Another topic related to media representation is that of censorship. Censorship often evolves from objections to the ways in which a certain phenomena is represented in ways that threaten or challenge certain beliefs or ideas. When the rock group, The Dixie Chicks, objected to George W. Bush’s arguments for the War on Iraq, there were numerous calls for censoring playing their songs on radio stations because people objected to their criticism of that war. There has been considerable controversy about the often highly sexist, violent messages in gangstra rap songs/videos, leading some to call for censorship of these songs/videos.

Students could study censorship cases to examine how particular media representations were perceived to be threatening or challenging to particular beliefs or values. One useful site is The File Room, an interactive archive of censorship cases from throughout history.

Other sites related to censorship:

National Coalition Against Censorship

American Civil Liberties Union

American Library Association

Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR)

Freedom Forum

Index on Censorship

People for the American Way

Project Censored

Organizations which may recommend some forms of censorship:

American Family Association

Christian Coalition

Family Research Council

Focus on the Family

Module 5: Word document

What are Media Representations?

Why Study Media Representations?

Studying Media Representations

Methods for Analyzing Media Representations

Representation and Censorship

Representations and Public Relations / Promotions

Studying Representations of Social Types or Groups

Representations of Femininity

Masculinity

Masculinity and Sports

Gays / Lesbians

Racial and Ethnic Groups

Class

Representations of Different Age Groups or Occupations

Occupations

Institutions

Instructional Activity

References

Teaching Activities