We Stereotype the Media, But They Stereotype Us Too..

This week in class, we learned about Stereotypes and how they pertain to the media. As a society, we're so quick to judge and stereotype others - especially when it comes to television, because making fun of other people on TV is everyone's favorite pastime, right? If I had a dime for every time I've heard people stereotype not only characters in certain TV shows, but also the television shows themselves and which collective audience they attract, I would be a rich woman. "Grey's Anatomy is such a CHICK show!" "Only theater lames watch Glee!" <- We've heard stereotypical opinions like these about shows on television, millions of times and for the majority of our entire lives. However, did you know that the people behind these TV shows also stereotype US as a society? Back in the day, economic media companies used to view society as a 'mass audience,' meaning that these companies behind media thought we were all the same. They thought that we didn't interact with each other about the media they put out - they thought that we were not only anonymous, but also homogeneous. However, this conception has gone through a shift within the past 20 years..a shift from our society being viewed as a MASS audience, to us being viewed in segments, or niches. We are now viewed entirely as a NICHE audience, which means that (they finally noticed!) we ARE all different and that instead of marketing to us on one level..we're marketed to on a bunch of different levels, primarily based on things such as geographics, demographics, psychographics, social class and geodemographics. By saying this, I mean that SINCE we're all different, economic media companies market to us based on where we live, our age group, our income status and our interests. For example, have you ever watched TV during the day? You'll notice that the commercials that break up your favorite daytime soaps, or whatever else you watch primarily in the morning and afternoon hours, consist of products that are marketed towards people who need jobs, mothers that are home during those hours with their small children, or senior citizens who are looking for medicare solutions. These commercials are much different than the commercials you'll find during prime time hours. We have to notice these things in order for us to become media literate! Our society changes every day, along with the media that we experience on a daily basis. Understand what you're watching and how they're trying to 'buy you', or you will be missing out on a lot of important information!