Ideology

The aims of this Factsheet are to provide:

1. A definition of Ideology with key terms.

2. Methods to help you identify ideology in a media text

3. Examples of how to evaluate ideologies in a media text

The definition about ideology: Ideology is a study of the values and attitudes that arise from the constructuion of the other key concepts in a media text. Ideologies can be coonoted from the use of media language or from a particular representation such as a stereotype, or from the narrative roles and events.

Key Term
Construction: This key term helps us describe the way a media text put together. It tells an examiner that you understand a text has been made in a particular way for a particular way for a particular reason. A newspapaer constructs a headline; a studio constructs a film; a TV channel constructs its listings. Nothing is accidental, all meaning in the media is constructed.

Key Term
Dominant Values or Domtinant Ideology:
ideas and values that hold importance in our culture and which also inform our cultural practices. The importance of the individual, for example, is a dominant value in our society, as is the right to free speech. Dominant values can become so frequent and natural to us that they seem like common sense.

Key Term
Binary oppsites:
a list of ingredients in a media text that can be placed opposite each other to represent opposing value systems. The list can include events from the narrative, themes, or representation in the media language. Common binary opposites good/bad, male/female, human/inhuman