Representation refers to how media portrayals like stereotypes are produced and their social and cultural significance. These representations shape audience perspectives and relate to traditional hierarchies and the exercise of social power. Mass media are used by ruling elites to perpetuate their ideology, culture, and morality and reinforce the status quo. Routines in media organizations lead to portrayals that harmonize with the existing power structure and help maintain institutional continuity and profits without significant change. Representations in media can influence people's assumptions and shape their impressions of others based on perceived characteristics like gender roles.

1. What is “representation?” What is the process through which
media representations (such as stereotypes) are produced? What
are the significances of representations and how are
“representational politics” related to culture and social power?
In answering these questions, you are to use the readings and
other course materials (documentaries and video lectures) to
focus on the structural/institutional production of media and
representations, media’s influence in shaping audience (our)
perspectives, and the cultural and social origins and
consequences of stereotypes and representations as they relate
to political power (traditional hierarchies and hegemony).
social calss differences in todays world are not determined
solely or directly by economic factors. ideological infliecne is
crucial now in the exercise of social power ( Lull, 61)
according to gramsci's theory of ideological hegemony, mass
media are tools that ruling elites use to "perpetuate their power,
wealth and status [by popularizing] their owen philosophy,
culture and morality" (Boggs, 1976: 39) (Lull, 62).
popular culture is comprised of the everday objects, actions, and
events that influence people to believe and behave in certain
ways(sellnow,2)
mediated popular culture shape beliefs, prevades daily lives- it
influences things like how we dress and how we interact with

2. other people (sellnow, 3)
popular culture communicates to us and for us through signs and
artifacts (sellnow, 4)
artifacts
groups we identify with are our popular culture groups- help
shapre our characterisitics, values and belifs
ideology is a cultural groups perceptions about the way things
are and assumptions about the wat they ought to be - not factual
but a perception ideas
mediated popular culture text- song movie tv progran
popular culture text- comprimised of interrelated set of signs
and artifacts that all contribute to the same rhetorical argument
( reinforces or chanllenges beliefs about appropriateness , good
or bad or desirable or not
we study popular culture bc it persuades and communicates so
many aspects of our lives
Routines lead mass media creators to portray the Wolff in a way
that harmonizes with the established power structure in society
(turlow 209)
Routines reinforce institutional continuity (turlow 209)

3. They help creators deal with the need for change in mass media
without causing problems in either institutional acceptablitily or
organizational profits (turlow 209)
Many sex differences, it appears, may result from the images
that people create in their attempts to act out accepted sex roles
(Snyder 372)
Despite people's best intentions their initial impressions of
others are shaped by the assumptions about such characteristics
(Snyder 370)