1. REPRESENTATION

2. Which of the following do you think
accurately represents reality:
• a television newscast?
• a documentary?
• a Reality TV programme?
• a TV drama?

3. Constructed reality
The truth is, that none of these programmes accurately
reflect reality. Reality is mediated in all four examples.
i.e. a newscast story or documentary is never entirely objective.
• It may contain slant or bias.
• It may only show one aspect of an issue.
• It contains many camerawork and editing decisions that will
have an effect on meaning created.
Also, the types of stories that
make the news - the "if it bleeds
it leads" approach does not
create a well-rounded picture of
events as they occur in real life.

4. KEY POINT: reality on television is constructed
TV drama takes a further step into constructed
reality by dealing with characterisations and
dramatic elements within those characters lives.
TV dramas, although fictitious, may perpetuate
stereotypes that influence our perceptions about
different groups of people.

5. – Gender
– Age
– Sexuality
– Ethnicity
– Class and status
– Ability/disability
– Regional identity

6. Representation
Representation – How groups, events, places or
social changes are portrayed in the media; how they
are re - presented.
Representations offer a version of reality.
Representations are subjective rather than objective
and are constructed.

7. Representation
Reality Mediation Representation
The real world The process of The text itself.
producing a film A ‘representation’ of
text. the real world.

8. Lily Allen
How would you
describe Lily Allen
in this picture?
Write down 3
adjectives.

9. How is Lily Allen represented here?
Write down another 3 adjectives.

10. Representation
Key points to consider when analysing
representations:
1.What is being represented?
2.How is it being represented?
3.Who is responsible for the representation?
4.How can the representation be interpreted?
Consider the Lily Allen examples as we work through each of these points…

11. 1. What is represented?
What information does the text give you
about characters, places or subject matter? Consider
denotation and connotation – analyse the technical elements
(camerawork, mise-en-scene, editing, sound) and the
meaning created for the audience.

12. 2. How is this representative of social groups?
Consider what it says about particular social groups (gender,
age, sexuality, ethnicity, physical ability/disability, regional
identity and class/status). Consider positives and negatives
and use of stereotypes. Does your text reinforce or challenge
stereotypes?

13. 3. Who is responsible for the representation?
Consider the programme makers and the institutions
responsible for production. What agenda do the producers
have? Why would they want to represent things in a certain
way? - think about target audience, genre, commercial aspect
or artistic expression, etc.

14. 4. What does the audience make of it?
Taking all of the above into account what might the audience
response be? However, as we know not everyone will
respond to the text in the same way so there is not one
answer to this!

15. Check point
• In pairs, nominate who will go first and second.
• You will have 1 minute each.
1. Explain what is meant by the concept of
representation. If possible, give examples to
back this up.
2. What 4 points can you work through to analyse
representations in a media text?

16. Recap - Representation
Representation – How groups, events, places or
social changes are portrayed in the media; how they
are re - presented.
Representations offer a version of reality.
Representations are subjective rather than objective
and are constructed.

17. Recap - Representation
Key points to consider when analysing
representations:
1.What is being represented?
2.How is it being represented?
3.Who is responsible for the representation?
4.How can the representation be interpreted?