The use of racism in the media and in advertising.

Intentional or not?

Written and presented by Rachel Harrison

Racism: examples used in everyday situations intended to represent “power” over another.

Examples: An interview by Paul Henry implying the Governor General’s nationality based on his looksAndRacist advertisement intended to assert power over employees by using the use of African American men.

What is racism?

• “A social system of domination”(Van Dijk, 2005, pp. 1-2)

• “based on a hierarchical construction of groups of people, according to their appearance, cultural practices, customs, traditions, language or socially stigmatised ancestors.”

(Reisigl & Wodak, 2001, p.10)

Example One:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqAEvkNtJ6A&feature=player_embedded

First example: Interview with Paul Henry

• Paul Henry (host of TVNZ Breakfast show)in 2010, made racist remarks against the current Governor-General, Sir Anand Satyanand who is of Fiji-Indian descent.

• In an interview with Prime Minister John Key, Henry asked who would be selected as the new Governor-General and whether they will look and sound more like a New Zealander.

• Is he "even a New Zealander".

Problems:

• Henry’s ignorance to the fact that the Governor General was actually a New Zealand-born New Zealander.

• John Key’s ignorance to laugh it off.

• In his apology to the public he refers to himself as a “gippo” another racist term for Roma people.

How does this relate to power?

• Is Henry entitled to say that someone doesn't "look or sound" like a New Zealander on National television?

• Because he (Henry) is white, is he more “Kiwi” than others?

• Is John Key (also a white man) agreeing by laughing?

• Is it implied that “anyone of Indian or Asian descent cannot be a New Zealander and should not hold public office unless they look or speak like one". http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/tvnz-suspends-paul-henry-3818718

Example Two:

http://www.adsavvy.org/25-most-racist-advertisements-and-commercials/

Example two: Advertisement for Intel

• Intel launched a national campaign in 2007.

• The advertisement consisted of a white manager (master?) who stands over six African American athletes who bow in perfect symmetry before him.

Potential problems.

• All sprinters were African American.

• The body language of the white man. Intended to show power?

• “…but also appearing to all bow down before the smug white dude.” Willy Feret, 2007, http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1004060/intel-racist

• Why are sprinters used in the first place?

• Is this in-fact just a pun?• Why must the business man

be Caucasian?

Linguistic elements to both examples.

1st example:• “... are we going to go for someone

who is more like a New Zealander this time?”

• a) more- as if to say that someone can look more New Zealand than the Governor General.

• b) this time- implies that the Governor General does not look or sound like a New Zealander.

• Shows syntactic choice

Linguistic elements in both examples.

2nd example:• Ambiguity/ pun:a) “multiply

performance”- six male sprinters.

b) “maximize power”- white man standing above men looking powerful with his arms crossed as they bow down.

Interrelationship between language, discourse and power.

• Henry has a high paying job, high level of power in his workplace, does this mean he has the power to speak about whoever to whoever?

• Did he think John Key would find it amusing? Two power people on television laughing about our Governor General looking and sounding less like a New Zealander.

Interrelationship between language, discourse and power.

• No spoken language used, however body language says a lot.

• Arms crossed- Powerful?• Position of six men- bowed

down.

What does this mean for the “others”

• Are people of different descents not aloud to consider themselves New Zealanders?

• Are African American’s not likely to own business’?

For markers only:

• All constructive criticism is welcome, feel free to give me ideas on how to improve my final project…

Thank youRachel Harrison

References

• www.adsavvy.org• www.mellowyellow-

aotearoa.blogspot.com• Reisigl & Wodak, 2001, p. 10 (class

readings)• www.theinquirer.net• www.tvnz.co.nz/national-news• Van Dijk, 2005, pp.1-2 (class

readings)