Media Studies (9257) | Representations and the representation of reality

Media Representations: Representations and the Representation of Reality

Hello future media experts! Welcome to one of the most fundamental and fascinating chapters in Media Studies: how the media shows us the world.

This topic (3.5.2.1 in your syllabus) is all about understanding that the media doesn't just hold up a mirror to reality; it carefully constructs a version of it. Mastering this section will help you unpick *why* media producers make the choices they do and *what* impact those choices have on how we see ourselves and others.

What You Will Learn Here:

• How media represents reality, rather than just *presenting* it.
• The link between representations and the dominant ideas (ideology) in society.
• The role of selection, construction, and mediation in shaping our reality.

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1. Representation vs. Reality: The Constructed World

The Central Idea: We Don't See Reality, We See a Version of It

In Media Studies, the word representation is crucial. It means to re-present something. When a media product shows you an event, a place, or a person, it is not simply copying reality; it is re-telling it through a specific lens.

Analogy: The Window and the Painting

Imagine looking out of a window. That is reality (or a close approximation). Now imagine an artist paints the scene outside that window.

• The painting is a representation.
• The artist chose the colours, focused on certain elements (a bright flower), and left out others (the messy bin).
• This painting is a *version* of the reality outside, shaped by the artist’s choices and view.

The Processes of Construction: S-C-M

The syllabus highlights that media products can never present us with reality, only a mediated version of reality. This happens through three main processes. Think of the acronym SCM (Selection, Construction, Mediation).

1. Selection

This is the process of choosing what to include and, critically, what to omit (leave out).

• Example: A news broadcast covering an environmental protest. The producer must *select* which clips of the protest to show and which interviews to include. They might select footage showing violence, or they might select footage showing peaceful chanting, depending on the desired message.

2. Construction

Once the elements are selected, they are put together (constructed) using media language (codes and conventions). This involves technical decisions like camera angles, lighting, music, and editing.

• Example: Using a low-angle shot (technical code) makes a political leader look powerful. Using dramatic, non-diegetic music (sound code) during a sequence makes the scene feel more serious or threatening.

3. Mediation

This is the overall process of shaping and filtering reality through the medium itself. The final product is always a mediated version of reality, because it has passed through the producers' hands and the form/platform it uses.

Quick Trick: Think of 'Mediation' as 'Middleman'. The media stands between you and reality, acting as a middleman that filters information.

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2. Realism, Authenticity, and Ideology

Does it Feel Real? (Realism)

Some representations seem more truthful or realistic than others. This concept is called realism. Media producers often use specific codes and conventions to achieve a sense of realism, making the audience believe they are watching something authentic.

• Example: Handheld camera work, natural lighting, and non-professional actors in a documentary or certain dramas (like Grange Hill or The Office) can create a sense of verisimilitude (the appearance of being true or real).

Conflicting Views on Media Authenticity

When analysing realism, you must critically explore contrasting ideas about the authenticity of media messages:

1. The media are a 'window on the world': This view suggests the media passively reflects what is happening, allowing us to see through the 'window' directly to reality. (A view critical theorists would strongly disagree with!)
2. The medium is the message: Proposed by theorist Marshall McLuhan, this view argues that the *form* of the media (e.g., TV, print, social media) is more important than the content itself. The way the message is delivered fundamentally changes how we perceive it. (Think: A live social media stream feels more authentic than a highly edited TV report.)

The Link Between Ideology and Representation

The choices media producers make during SCM are heavily influenced by ideology.

Ideology refers to a set of beliefs, values, and ideas that are held by a particular group or society. It is essentially the 'common sense' or 'dominant value system' of a society.

Media representations often reinforce the dominant ideology of the society in which they are produced.

Dominant vs. Subversive Representations

• Dominant Representations: These support and promote the mainstream, widely accepted ideas in society. They are usually familiar and comforting to the majority audience. Example: Advertisements that promote the idea that success means owning expensive cars and having a nuclear family.
• Subversive Representations: These challenge, question, or undermine the dominant ideology and traditional values. They offer alternative viewpoints. Example: A progressive magazine cover featuring a diverse range of body types, challenging traditional beauty standards.

Did you know? Cultural Hegemony

The process by which the dominant ideology maintains control, often subconsciously, is called Cultural Hegemony. Italian theorist Antonio Gramsci suggested that the ruling class controls society not just by force, but by making their values seem like the natural, only way of life. The media plays a key role in spreading this 'natural' way of thinking.

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3. Producer Choices and Persuasive Communication

The Purpose of Representation

The way aspects of reality are represented depends heavily on the purposes of the producers and the choices they make. A representation of a politician will look very different if it is produced by their campaign team versus an opposition party's pamphlet.

Techniques of Persuasive Communication:

Producers use various techniques to ensure their representation achieves its purpose (to sell, inform, or influence):

• Advertising & Marketing: Representations are tailored to make the product desirable.
• Brands and Branding: Creating a consistent representation (identity) for a product or company (e.g., Apple represents innovation and simplicity).
• Bias and Propaganda: Consciously presenting a one-sided or inaccurate view to manipulate public opinion. Propaganda is usually political or governmental; bias is common in all media, especially news.

Audience Positioning

Producers use media language and construction techniques to ensure the audience interprets the message in a specific way. This is known as audience positioning.

• Example: If a film uses a shaky camera and focuses tightly on the face of a frightened person, the audience is positioned to feel empathy and fear for that character. The representation dictates your emotional response.

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4. Under-representation and Misrepresentation

Not all groups, people, or issues are given equal screen time or treated with equal respect.

The Problem with Selective Representations

When media producers repeatedly use the SCM process to focus only on certain aspects of a social group or issue, other aspects are ignored or simplified. This leads to selective representations.

Under-represented vs. Misrepresented

Social groups, individuals (including celebrities), places, and issues may be:

• Under-represented: They are hardly shown at all, or their presence is minimal relative to their size in real life. Example: A TV show set in a diverse city that only features white, middle-class characters.
• Misrepresented: When they are shown, they are depicted inaccurately, unfairly, or reduced to narrow, often negative, attributes (i.e., stereotypes). Example: A minority group is only ever shown in roles related to crime or poverty.

Both under-representation and misrepresentation reinforce the relationship between the media and the dominant value system in society, making it seem like the dominant group is the only group that matters or is 'normal'.

Common Mistake to Avoid:

When analysing a text, don't just say "X is represented." Instead, argue *how* and *why* X is represented in a particular way (e.g., "Teenagers are selectively represented as rebellious consumers to appeal to an older, worried audience, thereby reinforcing a dominant adult perspective.")

Keep practising your analysis on your Selected Media Products (SMPs)! Good luck!