Media Representations
Media shapes our perception of the world by portraying various aspects like gender, age, ethnicity, and social issues. This influence on our understanding and viewpoints makes media a powerful tool. To analyze how media portrays these ideas, we need to understand key concepts like construction, selection, and ideology.
Construction:
How a media text is assembled.
Examples:
Film/TV: Editing, camera angles
Print Media: Layout, writing style, image choice
Mediation:
The process media goes through before reaching audiences.
Examples:
Film Script: Revisions before production
Photos: Cropping, captions
News Reports: Portrayal of real-life events
Selection:
What is chosen to include in a media text.
Importance:
News Articles: Fact selection shapes story angle.
Omission can be as significant as inclusion.
Anchorage:
Text accompanying images to provide specific context and meaning.
Examples:
Newspaper captions & headlines
Advert & film poster taglines
Stereotypes:
Simplified representations of people, groups, or places using exaggerated characteristics.
Purpose:
Quickly describe characters for audience recognition.
Danger:
Lead to generalizations and biases.
Ideology:
Ideas and beliefs of media producers reflected in their work.
Examples:
Newspapers: Owner/editor ideology influencing story representation (e.g., favoring a political party).
Documentaries: Filmmaker/producer ideology shaping the portrayal of asylum seekers.
Camera Shots & Angles:
Low Angles: Make subjects seem powerful (high angle = less important).
Editing:
Manipulates emotions: Reality shows like "Don't Tell the Bride" edit hours into short segments, shaping how audiences perceive characters.
Audio Codes:
Dialogue & Accents: Influence audience perception (slang vs. proper English).
Music: Creates atmosphere (somber music vs. upbeat music for different portrayals).
Layout & Design:
Positioning of elements shapes representation (e.g., central character denotes importance).
Language & Mode of Address:
Style of writing and tone influence audience perception (e.g., nostalgic language for an idealized past).
Visual Codes:
Elements within photographs or illustrations contribute to meaning (e.g., clothing, setting).
Camera Shots & Angles (in Photographs):
Perspective shapes how subjects are seen (e.g., low angle = power).
Anchorage:
Text accompanying images provides specific context (e.g., captions, headlines).
This poster represents gender, place, and the past through various techniques:
Layout: Eilis (center, low angle) signifies a strong, central female protagonist. Two men flank her, representing her past (Ireland) and future (America).
Design & Visual Codes: Soft colors, 1950s clothing, and the Brooklyn Bridge create a romanticized past.
Mode of Address: Nostalgic tone evokes a romanticized view.
Camera Shots (in Photo): Eilis' direct gaze suggests confidence. Jim (downward gaze) reflects her Irish past. Tony's upward gaze suggests her American future.
Anchorage: The tagline "Two countries, two loves, one heart" anchors the imagery and emphasizes romantic love.
Evolution: Representations of women have changed with social and cultural shifts.
Stereotypes: However, female stereotypes persist, often defining women by:
Male Gaze: How men view women.
Societal Expectations: How society dictates women's appearance and behavior.
Focus: Many portrayals center on:
Sexuality & Emotions
Relationships (children, romantic partners)
Positive Counterparts: Alternative portrayals challenge these constructions, showing women as:
Active vs. Passive
Heroes vs. Victims
Case Study: The Hunger Games
Katniss Everdeen subverts stereotypes:
Survivor & Scavenger
Skilled Archer & Hunter
Self-Reliant & Responsible
Fearless & Rational
Shifting Masculinity: Representations have evolved with the rise of the "new man" who embraces traditionally feminine interests like fashion and fitness.
Traditional Focus: However, portrayals often emphasize:
Strength & Heroism
Problem-solving & Survival (action-adventure characters like James Bond or Indiana Jones)
Challenging the Hero:
Skyfall: An aging James Bond portrays a more vulnerable hero, offering a more realistic view of masculinity and aging.
Alternative Masculinity: Shows like "The Big Bang Theory" present geeky, intellectual men who defy the "tough guy" stereotype (e.g., Leonard winning Penny's heart).
Media portrays people by age groups, but risks creating stereotypical caricatures (e.g., lazy teens, grumpy seniors).
Traditional age boundaries are blurring (e.g., video games enjoyed by all ages).
Young people are often depicted negatively, causing controversy and debate.
Case Study: London Riots: British media portrayed young people as dangerous based on a minority's actions, perpetuating an unfair stereotype.
Positive portrayals in news often focus on extraordinary feats (heroism, sports achievements).
Comedies like "Little Britain" use young characters like Vicky Pollard to represent them as uneducated and lower class through clothing, speech, and language.
This suggests such portrayals are common enough to be effectively parodied.
Consider adding a section on positive representations that challenge stereotypes, showcasing young people in everyday situations demonstrating intelligence, ambition, or social awareness.
Media often portrays older people through negative stereotypes, highlighting:
Physical Decline: Deafness, reduced mobility
Negative Traits: Grumpiness, dependence
The aging process itself is rarely portrayed positively.
Anti-Aging Products: Adverts frame aging as a problem to be combated or reversed.
Airbrushing & Manipulation: Images of older women are often altered to remove wrinkles and other signs of age.
Sitcom characters like Catherine Tate's "Nan" reinforce stereotypes through:
Grumpiness & Intolerance
Parody: These exaggerated portrayals highlight dominant negative representations.
Consider adding a section that challenges these stereotypes. Show older people:
Leading active and fulfilling lives
Contributing positively to society
Possessing wisdom and experience
Media Shapes Our Views on Issues: Media representations can significantly influence our understanding of important topics like education, poverty, and climate change, especially if they're the only exposure audiences have.
Body Image Concerns: Fashion media and some TV shows are criticized for portraying a narrow beauty standard: white, thin, and flawless. This unrealistic portrayal can pressure young people to conform to an image potentially altered by technology.
Unrealistic Beauty Ads: Beauty and anti-aging product advertisements are often seen as misleading. For example, ads featuring celebrities were banned for misrepresenting the effectiveness of the products.
Advertising Regulations: As a result of complaints, many advertisements must now disclose if images have been digitally altered or if models use cosmetic enhancements.
Underrepresentation: The UK's ethnic diversity is missing from media like TV, film, and magazines. Non-white ethnicities are often underrepresented.
Limited Exposure: Audiences have limited experience with diverse cultures due to media portrayals.
Ethnicity vs. Race: Ethnicity is cultural (traditions, language, beliefs) while race is based on perceived physical characteristics (skin color).
Stereotypes & Influence: Media portrayals of ethnicity can be very influential, shaping how audiences view different cultures. Negative stereotypes can harm how people perceive entire ethnic groups.
Juxtaposition, the act of placing contrasting elements side-by-side, is a powerful tool in television for creating comedic or dramatic effect, particularly when exploring national or regional identities.
Comedy: Shows like "Doc Martin" and "Gavin and Stacey" use juxtaposition for humor.
Doc Martin: A posh London doctor (Martin Ellingham) clashes with the laid-back Cornish villagers. Their contrasting accents, dress, and mannerisms lead to awkward and amusing situations.
Gavin and Stacey: The show hinges on the comedic tension between two families from very different regions (Essex and Wales). Their distinct accents, attitudes, and experiences create humor centered on their differences.
While stereotypes can sometimes be harmless, they paint an inaccurate picture of a place and its people. This can be misleading for audiences who rely solely on these portrayals to form their understanding.
Media shapes our perception of the world by portraying various aspects like gender, age, ethnicity, and social issues. This influence on our understanding and viewpoints makes media a powerful tool. To analyze how media portrays these ideas, we need to understand key concepts like construction, selection, and ideology.
Construction:
How a media text is assembled.
Examples:
Film/TV: Editing, camera angles
Print Media: Layout, writing style, image choice
Mediation:
The process media goes through before reaching audiences.
Examples:
Film Script: Revisions before production
Photos: Cropping, captions
News Reports: Portrayal of real-life events
Selection:
What is chosen to include in a media text.
Importance:
News Articles: Fact selection shapes story angle.
Omission can be as significant as inclusion.
Anchorage:
Text accompanying images to provide specific context and meaning.
Examples:
Newspaper captions & headlines
Advert & film poster taglines
Stereotypes:
Simplified representations of people, groups, or places using exaggerated characteristics.
Purpose:
Quickly describe characters for audience recognition.
Danger:
Lead to generalizations and biases.
Ideology:
Ideas and beliefs of media producers reflected in their work.
Examples:
Newspapers: Owner/editor ideology influencing story representation (e.g., favoring a political party).
Documentaries: Filmmaker/producer ideology shaping the portrayal of asylum seekers.
Camera Shots & Angles:
Low Angles: Make subjects seem powerful (high angle = less important).
Editing:
Manipulates emotions: Reality shows like "Don't Tell the Bride" edit hours into short segments, shaping how audiences perceive characters.
Audio Codes:
Dialogue & Accents: Influence audience perception (slang vs. proper English).
Music: Creates atmosphere (somber music vs. upbeat music for different portrayals).
Layout & Design:
Positioning of elements shapes representation (e.g., central character denotes importance).
Language & Mode of Address:
Style of writing and tone influence audience perception (e.g., nostalgic language for an idealized past).
Visual Codes:
Elements within photographs or illustrations contribute to meaning (e.g., clothing, setting).
Camera Shots & Angles (in Photographs):
Perspective shapes how subjects are seen (e.g., low angle = power).
Anchorage:
Text accompanying images provides specific context (e.g., captions, headlines).
This poster represents gender, place, and the past through various techniques:
Layout: Eilis (center, low angle) signifies a strong, central female protagonist. Two men flank her, representing her past (Ireland) and future (America).
Design & Visual Codes: Soft colors, 1950s clothing, and the Brooklyn Bridge create a romanticized past.
Mode of Address: Nostalgic tone evokes a romanticized view.
Camera Shots (in Photo): Eilis' direct gaze suggests confidence. Jim (downward gaze) reflects her Irish past. Tony's upward gaze suggests her American future.
Anchorage: The tagline "Two countries, two loves, one heart" anchors the imagery and emphasizes romantic love.
Evolution: Representations of women have changed with social and cultural shifts.
Stereotypes: However, female stereotypes persist, often defining women by:
Male Gaze: How men view women.
Societal Expectations: How society dictates women's appearance and behavior.
Focus: Many portrayals center on:
Sexuality & Emotions
Relationships (children, romantic partners)
Positive Counterparts: Alternative portrayals challenge these constructions, showing women as:
Active vs. Passive
Heroes vs. Victims
Case Study: The Hunger Games
Katniss Everdeen subverts stereotypes:
Survivor & Scavenger
Skilled Archer & Hunter
Self-Reliant & Responsible
Fearless & Rational
Shifting Masculinity: Representations have evolved with the rise of the "new man" who embraces traditionally feminine interests like fashion and fitness.
Traditional Focus: However, portrayals often emphasize:
Strength & Heroism
Problem-solving & Survival (action-adventure characters like James Bond or Indiana Jones)
Challenging the Hero:
Skyfall: An aging James Bond portrays a more vulnerable hero, offering a more realistic view of masculinity and aging.
Alternative Masculinity: Shows like "The Big Bang Theory" present geeky, intellectual men who defy the "tough guy" stereotype (e.g., Leonard winning Penny's heart).
Media portrays people by age groups, but risks creating stereotypical caricatures (e.g., lazy teens, grumpy seniors).
Traditional age boundaries are blurring (e.g., video games enjoyed by all ages).
Young people are often depicted negatively, causing controversy and debate.
Case Study: London Riots: British media portrayed young people as dangerous based on a minority's actions, perpetuating an unfair stereotype.
Positive portrayals in news often focus on extraordinary feats (heroism, sports achievements).
Comedies like "Little Britain" use young characters like Vicky Pollard to represent them as uneducated and lower class through clothing, speech, and language.
This suggests such portrayals are common enough to be effectively parodied.
Consider adding a section on positive representations that challenge stereotypes, showcasing young people in everyday situations demonstrating intelligence, ambition, or social awareness.
Media often portrays older people through negative stereotypes, highlighting:
Physical Decline: Deafness, reduced mobility
Negative Traits: Grumpiness, dependence
The aging process itself is rarely portrayed positively.
Anti-Aging Products: Adverts frame aging as a problem to be combated or reversed.
Airbrushing & Manipulation: Images of older women are often altered to remove wrinkles and other signs of age.
Sitcom characters like Catherine Tate's "Nan" reinforce stereotypes through:
Grumpiness & Intolerance
Parody: These exaggerated portrayals highlight dominant negative representations.
Consider adding a section that challenges these stereotypes. Show older people:
Leading active and fulfilling lives
Contributing positively to society
Possessing wisdom and experience
Media Shapes Our Views on Issues: Media representations can significantly influence our understanding of important topics like education, poverty, and climate change, especially if they're the only exposure audiences have.
Body Image Concerns: Fashion media and some TV shows are criticized for portraying a narrow beauty standard: white, thin, and flawless. This unrealistic portrayal can pressure young people to conform to an image potentially altered by technology.
Unrealistic Beauty Ads: Beauty and anti-aging product advertisements are often seen as misleading. For example, ads featuring celebrities were banned for misrepresenting the effectiveness of the products.
Advertising Regulations: As a result of complaints, many advertisements must now disclose if images have been digitally altered or if models use cosmetic enhancements.
Underrepresentation: The UK's ethnic diversity is missing from media like TV, film, and magazines. Non-white ethnicities are often underrepresented.
Limited Exposure: Audiences have limited experience with diverse cultures due to media portrayals.
Ethnicity vs. Race: Ethnicity is cultural (traditions, language, beliefs) while race is based on perceived physical characteristics (skin color).
Stereotypes & Influence: Media portrayals of ethnicity can be very influential, shaping how audiences view different cultures. Negative stereotypes can harm how people perceive entire ethnic groups.
Juxtaposition, the act of placing contrasting elements side-by-side, is a powerful tool in television for creating comedic or dramatic effect, particularly when exploring national or regional identities.
Comedy: Shows like "Doc Martin" and "Gavin and Stacey" use juxtaposition for humor.
Doc Martin: A posh London doctor (Martin Ellingham) clashes with the laid-back Cornish villagers. Their contrasting accents, dress, and mannerisms lead to awkward and amusing situations.
Gavin and Stacey: The show hinges on the comedic tension between two families from very different regions (Essex and Wales). Their distinct accents, attitudes, and experiences create humor centered on their differences.
While stereotypes can sometimes be harmless, they paint an inaccurate picture of a place and its people. This can be misleading for audiences who rely solely on these portrayals to form their understanding.
