media Flashcards
two or more colors that are adjacent to one
another on the color wheel
analogous colors
a typeface in which letterforms have heavier
stroke weights than those used for the
“regular” version of the same typeface
boldface
the strategic differentiation of one offering,
i.e. product or service, from its competitors
branding
abbreviation for cyan, magenta, yellow, and
black, the ink colors used in the four-color
process printing
CMYK
a set of colors defined either by a particular
media or by a designer or an artist, for a
specific project
color palette
the parts of a letter that extend below the
baseline
descender
a broad range of special typographic
characters, including symbols, bullets, various
graphic ornaments, and more
dingbats
the particular size and style of a set of letters
that are used in printing
font
an image comprised of varying shades of gray,
white, and black
grayscale
an image formed from dots that is suitable for
printing by the offset lithographic printing
process
halftone
a graphical element that represents an object,
person or something else by reducing it to its
simple and generic characteristics
icon
a typeface that is inclined to the right,
frequently used for emphasis within a passage
of text
italic
a graphical sign used, typically for commercial
reasons, as part of an organization’s branding
logo
an image comprised of shades and tints of a
single hue
monochrome
an icon or a symbol used in such a way that its
meaning is immediately understood regardless
of language or cultural barriers
pictogram
colors that form the key reference points of a
given color wheel, equally spaced along its
circumference
primary colors
the relative quality of a digital image in terms
of the number of samples per unit of measure
resolution
the portion of a design element (e.g. printed
image, line of type, field of color, etc.) that
extends beyond the actual page size
bleed
the space enclosed, either completely (as in
the letter o) or partially (as in the letter c),
within a letterform
counter
the purity of a color relative to the amount of
gray it contains
saturation
a character set in a size smaller than the main
text, generally centered along the baseline
subscript
the arrangement of multiple design elements,
such as images and type, relative to one
another
alignment
a brief passage of text used to describe or
explain a photo, an illustration, a chart, or
another visual element
caption
the literal and primary meaning of an image or
graphic
denotation
the process of modifying the color in a digital
photograph or scanned image either to
achieve a more accurate representation of the
original subject or to match the color range of
the printing technology being used
color correction
an area or field of a page layout into which
text is flowed
column
the design element in a layout that first draws
a viewer’s attention
focal point
any two facing pages of a bound publication
spread
a term used to describe a typeface in which
each character is of the same width
monospaced
a graphical structure used to organize the
placement of individual elements within a
design or page
grid
the careful arrangement of multiple pages of a
publication for printing on large sheets of
paper which ensures that the pages will be
properly oriented and in the correct sequence
once they are printed, folded into signatures,
and bound
imposition
a typographic symbol used to denote
individual paragraphs, also called the
paragraph mark
pilcrow
the visually distracting vertical gaps that can
appear in a block of text as a result of the
unintentional vertical alignment of spaces
between words
rivers
the spectrum of colors that scanners,
monitors, software applications and printing
processes can reproduce, i.e. the range of
colors that are at the designer’s disposal
gamut
a term used to describe a color created by
adjusting its brightness by adding white to it
tint
a visually weaker color that complements or
contrasts with the dominant color
subordinate color
a group of characters, numbers, symbols and
punctuation which share the same distinct
style
typeface
a term used to describe the art and science of
typesetting, as well as the resulting work
typography
the empty, unprinted and unused space that
surrounds the graphic and text elements in a
design
white space
A line upon which all upper and most lower
case letters are positioned, valuable for
accurate and consistent text and graphic
positioning
baseline
Any of several bonding processes used to hold
together the pages of a book, magazine,
brochure, or other multiple-page print
publication
binding
The organization of design elements so that
they are distributed unevenly with respect to a
layout’s primary horizontal and vertical axes
asymmetry
The relative lightness or darkness of a color,
also called value or tone
brightness
A term traditionally used to refer to the
primary text within a book, brochure, or other
publication
body copy
Colors that are opposite each other on the
color wheel, as, for example, red and green are
on the pigment color wheel; also called
contrasting colors
complementary colors
An artistic form of handwriting, distinctive for
its flowing letterforms of varying stroke
thickness
calligraphy
A technique used to create an original artwork
by sticking together paper, fabric,
photography, or other media in unusual or
unexpected ways
collage
Circular representation of the color spectrum
color wheel
The different wavelengths of light perceived by
the human eye
color
An image created by combining other images
or elements of other images
composite
A grayscale image printed using two colors of
ink rather than one
duotone
The principle color that is used to capture the
viewer’s attention
dominant color
A process whereby two different materials are
bonded together to produce a substrate that
has different colors on each side
duplexing
The left-hand and right-hand pages of a spread
facing pages
The space between two columns of type, or,
more generally, between any two columns in a
layout
gutter
A color fill that increases in intensity from
white through various tonal gradations to solid
color, or from one color to another
gradient
The basic characteristic of a color,
corresponding to its particular wavelength in
the light spectrum, used to distinguish one
color from another
hue
A picture, photograph or statue that
represents somebody or something
image
An adjustment made to the margins of one or
more lines of type, most commonly used to
indicate the beginning of a new paragraph
indent
Adjusting the space between two adjacent
characters to create a visually appealing
rhythm
kerning
The arrangement of text, images and other
visual elements in a design to resemble the
final appearance of the piece
layout
The areas along the four edges of a page that
typically frame the body copy and/or images
of a particular layout
margin
A printing process in which ink is applied to a
smooth stone or metal plate, from which it is
then transferred onto paper
lithography
The numbering of pages so as to indicate their
proper sequence in a book or other printed
publication
pagination
The observable visual depth of an object,
which will vary depending on its distance from
the viewer
perspective
The basic element used by many types of
digital displays to represent images
pixel
An absolute typographic unit of measure equal
to 12 points
pica
A qualitative measure of how pleasurable a
particular passage of text is to read, based on
its typography
readability
An absolute unit of measure in typography
point
500 sheets of a given paper grade at its basic
size
ream
Colors created by mixing equal parts of two
primary colors
secondary colors
Abbreviation for red, green, and blue, the
three colors used to display graphics on
computer monitors and other digital devices
RGB
The even distribution of elements along a
particular axis, often vertically or horizontally
oriented
symmetry
Text characters that are typically aligned to the
ascender line
superscript
Colors created through the combination of one
primary and one secondary color
tertiary colors
Aligning type or other design elements
according to what looks properly aligned
rather than exact measurements
visual alignment
A term used to describe characters arranged in
a deliberate manner so that they can be read
in either a printed or an on-screen format
type
A prescribed set of well-defined rules or
instructions for the solution of a problem, such
as the performance of a calculation, in a finite
number of steps
algorithm
Colors created through the combination of one
primary and one secondary color
tertiary colors
An alternative name for a person or group
using email, i.e. a forwarding email address
alias
A resource that is, or can be used as, a
substitute when a primary resource fails or
when a file has been corrupted
backup
The arrangement of characters for the purpose
of printing and/or reading on-screen
typesetting
A measurement of the amount of information
that a particular computer network or Internet
connection can send in a particular time, often
measured in bits per second
bandwidth
Communication by a system that supports a
wide range of frequencies, so that identical
messages can be carried simultaneously
broadband
A utility program that allows the user to locate
and retrieve information from networked
information services
browser
The principal operating part of a computer
central processor
An error in a program or system, usually used
to indicate a localized implementation error
bug
A small mark on a computer screen that can be
moved and that shows the position on the
screen where, for example, text will be added
cursor
Information, in any form, on which computer
programs operate
data
An electronic device, generally of
semiconductor material, that has two
terminals (anode and cathode) and is capable
of allowing current flow in one direction only
diode
A collection of data on some subject however
defined, accessed, and stored within a
computer system
database
A device that can be attached to a computer in
order to present transient images, textual or
pictorial, on its screen
display
A set of websites on the Internet that end with
the same group of letters, for example ‘.com’,
‘.org’, etc.
domain
A system designed to control the passage of
information from one network into a second
network, typically used as a means of reducing
the risk of unwanted access to sensitive
systems
firewall
The part of a file name that indicates the type
of file
extension
A collection of information stored together in
a computer, under a particular name
file
A device that stores computer information on
a magnetic spinning disk, either internal or
external to the computer
hard disk
The rate at which a sound or electromagnetic
wave vibrates, measured in Hertz
frequency
The way a computer program presents
information to a user or receives information
from a user, in particular the layout of the
screen
interface
The physical portion of a computer system,
including the electrical/electronic components,
electromechanical components, and
mechanical components
hardware
The process of entering data into a processing
system or a peripheral device, or the data that
is entered
input
The global informal network that now links a
very substantial fraction of the world’s
computer networks
Internet
The action of tailoring a generic software
product, such as an application package, by
setting parameters or configuration data that
correspond to a particular geolocation (e.g.
language, culture)
localization
The set of keys for operating a computer or
typewriter, or the set of letters that you can
touch to write on a smartphone or tablet
keyboard
A device, usually but not exclusively electronic,
that implements an elementary logic function,
e.g. AND, OR, NAND, and NOR gates, and
inverters
logic gate
A word or phrase in a hypertext document
that when selected in some way leads the user
to another part of the document or to a
different document
link
The set of software products that jointly
controls the system resources and the
processes using these resources on a
computer system
operating system
A device that is used at both ends of a
connection between two computers to allow
data to be sent over phone lines
modem
A semiconductor chip, or chip set, that
implements the central processor of a
computer
microprocessor
The area on a network where a user’s email
messages are stored
mailbox
A list of options that may be displayed either
vertically or horizontally on a screen and from
which one or more items may be selected
using an input device
menu
A section of data or information that can be
shown on a computer screen at any one time
page
The main board of a computer, containing all
the circuits
motherboard
A number of computers and other devices that
are connected together so that equipment and
information can be shared
network
A collection of icons, usually grouped in a row
or column, that perform certain functions in an
applications program
toolbar
An abbreviation for random-access memory,
the main memory of a computer that allows
the computer user to access or alter individual
storage locations within the device
RAM
A generic term for those components of a
computer system that are intangible rather
than physical, most commonly used to refer to
the programs executed by a computer system
software
An abbreviation for universal resource locator,
the address system used on the Internet, for
example, to specify the location of documents
in the World Wide We
URL
The logical, systematic search for the source of
a particular problem associated with a project
or system
troubleshooting
Public announcement, promotion, support, or
endorsement of a product, a service, a
business, a person, an event, etc., in order to
attract or increase interest
advertising
A camera shot taken from a high position
above the action
aerial shot
Related to sound or its reproduction; recorded
sound material of any kind
audio
In virtual reality environments (such as certain
types of Internet chat rooms), a picture,
photograph, or animation of a human user,
chosen by the user to depict his or her virtualreality identity
avatar
A cinematic technique in which the
background for a scene is created by
projecting images onto a screen that is behind
the action being filmed
back projection
A film or book that gains widespread
popularity and achieves enormous sales
blockbuster
The control of what people may say, hear,
write, or read; in most cases, this kind of
control comes from a government agency or
from various types of private groups
censorship
A filming technique whereby the background
of a filmed scene is altered or replaced
without affecting the foreground
chroma key
The art, industry, or business of making movies
developed originally from the technology of
moving pictures
cinema
The process, now done digitally, of preparing
film so that color effects are uniform
throughout the movie
color grading
An exclusive right held by the creators of
original works to reproduce, distribute copies
of, perform publicly, or display their original
work, or to create derivative works based on
the original
copyright
A film shot taken from a crane (a large
movable arm for a camera), creating a higher
angle from which to view the scene
crane shot
The names of cast, director, producers,
photographers, camerapersons, costume
designers, etc., who were part of the filmed
project; often broadcast at the end of a film or
program
credits
A sign given for some action, event, or
broadcast to begin
cue
A room isolated from all outside light that is
set up and equipped for developing
photographs
darkroom
A person in charge of the direction and
content of a newspaper or magazine
editor
In media studies, that who makes the
decisions regarding what will appear in the
media and especially which items are
newsworthy and which are not
gatekeeper
Marketing that uses non-traditional media and
strategies to promote products or services,
taking the consumer by surprise to make a
dramatic impression about the product or
brand
guerilla marketing
An encounter during which a journalist or a
radio or television announcer asks someone
relevant questions about a particular topic
interview
A printed copy of a text, as opposed to an
electronic copy
hard copy
A person whose job it is to write for a
newspaper or magazine, or to prepare news
for radio, television, or web broadcasting
journalist
A transparent item, usually of glass, possibly
plastic or even liquid, which focuses light by
bending its rays
lens
Media (e.g. radio, television, newspapers,
periodicals, websites) that reach large
audiences
mass media
Any document written by an author before it is
edited and published
manuscript
A process whereby old and new media
technologies are available either separately or
together through digitization
media convergence
A device that changes sound into electrical
current, which instantly travels over wires or
through the air to a loudspeaker or some other
device that changes it back into sound
microphone
An important or powerful owner of media
mogul
A computer system that allows the user to
manipulate and use different types of media,
such as text, sound, video, graphics, and
animation
multimedia
A report of a current happening or happenings
in a newspaper, on television, on radio, or on a
website
news
A filming technique used to make a moving
subject appear stationary
panning
A book with a soft flexible cover
paperback
Unauthorized duplication, distribution, or
broadcasting of copyrighted material for profit
piracy
An electronic device that captures radio waves
sent by a transmitter and converts them into
perceivable sound or data
radio
A type of language that fits into a particular
social situation
register
Laws and guidelines concerning media content
and the conduct of media industries, which
vary by country and platform
regulation
A genre of radio or television program in which
people discuss aspects of their lives or current
issues with a host
talk show
A three-legged camera support used to
eliminate blurring from camera shake during
long exposures
tripod
A person who divulges information to the
media about a secret event, a scandal, or an
issue that is of interest to the public
whistleblower
Flicking between television channels with a
remote control
zapping
Study of the wave patterns produced by
language sounds (consonants, vowels, tones,
etc.), now classified as a branch of phonetics
acoustics
Distortion of a video image, caused by a
corrupt signal or improper adjustment
aberration
A word or phrase produced by rearranging the
letters of another word or phrase
anagram
A series of digital images displayed in a specific
sequence so that a sense of continuous motion
is created
animation
A branch of computer science devoted to the
development of programs that will allow
computers to simulate or even replicate
patterns of human intelligence
artificial intelligence
In photography, another word for the hole
that is in the center of the lens iris, and
adjusting the size of it controls the intensity of
the light passed by the lens
aperture
A standardized relationship between the width
and height of an image
aspect ratio
The relation between the position of a camera
to the action being filmed
camera angle
A device for taking photographs or motion
pictures
camera
In music, film, art, and especially literature, an
elitist conception of an exemplary body of
classic works, usually closely identified with a
traditional conception of the cultural heritage
of a particular country or language
canon
A motion picture that is made from a series of
drawings, computer graphics, or photographs
of inanimate objects and that simulates
movement by slight progressive changes in
each frame
cartoon
Actors and other performers who play the
parts in a play, dance, movie, etc.
cast
An article in a newspaper or magazine that
appears on a regular basis, and that is usually
written by the same person
column
Attention-grabbing headlines in online
journalism, i.e. a marketing technique
designed to attract clicks and shares
clickbait
The situation, background, environment
(physical, social, psychological), function,
utilization, etc., that determines the meaning
of something
context
A journalist or reporter who regularly reports
on a particular area of information, usually
from the same geographical area
correspondent
A non-fictional movie or program dealing with
events or issues in a factual manner, including
interviews, film footage, and other types of
information
documentary
The process of adding new dialogue or other
sounds to the sound track of a motion picture
that has already been shot, nowadays most
familiar as a means of translating foreignlanguage films into the audience’s language
dubbing
A digital book that has the appearance of a
traditional paper book but with its content
stored digitally
electronic book
Electronic program guide, i.e. on-screen
television guide providing information about
programs and channels
EPG
Literary genre that features imaginary or
magical worlds, characters, and events
fantasy
Any work whose content is imaginary rather
than purely factual
fiction
A writer, journalist, or artist who works
independently and is paid by assignment
freelancer
The forerunner of the modern newspaper,
nowadays the legal newspaper of a country, or
of an administrative part of a country, which
publishes the text of new laws, decrees,
regulations, treaties, legal notices, and court
decisions
gazette
A category or classification of works of art
based on subject matter, themes, and/or style
genre
A book published with a rigid cover, usually
more expensive and in a larger format than
paperback
hardback
A combination of art forms, styles, or genres
resulting in a new form, style, or genre
hybrid
Being completely objective and uninvolved in
reporting the news
impartiality
The ability to participate in, or control, media
products, rather than passively receive them
interactivity
Any means of transmitting information or the
various forms, devices, and systems that make
up mass communications considered as a
whole, including newspapers, magazines, radio
stations, television channels, and websites
media
A measure of the color temperature of a light
source, one of the base units in the SI system
of measurement
kelvin
Restriction on the amount of time a particular
media product may be given airtime
quota
Persuasive mass communication that filters
and frames the issues of the day in a way that
strongly favors particular interests, usually
those of a government or corporation
propaganda
Critical assessment of a movie, television
series, book, or other media product in a
newspaper, in a magazine, on a radio or
television program, or on a blog
review
The study of the psychological profiles of
different people for advertising and marketing
purposes
psychographics
The part of a camera that opens to allow light
to pass through the lens when you take a
photograph, thereby influencing the
appearance of movement – or complete lack
of it – in the final image
shutter
A popular form of broadcast drama unfolding
in episodes
series
The process of joining individual overlapping
images, using software, to form a composite
panorama
stitching
A small format newspaper that is roughly half
the size of a standard newspaper, usually
containing sensational coverage of crime,
scandal, gossip, violence, or news about
celebrities
tabloid
An individual or organization on the lookout
for unacceptable or offensive practices by the
media
watchdog
