Media Studies

• Introduction• What is the Media?• Where is the Media?• Some Key Terms and

Concepts• Examples of Various

Media forms (Television and Print Advertising)

What is Media?

• Simply put, Media can defined as the following:

“Tools which allow us to communicate ideas and information to both small and large groups of people”

Where can we find the Media

• Television, radios, internet, billboards, magazines, movies, shopping malls, books, newspapers, flyers, direct mail, etc.

Key Concepts / Terms• Mass Media: Media forms designed to

communicate with thousands of people at a time• Mass Marketing: Appealing to a wide audience

by making a product, or piece of information that is almost universally recognized (e.g. Nike, Coca Cola, McDonalds, Microsoft, the Gap)

• Advertising: Using communication media to promote the sale of goods and services to project a company’s image

• Media Technologies: What kinds of communication tools exist? Who controls them? How are final products created?

Key Terms Continued

• Propaganda: The organized circulation of information designed to influence people about certain things by directly appealing to our emotions, prejudices, etc. and may contain huge distortions of the truth (e.g. War propaganda).

Key Questions to Consider• Media Languages : How are the different forms

of media able to produce meanings, codes, conventions? How do we “read” media? How is it persuasive?

• Media Audiences: How are audiences identified? How are they targeted? How do audiences find, choose and respond to media works?

• Media representations: What is the relationship between media texts and actual places, people, events and ideas? How is stereotyping an important element to consider?

AdvertisingWhat is Advertising?

“People don’t buy products; they buy brands” – David Oligvy

What does this mean?Is it true? Discuss

Class Questions # 1• What in your opinion are examples of

effective advertisements? What factors must be taken into account to make an advertisement effective?

• Consider various mediums such as television, radio, internet, magazines, newspapers, etc).

• Consider audience, visual and oral characteristics, manipulative techniques, humour, etc.

• Make a list of all the advertisements that you like and you dislike and explain your opinions.

Class Question # 2

• Television• Magazines• Newspapers• Radio• Internet What are the advantages and

disadvantages of each of the following mediums?