An example of reproduction of capitalist hegemony on tv: TV show "This is My Style"

Consumer desire and lifestyles have spread to each and every domain of life today and individuals display their identities in society through metas they consume. Fashion, as one of the most important signifiers of the capitalist system, is the primary tool which the individual use to form his / her identity. As fashion gets the opportunity of spreading by means of mass media, it the greatest support from television. This thesis aims to reveal how television show "Bu Tarz Benim" (This is My Style) reproduce and popularize consumer culture through female body which is the primary one of capitalism's tools of exploitation. Popular culture and theoretical approaches to popular culture have been examined with reference to culture notion in the literature part of the research. Then, the process of transition to consumer society from production society has been discussed on the basis of 'consumption' concept and views of postmodern thinkers have been touched upon. After the relation between consumption and the television, which is the most prominent tool of culture diffusion in modern societies, has been examined; television show "Bu Tarz Benim" (This is My Style), the subject of sample has been analyzed through content analysis and critical discourse analysis methods in the context of consumer society. Consequently, it has been concluded that this television show, which is a consumption show because of a fashion at the same time, is not a contest program as it may seem; on the contrary, it reproduces capitalist hegemony and attempts to strenghthen its position by setting competitors as subjects of the dominant ideology by means of fashion industry. Key Words: Popular culture, consumer culture, lifestyles, fashion, competition programs