Media Literacy: Techniques Flashcards
Here are some examples of visual media:
- television shows
- television commercials
- magazine ads
- posters/billboards
- online articles that include images
- photos on social media
What is visual media?
content that incorporates images instead of or in addition to printed words; or any types of media that uses both words and images to convey a message
Creators of ads like the ones you see in magazines and on TV commercials and billboards have one goal; what is the goal and how to they accomplish that goal?
to convince the audience to purchase what a particular company or organization is selling. To accomplish this, media creators often manipulate images so that they show only the best aspects of the item the company wants to sell.
Why is thinking what was excluded and included help you understand the author better?
When you analyze the information included and think about what might be excluded from a visual message, it can help you understand what the author’s desired result might be. If that result is to sell you something, you’re probably seeing an idealized version of the product. What you get in reality might not measure up.
Why is it important to look carefully at the source of any visual message that is trying to persuade you of something?
It’s important to consider the source because it may be biased. The creator of the message might want to only show one side of a situation or issue. They might also be trying to persuade you to buy something, in which case they are unlikely to be showing you the whole truth.
How can you analyze a message conveyed by a piece of visual media?
I can look carefully at the visual media and think about what information it conveys and what information might have been excluded. I can consider the source and the creator and think about why they might have chosen to include and exclude these things based on their purpose.
Why do you think creators of visual messages think so carefully about what to include and what to exclude?
I think they know that visual media can be powerful. If their goal is to persuade viewers of something, then they evaluate all the information they are thinking about including in the image and then only include things that support their purpose. Then, they exclude anything that might distract from that purpose.
What are reasons media sources might be baised?
There are many reasons why media sources are biased. They may have political or financial agendas, or they may just want to keep your attention. They usually want to make sure they keep receiving money from their advertisers. Whatever the reason, pay careful attention to the information included in—and excluded from—the source you’re looking at or hearing from.
What are examples of broadcast media?
television news programs, television commercials, television shows, documentaries, radio
What are exmaples of print media?
newspapers, magazines, books
What are examples of digital media?
news websites, blogs, other websites, social media, online videos
How can you tell if a media source is biased?
A media source that’s biased might be sponsored by a particular company or companies. They might favor one political side over another—if they include only positive details about one side and only negative details about the other side of an issue, they may be biased. If the source is trying to sell something, then they are likely to be biased toward their own product and against their competition.
How can you analyze a verbal message you hear or read in the media?
To analyze a verbal message in the media, I can look at what information is included as well as what information might be excluded. Then I can think about what the content creator’s purpose might be and what biases they might have.
