A2 Media Representation Notes

Representation

No representation can ever be completely true to the ‘real’.

All representations go through a process of Mediation

Event                           Process of Mediation                                     Representation                               

The Mediation Process

Media Producers (Encoders) are influenced in a variety of ways; some explicitly (i.e. they are told what to do) some implicitly (i.e. their own preconceived ideas shape the texts they make).

Consider how the three areas of Media Studies each offer their own pressures upon the mediation process.

               INSTITUTION                                     CONTENT                                            RECEPTION 

                Budget                                                 Narrative                                             Potential Effects

                Scheduling                                          Genre                                                   Medium

                PSB/ Commercial                             Conventions                                      context of viewing

This is not an exhaustive list of considerations

The Power of Representation

The vast experience we have of the world is mediated – increasingly our very interaction with one another is mediated via electronic mediums. How much personal communication takes place via, phone, social networking etc.

If representations are repeatedly used – (media texts become intertextually linked) the representation increases in power and influence. Each repeated representations adds authenticity to the previous one. Then the representation becomes seen as ‘true’ or ‘real’.

Consider our example of News reporting in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Acceptance of representations can lead to stereotypes – stereotypes are a short cut sign that signify a lot of information based upon an assumed cultural knowledge. They are very useful in some Media Texts – e.g. a short tv advert – consider stereotypical representations of ‘the family’.

Kernel of Truth debate.

Some theorists argue that stereotypes emerge from a kernel of truth – meaning that there is something inherent truth within the representation. This can be a very dangerous concept especially when we make stereotypical judgements about people based on ethnicity.

Hyper-reality

This is a concept associated with Baudrillard. Essentially media representations become more real than the real. For example an iconic image of Nicole Kidman is more real than she herself is. The real Nicole could never look as good as the airbrushed hyper-real image we might see in the movies or front of a magazine.

Typology

Theorists will often measure representation by using a typology. They attempt to identify certain types of representation and then see how often they occur. A Famous example was Stuart Hall’s work on the representation of black people in film and on television. (see details below)