Are you frustrated with today's media coverage of young people?
In recent years, the mainstream media have featured alarming stories involving teens: high school shootings and stabbings, sensational murders, violence, crime, drugs, youth gangs ...
"I think that people our age are portrayed by the media as violent, lazy and uneducated. I myself have held down two jobs, am going to high school full-time and take high school classes on the internet. I would like to see, for once, something put forward to the public to let them know we are not lazy people."
"Speak Out" MNet's discussion group for youth |
These incidents make exciting headlines on TV and radio, in newspapers and magazines, and on the Internet.
But they offer a distorted image of young peoples' lives today.
While most adolescents are positive, contributing members of their communities, that's often not the image reflected in the media. Too often we see stereotypes of teenagers as gang members, powerless victims, social outsiders or criminals.
This media toolkit offers ways to change negative youth stereotypes in the news.
We've consulted with youth-based organizations, community groups, journalists and educators to develop a resource that will help you both to understand the media, and to gain access to them.
If you have some input into the way the media cover news and events, you can help promote a more balanced image of youth—and the positive roles they play in society.
The Toolkit sections listed on the right sidebar are intended to help you understand how the news industry works, how stereotypes function in the media, and how to approach the media to get positive youth voices and stories heard.
