newspapers - reception theory & representation

Reception theory & representation

- representation - 'construction' of media texts - what we see is a re-presentation of events / people / ideas
- mediation - act of going between (e.g. between the real world & the audiences) - not possible for the media to present the world as it really is bc the media constructs meanings about the world - media makers (e.g. newspaper owners/editors & sometimes journalists) change / mediate what is really there

Hall's reception theory:
- preferred / dominant - the hegemonic (dominant) response people share the code & preferred meaning
- negotiated - they accept what the text is saying & adopt it according to their social backgrounds
- oppositional - they understand but reject the message

factors that could affect which pathway the audience takes:

  • age
  • beliefs
  • culture
  • gender
  • life experience
  • mood (at the time of viewing)
- meaning - is established by: what is present / absent / different meaning can be contested (opposed) - a representation implicates the audience is creating its meaning
- power - through ideology & stereotypes - tries to fix the meaning of a representation to preferred meaning



3 steps in the journey between the real world & the reality presented by the newspapers (their representation)


selection     ➔    omission    ➔    construction

- selection - news values, target audiences
- omission - bias, agenda, audience
- construction - bias, ideology, audience


newspapers and reporters are supposed to provide their readers with:

  • objective information - should be free from prejudice caused by personal feelings
  • unbiased - represent people, events & ideas fairly
  • reliable information - from trusted sources
although the news presents itself as an objective (non-biased) form of media, like any other media text it has its own agenda:

- ideology - a system of ideas & ideals, especially 1 which forms the basis of economic / political theory & policy
- discourse - written / spoken communication / debate
- ideological discourse - communication that upholds a particular ideology / set of ideologies - discourse that serves to sustain / challenge social positions
- dominant ideology - ideologies / beliefs that we live by in our day-to-day lives & often do not question - become 'natural, common sense' things to do - effectively dissuades people from rebelling against these beliefs & keeps a sense of stability in society - include beliefs about gender roles, economy & social institutions.
- hegemony (Gramsci)
leadership / dominance, especially by one state / social group over others

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