MEDIA LITERACYTruth, Bias, Reality, and Propaganda

MEDIA LITERACY TERMSMedium - the means though which information is conveyed, i.e. blogs, tv, magazine.

Target Audience - the demographics of the group a text is specifically written for.

Agenda - the set goals of a particular group, often ideological.

Deconstruct - to take apart a text, analyzing it’s various components for the purpose of understanding the meaning, message, bias, etc.

Bias - to present or hold a partial perspective and a refusal to even consider the possible merits of alternative points of view.

Propaganda - form of communication aimed towards influencing the attitude of the community toward some cause or position by presenting only one side of an argument.

Lead - the most important element to a news story, the introductory first sentence.

Subtext - an underlying message that is implied, never directly stated.

Instagram user “melvfitness"

Check out my transformation! It took me 15 minutes. Wanna know my secret? Well firstly I ditched the

phonewallet (fwallet) cause that shit is lame, swapped my bather bottoms to black (cause they're a size bigger

& black is slimming), Smothered on some fake tan, clipped in my hair extensions, stood up a bit taller,

sucked in my guts, popped my hip- threw in a skinny arm, stood a bit wider #boxgap, pulled my shoulders back and added a bit of a cheeky/Im so proud of my

results smile. Zoomed in on the before pic- zoomed out on the after & added a filter. Cause filters make everything awesome. What's my point? Don't be

deceived by what you see in magazines & on Instagram.. You never see the dozens of other pics they took that

wernt as flattering. Photoshop can make a pig look hotter then Beyonce. 😜 #selfy #fitness #transformation #fake

#only15minutes

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MAKEUP AND

PHOTOSHOP?

WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF ALL

THIS• For specific segments of the population

(ie: kids, seniors, men, women, etc…)

• For society in general?

• Why are such manipulations being done?

• Is it ethical?

WERE THEY RIGHT OR WRONG TO LIE IN THIS

CASE?

http://wideshut.co.uk/four-year-old-syrian-wasnt-separated-family-alone-desert/

THINKING CRITICALLY

• Examining the various aspects of the media and texts we encounter with the purpose of determining their context and purpose.

• It is the evaluation of information we are presented beyond the face value of said information.

IF THIS NEXT SLIDE IS WRONG, PROVE IT.

• Bandwagon Advertisement - imply that the majority of the population enjoys a product and that you should join them.

• Cute/Cartoon Appeal - the product is linked to something appealing. These ads often do not focus on the actual product.

• Celebrity Endorsement - linking a product to a well-regarded celebrity to associate that product with popularity.

• Emotional Appeal - evoking primal emotions to cause action. Fear and love are commonly used.

• Facts and Figures Appeal - the use of “facts” and statistics to make a product seem like a smart, objectively best choice.

• These facts and figures are often taken out of context and mean little if anything. Keep bias and agenda in mind when you encounter these.

• Gender/Sex Appeal - appeals to stereotypical masculine or feminine ideals.

• Gender appeal and sex appeal should really be two different categories.

• Name Calling Appeal - direct attacks on other companies or products.

• Often seen when two dominant companies are in competition, or in political campaigns.

• Plain Folks Appeal - using a common person who can understand and empathize with a listener's concerns.

• The most important part of this appeal is the speaker's portrayal of themselves as someone who has had a similar experience, to the listener, and knows why they may be skeptical or cautious about accepting the speaker's point of view.

• In this way, the speaker gives the audience a sense of trust and comfort, believing that the speaker and the audience share common goal

• Shock Appeal - the use of images to upset an audience thereby creating interest or spurring action.

• Please refer to Miley Cyrus circa 2013

• Snob Appeal - linking a product to exclusivity or the promise of a better life that not everyone will enjoy.

• Most commonly see with high end products.

• This appeal doesn’t work if anyone can buy the product.

• Testimonials - the use of recommendations of products or companies by others.

• Sometimes these people have clout, sometimes not.

• Sites like yelp.com and angiesslist are built on this idea.

• 20% of yelp reviews are actually fake according to a Harvard University study (2013).

• Subliminal Message - hidden images or messages meant to stimulate the audiences’ subconscious by linking primal instincts, usually sex, to the product.