"Broadcasting, sexist discourses and stereotypes: Content analysis of promotional radio La Otra FM"

Abstract

This article studies the relationship between sexism, stereotypes and social imaginaries in the institutional promotions broadcast by the commercial radio station La Otra FM. The name of this private station is presented as "another" popular radio alternative, however, the discourse makes direct reference to "The other woman", i.e. a lover, making it a station that challenges the social and cultural constructions that restrict female behavior, but, they go on to represent her in a liberal and sexualized way.

The research objectives were based on analyzing the discourse of the radio station La Otra FM, disseminating the advertising promotions and distinguishing the stereotypes present in the station's advertising. Definitely, as the media resorts to sexism and female objectification, a content analysis model was built, which consisted of the dissemination of 17 commercials of the radio station, broadcasted throughout the programming; which were analyzed according to the following categories: language, thematic, representation, characteristics, intentionalities, temporality, subject, values, receivers and stereotypes, this last condition was approached from the classification proposed by Marcela Lagarde, where women are inscribed in different captivities such as: madresposa, puta, loca monja and presa.

Among the main results, we found that the broadcaster reproduces sexist discourses that respond to historical processes of patriarchal order, which is why the messages expose a radical differentiation of men from women.

The conclusions show that the advertising created by radio La Otra focuses its power on a persuasive-commercial communication, characterized by the broadcasting of humorous and double meaning messages, which appeal to deep sexual exaltations. La Otra radio spots are built on sexist semantic aspects that relegate women as "the other", being this the origin of the station's discourse. In addition, they are presented as a communicational strategy based on conventional and recent stereotypes which reflect women in a role of passivity and patriarchal subordination.