Representation Theory
1) Why is representation an important concept in Media Studies?
Representation is important because it portrays people on what they are like and so if the media portrays people or a group of people in a bad way then it could lead to them people getting stereotyped and not being shown to how they truly are. There is so many cases where this is true but as time go's on some stereotypes on people tend to break.
2) How does the example of Kate Middleton show the way different meanings can be created in the media?
It shows the media uses an image or a story to portray someone in however they want to be in a good light or a bad light and with the Kate Middleton example they could imply if they wanted choose the pictures that made her look bad and use the ones and make it seem like she had a drinking problem. But also if they wanted to make her look good then they could say how respectful and well manured in the way she is drinking the wine making her look good.
3) Summarise the section 'The how, who and why of media representation' in 50 words.
Impacts with representations are considered by producers. They choose the needs of audience, limitations with genre codes. In this process the producers reject and select specific representations, this helps create ideological meaning. These are known as genre codes, which slowly become natural to the audience.
4) How does Stuart Hall's theory of preferred and oppositional readings fit with representation?
This fits into representation because the media can portray a group or a person in a certain way and then you as a consumer of that media can identify what the preferred reading of that portrayed thing is (What everyone is mostly thinking) and what the oppositional reading is (the other side of the argument).
5) How has new technology changed the way representations are created in the media?
With the rise of new media, audience members can now construct and share their own media products, and in websites, video-sharing platforms and social media there are more opportunities for people to represent themselves than ever before. Individuals can now engage in the act of self-representation, often on a daily basis, through the creation of social media profiles and content. When we post an image on Instagram or some thoughts on Facebook, we are constructing an idea of ourselves, and we are distributing it to our followers or our friends. The choices we make in terms of which images to upload and which comments to create a construction of an idea about ourselves. Social media allow us to construct selective and controlled representations of the public identity we wish to communicate to the world.
6) What example if provided of how national identity is represented in Britain - and how some audiences use social media to challenge this?
The Sun sent a free newspaper to 22 million households in England which represented its own concepts of ‘Englishness’ by symbolic references –queuing, the Sunday roast, Churchill and The Queen – to heroes, values and behaviours that the paper (and its owners, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corps) defined as appropriate expressions of‘English identity’.
Representation is important because it portrays people on what they are like and so if the media portrays people or a group of people in a bad way then it could lead to them people getting stereotyped and not being shown to how they truly are. There is so many cases where this is true but as time go's on some stereotypes on people tend to break.
2) How does the example of Kate Middleton show the way different meanings can be created in the media?
It shows the media uses an image or a story to portray someone in however they want to be in a good light or a bad light and with the Kate Middleton example they could imply if they wanted choose the pictures that made her look bad and use the ones and make it seem like she had a drinking problem. But also if they wanted to make her look good then they could say how respectful and well manured in the way she is drinking the wine making her look good.
3) Summarise the section 'The how, who and why of media representation' in 50 words.
Impacts with representations are considered by producers. They choose the needs of audience, limitations with genre codes. In this process the producers reject and select specific representations, this helps create ideological meaning. These are known as genre codes, which slowly become natural to the audience.
4) How does Stuart Hall's theory of preferred and oppositional readings fit with representation?
This fits into representation because the media can portray a group or a person in a certain way and then you as a consumer of that media can identify what the preferred reading of that portrayed thing is (What everyone is mostly thinking) and what the oppositional reading is (the other side of the argument).
5) How has new technology changed the way representations are created in the media?
With the rise of new media, audience members can now construct and share their own media products, and in websites, video-sharing platforms and social media there are more opportunities for people to represent themselves than ever before. Individuals can now engage in the act of self-representation, often on a daily basis, through the creation of social media profiles and content. When we post an image on Instagram or some thoughts on Facebook, we are constructing an idea of ourselves, and we are distributing it to our followers or our friends. The choices we make in terms of which images to upload and which comments to create a construction of an idea about ourselves. Social media allow us to construct selective and controlled representations of the public identity we wish to communicate to the world.
6) What example if provided of how national identity is represented in Britain - and how some audiences use social media to challenge this?
The Sun sent a free newspaper to 22 million households in England which represented its own concepts of ‘Englishness’ by symbolic references –queuing, the Sunday roast, Churchill and The Queen – to heroes, values and behaviours that the paper (and its owners, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corps) defined as appropriate expressions of‘English identity’.
Dyer: stereotyping and power
Richard Dyer's theory suggests that the complexity and variety of a group is reduced to a few key characteristics. An exaggerated version of these characteristics is then applied to everyone in the group. In this case for taken its the man being strong cool calm and collected. This goes on throughout the whole movie as the main character hero is giving advice and beating up bad guys throughout the film.
Medhurst: value judgements
Andy Medhurst suggests stereotyping is shorthand for identification. This means we use stereotypes to tell audiences a lot in a short space of time. This is shown in taken when the women gets taken we can see she is the damsel in distress stereotype and that's what we associate with her. And also because the villans are European we instantly tell they are bad guys.
Perkins: some stereotypes can be positive or true
Tessa Perkins suggests some stereotypes can be positive and are often true. Which is represented with the main character being a man he is typically strong and it is true and it makes them out to be in a positive light.
Mulvey: the male gaze
Laura Mulvey suggests that the dominant view in the media is masculine and created for the benefit of men. Women are presented for men to look at, hence the ‘male gaze’. This links to the idea of ‘sex sells’ and women being represented as sex objects. Ans its not typically shown in taken mainly due to the fact that the main character is a older man trying to save his daughter.
Levi-Strauss: representation and ideology
Claude Levi-Strauss suggests that representations in the media are informed by ideology: the set of beliefs and values held by the producer of the text. This is shown that the main villains don't get a story on why they are doing what they are doing making them look bad when they might just need the money.
Richard Dyer's theory suggests that the complexity and variety of a group is reduced to a few key characteristics. An exaggerated version of these characteristics is then applied to everyone in the group. In this case for taken its the man being strong cool calm and collected. This goes on throughout the whole movie as the main character hero is giving advice and beating up bad guys throughout the film.
Medhurst: value judgements
Andy Medhurst suggests stereotyping is shorthand for identification. This means we use stereotypes to tell audiences a lot in a short space of time. This is shown in taken when the women gets taken we can see she is the damsel in distress stereotype and that's what we associate with her. And also because the villans are European we instantly tell they are bad guys.
Perkins: some stereotypes can be positive or true
Tessa Perkins suggests some stereotypes can be positive and are often true. Which is represented with the main character being a man he is typically strong and it is true and it makes them out to be in a positive light.
Mulvey: the male gaze
Laura Mulvey suggests that the dominant view in the media is masculine and created for the benefit of men. Women are presented for men to look at, hence the ‘male gaze’. This links to the idea of ‘sex sells’ and women being represented as sex objects. Ans its not typically shown in taken mainly due to the fact that the main character is a older man trying to save his daughter.
Levi-Strauss: representation and ideology
Claude Levi-Strauss suggests that representations in the media are informed by ideology: the set of beliefs and values held by the producer of the text. This is shown that the main villains don't get a story on why they are doing what they are doing making them look bad when they might just need the money.
