Ideology refers to the ideals that society feels pressure to conform to, which are influenced by institutions like the mass media. Althusser saw ideology as shaping people's thoughts and awareness. The media promotes certain ideals, like the nuclear family, by disproportionately representing it on TV. This continual exposure strengthens the belief that the nuclear family is the ideal, which the media then uses to market products that conform to this ideal lifestyle.

1. IDEOLOGICAL STATE APPARATUS/MEDIA

2. Ideology
 Ideology generally refers to the
promoted ‘ideals’ for which society feels
the need to conform to.
 These ideals are influenced by a
number of different social institutions.
 One of these is the mass media.

3.  The concept of ideology is a Marxist theory,
which was explored by Louis Althusser.
 Althusser saw ideology as being a force
which shapes people’s thoughts/awareness.

4.  The ‘ideals’ ideology refers to are
expressed through the media in a fair
number of different ways.
 One of these is how the media can be
seen as dictating the ideal lifestyle to its
audience.

5. Media Influence
 If we take a look at the offerings on
television we can see that there are
definite ‘ideals’ being communicated.
 An example of this is how the media
presents family units.

6.  Regardless of the programme you
watch, there is a good chance that the
lead character’s family is a nuclear unit.

7.  Often this is because the nuclear unit is
typically believed to be the most
common family structure.
 Writers will take note of the fact people
are likely to have interest in characters
that could be seen as representing
them.
 By putting characters into a ‘common’
nuclear family unit, they will reach a
large audience.

8.  This leads to programming consisting
mostly of nuclear family units, given
them the most media exposure.
 This exposure promotes the idea of the
nuclear family unit as being ideal to the
audience.
 This cycle continues, which ensures that
the common belief of ideals is
strengthened more and more.

9.  As we’ve seen now, the media industry
uses the ideals it has already created as
a basis for marketing products.
 Over time the industry has helped shape
ideal lifestyles; which gives them a
chance to sell products on the basis that
they conform to said ideals.