Theoretical Perspectives

By definition, all media texts are re-presentations of reality. This means that they are intentionally composed, lit, written, framed, cropped, captioned, branded, targeted and censored by their producers, and that they are entirely artificial versions of the reality we perceive around us.

When studying the media it is vital to remember this - every media form, from a home video to a glossy magazine, is a representation of someone's concept of existence, codified into a series of signs and symbols which can be read by an audience.

However, it is important to note that without the media, our perception of reality would be very limited, and that we, as an audience, need these artificial texts to mediate our view of the world, in other words we need the media to make sense of reality.

Therefore representation is a fluid, two-way process: producers position a text somewhere in relation to reality and audiences assess a text on its relationship to reality.

Extension/Restriction of Experience of Reality

By giving audiences information, media texts extend experience of reality.

Every time you see a wildlife documentary, or read about political events in a country on the other side of the world, or watch a movie about a historical event, you extend your experience.

However, because the producers of the media text have selected the information we receive, then our experience is restricted: we only see selected highlights of the lifestyle of the creatures portrayed in the wildlife documentary, the editors and journalists decide which aspects of the news events we will read about etc

Truth or Lies?

Media representations - and the extent to which we accept them - are a very political issue, as the influence the media exerts has a major impact on the way we view the world. By viewing media representations our prejudices can be reinforced or shattered.

Generally, audiences accept that media texts are fictional to one extent or another - we have come a long way from the mass manipulation model of the 1920s and 1930s. However, as we base our perception of reality on what we see in the media, it is dangerous to suppose that we don't see elements of truth in media texts either.

The study of representation is about decoding the different layers of a text.

Analysing Representations

In order to fully appreciate the part representation plays in a media text you must consider

• Who produced it?
• What/who is represented in the text?
• How is that thing represented?
• Why was this particular representation (this shot, framed from this angle, this story phrased in these terms, etc) selected, and what might the alternatives have been?
• What frame of reference does the audience use when understanding the representation?

What are stereotypes?

Stereotypes are not actual people, but widely circulated ideas or assumptions about particular groups. Stereotyping is a process of categorisation necessary to make sense of the world.

“We all employ typifications in certain situations. We all belong to groups that can be typified, and stereotyped.”
(The Media Student's Book G. Branston & R. Stafford 1996)

“Stereotypes act as a shorthand for delineating character. Though they may involve some truth about the social realities of people's lives"
(Dyer 1993), they are limiting because:

• they suggest that particular characteristics are shared by many people
• they suggest that these characteristics are part of the nature of these people (that is, they are genetic/biological) rather than connected to any social realities
  (Media and Society M.O'Shaughnessy 1999)

Most theoretical perspectives tend to look upon stereotypes as negative, however theorist Tessa Perkins has a more positive view e,g, she suggests we can hold a stereotype without believing it or acting upon it.