media studies notes

1. Construct Reality
As you sit and watch a television program, such as the 6 o'clock evening news, you are watching visuals and listening to audio that seems real and for the most part, are real. But what are you really seeing? What you are seeing is what the producer wants you to see. Regardless of the fact that the camera crew may have shot 30 minutes worth of footage, you are only being provided with a one to three minute piece. Who edited the footage? Who decided on the footage? Why did they choose to include one section and not the other?

Whether you are watching the evening news, a television sitcom, reading a newspaper, or listening to the radio, the information that you are receiving through one medium or another has been constructed. They have chosen to omit perhaps a necessary piece of the story in favour of another, which may include a little more action. Producers have a mission. Their mission is to entertain and excite their audiences enough to keep them interested.

2. Forms, Codes and Conventions

Codes or conventions are ways of conveying information in the media that we understand without really being aware of them.
Sound for example; as we watch a chase scene in a movie, the audio would appear to be fast, in order to convey speed. Sounds such as suspenseful sounds and scary sounds are used to evoke a particular emotion, such as fear, from the audience or to imply that a certain action is about to take place.

Lighting, as a second example; in a scene where the lights start to dim, we are creating meaning from this and expect perhaps a romantic scene to take place. Camera angles, language and set design are created to give meaning. The meaning we attach to present events is created from past events.

3. Ideology and values
We all have a set of beliefs that shape our views of our world. These beliefs affect our views on such items as: politics, social issues and authority figures. Groups may have their own ideologies, such as church groups, school groups and gangs.

When we receive information from the media, we usually interpret it through our own ideologies and sets of values. If we agree with the message, this is referred to as the dominant view, or preferred reading. If we disagree with the message, we have given it an oppositional reading.

4. Commercialism
Media is a big business with commercial interests.
Movies generate revenue, not only from their viewing audiences, but from other sources as well. Spiderman action figures provide millions
of extra dollars to the film studio. Spiderman video games are another source of revenue. Don't forget the special drinking cups and toys that you can get at McDonalds.

Television programs provide sponsors with an audience. The sponsors, in turn are concerned with the size of the audience and the ratings of the television shows. If a show does not fair well, the sponsors will no longer support the show and eventually the show will disappear from the air.

Radio stations, similar to television stations, need sponsorship. An entertaining and exciting show is necessary to draw an audience.