Representation blog tasks
Read the Media Magazine feature 'Representation old and new'. This is in MM51 on page 6 - go to our Media Magazine archive to find the article. Complete the following tasks:
1) Why is representation an important concept in Media Studies?
Representations are the effect of media language choices made to carry ideological meanings. When constructing representations, producers consider target audience, genre, narrative and their remit. The repetition of certain representations creates naturalisations, suggested by Barthes where the meaning is seen as common sense and ideology is hidden from the viewer.
8) Write a paragraph applying a selection of our representation theories to the clip from Luther. Our summary of each theory may help you here:
In the clip from Luther, Levi-Strauss's theory of representation and ideology can be applied by inferring that the producers of the show would like to portray the police force as being a field of equal opportunity where both women and ethnic minorities such as Black people can have the same roles in the police as white male officers. Mulvey's concept of the male gaze may not apply as there is no overt objectification or sexualisation of women in the clip. Dyer's theory about stereotyping and power could apply in regards to the representation of the Northern police officer, where there would be more stereotypes about Northerners due to more wealth and cultural power being accumulated in London.
1) Why is representation an important concept in Media Studies?
Representation is an important concept in Media Studies because everything in the media is a representation that has been filtered through someone else's view to create ideological meaning.
2) How does the example of Kate Middleton show the way different meanings can be created in the media?
3) Summarise the section 'The how, who and why of media representation' in 50 words.
2) How does the example of Kate Middleton show the way different meanings can be created in the media?
The example of Kate Middleton shows how at each stage of the representation process, attempts can be made to shape and control the image, depending on the nature of the story, and the news agenda at the time.
3) Summarise the section 'The how, who and why of media representation' in 50 words.
4) How does Stuart Hall's theory of preferred and oppositional readings fit with representation?
Readers are not passive audiences and so will often make their own interpretations of a text and its representation by using their own social experiences to shape their opinions and viewpoints on the text.
5) How has new technology changed the way representations are created in the media?
Readers are not passive audiences and so will often make their own interpretations of a text and its representation by using their own social experiences to shape their opinions and viewpoints on the text.
5) How has new technology changed the way representations are created in the media?
With the rise of new media, audience members can now construct and share their own media products, and in websites, video-sharing platforms and social media there are more opportunities for people to represent themselves than ever before. Individuals can now engage in the act of self-representation, often on a daily basis, through the creation of social media profiles and content.
6) What example is provided of how national identity is represented in Britain - and how some audiences use social media to challenge this?
During the 2014 World Cup, The Sun sent a free newspaper to 22 million households in England which represented its own concepts of ‘Englishness’ by symbolic references – queuing, the Sunday roast, Churchill and The Queen – to heroes, values and behaviours that the paper (and its owners, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corps) defined as appropriate expressions of ‘English identity’.
This representation may have helped some audience members to identify with a certain idea of national identity and our politicians seemed keen to represent themselves in relation to it, reinforcing The Sun’s messages about what it means to be British. However, social media forums and comment pages allowed many people to voice their rejection of the messages. Through self representation, they were able to show that they distanced themselves from the values in the tabloid newspaper.
6) What example is provided of how national identity is represented in Britain - and how some audiences use social media to challenge this?
During the 2014 World Cup, The Sun sent a free newspaper to 22 million households in England which represented its own concepts of ‘Englishness’ by symbolic references – queuing, the Sunday roast, Churchill and The Queen – to heroes, values and behaviours that the paper (and its owners, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corps) defined as appropriate expressions of ‘English identity’.
This representation may have helped some audience members to identify with a certain idea of national identity and our politicians seemed keen to represent themselves in relation to it, reinforcing The Sun’s messages about what it means to be British. However, social media forums and comment pages allowed many people to voice their rejection of the messages. Through self representation, they were able to show that they distanced themselves from the values in the tabloid newspaper.
Watch the clip from Luther that we studied in class (Season 1, Episode 1 - minute 7.40-10.00 - you'll need your Greenford Google login to access the clip). Now answer these final two questions:
7) Write a paragraph analysing the dominant and alternative representations you can find in the clip from Luther.
Dominant: There are many dominant representations in the clip that align with the British public's general perception of certain demographics. Even though Luther is the protagonist of the show as a Black man, it is mentioned that he is going through a trial separation, potentially contributing to stereotypes about Black men being unable to have stable relationships. Luther is also portrayed as a very domineering and calm character, embodying a typical portrayal of masculinity and manhood. When DS Justin Ripley is introduced, he is immediately portrayed as naïve in comparison to Luther possibly due to his origins outside of London that show through his Northern accent.
7) Write a paragraph analysing the dominant and alternative representations you can find in the clip from Luther.
Dominant: There are many dominant representations in the clip that align with the British public's general perception of certain demographics. Even though Luther is the protagonist of the show as a Black man, it is mentioned that he is going through a trial separation, potentially contributing to stereotypes about Black men being unable to have stable relationships. Luther is also portrayed as a very domineering and calm character, embodying a typical portrayal of masculinity and manhood. When DS Justin Ripley is introduced, he is immediately portrayed as naïve in comparison to Luther possibly due to his origins outside of London that show through his Northern accent.
Alternative: There are also many alternative representations in the clip that subvert common stereotypes held by the British public. Luther's boss being a woman is not only alternative due to a woman being in a position of power over a man, but that same woman having power in the police force which has traditionally been a very male-dominated workforce. Luther being the protagonist of the show as a Black man is also notable, as this will allow audiences to find more nuance in his character that traditionally was only seen as available to white leads. The portrayal of the police could be arguably alternative as it is mentioned that Luther was recently taken off suspension and has been cleared of suspicion, possibly suggesting corruption within the police force that allows officers to get away with crimes in the pursuit of solving a case.
8) Write a paragraph applying a selection of our representation theories to the clip from Luther. Our summary of each theory may help you here:
In the clip from Luther, Levi-Strauss's theory of representation and ideology can be applied by inferring that the producers of the show would like to portray the police force as being a field of equal opportunity where both women and ethnic minorities such as Black people can have the same roles in the police as white male officers. Mulvey's concept of the male gaze may not apply as there is no overt objectification or sexualisation of women in the clip. Dyer's theory about stereotyping and power could apply in regards to the representation of the Northern police officer, where there would be more stereotypes about Northerners due to more wealth and cultural power being accumulated in London.
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