Representation- An introduction

• Media texts (film, television, magazines etc.) present us with a story and a version of people, places and ideas etc.
• The way in which the text deals with its content is important because most texts seek to portray the ‘real’ world.
• The presentation of reality can contradict, reinforce or change attitudes.
• All texts are constructed by a creative group of people who have their own views and attitudes.

The process of bringing ‘reality’ to an audience always involves ‘mediation’. A media text is ALWAYS a construction

• Critics claim that media products are not impartial but select and present things in a way which consciously or unconsciously reflects their own views and assumptions of the world and issues.
• In the same way, all the media (factual and fictional) have been accused of misrepresenting categories of people. The most frequent charge is that the media is guilty of adopting, using and therefore perpetuating stereotypes of those categories.

Stereotyping is a process of categorisation

Stereotypes are not actual people but widely circulated ideas or assumptions about particular groups

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Ideology

Ideology can be thought of as the system of ideas, values and beliefs which an individual, group or society holds to be true or important in terms of how that society should function.

Furthermore, these ideas, values and beliefs are seen to serve the interests of dominant groups within society.

Ideas that are shared/perpetuated by dominant groups (eg: government, education, law, church etc) can be described as dominant ideologies.

Any media text has ideologies contained within it (a preferred meaning). These can challenge or support dominant ideologies.

When considering the representation offered by the text (and therefore the ideologies being presented) it is important to consider who, or what, is absent from the text as well as who, or what, is present.