Representation

Representation is the way people, groups, cultures and ideas are shown by media. Media text show us not the truth but an interpretation of the truth. the key concepts of media text is; representation, ideology, institutions, audience, media language and genre.
Semiotics is a study of signs system which allows us to deconstruct media texts to understand how meaning is being created.
The signifier is the object itself, signified is what it represents and example of this would be the 'rose' as the signifier and 'love' as signified.

                                                         

                                   Signifier                                                                                   Signified

                                                                               


The combination of signs create a code which can be understood usually through cultural or social contexts.

There are 3 types of signs:
Iconic- those which work through remsembles (photographs)
Symbolic- those which are learned (abitrary signs such as words)
Indexical- those which work through a casual link (e.g. smokes as an index of fire)

Denotation- the literal meaning of a sign
Connotation- the interpreted meaning of a sign or signs
Polysemy- refers to the capacity of all signs to be 'many signed' (polysemic): to have more than one meaning.