Theories of Mediation and Representation

What is Mediation?

Mediation is the processes by which messages and values are constructed and communicated to us.

Mediation is a process media companies such as newspaper companies go through to alter information that is within the Newspaper, News Report, Documentry etc. An example of mediation is the alteration of an album released by a popular band.

Single piece of media is medium.

Media is a collective noun.

What is Representation?

Representation is the reinforcement of these messages and values through continuous repetition in the mass media.
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We were asked to draw a 'Bank Manager' in 60 seconds and we all drew a man in a suit.

Micro Elements

Film Language:
- Editing
- Mise-en-Scene
- Lighting & Colour
- Sound
- Cinematography

Macro Elements

Film Language:
- Genre
- Representation
- Narrative

Denotations

What you see.

Connotations

What you associate with those things that you see or hear.

Stereotypes

Media representation often use stereotypes asa cultural shorthand.

The two dimensions of the stereotype are physical and behavioural.

Richard Dyer:

- Argues stereotypes are a way of reinforcing differences between people, and representing these differences as natural.
- For example, stereotypes about man and women reinforce the idea that they are very different.

WHO or WHAT is being represented?
HOW is the representation created?
WHO has created the representation?
WHY is the representation created in the way?
What is their intention?
WHAT is the effect of the representation?

WHO has created the representation?

Gatekeeping: A theorist called White (1961) spoke of the 'gatekeepers' - that is the people who are part of the decision making process in the construction of media texts.
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The Constructionist Approach

The representation is constructed with a set of ideas.