Deconstructing Media

Introduction

Anatomy of MediaMedia: any communication that is mediated by a form of technology where the person delivering the message is not in the same location as the person receiving the message.

This includes messages from

Media Analysis: Five Core Concepts

Books Fiction Non-Fiction Reference…

Magazines Entertainment News Technical Hobby…

Newspaper

Print GenresGenre – a category of “things” (in this case media)

distinguished by recognizable features

Film GenresGenre – a category of “things” (in this case media)

distinguished by recognizable features

Entertainment Action Drama Comedy Suspense/Thriller….

Documentary Science History News…

Radio GenresGenre – a category of “things” (in this case media)

distinguished by recognizable features

Music Top 40 Alternative R & B…

Talk Sports Politics News…

Television GenresGenre – a category of “things” (in this case media)

distinguished by recognizable features

Drama Sit-com Reality TV News Sports Talk Show How-To (Cooking, Decorating)…

Internet GenresGenre – a category of “things” (in this case media)

distinguished by recognizable features

While the internet can serve as a distribution channel for genres already discussed, it also has several unique formats, especially those that involve user-created content.

Internet GenresGenre – a category of “things” (in this case media)

distinguished by recognizable features

Social Networks Blogs Wikis Podcasts

The Five Core Concepts

of Media Analysis

Anatomy of MediaMedia: any communication that is mediated by a form of technology where the person delivering the message is not in the same location as the person receiving the message.

This includes messages from the Internet, books, magazines, newspapers, documentary films, TV shows, video games, advertisements, songs and even T-shirts. (from Project Look Sharp at Ithaca College)

Media Analysis: Five Core Concepts

Anatomy of Media

Media Analysis: Five Core Concepts

Authorship

All media messages are constructed.

*AUTHOR*

Core Concept: All media messages are constructed

Core Analysis Question: Who created this message?

*AUTHOR*

explores two fundamental insights about media:

1. Construction 2. Choice

*AUTHOR*

CONSTRUCTION messages are not “natural,” but are built written by someone, or many people

(nightly news, billboards, political flyers) images are captured and edited creative editing team puts it all together

*AUTHOR*

CHOICE: what’s left in and what’s left out? words pictures

Audience cannot see or hear the words or pictures that were rejected, but instead we only see what was accepted.

*AUTHOR*

Goal of Analysis: to analyze who is constructing the messages we view/hear.

*AUTHOR*

Guiding Questions:

Who is in control of the creation and transmission of this message?

What were some choices he/she made? What choices were made that might have

been made differently? What was omitted?

*AUTHOR*

Examples: Example 1 (McDonald’s Filet o Fish) Example 2 (2010 with LeBron James) Example 3 (Food Makeover Artist)

Anatomy of Media

Media Analysis: Five Core Concepts

Authorship

FormatAll media messages

are constructed.

Media messages are constructed using a creative language with its own rules.

*FORMAT*

Core Concept: Media messages are constructed using a creative language with its own rules

Core Analysis Question: What creative techniques are used to attract my attention?

*FORMAT*

Goal of Analysis: to build an internal checklist that you can apply to any media message.

For this to happen, we must first begin to notice how messages are constructed.

“What do you notice?” All answers to this question are acceptable (as

long as they are justified and exude care and effort) since different people notice different things.

*FORMAT*Guiding Questions: What kind of “text” is it? What are the various elements (building

blocks) that make up the whole? What did you notice (about the way the

message is constructed)? Colors? Shapes? Size? Sounds? Words?

Silence? Props? Sets? Clothing? Movement? Composition? Lighting? Where is the camera? How is the story told visually? What are people

doing? Are there any symbols? Visual metaphors? What makes it seem “real”?

*FORMAT*

Examples: Talk Show: Daily Show TV Ad: Nike/Federer commercial Sitcom: The Big Bang Theory Sports: ESPN Broadcast Booth Romance Novels

Anatomy of Media

Media Analysis: Five Core Concepts

Authorship

Format

Audience

All media messages are constructed.

Media messages are constructed using a creative language with its own rules.

Different people experience the same

media message differently.

*AUDIENCE*

Core Concept: Different people experience the same message differently

Core Analysis Question: How might different people understand this message differently?

*AUDIENCE*

Goal of Analysis: Consider how messages are targeted for various segments of the population. Producers may intentionally target similarity or difference.

incorporates two important ideas: 1. that our differences influence our various

interpretations of media messages2. that our similarities create common

understandings.

*AUDIENCE*

Everyone brings a unique set of life experiences (age, gender, education, cultural upbringing, etc.) to each media encounter.

The more questions we ask about what ourselves and others experience, the more prepared we are to evaluate messages and accept or reject them.

*AUDIENCE*Guiding Questions:

Have you ever experienced anything like this in your life?

How close is this portrayal to your experience? What did you learn about yourself from

experiencing the media text? What did you learn from other people’s

response? From their experience of life? How many other interpretations could there be?

How could we hear about them? Are there other viewpoints just as valid as mine? How can you explain the different responses?

Example

CNN Syria Desperate Housewives

Anatomy of MediaMedia: any communication that is mediated by a form of technology where the person delivering the message is not in the same location as the person receiving the message. This includes messages from the Internet, books, magazines, newspapers, documentary films, TV shows, video games, advertisements, songs and even T-shirts. (from Project Look Sharp at Ithaca College)

Media Analysis: Five Core Concepts

Authorship

Format

AudienceContent

All media messages are constructed.

Media messages are constructed using a creative language with its own rules.

Different people experience the same

media message differently.

Media have embedded values

and points of view.

*CONTENT*

Core Concept: Media have embedded values and viewpoints

Core Analysis Question: What lifestyles, values, and points of view are represented in, or omitted from, this message?

*CONTENT*

Ideas and values are embedded in media messages

ALSO the values of mainstream media typically reinforce, and therefore, affirm, the existing social system.

*CONTENT*

Goal of Analysis: If we have the skills to question and rationally identify both overt and concealed values in media messages, we are likely to be much more intelligent in our decision to accept or reject the overall message

*CONTENT*

Guiding Questions:

What kinds of behaviors/consequences are depicted? What kind of person is the reader/watcher/listener

invited to identify with? What ideas or values are being “sold” to us in this

message? What ideas are communicated in the message? What judgments or statements are made about how we

treat other people? What is the overall worldview of the message? What ideas or perspectives are left out? How would you

find what is missing?

*CONTENT*

Example: AXE commercial Maybelline commercial

Anatomy of Media

Media Analysis: Five Core Concepts

Authorship

Format

AudienceContent

PurposeAll media messages

are constructed.

Media messages are constructed using a creative language with its own rules.

Different people experience the same

media message differently.

Media have embedded values

and points of view.

Most media messages are

organized to gain

profit and/or power.

*PURPOSE*

Core Concept: Most media messages are organized to gain profit and/or power.

Core Analysis Question: Why is this message being sent?

*PURPOSE*

Three Key Purposes:1. To inform2. To persuade3. To entertain

*PURPOSE*

Goal of Analysis: examines the motive or purpose of a media message

*PURPOSE*Guiding Questions: Why is this message being sent? How do you know? What is being sold in this message? What’s being

told? Who profits from this message? Who pays for it? Who is served by or benefits from the message:

The public? Private interests? Individuals? Institutions?

What economic decisions may have influenced the construction or transmission of this message?

What’s the emotional appeal? Persuasive devices used?

*PURPOSE*

Examples Dish TV Crying Indian ABC News Dancing With the Stars