You Are Not Alone: Understanding Representation in Popular Media and Viewer Meaning Through Degrassi and its Fan Communities

This thesis argues that Degrassi was a television production with values of authentic representation and to make its viewers feel less alone. The program pushed cultural boundaries to create meaning for its audience that connects with viewers many years after the program has finished airing. Representations matter for both the represented and the viewer, and this work shows how media can shape audiences and culture. This work employed a mixed-methods approach, with data collected from social media sites, the show’s text, and interviews with key informants, including Degrassi’s co-creator and executive producer Linda Schuyler. This provided rich data about the history of Degrassi and its messaging with its viewers using emerging technology, elements that created meaning for viewers, and what the Degrassi community had to say about the show’s representations. With this thesis, I found that Degrassi producers embraced emerging technology at significant times in the show’s production to engage with viewers to distribute the show’s message. I found that viewers saw meaning in the show’s vision and values, its actors, characters, and stories, and its Canadian essence. When considering the representations on Degrassi, there was a consistent pattern that showed that its portrayals made viewers feel less alone, provided opportunities for empathy towards unfamiliar groups, and created avenues for people to see others like them on screen. These representations were said to be ahead of their time and opened up opportunities for similar works within the cultural climate.

Author dc:creator

• Boyd, Alli

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Bird, Geoff

• School of communication and culture

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Identifier URI

https://doi.org/10.25316/IR-20457

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:null:10613/28893