Publisher's Synopsis
Australian society prides itself on being both 'multicultural' and egalitarian. Racism and the Media challenges this perception.
In an analysis of the media - from televison and radio to women's magazines and daily newspapers - the Racism and Media research group at the University of Technology, Sydney shows that the media often present a distorted and at times racist image of Australian society. From the perennial all-white suburban streets of Neighbours, to the marginalised and threatening images of urban Aborigines, to the eroticised representation of 'foreign women', the media 'work' on reality, constructing narratives which play a vital role in how we see ourselves and others.
The authors ask why this problem of representation occurs, and what might be done to bring about a media more attuned to contemporary Australia. They show how the defence of a mythical view of the Australian nation in the media has serious consequences for many groups in Australian society whose interests and perspectives are excluded, or reduced to stereotype.
Racism, Ethnicity and the Media links analyses of the political economy of the Australian media with detailed assessments of communication policy, ethnic affairs and indigenous people's policy and politics. This unique synthesis draws on the most useful and contemporary theoretical insights from a range of disciplines including journalism, sociology, drama and history, as well as practical experience of media issues.
