Representations of Women (blog version of class slides)
Media representation 2
1. What is Representation? (symbols/icons)
Representation relates to the representation of reality in media.
Representation in the media is often used on social groups. Whatever
representation are used, there an ideology, meanings and values are
implicit in that representation. We can only judge by the
representation we are given in the media. Media representation is a
key concept as media representation is everywhere and its not hard
to receive them. However, the media representation is mostly
influenced in a negative way. Newspapers, in particular, are often
accused of starting moral panics by the way they present people or
groups. For example, the media put thin, tall female models trying to
get the public to follow a strict diet in order to be beautiful.
Therefore, this can be seen to influence social attitudes in many
ways.
2. There are many ways of categorizing people and place in terms of
representation such as Age, Disability, Gender, Race, Nationality, Sexuality and
so much more. Representation of groups often become stereotypes for
example, gender and sexuality can sometimes be very stereotypical and really
offensive.
Representation mostly talk about ideology, Genre, audience, institution and
types of representation. In ideology we know what representation to expect.
In genre, representational almost always defined by the genre. In
audience, the relationship between audience and representation is complex.
In institution all representations must also be analysed in the context of the
institution creating the representation.
Representation of people are the most common types of representation to
analyse. Representation are a very powerful way on conveying a lot of
information to the audience.
Representation
