Mediation

Links can be determined between mediation and representation in that representation present something, whilst mediation is able to re- construct a text, changing its meanings and form suited to the objectives of the media institution. Mediation can be defined as the process in which communication is made between the text and consumers; mediation actively creates meaning through a text in order to gain preferred and dominant readings from its audience. However, the mediation process does not always gain the ideal reading intended for the media text – texts are and can be decoded differently by its audience. Meanings and interpretations taken from a mediated message are ‘decoded’ by an individual in a way that makes sense to them, this can be influenced and depend on that person’s personal experiences and cultural background. Mediation is the method in which mediated messages of texts are carried from one place to another (Bennett, Slater, 2006). The power of mediation is apparent in the effect that it can take a piece of information or image and completely change its meanings in accordance with what media companies prefer the audience to perceive about it and accept as truth. ‘The processes and relations of mediation are processes and relations of re- contextualization, which specifically involve relations between the field of media and other social fields’ (Lassen, Strunck, Vestergaard, 2006: 28). Recontextualization is the process in which alternative or additional meaning is taken from its original context, ultimately changing what it may have originally standed for. Recontextualization changes the way in which a text is communicated whilst implying a change of meaning. The media will use contextualization to take a word or social event for example and use the surrounding notions and concepts in ‘mediating it’’ to recreate their ideal meaning before sharing it with the world. 

Though mediation is used as a way of forming shared understandings between the text and consumer – ‘our self- identity and cultural consciousness are inextricably intertwined with the media of communication’ (Ruben, Lievrouw, 1990: 21). Consumers aren’t able to detach or separate their thoughts about themselves and others from mediated communication. Subconsciously, our values and perceptions of the world are based off of representations in the media surrounding people and society. The media does this through producing their own version of reality – changes are made to the form of the text in creating their desired message ready for audience consumption. 

Insight is given into the strength of the media through mediation (Kember, Zylinksha, 2012).This is evident in the sense that the method of mediation is performed and present in all media previous to audience consumption. Media platforms wish to impose a particular idea or opinion in receiving a reciprocated reaction from its audience. In order to gain these favoured responses, all media must consider the selection and construction before broadcasting the media text – they look into the social and cultural forces that inform and influence them in the process of mediation (Howley, 2010: 130). Mediation considers cultural politics, social beliefs and the tastes and perceptions of audiences. The selection and construction are a major part of the mediation process. ‘Selection’ is concerned with the action in which media organisations select the text or image from a range of alternatives; it has been specifically chosen to work accordingly with how they wish to construct it. ‘Selection’ is significant in its ability to tell audiences something in particular about the social world. It considers the surrounding social factors of the text before choosing it from a range of others, in doing this the selection process leaves out information the media organisation does not intend on using and selects the text with the knowledge that it needs to correspond with how they intend the audience to receive it - the construction needs to work accordingly with the selection in communicating this reality or message.

References

Bennett, P, Slater, J, Wall, P (2006) A2 Media Studies: The Essential Introduction. New York: Routledge.

Howley, K (2010) Understanding Community Media. London: SAGE Publications.

Kember, S, Zylinska, J (2012) Life After New Media: Mediation as a Vital Process. London: The MIT Press.

Lassen, I, Strunck, J, Vestergaard, T (2006) Mediating Ideology in Text and Image: Ten Critical Studies. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company.

Ruben, B, Lievrouw, L (1990) Mediation, Information, and Communication. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers.