Older Women In Media Analysis

Communication is an important aspect of our daily lives that molds our interactions with others as well as builds society. A common source of communications we encounter on a daily basis is media. Media is an important component of social control which may influence the way we feel about a certain population, provide the desire to purchase a certain product, or to provide information about a certain topic. We frequently we see topics focusing on elderly women in media, whether it be on the television or in a magazine. The emphasis on older women can be both positive and negative. The amount of older women in media is on a decline due to ageism and sexism which results in more focus on beautiful young ladies and dapper men.

Magazine Influences

This is the primary areas that would typically feature an older woman. One particular commercial that I am certain everybody has watched at some point or another, in different ways of production, are the commercials about life-saving lanyards or buttons which alert 911 when you have an emergency. These commercials target the geriatric population as well as middle aged adults who may see the necessity of implementing one of these devices into their loved ones’ daily routine. The commercials typically show an elderly person, more commonly a woman, lying on the floor yelling for help after she has fallen. The women portrayed in the commercial are typically in the 80 years and older age range and appear as the stereotypical feeble old lady who may be living alone and widowed. They portray the women in these commercials sympathetically and weakly. A child may see this commercial and mentally place their parent or grandparent in the situation. This makes the item present appealing and helpful, as it would life a burden off of the family member. This portrayal can be accurate but it presents the idea that all elderly women are weak and unable to be independent without the assistance of somebody or something at all times. This is the inaccurate presentation focusing on

They are either one of two things: an attractive young lady or man or an older man who could be described as “distinguished”. When I was little I remember watching the news and seeing Judy Waggoner. I know she is still on the news some and I am always happy to see an older, successful woman bringing our broadcasts. When you think of watching the news, the stigma of the task is typically something that an elder person would enjoy, yet they are replacing the majority newscasters with young adults or men to possibly reach a younger audience. “On many TV programs in modern times it seems that it’s fully acceptable for a male presenter to be of an older age. In fact this is often seen as “more intelligent” or “experienced” most older male presenters are thought of very highly, and often it’s justified.” (Flitter, "Older Women in the Media") This both presents the ideology of sexism and ageism. I feel they may think that having younger people or handsome men would improve ratings when perhaps it could diminish viewer’s want to watch as they may feel the younger broadcasters may not be as intelligible to breaking news and current event situations. The very slim margin of older women you see on the broadcasts present as very successful and highly educated, which promotes an older woman’s confidence in the words she is hearing. Our text states “The invisibility of older