What is representation

All media forms mediate real events and conditions. The attempt to provide us with a re-presentation of reality. However the constraints of the different media and the fact that there has been a selection of particular words and images means that it is impossible to reproduce exactly the world 'the way it is'.

Questions we need to consider are;

whose version of reality is being presented or re-presented?
who is doing the presenting?
who or what is being re-presented?
how is it being re-presented?
to whom is it addressed?
why is it being re-presented in this way?
what view of the world are we given?
how familiar does it look?

Representation is one of the key concepts in media. The media are often described as a 'window on the world' although in fact the media are highly selective in the way in which they construct and represent the world back to us.

At this stage we can relate Stuart Hall's theory. In essence all media texts are encoded with a preferred meaning by the producer of the text. This will be greatly influenced by their cultural, political and moral beliefs.

Lippmann (1922) argued that what we think and how we act is often based on what we perceive to be true, not on what is actually true. His theory discusses the way people act according to the 'pictures' in their head. These pictures come from the mass media. Crouteau andHoynes (1997) stated that media products go through "processes of selection that invariably mean that certain aspects of reality are highlighted and others neglected" (134). As media students we need to think carefully about not just what is represented on screen but what is not. We need to examine absent representations.

Think about the acts of 9/11. Not many people can claim to have lay witness to the experience and not many people can claim to be actively involved in the ongoing war against terrorism. However,because of images and 'ideas' disseminated by the media 'we all' feel that we have an informed opinion on it.

or

Think about what we understand about relationships and gender roles. Our want for the perfect relationship, marriage and partner is instilled in us by the media. Our expectations of relationships are based upon 'images' and 'ideas' that are perpetuated by the mass media.

This moves us into the realm of media bias and propaganda. Theorists argue that the media tend to perpetuate beliefs and ideas that contribute to sustaining dominant ideology maintaining a hegemonic state. The media, according to Stuart Hall (1977), perform the ' ideological work' of the ruling class. Hall is suggesting here that the media frame reality in a way that serves the interest of the dominant class. This is the darker side of capitalism where a stringint class system is needed so order and control can be maintained. A Marxist would argue that this form of structure is put in place so that the ideology of the ruling classes reins with a coherent and unified set of beliefs, ideas and practices dominating society.

Stereotypes

Stereotyping is used throughout the media in order to create instant recognition with the audience. These stereotypes can be both positive and negative but tend to influence the way we think about and view social groups of people. It can be argued then that the 'media reflect and support the existing patterns of social and economic inequality'(Croteau and Hoynes, 1997:161). The media can be criticised for the use of stereotyping as it fails to recognise individuals and views people as a collective group. This in turn can create misunderstanding and prejudice. Adorno (1957) stated that in using stereotypes in this way can ultimately dull a persons life experience.

Think about how the teenagers play up to a stereotype, reinforcing itbecause they feel as though no matter what they do they'll be seen in that way or more importantly represented in that way by the mass media. Applying theory to it, we could argue that because teenagers are so regularly subjected to a drug taking, binge drinking and underage sex having stereotype, which some would argue isglamorised by the media, they feel pressured to maintain the stereotype. This is known as a self fulfilling prophecy.