987

Racial representation comes in one of four types:
1) Racial difference was represented as something exotic ( different/unusual)
2)Represented as a dangerous character (blaxploitation)
3) The humorous character (Lenny Henry)
4) A character who is pitied, by other characters.

Representations of Ethnicity

Representation of Ethnicity


Ethnicity: relating to or characteristic of a human group having racial,religious, linguistic, and certain other traits in common.

Skins Extract- Bus and Estate Scenes

Skins Extract Video

Tony in the finale of season 1 was hit by a bus causing him mental and motoring sensors of his body, in other words he is incapable of being independent. In the scene concerning Tony and his friend Maxxie are returning home after Maxxie has performed his dance. We open with Tony staring out of the bus windows at people walking and cycling along, with only the use of medium shots. The colours are very dull. Tony first reacts properly in a panic when a passing bus sounds it's horn. He jumps, panics and grabs hold of the closest thing to him, which happens to be Maxxie who reassures him. Tony is told all is okay, and acts arrogant in his voice and face, but his hand squeezing Maxxie's says otherwise. The camera focuses on Tony's face and his hand gripping Maxxie's. The camera shots are rapid but slow down as Tony calms, rather like his heart beat. The scene continually has non-diegetic music playing in the background predominantly before the bus drives past, after, it slowly fades. The music is calming and at a slow pace.