Identities and the Media: Reading the riots

1. How did the language and selection of images in the coverage create a particular representation of young people? from the newspaper front cover the representation of young individuals have become outrageous due to the fact that consumers of the media have never seen something like this before; this has therefore lead them the representation of all young individuals and from the the Guardian 09/08/2011 (http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/aug/09/london-riots-kidsparents-police) Sub Title: Emotive Language Residents paint a depressing picture of alienation, anger, boredom and mischief”- This signifies that the writer is bias stating that the people who live in Hackney are making the place worse and saying they are up to mischief. overall this creates the idea to the readers everyone from hackney are bad even when its possible that people who rioted may have come from outside of Hackney.
2. Why does David Buckingham mention Owen Jones and his work Chavs: the demonisation of the working class?
3. What is the typical representation of young people – and teenage boys in particular? What did the 2005 IPSOS/MORI survey find? The 2005 IPOS/MORI survey found that '40% of newspaper articles featuring young people focused on violence, crime or anti-social behaviour and that 71% could be described as having a negative tone'
4. How can Stanley Cohen’s work on Moral Panic be linked to the coverage of the riots? Due to the fact that their was a moral panic created because of the riot it has lead the news coverage to go over the top in way due to the fact that the society and the "working Class individuals" went over the line which had lead to a moral panic but it also was because of how many innocent people where effected and the Media just did'int want to tolerate it anymore.
5. What elements of the media and popular culture were blamed for the riots?The role of online networks – such as Twitter, Facebook and BlackBerry Messenger – came under the spotlight from the government and the former acting head of Scotland Yard in August after they were said to be a key tool for rioters to organise the unrest. Furthermore, The panel, which visited 21 communities and interviewed thousands of people affected by the riots, concluded that there was "no question" that rioters were aided by the existence of social media.
6. How was social media blamed for the riots? What was interesting about the discussion of social media when compared to the Arab Spring in 2011? Almost immediately after the Arab uprisings began, there was debate over the role and influence of social media in the ouster of Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and the imminent overthrow of Mubarak. In covering what some deemed the Facebook or Twitter revolutions, the media focused heavily on young protesters used their mobiles in the streets in political opposition, smartphones in hand. And since then, the violent and sectarian unrest in Syria has brought increased attention to the role of citizen journalism.
7. The riots generated a huge amount of comment and opinion - both in mainstream and social media. How can the two-step flow theory be linked to the coverage of the riots? due to the fact that we as a audience are able to speak our own views due to the fact that we are in an era where we can publish our own views and verdict by writing our own views it has meant that when we are publishing our one views consumers are then more likely to be influenced by these views and make their own assumption which lead to the riots in the first because of how easy young people are influenced.  
8. Alternatively, how might media scholars like Henry Jenkins view the 'tsunami' of blogs, forums and social media comments? Do you agree that this shows the democratisation of the media? As mentioned above form this Henry Jenkins point view it evident that audience are able to make their own view very easily when they look over articles and by watching the news.
9. What were the right-wing responses to the causes of the riots? Labour suggest that England has a long history of rioting during periods of economic distress. furthermore labour commented "The events have elements in common with this history and others unique to modern consumer society."
10. What were the left-wing responses to the causes of the riots? younger generation detached from the moral norms and obligations of adult society; the experience of poverty, despair and hopelessness; and a deep sense of "I don't care"
11. What are your OWN views on the main causes of the riots? In my opinion i don't feel like its the youths fault i due to the fact that the government shut down the community centre for these youth to be busy and this overall has led young teenagers are not being invested into and they are not having source to spend their time wisely and literally led these stereotypical youths to go and commit crimes and then finally had a the massive riot attack.     
12. How can capitalism be blamed for the riots? What media theory (from our new/digital media unit) can this be linked to?
13. Were people involved in the riots given a voice in the media to explain their participation?
14. In the Guardian website's investigation into the causes of the riots, they did interview rioters themselves. Read this Guardian article from their Reading the Riots academic research project - what causes are outlined by those involved in the disturbances?
15. What is your own opinion on the riots? Do you have sympathy with those involved or do you believe strong prison sentences are the right approach to prevent such events happening in future?