Week 7: Introduction to Representation in the Media and Worksheet 4b

This week I was introduced to representation within the media. I learnt about what representation is and the definition of this includes aspects such as:

• How something/ someone is portrayed in the media
• Influence the audience
• People and events portrayed in the media
• Composed and Constructed- constructed by media producers, advertisers and news

Audience representation is also important within media representation. This allows the audience to make sense of the media they are consuming. Representations within the media mediate our view of the world and people as it provides the audience with information on a subject.

There are different pros and cons of media representation, some of these include:

Pros:

• Categorise and label people- good for media producers
• Gives minorities a voice
• Easily relatable to consumers
• Representations can be entertaining

Cons: 

• Have one set representation which creates a biased opinion
• Form opinions and judgement
• Not always accurate, can be misleading
• Furthering and causing stereotypes
• Cause moral panics

Stereotyping is used within media representation. This is when a media producer creates something/ someone which is a stereotype and something acts in a certain way as people expect them to act. For example, in Eastenders there is a 'blonde' character and she acts like she doesn't know what she is talking about and is clumsy. This is a stereotype of a 'blonde' hair colour character. This person has been stereotyped by their hair colour and with this one element comes the stereotype, as this is how people expect their character to act because of there appearance.

Worksheet 4b
In half term I completed worksheet 4a, which focused on the elements which make a reality TV Show. I decoded the elements within Made In Chelsea and created a table which presented these components. This worksheet is helping me to completed worksheet 4b. This worksheet instructs me to decode the TV show further and be in depth about the reality TV show as a genre. The different elements which I will be discussing within the report include:
 

Codes and Conventions:

• Real People
• Publicity Seekers
• Real Settings
• Real Situations
• Unscripted

How the following content would be interpreted and consumed by the audience

• Who the product is aimed at
• How it is aimed at this audience
• How they gain pleasure from this media text

Representations within the reality TV Show

• Posh people- live in posh area and in posh houses (over the top)

Changes within genre over time- different forms of reality TV have been developed
Narrative Structure

• Linear Narrative
• Multi-strand- follow lives of different people

Within my report I will expand on the above aspects and relate these to how the audience interpret and consume the reality TV show.