Two events from different media texts will be analyzed to demonstrate how events are represented across media. When representing events, the ideology, construction, selection, focus, and intended audience of the text must be considered. Through language, images, and other techniques, media representations construct versions of events that can influence how audiences think and feel.

1. Representation of
Events
Focus on the representation of TWO events
From at least two different media texts
Enables you to demonstrate an understanding how events are
represented across media.

2. Events - definition
• Event = something that occurs or is about to occur
and is of interest to an audience.
• Events come in a range of shapes and forms and
can be local, national or international.
• E.g. the Royal Wedding, the Olympic Games or a
pop festival. International events may include wars
and global recession.
• Think of five current events you could explore?

3. Ideology
• The ideology of the text in which the event
features – right-wing or left-wing newspaper?
Royalist or anti-royalist?
• Is it clear what the text says about the event?
• Is there evidence of bias in the representation –
how do the visual, sound and linguistic codes
achieve this?

4. Intertextuality

6. How is the event
presented?
• Language - Critical? Adulatory?
• Mode of address?
• Anchorage?
• Use of images?

7. Construction
• Events in media representations are constructed –
they are ‘mediated’ by editors, journalists, graphic
designers, photographers.
• A football cup final will have lots of camera
positioning – producers will decide where the
camera is pointing and which is to be used. Music,
slow motion, and video filters can enhance the
images and make the players seem heroic and
superhuman.

8. Selection
• Whatever is chosen means other things are
omitted.
• Someone makes that decision – who? Why?
• If a peaceful student march has a brief skirmish
between one or two protestors and the police –
how might A) a student newspaper think about it
B) A right-wing tabloid?

10. Focus
• Headlines and images will direct our response to
certain aspects of the text and push us towards
assumptions and conclusions about the event
concerned.
• Who is interviewed? Who is not?
• Who is invited to commentate?

11. Audience
• Opinion leaders? Do they influence how
audiences think or feel about an event?
• The audience themselves – types of reading?
Hall?2

12. Consider how these two texts
have represented this event.