"BBC survey finds 18% 'uncomfortable' with the depiction of gay, lesbian and bisexual characters on TV and radio." Additional findings:
1. LGB people want to see more, and greater diversity within, LGB portrayal
2. The portrayal of LGB people is not always noticed by audiences
3. Context is critical to how all audiences perceive the portrayal of LGB people
4. The clear majority of the UK population are either comfortable with, or do not feel strongly
either way about, the portrayal of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people
5. Intimacy, both emotional and physical, is the primary concern for people who are
uncomfortable with the portrayal of LGB people
6. The BBC fares relatively well with its portrayal of LGB people, but there is more to be done
The findings are interesting, but just as interesting (and applicable) is the study that was conducted to come to these results. One of the biggest of it's kind it was based on a survey of more than 1,600 people and discussion groups involving 500. You can download the full report:
Read the full report (pdf). This report seems, to me, I good example of a Content Analysis Research Study. Quantitative, qualitative and systematic, I do question the study's objectivity. As this study seems to have been conducted by BBC or a partner (or hired) organization, Kantar Media.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/sep/30/one-five-uncomfortable-homosexuality
Wow, good point on the objectivity, but an interesting topic nonetheless. I wonder if similar methods have been used in the past to gauge people's discomfort with interracial intimacy in the past? I also wonder (fearfully, I'll admit) how such a study would go over in America. I'd be curious to see if correlations are drawn between respondents' religions, political alignments, etc, and their discomfort with GLBT depictions on TV.
ReplyDeleteI must admit I am also bothered by the particular fear about "exposing" children to GLBT intimacy, as though it is somehow dangerous or disturbing compared to the regular intimacy they are bombarded with on TV. I'd like to see some cultural studies done examining why this particular fear exists and how the audience decodes depictions of GLBT relationships when children are involved.
This is quite an interesting study that reminds me of a lot of similar findings I learned about in a class from undergrad called Race, Politics, and the Media. Basically any minority group has a hard time being represented fairly and in a wide variety of roles in today's media. When minority groups ARE represented, they are often in stereotyped roles which often reflect quite negatively on the group. The problem is that, although straight whites are represented sometimes stereotypically and in negative light, they are ALSO represented in so many other ways that the audience can believe that any given representations of the majority is just one of many ways they can be. This is actually true, but not just for the majority group. When audiences see gays, blacks, latinos, or any other minority represented in a small variety of (stereotyped) roles, it allows them to assume that this is the way all of the group must be, which of course is inaccurate. Some will say, "But there was a black doctor on E.R. who was represented very positively!" or things of this sort. This is true, but infrequent representation allows audiences to write such a character off as an exception or outlier to the rest of the group. What is really required, and what this survey points to, is the regular representation of minority and majority groups in various roles to help audiences see that they, like the majority, come in more flavors than one.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great study and I agree with Anna that it would be interesting to see the results with an American audience. It would also be interested to do it with different minority groups then compose a meta-analysis of the representation of minorities in media. If only...