Representation
Definition; Media representations are
the ways in which the media portrays particular groups,
communities, experiences, ideas, or topics from a particular ideological or
value perspective. The
words suggest something was thee already and has been represented by the media.
Representation can change overtime. As many people believe
that media is powerful, so it changes people’s attitudes and beliefs.
It's impossible to portray every aspect of
an individual in a photograph, or even in a film, so certain features of their
personality and appearance get highlighted, and are often enhanced, when it
comes to constructing the representation that the audience will see. When representing a person, media texts often focus
on their:
- Age- we are quick deem if other people are too old or
too young. For example we criticise mature women as ‘mutton dressed as lamb’
and young girls for ‘tarting’ themselves up. Age is often stereotypical as we
know the older generations are considered much weaker than younger.
- Gender- Gender- a
basic category we use for sorting human beings and it is key when discussing representation.
What does it mean to be a boy or girl? Many objects not just humans are
represented by the media mostly masculine or feminine, mainly in advertising. We
then grow up with awareness of what creates suitable characteristics for each
gender. Representations of women across media highlight the
following: Beauty, size/physique, sexuality, emotional relations and
relationships. Representations of men across media highlight the following:
Masculinity, strength, power, sexual attractiveness, physique and independence.
- social class and status -
- sexuality - Main focuses on heterosexuality and homosexuality. Gender ties
in with sexuality. Sexuality is often expressed through clothes, props, setting
and acting. Heterosexual women are often stereotyped as being loving, pure,
alternative and promiscuous. Heterosexual men are known for being respectable,
a ‘ladies man’ or a man who has trouble talking to other women. Homosexual women:
monogamous, promiscuous and embarrassed and homosexual men are overbearing and
also embarrassed. However, these are all stereotypes of sexuality.
- regional identity -
Regional identity refers to the part of the united kingdom
someone is from e.g. ‘south’ or ‘north’.
Scottish are often known for drinking a lot of alcohol,
loves being out doors, wears kilts and eats haggis.
Welsh are often known as living in the middle of the
countryside.
Irish are known as living in the country, working in rural
areas e.g. farms, being very religious and very friendly.
English are known for being obsessed with bear and football
but the stereotypes can also be opposite showing English people to be very
rich, posh, royal ect..
Manchester/ Liverpool are often known for being chavs
wearing tracksuits, drinking a lot, uneducated and aggressive.
Essex known for being glamorous but cheap, footballers
wives, lots of partying and being ‘stupid’.
Yorkshire shown as living in the countryside and rolling
hills and cobbled streets, being old fashioned.
Cornwall/ somerset are shown as living in rural areas,
working on farms.
South England are shown for being clever, modern, classy,
rich. Doing jobs such as being a manager.
North England are shown as being poorer, bad weather, lower
class, aggressive, not very clever doing working class jobs. So the very
opposite of south England.
- physical ability -
- Race/ethnicity- representation of race in the media can
consist of the same sort of rigid stereotypes that constitute gender portrayal.
However, stereotyping of race is seen more harmful then stereotyping of gender.
Racial stereotypes are often based on social myths. A lot of work on race and media
focuses on the representation of black men and women. There are many negative
representations as well as good, for example.
When you're analysing representation, think about the
following questions:
- Who or what is being represented? Who
is the audience for this representation?
- What are they doing? Are they compatible
to genre expectations or other conventions?
- Why are they present? What purpose do
they serve?
- Where are they? How are they framed? What
surrounds them? What is in the foreground and what is in the background?
Stereotypes;
Media institutions use stereotypes because the audience will
instantly understand them. Think of stereotypes as a visual shortcut. They’re
repeated so often that we assume they are normal or ‘true’. Representation of a
character, appearance or belief. Stereotypes tend to exaggerate as well as
simplify and can be positive or negative. Representations are also concerned with the way that people, ideas and events are presented to us. this could be representation in magazines, newspapers, news, soap operas and films. this may include representations of people or events.
Audience positioning- considering how different categories
of audience will react to the media. Interaction between other groups.
Cultural ideology- we all have expectations about how
certain characters and groups react, behave and operate within society.
A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words...
Producers of
media texts know that visual representation is a very powerful tool when it
comes to persuading your audience what to think about a topic. Here are two pictures of Amy Winehouse, look at how the media have gave her two different representations.
The media gives Amy Winehouse a different identity by creating different stories about the singer. There has been a different choice in framing, lighting, make-up, cropping and costume. Both stories affect her as a star, do you think these are the images of the 'real' Amy Winehouse.
