Introduction to Media Studies EMS30 Mr. Briggs

What is Media Studies? Media Studies is a general term used to describe the different educational approaches used to help students become Media Literate Technically being “Literate” just referred to ones ability to understand and make meaning from written language. Today, we are witnessing an explosion of new forms of communication that use far more than just words to entertain, persuade and inform us.

SO….. Therefore, just as we learn to read words, sentence and paragraphs in order to make sense of the work around us, we must learn how to “read” then many media “texts” we are immersed in everyday: Film, music, print, audio, social networks etc

How you may ask…. Media literacy is the ability to sift through and analyze the messages that inform, entertain and sell to us everyday. It is about asking pertinent questions about what’s there and noticing whates not there. It is the instinct to question what lies behind media productions: motives, money, value and ownership and to be aware how these factors influence content.

The Payoff Media education encourages a probing approach to the world of media:  Who is the message intended for?  Who want to reach this audience and why?  From whose perspective is the story told?  Whose voices are heard and whose are absent?  What strategies does this message use to get my attention and make me feel involved?

Media Development

What is the Medium? Something in the physical works that contains an idea of a person, place, thing or concept. Examples: Television, Radio, Print, Photo, Ad(billboard), Social media etc

What is Mass Media? Mass Media is any form of communication produced by few, intended to be consumed by large audiences. Examples: Specific Networks (CBC: News) Magazines (People: Entertainment{ish} Radio (Edge 102: music) Disney (Family entertainment) This is known as “broadcasting” (sending messages to broad audiences) Today however, technology allows the media industry to “narrowcast” (smaller region, group or demographic) or even “microcast” (even smaller groups/psychographic)

6 Key Roles of Media in Society

1 Media supply us with information from around the world. Without the media, we would have very little knowledge of the world outside our personal lives.

2 The media influence what we talk, think and even learn about. Whether it is a hit film, celebrity, political scandal, scientific discovery or the weather, the media provides the information and messages that shape our persosnal opinions and worldviews.

3 The media allow us to expand our personal experiences. They allow us to take part in great adventures both real and of the mind. They allow us to witness the limitless range of human emotion and imagination.

4 The media shows us images we come to accept as normal. Media personalities, models and performers set standards of appearance, behavior and languages that influence us all.

5 Advertising and public relations messages reach us through the media, persuading us to buy products, accept ideas and adopt opinions of people, institutions and corporations.

6 The media entertain us. T.V, radio, Internet, film, books, magazines etc. consume much of our time. The media is a limitless canvas for artistic expression.