Underline the key terms
Compare how producers can use representations to position audiences. Make reference to the front page of Metro you have been provided with and the front page of The Times you have studied in class
Key term alert!
Sometimes, not knowing a key term can COMPLETELY break your answer. ‘Positioning’ is one of them. Make sure you know what it means!
Positions - the ways in which an audience is ‘placed’, by the producer, using media language.
Knee jerk reaction
Both newspapers use representations of conservative politicians/female politicians/upper middle class/ruling class middle aged white women to position the audience in a critical mode of address, and to invite criticism
Plan
MES
Stereotypes
Lexis
Van Zoonen - feminism
Representation
Composition
Anchorage
Masthead
Copy
Font
Sans serif
Serif
Pick and mix theory
Identity
Right wing
Left wing
Advert
Binary oppositions
Semiotics
Proairetic code
Bias
Ideology
Postcolonial theory
Reception theory
Manipulative
Broadsheet
Tabloid
Representation theory
Stereotypes = shortcut
Subordinate
Introduction
DAC - definition, argument, context
Representation is a re-presentation of reality. Representations always reflect the ideology of the producer. In representing their ideology, producers will hope to shape the ideology of the audience. In this essay, I shall argue that both newspapers use representations of middle aged women to position the audience in a highly critical mode of address, and to encourage an unfavourable view of the politician in question. In order to make this argument, I shall refer to The Times, a UK Right Wing broadsheet, that nevertheless takes a critical approach to then conservative PM Teresa May. I shall also refer to Metro, a tabloid newspaper that takes a critical approach to Liz Truss, the shortest reigning UK PM of all time.
Paragraphs
PEA - Point, evidence, argument
- Both newspapers make heavy anchorage through the lexis of their headlines to construct a highly manipulative and highly leading mode of address to position their audiences. The use of hyperbolic language such as ‘the worst’ makes this ideological perspective explicit for the target audience, and assumes that the target audience already dislikes these political figures in an excellent example of ideological cultivation.
- The lexis of ‘heavy defeat’ reinforces and cultivates the ideological perspective that May is not powerful enough for this position. Terms such as victory and defeat are symbolic of war, and present to the right wing target audience the idea of a bloody and brutal battle that May has clearly lost. Additionally, through losing this aggressive war, a stereotypical assumption about women is cultivated; that women are emotional, weak, powerless, and unsuited for combat. This notion of May being weak and feeble is anchored through the mes of flash photography, which emphasises not only the proairetic code of her eye bags (which suggest sleepiness), but also the MES of her grey hair. This constructs a stereotypical portrayal older women, and reinforces the ideology that they are weak an frail. This ideology will resonate and appeal to the conservative target audience.
- The selection of the colour red symbolises danger, blood, aggression and violence
- The audience is positioned as male, through the highly stereotypical representation of women which reinforces gender binaries
- The Marks and Spencer advert on Metro positions the audience as stereotypical working class, and presents an aspirational mode of address
- The selection of the story about the Cheltenham festival explicitly positions the audience of the Times as stereotypically middle class.