Representation is how groups are portrayed in media using stereotypes. Stereotypes are commonly used to represent people based on their age, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, class and ability. Negative stereotypes are often used and include portraying teenagers as anti-social, the elderly as helpless, women as dependent, minorities as criminals or exotic, and the disabled as victims. Positive representation in media can challenge stereotypes and show groups in a more realistic light.

1. Representation
Layla Foster

2. What is representation?
Representation is the way someone or something is portrayed in the media. It is
hard to show every aspect of a person so key features, usually stereotypes, are
used to introduce them to the audience in an enhanced way. For example when
constructing characters for a TV or movie scene, the producers might give an old
man white hair and a walking stick to reinforce the stereotypes paired with his age.
There are also positive and negative representations in which a picture is painted of
a certain person/thing in a certain light. A bad picture would be teenage violence
and a good representation would show a rich man giving to charity.

3. How are representations shown?
People can be represented and categorised in many different ways, but
here are the main 7:
• Age
• Gender
• Regional Identity
• Class/Status
• Ability/Disability
• Ethnicity
• Sexuality

4. Age representations
Different age groups tend to be represented very differently and across
the board.
Teenagers – Anti-social behaviour, disrespectful, do not care
about their families or school
Elderly – Forgetful, helpless, dependent, kind
Cohen studied youth groups in the 1960s and found that a moral panic
occurs when society believes that a social group’s values are deviant
and against their own. This belief is usually pinned on teenagers.
Newman found that working class elderly people are often portrayed in
dramas as occupying high-status roles

5. Gender representation
Gender roles tend to be very clear set, however in modern day media
these roles are more likely to be challenged.
Women – Usually part of a context; such as a mother, weak,
dependent, sex object. However, now may be seen as an independent
worker, on their own, strong etc.
Men – Isolated, only part of a family due to their context; eg
resolution to the narrative, powerful. However, men are now often
metrosexual
Mulvey (The Male Gaze) females are sex objects for male pleasure and
objectified
Easthope (1986) media, especially Hollywood films push boys to try
and be aggressive and violent

6. Regional identity representation
Regional identity refers to the part of the country that a person comes
from.
Scottish – drunk, violent, wear kilts London – 1) posh, rich, snobby
Welsh – farmers 2) poor, violent, lower class
Irish – rural, Catholic, choirs Northern – chav, uneducated, criminals
Essex – cheap glamour, stupid Southern – educated, modern, classy
Gauntlett (2002) argues that regional identities are not given but they
are constructed and negotiated by the media and society.
Higson and Corrigan argue that our identity is fluid and can be changed.

7. Class and status representation
Class and status is explored widely in popular television and movies.
For example the juxtaposition between the rich and poor is
represented throughout in Downton Abbey
Working class – uneducated, often aggressive, communities
Middle class – educated, nuclear family, financially stable
Upper class/aristocracy – glamorous, reserved, well mannered
Nairn (1988) aristocracy shown as positive and glamourous
Newman (2006) media only focus on the working class as a negative in
the news e.g thugs

8. Ability and disability representation
Disability is rarely explored in the mass media, however when it is the
contrast with the able is noticeable.
Disabled – pitied, victim, brave, laughable, weak
Able-bodied – helpers of the disabled, burdened by them
Barnes (1992) disability tends to be represented as oppressive and
negative in the news and general media
Karpf (1988) telethons, such as children in need, are to entertain the
public and keep the disabled in a position of the victim and a burden

9. Ethnicity representation
Ethnic minorities tend to be extremely stereotyped, especially in
western media
African-American – stereotyped as violence, Middle Eastern, South Asian – terrorists, oppressed
gang culture, athletes, uneducated women, religious, sophisticated
East Asians – educated, lack emotion, determined White – educated, moral, arrogant, racist
Latin America – lazy, drugs, ‘exotic sex symbol’
Alverado (1987) exotic, dangerous, pitied, humorous and recently
sexualised
Watson (2008) moral panics often result from media stereotyping of
Black people as potentially criminal

10. Sexuality representation
Sexualities, especially those within the LGBT community are not
explored regularly in the media
Heterosexual – the norm, monogamous, nuclear family
Homosexual – gay men are feminine, lesbian women are butch,
AIDS carriers, cannot have children
Bisexual – confused, insecure, phase, promiscuous, greedy
Gerbner (2002) the media take part in ‘symbolic annihilation’ by
negatively stereotyping gay/lesbian
Craig (1992) LGBT+ are shown to have negative social and psychological
problems that are found to be amusing

11. Representation in NME
The women featured on these covers of NME are not completely sexualised or more so than the men, which breaks the stereotype of
the male gaze in the media. Lana Del Rey is sticking her tongue out which could be seen in a provocative manor, although the title of
‘I’m a psycho!’ gives this a different meaning. The cover with MIA is also slightly sexual as her hair is blowing and she has a low cut top
but her cleavage is not showing at all. Florence is not shown in a sexual manor as she has a shirt reaching her neck and minimal
makeup. The age groups shown within these covers range from around 20 – 40. The youngest people shown are the women which
suggests that they may be their to pull in fans based on their looks. There are no people with physical abilities represented across
these NME covers. The social classes of these people are not all noticeable but people such as Oasis are known to be lower class and
Northern, whilst Florence is upper class and Southern.

12. Representation in Q
Q magazine covers are different to
those of NME as there is a clear
gender divide represented. 6 of the
covers out of 19 feature women.
Lady Gaga and Beyoncé are shown in
sexual and minimal clothing to put
across their sexuality and to help sell
issues. Adele, Cheryl and Florence
are also shown on the cover, but
instead of being shown in a sexual
manor through clothes they are
gazing into the camera in a seductive
way. The majority of the men on the
covers are not looking into the
camera which desexualised them.
There are also a range of ages on the
cover, but they are mainly over 20
which presents the artists and
magazine as mature and
professional. There are no artists in
the pictures displaying any form of
disability.