1. Representation The way the media re-presents stories and events Reality is always represented - what we treat as 'direct' experience is 'mediated'. Representation always involves 'the construction of reality'. However, without the media, our perception of reality would be very limited, and that we need these artificial texts to mediate our view of the world, to make sense of reality. Therefore representation is a fluid, two-way process: producers position a text somewhere in relation to reality and audiences assess a text on its relationship to reality.

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7. ‘ Traditional’ film stereotypes: Native Americans as scalping, war-dancing, ‘red’-blooded murderers Mexicans as drug-smuggling corrupt bandoleros Irish as thieves and terrorists Black men as pimps, criminals or generally “lowlife hoods” Gay Men as promiscuous, utterly camp and obsessed by appearance (Extract)

10. In recent years, the success of actors such as Denzel Washington, Whoopi Goldberg, Laurence Fishburne and Morgan Freeman in a diversity of roles has meant that black characters in movies and on TV are no longer 'stock' types. However, these are juxtaposed alongside negative representations of black people, some of which seem deliberately designed to inflame the fear and hatred of other cultures, often these representations come from within black culture itself.

11. Representations on TV Often juxtaposes representations in order to represent (or attempt to represent) fullness of roles in society Think of a soap opera or drama serial you have seen recently: What social or ethnic groups are represented in the programme? How ‘realistic’ are those representations? Are there any gaps or absences?

13. How do you change negative representations? Often can be as simple (or as complex) as changing mechanisms of power and opening up the production process to previously excluded groups. Representation of African Americans changed sharply with arrival of Spike Lee as major director and in particular his film “Do The Right Thing”. (extract from dtrt)