Representation is the way which the media represents the world around us in the form of signs and codes for the audience to read. For example 50 Cent is represented as a tough, hard rapstar as the media mainly talk about him associating with violence, weapons and money. As the media are representing him this way most of us think he is a bad person but he could be a very nice person.
The magazine I will be analysing is Look. Look is a celebrity and high street fashion weekly. It costs £1.30 and is sold every Tuesday. Usually on the magazine cover celebrities such as Victoria Beckham are shown as the cover with a story alongside about her. Victoria Beckham is usually represented on this magazine as a spoilt rich woman who has a lot of problems going on with her life. There is usually a quote on the cover such as ‘Victoria and David’s relationship on the rocks’ or ‘Victoria’s acne problems are doing her head in’. Paparazzi photos are used as the main cover for Victoria showing at her worse. The magazine also offers high street fashion tips, etc. The front cover will usually feature something like’50 shoes for under £50!’ This magazine also tells you how to dress like the most popular celebrities etc. Other celebrities in this magazine are either represented in a good way or a bad way, whether it’s about weight loss, weight gain, relationship problems, etc.
The representation of Victoria Beckham on this magazine shows that Victoria is rich for nothing, spoilt and has no talent. The magazine shows her in a negative way as sometimes they talk about her relationship problems, health issues, etc. Sometimes she is portrayed in a positive way when they talk about her with the Spice Girls. Overall this magazine represents her as a rich person who has problem with her life.
This representation is quite stereotypical because there are also famous people like Vitoria who are rich for having no talent and for not doing much. Celebrities like Paris Hilton are normally stereotyped as rich, spoilt, blonde and stupid. I think that the media have made this a stereotype because of the many celebrities who are like this. People know the phrase ‘Blondes are stupid’ so the media have decided to categorize this stereotype with the words blonde, stupid and rich. This representation is not positive because these people might not be stupid and stereotyping those people is not a good thing as it ruins their image.
I think celebrity magazines represent the celebrities the way the do so they can earn more money. As these magazines are representing these celebrities this way, the audience would want to know more about their life so they will go out and buy the magazine. From this way magazines earn more money. Celebrity magazines could also represent the celebrity that way because of their lifestyle. Rod Stewart’s has a daughter called Kimberley Stewart. When people think of a rockstar they would relate the words sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll to the lifestyle. These magazines could make up a story about Rod Stewarts daughter taking drugs just because her father is a famous rockstar. Overall I think celebrity magazines are ok when they do not make up stories and stereotype people.
