Representation refers to how any medium depicts aspects of reality through images, videos, or entire programs. Rather than presenting reality directly, representations re-present things that have already occurred. Representations aim to invite audiences to understand them in preferred ways, though allowing for some interpretation depending on the viewer. Whatever representations are used implicitly convey ideologies, meanings, and values, giving media institutions great power to influence social attitudes through the representations they choose. Stereotypes are exaggerated representations that help audiences instantly understand meanings but are usually negative. Ideologies in media present dominant beliefs and ideas accepted by most in a culture.

1. Representation

2. What Is Representation?
• Representation refers to the construction of any
medium of aspects ‘reality’.
• It can be a single image, a sequence of images
or a whole program.
• The media does not present reality they ‘re-
present it’ – they’re representing things that have
already occurred.

3. How Does Representation Work?
• Representations invite audiences to understand
them and agree with them in certain preferred
ways.
• Different interpretations are possible to some
extent, depending on the audience.

4. Power of Representation
• Whatever representations are used, there are
ideologies, meanings and values that are implicit
in that presentation.
• The gives great power and responsibility to
media institutions as the representations can
influence social attitudes in many different ways.

5. Stereotypes
• Stereotypes are used to help an audience
instantly identify and understand the meaning of
a text or media.
• They are an extreme form of representation and
can sometimes be focused on and therefore
exaggerated.
• Stereotypes are usually negatives
representations and most have many
assumptions.

6. Ideology
• Ideology is a set of beliefs and ideas that are
presented in a media text. Dominant ideologies
are those which are accepted and understood
by the majority of people as part of our culture
and expectations.
• O’Sullivan – States that underpinning most of
the media, various powerful vested interests
operate to ensure that particular representations
are manifested.
• Noam Chomsky – Argues that the media serve
the interests of the state and corporate power.