Poverty As We Know It Media Portrayals Of The Poor Stephanie R., Fall 2014

Introduction Authors: Rosalee A. Clawson & Rakuya Trice Published in The Public Opinion Quarterly, 2000 In this study, the researchers test the hypothesis that the media portray poor people inaccurately and stereotypically.

Misleading portrayal Gilens (1996) found that poverty was portrayed as a “black” problem. Media would lead the audience to believe that 2 out or every 3 poor people are black. In reality, Blacks make up less than one-third of the poor.

Stereotypes “Citizens say people are poor due to their own “lack of effort” (Kluegel and Smith 1986). A majority of Americans believe that “most people who receive welfare benefits are taking advantage of the system” (Ladd 1993). People also believe that poor families are much larger than middle-class families (Sidel 1996).

Stereotypes Cont. The media perpetuate stereotypes of the poor as lazy, sexually irresponsible, and criminally deviant (Parisi 1998). Coughlin (1989) discussed the media’s emphasis on “welfare queens”- a phrase that invokes images of poor women living high life and taking advantage of the welfare system.

Why is it important? In this study, researchers analyzed whether stereotypical traits of the poor are presented in magazine photographs. The visual representation of a political issue is an integral part of the definition of that issue. Visual images define and illustrate particular issue frames. The pictures provide texture, drama, and detail, and they illustrate the implicit, the latent, the “taken for granted” and the “goes without saying”.

Research Design Data was collected by examining stories published in magazines about poverty, welfare, and the poor between January 1, 1993 and December 31, Researchers looked for size and race of families in the pictures, demographic characteristics such as ethnicity, age work status, criminal behavior, use of drugs, alcohol or cigarettes.

Research Findings African Americans make up 27% of the poor. Five magazines would lead citizens to believe that blacks are 49% of the poor. Whites make up 45% of the poor, but they are portrayed only 33% of the poor. No portrayal of Asian Americans and Hispanics were underrepresented by 5%. It is clear that news magazines continue to race code the issue of poverty.

Research Findings In stories related to welfare reform, pregnancy, public housing and welfare dependency, there was a 63% portrayal of Blacks in contrast to 19% of Whites. More over, Hispanics were 18%.

Research Findings 76% of the magazine poor are women In reality, 62% of the adult poor are women. 30% of poor adults were show working or in job training programs In reality, 50% of the poor work full- or part-time jobs.

Conclusion The portrayals of poverty are important because they have an impact on public opinion. Blacks were disproportionately portrayed among magazine portrayals of the poor between 1993 and The images of poor people in the news magazines do not capture the reality of poverty. The news magazines provided a stereotypical and inaccurate picture of poverty which results in negative beliefs about the poor, antipathy toward black, and a lack of support for welfare programs.

Reference Clawson, R. &. (2000). Poverty as We Know It: Media Portrayals of the Poor. The Public Opinion Quarterly,