Stereotyping is an Ethical Problem in Media

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Stereotyping has to be one of the main ethical problems in media. Both advertising and entertainment media make substantial use of stereotypes. Stereotypes in most cases negatively affect people's perceptions of themselves or promote socially unwanted behavior. The stereotypical affluence of ethnic groups is one of the main examples of major area of debate especially on African Americans in the United States. One stereotype is that, Black people Abuse the Welfare System. According to Blackenterprise.com “On September 11, 2011, a non-black woman named Amanda Clayton won $1 million in the Michigan State Lottery. Before receiving her winnings, the 24-year-old mother of two brought in $200 per month in food stamps. After receiving her seven-figure-check, Amanda continued to receive her monthly food stamps because she remained unemployed.” Because she wasn’t black the media chose not to partake into advertising it as much as they would have if it was an African American woman, but because she was white the media looked upon her and the situation as it being a recession and she needed government assistance.
Another example according to m3boys.org is, “African Americans will complain that the system is set up to prevent black people from attaining certain positions.” The media has tried for years to discourage many young African American males and females from their dreams of becoming the next Congresswoman, Mayor, or Even President of the United States. Luckily, they haven’t accepted many these African American stereotypes, if so how would they explain the current President of the United States Barrack Obama holding the highest office in America? Although, the media finds negativity in everything that the President does to try and mak...

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