Young characters in television fiction: youth identities, models and portrayals in the digital age

Fedele, Maddalena

doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.31009/informesdcom.2020.02

Young characters in television fiction: youth identities, models and portrayals in the digital age

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Citation

Fedele M. Young characters in television fiction: youth identities, models and portrayals in the digital age. Barcelona: Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Departament de Comunicació; 2014. 42 p.

Abstract

This report paper presents the study “Young characters on television fiction: identities, models and portrayals in the digital age”, which was carried out within the CAS research group at the Department of Communication, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, in the framework of the Postdoctoral Grant Alianza 4 Universidades. The analysis of fiction programmes specifically targeted at teenagers (i.e. teen series) is a key research field still in the digital age, from both production and reception perspectives. On the one hand, teen series are key media products around youth culture, and often pioneer in the complex technological and cultural crossroads of the digital era. On the other hand, a significant body of literature has stressed young people’s preference for fiction programmes and especially for teen series, and the very influence of television fiction in teenagers’ socialisation processes. Also, previous studies pointed out the perpetuation of traditional and stereotyped models in the portrayals of female and male characters of fiction programmes. The main aims of the study were to analyse the teen series format, as well as the portrayals of ten and young characters and their storylines. The study consisted of a content analysis (through both quantitative and qualitative techniques) of the American, British and Spanish teen series available in Spain in the period 2008-2012, and its leading characters. A content analysis of 40 teen series and 130 young protagonists was carried out, with the help of SPSS and Atlas.ti. Among the main results about the teen series format, a common convergence on the dramatic and the fantastic genres has to be pointed out, as well as a complex cross-media strategy. Nevertheless, several differences in the length, the format and the scheduling strategy of American/British and Spanish programmes must be emphasised. As for the teen characters, the perpetuation of patriarchal and heteronormative gender stereotypes has to be emphasised, especially related to physical and sociodemographic characteristics. Nevertheless, while a more equal gender portrayal can be found in the psychological characteristics, as well as in the analysis of storylines and plots.

Description

Alianza 4 Universidades Postdoctoral Grant Research report. CAS (Communication, Advertising & Society) Research Group, Department of Communication. Universitat Pompeu Fabra