Hegemony and the Media

Hegemony is portrayed in the media through gatekeeping, agenda setting, and framing, which is specifically seen in the ideologies of the Proactiv commercials.

Hegemony is the ability of a dominant group to continually control the ideologies, or values that seem “natural,” of the common population. It is a gradually changing process that allows capitalist, socialist, and even communist nations to uphold their ways of life. According to Lull, “...mass media are tools that ruling elites use to ‘perpetuate their pwer, wealth, and status [by popularizing] their own philosophy, culture and morality.’” The media because of its wide influence and use of gate-keeping, agenda setting, and framing, is able to help those in the “ruling” group promote and advertise people, issues, and products that “should be” considered important.

The Proactiv commercials use Katy Perry and other celebrities as influences to promote the ideology of the importance of having clear skin, which brings confidence and ultimately more success in life. The media uses gate-keeping by putting their focus on teenagers as well as others who do not have clear skin, and the consumer range is broadened even more so because of their use of celebrities. Agenda setting is used to make having clear skin seem like a natural necessity, and the media’s framing is used to connect the celebrities and the product.

This is a link to the Proactiv commercial with Katy Perry
http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/05/04/business/1247467767739/proactiv-commercial-with-katy-perry.html