Social constructions of young people are linked to media representations of society, and the media culture significantly affects youth identities. The problem of contradictory beliefs and attitudes lies at the heart of difficulties in analyzing youth subcultures, with the media playing an important and expressive role in this area. For example, youth may be caught between the ideology of spectacular consumption promoted by the media and the traditional ideology of capitalism and the meritocratic work ethic. Moreover, Australian studies indicate that crime and deviance account for as much as 20 percent of total news content in the media. Youth and their representation in the media are not subject to simple analysis because young people are as complex as culture and society. Because the media culture continually stereotypes, reinforces, exaggerates, and often offers ideal but fantastic role models, its powerful effects need to be fully articulated in youth studies. 15 references and 1 photograph