We have looked at how men are represented in media, and we have done that by looking at three different genres of media products, that were: "The Night Manager" movie based on a book by John Le Carre published in 1993, "Men's Health Magazine" and "Deadpool" the movie based on Marvel's comic book series first published in 1991.
On one hand, media representations are complex. not simple and straightforward to a large extent to relation of men. This is being shown through
On the other hand the media representation of men are complex not simple and straightforward to a small extent only.
Eisend & Möller (2007) discuss how media can have an immediate effect on one's perceptions of social reality. By viewing beautiful models in advertising campaigns, women reported lower body satisfaction, a temporary rise in comparison standards toward physical attractiveness, and an enhanced belief regarding the importance of attractiveness (Eisend & Möller, 2007). The constant pressure for men to be the "beackbone", the provider, the dominant alpha male, the protector is being highlighted through different forms of media such as The Mens' Health magazine.
The Mens' Health magazine first launched and published in 1987 influencing over 200 000people as their readership, which takes up 47%, almost half of the their market.
Men's Health magazine isa great example to show that media representation is more simple than complex. This is because throughout the history and their first launch their magazine cover contains very similar features. We can always see a men on the magazine cover who is stereotypically accepted as a real men, with a great haircut, perfectly groomed, with a fit body with high muscle definition a
On the other hand media representation are more complex that we think. Hypodermic needle theory states that the audience is passive and the media injects ideas and beliefs into their mind through different platforms of media. For example in the Night Manager the stereotypical representation of men are being presented by our main hero who is intelligent, fit, and has a lot of attention from the ladies. This uses the hypodermic needle theory to create a deffinition of how a men should behave or look like. However the reception theory states that the audience could react to a particular impulse in three ways, and their opinion could be oppositional, negotiated, or dominant, due to the fact the people are more intelligent now. Therefore complex media representations through different platforms of media can be understood.
Further more the reason why representation of men are complex is because throughout different media platforms,men are represented in different ways. In the Night Manager, we have a regular person becoming an international agent, using mind and physical power to overcome difficulties.
In the movie Deadpool, our hero becomes a superhero, by getting regenerating and healing powers, however his attitude and behavior does not reflect to a stereotypical alpha male due to the fact that he jokes a lot, and does not take anything seriously.
By using the two step flow theory, media uses opinion leaders and to create views thatare passed onto the audience, that could create a contrast and complex representation of a certain group, in this case men, when raising a contrast how men are represented in the movie Deadpool, or the TV drama The Night Manager.
