Why is studying representation of women in the media important?

Studying the representation of women is important as women are generally represented negatively within the media. This has become an dominant ideology due to the cultivation theory by Gerbner meaning society gradually expecting that this is the true representation of women. However we know that the media is constructed through a process called mediation meaning that the representation are not true. For example the programme 'i want to marry harry' the girls are there because they want to find prince charming, this would be due to them being exposed to this ideology from a young age, for example in Disney fairy tales, therefore it would seem to be expected of them.

Women are also represented to be purely for male pleasure and entertainment. This representation can be seen in many different medias such as magazines, films and music videos such as 'blurred lines'. In these women are objectified which can be shown though only showing parts of the women's body. Studying this representation of women is important as the more media products which represent women in the way, the more accepted it will become. In many films male characters are given more power and authority than female character and a good example of this would be 'James Bond'. James Bond is the main character in the film therefore the film is named after him on the other hand the female characters are his side kicks or are just therefore him to admire and have pleasure from. This point can be linked to the hegemony theory which states that the media is run by a small group of people and what they will represent is what will become the dominant ideology. For example if the small group of people are white middle aged men, they will represent every other type of person such as women or other races in a negative and less powerful way and will ensure that there group of people(white middle aged men) will be represented positively by having the most power and authority.

Men and young boy are exposed porn on many different levels meaning they create a false idea of how women want to be treated and how they should act. This gives a negative representation for women as they will not be taken seriously as they have been objectified. This point of view follows Richard Dyer's theory that how we are seen determines how we are treated and how we are treated based on the representation we are given by the media.