Representation blog task

1) Why is representation an important concept in Media Studies?

Representation is important because it holds a clue to importance, this means that whenever we see a person,place, object or idea in a media text we can identify that it has been mediated in a certain way by the very act of representation.

2) How does the example of Kate Middleton show the way different meanings can be created in the media?

Kate Middleton is used as an example to display different meanings which are created by the media, this can be seen through the two different photographs in which one of them she appears to be drinking whereas in the other image she is seen to be making eye contact thus appearing present in the scenario/conversation however in the other image she is displayed as someone with a drinking problem.

3) Summarise the section 'The how, who and why of media representation' in 50 words.

When analysing representation we must ask who is creating them, why and how. Moreover, producers will consider the expectations/needs of consumers, limitations provided by the genre and their institutional limit. This implies all representations are the cumulative effect of a collection of media language choices.

4) How does Stuart Hall's theory of preferred and oppositional readings fit with representation?

Preferred readings are messages that a producer of a media text wants the reader/consumer to understand/to take in and oppositional readings occur when a reader/consumer wishes to reject the meanings in a media text. This links in with representation because producers are in control of what messages their product gives out and they think ahead to how a potential target audience might react ie by implementing preferred readings.

5) How has new technology changed the way representations are created in the media?

New technology has allowed for the choice of what images to upload on Instagram for example, it also allows us to construct selective and controlled representations our identity one wishes to display to the world. This means that one is free to self express in any way they can and impose their own meanings when they want.

6) What example is provided of how national identity is represented in Britain - and how some audiences use social media to challenge this?

An example provided is of a famous youtuber named Zoe Sugg who was outed many years ago for hiring a ghostwriter to write her first relatively successful novel Girl Online. Her identity is perceived as a "normal person" rather than a celebrity media construction however this is done by her on purpose, she carefully constructed and maintained her identity throughout her career and this was evident as she was aware of how she acted and appeared.

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.

 

One dominant representation would be thew fact that he appears to know what he is doing and he looks like he has his own methods of investigation. Another dominant reading would be that women may possibly rely on men to do their dirty actions which is seen in the clip as the lady is telling him what to do. One possible alternative representation would be that he may have been voted out due to his ethnicity.

 

8) Write a paragraph applying a selection of our representation theories to the clip from Luther. 

One stereotype would be that men are the more dominant gender, another point would be the contrast of how men appear in media and the world as in the clip rather than being angry the main character (Luther) he appears melancholy and toned down in a way.