Editorial: A fresh chance for positive portrayals

The research, undertaken by TNS Media Intelligence during one week in May, found an alarming 87.5 per cent of broadcast coverage about young people was negative in tone. Most broadcast clips were short and focused on headline-grabbing activities such as knife crime and gang culture. The tabloid press were less harsh about the young than in previous years but across all media, only 23 per cent of items were positive (see p8).

Three years since its inception, Positive Images continues its mission of getting more balanced and affirmative coverage of young people's lives in the media. But here, the language of government also plays a major role. Too often under Tony Blair's reign, press releases have been issued, usually by the Home Office, announcing measures to deal with "louts", "yobs" and "thugs". This has countered many of the aims to give young people something to do, somewhere to go and someone to talk to. The rhetoric from politicians has been characterised by tough-talking soundbites, often designed to sound statesmanlike and reassure a population fearful of crime and distrustful of any teenager they don't know. In fairness, it doesn't apply to Beverley Hughes, youth minister for the past two years, who has been a worthy champion for young people's interests and provided a listening ear.