Running head: STEREOTYPES AND MEDIA CULTURE

Breaking Down Stereotypes:

Media Culture at the University of Kentucky
Sydney Michaela Dooley
University of Kentucky

STEREOTYPES AND MEDIA CULTURE

Abstract
Stereotypes are preconceived and oversimplified characteristics typically assigned to a
person or group of people. Stereotyping is generally the result of a person or group not being

understood and therefore placed into a stereotype. Right or wrong, in todays society, people are
all too likely to jump to these, often times, distorted views. Stereotyping has become a universal
problem and occurs throughout cultures. It is often times easier to fall back on a preconceived
notion rather than to truly evaluate and understand the person or group being stereotyped.
Despite the ease of quickly assigning a classification, it is unfair to believe that all people with a
particular characteristic are the same. It is unjust to categorize a group or person without truly
getting to know them through first hand experience. Should we take the time to get to know the
person or group, we may discover that they are not anything like the stereotype we imagined
them to be. The more we learn about a group, the better we understand them and the less likely
we are to assign them to an unwarranted stereotype.
Aloofness, laziness and feelings of superiority are common stereotypes held toward
media and those that work within. Often times these stereotypes are held by those who have
never been involved in or experienced the media culture. When one delves into the culture and
surrounds themselves with the people who work in the Media Department at UK you will find
the very opposite to hold true. You will discover a group of close knit individuals who work
above and beyond what is required of them to create and brand the best face of Kentucky
Athletics. These men and women strive to put University of Kentucky athletes, teams, and
coaches in the best light possible. They are anything but stereotypes. The following paper will
work through these stereotypes, breaking them down and giving a clear vision of the media
culture within the University of Kentucky Media Department.
Key words: Breaking down stereotypes, first-hand experience, media culture

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Breaking Down Stereotypes: Media Culture at the University of Kentucky

Todays society has become extremely consumer-based. What is it that we consume the
most? Media. American society holds a culture that revolves around media: television,
newspapers, magazines, Facebook, and Twitter According to the Statistics Portal, 116.3 million
American homes have at least one television. Pew Research Center also found 84% of
Americans own computers (Rainie, 2014). At some point in our lives we have all sat down to
watch TV or to use the Internet. Some people love the drama of reality TV while others prefer
news broadcasts, documentaries or programs on channels like USA, The History Channel or
Animal Planet. But almost everyone in America enjoys watching one type of sport or another.
Americans love sports and many of us will sit down in front of a TV to watch our favorite
team or player compete. We follow our favorites on Twitter, we read about them in the
newspaper and we buy magazines highlighting them. We gather our friends and family together
to watch the big game every week and even throw parties centered around big sports events such
as the Super Bowl. Watching sports is as simple and easy as picking up the remote, clicking on
the TV and changing the channel to ESPN. What we dont realize is the hours, days, weeks, and
even years of preparation it takes to produce and air a 2 hour sports event on television.
For those that work in media production and management, specifically sports media, it is
not as simple as clicking a button. The people who work in media have a culture that is not
understood by the population outside of those involved. Many people stereotype those who
work in media or the media culture in general. This is because they simply do not have enough
insight into the time and work put in to producing the shows they watch on television every day.
The work that happens outside the comfort of our own homes and couches goes unnoticed by the
majority of people in America. All we see is the final product; a game on our TV. We dont see
the culture of those that put in all the hard work for us to be able to watch sports on TV. So if we

STEREOTYPES AND MEDIA CULTURE

cant see this culture, how are we going to understand it? We cannot understand the media
culture without experiencing it for ourselves. Since we dont understand, we create stereotypes
to help us understand the media culture. The following pages work to break down the negative
stereotypes of aloofness, laziness and superiority complex held toward the media and media
culture by granting insight into the University of Kentucky Media Relations Department; their
culture, community, and the product they work to brand, helping to form a better and more
complete understanding of media culture.
To begin breaking down the stereotypes held toward media culture one must first define
the term stereotype. By reassessing and clarifying the definition of the word we can improve and
better understand the ways in which we apply it. Psychologists Hamilton and Trolier defined a
stereotype as a cognitive structure that contains the perceivers knowledge, beliefs, and
expectancies about some human group (Gorham, 2010, 5). There are many assumptions
commonly associated with stereotypes that people hold to be true. However, these
generalizations usually prove to be incorrect. It is commonly believed that stereotypes are
universal and used by everyone across America and the world. While there may be a few
universal stereotypes most are only associated with a certain culture, social group religion or job
type along with many other possibilities. Stereotypes are generalizations of certain
characteristics or attributes held by all the members of a certain group (Seiter, 1986). These
assumptions influence the way we view or think about a certain culture. But stereotypes are not
always based on peoples first-hand encounters with the stereotyped group and, therefore, can be
distorted much like in a game of telephone, where the first person tells the second person a
phrase and so on but by the end of the game the phrase has been severely altered. Stereotypes
that are currently held to be true may not be an actual representation of the group as they could
have been distorted over time and now hold no actual significance for the group in question.

STEREOTYPES AND MEDIA CULTURE

To truly understand a culture and break down the stereotypes surrounding it we cannot

look from the outside in, we must submerge ourselves within. Chris Shoals, a UK graduate who
is the Media Relations Assistant and Sports Information Director at University of Kentucky (C.
Shoals, personal communication, February 17, 2015), allowed me a brief insight into the culture
of the Kentucky Media Department. In a recent
interview, Shoals admitted that he was unsure of
exactly what the job would entail when he
accepted it but was thrilled to be working in
media relations saying there is nothing in the
world I would rather be doing and there is no
place I would rather be doing it at (C. Shoals,
personal communication, February 17, 2015).
Contrary to the stereotype that the media culture
is hard for those outside to penetrate, Shoals
found the transition into the culture of UK to be
extremely easy because the people were very

Figure 1: Chris Shoals (C. Shoals,

personal communication, February 17,
2015)

welcoming and respected the hard work it took to

get there.
Those involved in the media culture work extremely hard, yet they are commonly
stereotyped as lazy. Stereotypes gather their strength based on their level of validity and
distortion. When asked what stereotypes are held toward the media culture Shoals responded,
I think common stereotypes would be that we feel privileged, we feel like we are above
some things. Cocky might be a word that some people use because sports often times get
more notoriety than academics at the university level. I think there might be some

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jealousy involved as well which leads to a little bit of hostility as well (C. Shoals,
interpersonal communication, February 17, 2015).
When looking at the media culture from the outside, it is assume they are an aloof, cocky group
of people who are above everyone because they are the face in the screen of your TV. They are
special because they are well known and famous. They dont work as hard, that they dont
work as long, they have a fun job, theyre always at games, they get the best seats, things like
that (C. Shoals, interpersonal communication, February 17, 2015). But in reality, none of that
holds true and, in fact, it is the exact opposite.
Shoals described a job full of uncertainty with many twists and turns, and emotional ups
and downs. Most people with normal jobs go to work from nine to five Monday through Friday
and have their evenings and weekends off. Working in the Media Department at UK is not a nine
to five job. Walking through the doors every morning with a plan for the day does not mean that
is how the day is going to proceed. Shoals relates that nine times out of ten, he does something
completely different from what he had planned for the day. The media world is constantly
changing and that plans must adapt to those changes (C. Shoals, interpersonal communication,
February 17, 2015). The stereotype that those who work in media have an easier job than people
who work nine to five Monday through Friday has no validity. Not only do they spend their
weekdays working, but frequently also work late nights, weekends and holidays. They travel
with teams to games on the weekends and spend late nights preparing for the filming and
broadcasting of these games. They spend holidays on the road with teams, away from friends
and family. Shoals recalls that this year he spent Thanksgiving in the Virgin Islands with the
mens basketball team, the first time in twenty-two years he was away from his family for the
holiday. If a job in media is something you do to simply earn a paycheck then its not going to
be something you enjoy because youre probably working 330, 340 days out of the 365 in a

STEREOTYPES AND MEDIA CULTURE

year (C. Shoals, interpersonal communication, February 17, 2015). The job and hours that
Shoals describes contradicts the commonly held stereotype that people in the media department

do not work as hard as those in other jobs. It requires long hours, times spent away from family,
commitment and dedication.
When I came here I wanted to be on TV and I wanted to be a sports broadcaster Shoals
said, and my perception of them before I really got into the industry was that they were rich and
they made a lot of money and felt a false sense of entitlement because they are on TV a lot (C.
Shoals, interpersonal communication, February 17, 2015). Until becoming a part of the media
culture, even Shoals, who grew up involved with media, had some predetermined idea towards
those who work in the field. It was not until becoming part of the University of Kentucky media
culture that Shoals realized that they were people just like him and learned that a lot of them
dont have a sense of entitlement but are really really cool people. I think theres a preconceived
notion that they are above everything but theyre not, they are really grounded people (C.
Shoals, interpersonal communication, February 17, 2015).
When you become a part of
the UK Media Department culture
you will find yourself surrounded
by a group of people who are
dedicated to the university, its
sports teams, and to each other
(Figure 2). There is a deep sense
of community within the
department. It is a community that not only spends a lot of time working together but also
spends a lot of time together outside of their work environment. Shoals said, I spend so much

STEREOTYPES AND MEDIA CULTURE

time with people here (in the UK Media Department). It is a tight knit culture that has
developed a deep friendship. He uses his plan for the following day as an example of just how
close the community he works with is.
Tomorrow I will get up and come to work, I will be in this office with these people, I

will go down and shoot around with my womens basketball people, we will have a game
tomorrow night where I will be working with these people, we will do a post-game and
then we will all probably go out with the same group of people (C. Shoals, interpersonal
communication, February 17, 2015).
Figure 2: UK Media Department (C. Shoals,
interpersonal communication, February 17, 2015)
Above, Chris Shoals, forth from left in the front row,
poses for a picture with his co-workers. The group
pretends to check their teams social media.

This illustrates how the UK Media Department

fosters a culture of one cohesive community
spending a lot of time together, not only as

coworkers but also as friends. Shoals said the community and culture within the department is
better than he ever could have hoped for. He has many friends within the department and said,
There are a lot of people here who would say they have a lot of friends in this department
because we spend so much time together. Its not just a 9-5 job; we work events together and go
out together (C. Shoals, interpersonal communication, February 17, 2015).
Stereotyping comes so easily buy stereotyping is not natural as commonly believed. It
is not merely a way of substituting order for the great blooming, buzzing confusion of reality
(Seiter, 1986, 16). Then why is it that media is stereotyped as an easy job requiring less work
than a real job? Many times when we do not understand something we create our own image,
however accurate or inaccurate that image may be, that we are able understand; something that
helps us grasp and work through that which is unknown to us. We want to understand, we need
to understand. Therefore, we use stereotyping as a short cut to understanding, however
misconstrued that understanding may be.

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Stereotypes are the guarantee of our self-respect; it is the projection upon the world of
our own sense of our own value, our own position and our own rights. The stereotypes
are, therefore, highly charged with the feelings that are attached to them. They are the
fortress of our tradition, and behind its defenses we can continue to feel ourselves safe in
the position we occupy (Seiter, 1986, 16).
Stereotypes allow us to grasp certain aspects of groups that are not well understood. They allow
us a sense of understanding toward something we are not involved in or have not directly
experienced. The only way to break down the stereotypes toward a group is to learn about the
group in question. We must take time to analyze their culture by moving from behind the wall of
stereotypes surrounding the culture. We must set aside the feelings that make these stereotypes
so forceful in our minds because behind each stereotype lies a history that relates a history and
understanding of the culture (Seiter, 1986, 24). If we do not truly know much about the media
culture, or any culture, we must learn. When we start studying the content of the culture and
their relationship to one another (Seiter, 1986, 24), we can begin breaking down the stereotypes
and formulating a true picture of the culture. We must distinguish between what is commonly
believed to be true about a culture and what is actually true.
Stereotypes are just concepts we make up in our mind that function to put relevance to
characteristics we do not understand. They allow us to judge these characteristics without
putting forth much mental effort to delve into the true meaning behind them. Stereotypes enable
us to perceive people as belonging to a certain group by generalizing characteristics that allow us
to easily make comparisons. Stereotypes serve as a shield; a shield that protects us from the
reality of a certain culture, a reality that we may not want to take the time to understand. But
what if these characteristics and beliefs are wrong to begin with? Then our stereotyping will be
wrong as well. We cannot, therefore, hold stereotypes towards the media culture if we have

STEREOTYPES AND MEDIA CULTURE

never experienced it for ourselves. We cannot label all those who work in media as aloof and
lazy because these terms hold untrue for the majority of those in the media culture.

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11

Before becoming an athlete here at Kentucky and involved with the UK media and those
who work within it, I held a few of my own stereotypes towards the media. I thought that people
in media were manipulative, that they directed interviews in the direction they wanted a story to
take and not in a direction of finding the truth. I also believed that they were standoffish and
aloof. But my opinion of the media has changed since I came here to the University of Kentucky
and met Chris Shoals. Having now had first hand experience with the media and becoming
involved in the work the UK Media Department does with athletics, my perception of the media
has evolved. When I met Chris, I was shocked to find that he had recently graduated from
Kentucky was not so dissimilar from myself. There was nothing standoffish or aloof about him
or anyone else in the media department that I have met. They are just another part of the UK
Figure 3: Andrew Harrison Interview (C.
team and provide support just like any teammateShoals,
would.interpersonal
Chris and thecommunication,
work he does is a huge
February 17, 2015)
Above,
a key member
part of our teams success. Our soccer team looks
up to Andrew
him not Harrison,
only as someone
workingofto
the Kentucky Mens Basketball team, answers
a few questions
group of reporters.
make us better players and people but also as a friend.
He is not for
justa interested
in how we
perform on the field or making sure we dont step out of line when it comes to social media but
he is interested in us outside of our sport. That came as such a shock to me and forced me to
reevaluate the stereotypes I had towards the media. After being involved in just a small aspect of
the media culture, I realized that it was something special and that the people who work in it are
amazing people; eager to teach us about what they know best and help us grow as athletes and
people. I am extremely thankful that I have had the opportunity to work with Chris Shoals and
have a small glimpse into the media culture here at the University of Kentucky.
Contradictory to stereotypes held towards it, the media culture is one of commitment,
extreme devotion and relentless perseverance. Those who work within the University of
Kentucky Media Department spend many hours preparing for games, managing coaches and
players social media and writing sports publications. Though they may not be the face of a

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STEREOTYPES AND MEDIA CULTURE

sports team they are the ones behind that face; the ones that ensure the integrity and reputation of
the teams here at Kentucky. It is safe to say that without them, the Kentucky Athletic
Department would not be what it is today. They are an integral part of the athletic program and
university life here at the University of
Kentucky and are the force behind much
of the school spirit. They truly bleed blue.

Reference
Chris Shoals bio (n.d.). In Kentucky wildcats official athletic site. Retrieved from http://www.uk
athletics.com/genrel/shoals_chris00.html
Gorham, B. W. (2010). Considerations of media effects: The social psychology of stereotypes:
Implications for media audience. In H. Kendall (Ed.), Beyond blackface: Africana images
in U.S. media, (pp.93-101). Retrieved from http://www.kendallhunt.com/uploaded
Files /Kendall_Hunt/Content/Higher_Education/Uploads/Ch_6_Houston_3e.pdf: Kendall
Hunt Publishing.

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13

Rainie, L. & Cohn, D. (2014, September 19). Census: Computer ownership, internet connection
varies widely across U.S. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from
http://www.pewresearch .org/fact-tank/2014/09/19/census-computer-ownership-internetconnection-varies-widely-across-u-s/
Seiter, E. (1986). Stereotypes and the media: A re-evaluation. Journal of communication, 36, 1426. doi: /10.1111/j.1460-2466.1986.tb01420.x/abstract
The Statistics Portal. (2015). Number of TV households in the United States from season 20002001 to season 2014-2015 (in millions) [Data file]. Retrieved from http://www.statista
.com/statistics/243789/number-of-tv-households-in-the-us/
University of Kentucky media relations (n.d.). In Kentucky wildcats official athletic site.
Retrieved from http://www.ukathletics.com/athletic-dept/media-relations.html