Power in the media

Notes

Stuart Hauls representation theory:

- implies that the subject has a single fixed meaning against which accuracy can be measured. H points out that this cant be so.  

- The media gives meaning to events, they decide whether it is a positive representation or not. 

- "Representation isn't an after occurrence it's a constitutive one"

- "Has no obvious meaning until it has been represented"

- Media producers who are in power try to fix a particular meaning to a certain thing in the real world. 

- Hegemonic meaning/ representation 

The mean world syndrome:

- People base judgments on the media even when there are present facts such as crime rates dropping, the perception people have is taken from the violence shown in the media. 

- How one kind of story blends into another to create and reinforce a distinct sense of the world. 

George Gerbner's Cultivation Theory:

- sociological and communications framework 

- media tends to repeat representations of people or groups of people over and over again, effects build up slowly over time. 

- May does not believe the intended message if only seen once for example violence amongst people. See it repeated in different media forums 

- accept it as realistic 

-The cultivation of the effects of the media can change the dominant ideologies of society.