INDUSTRIAL MEDIA & SOCIAL MEDIA What are they and why is literacy important?

How would YOU define MEDIA?

MEDIUM “One of the means or channels of general communication, information, or entertainment in society, as newspapers, radio, or television.” --

MEDIA …the plural form of MEDIUM, so MEDIA: consists of any medium used to transmit mass communication, information or entertainment

‘INDUSTRIAL’ MEDIA Until somewhat recently, mass media was clearly defined and was comprised of eight mass media industries : Books, Newspapers, Magazines, Recordings, Radio, Movies, Television, and the Internet (as in specific websites) Generally, these media ‘industries’ were (and many still are) controlled by major corporations.

So now define it: What is industrial media? Media industries which are, generally, controlled by major corporations and for which profitability is the major goal.

INDUSTRIAL MEDIA: Industrial Media generally requires significant financial capital to publish information/ entertainment/ content… "Industrial media" are commonly referred to as "traditional", "broadcast" or "mass" media.

Then things changed… The mainstream internet, which is a vast global network, got a popular new addition…

SOCIAL MEDIA: DEFINITION: Social media is information content created by people using highly accessible and scalable publishing technologies [Ex: Facebook, Youtube, Blogger]. Businesses also refer to social media as user- generated content (UGC) or consumer- generated media(CGM).

SOCIAL MEDIA: Social media are relatively cheap tools that enable anyone (even private individuals) to publish or access information

Social media has exploded in the past couple years…

The power of social media?

And this all leads us to… The importance of “MEDIA LITERACY” Any medium used to transmit mass ‘communication’ The possession of ‘education’

Media Literacy Definition: The ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and produce communication and information in a variety of forms

SO, why is media literacy important? 1.Media has a tremendous influence in our central democratic process 2.The high rate of media consumption and the saturation of society by media

Importance of Media Lit. cont. 3.The media’s influence on shaping perceptions, beliefs and attitudes 4.The increasing importance of visual communication and information 5.The importance of information in society and the need for lifelong learning.

5 Core Questions There are 5 core questions one needs to ask oneself in order to critically evaluate any “medium”

Question #1 WHO CREATED THIS MESSAGE? Core Concept: All media messages are ‘constructed’

Someone created these messages:

Question #2 WHAT CREATIVE TECHNIQUES ARE USED TO ATTRACT MY ATTENTION? Core Concept: Media messages are constructed using a creative language with its own rules.

Each media has its own language: SOME OF THE LANGUAGE OF FILM: Sound effects High angle shot Cinematography

Question #3 HOW MIGHT DIFFERENT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THIS MESSAGE DIFFERENTLY THAN ME? Core Concept: Different people experience the same message differently

What is happening in this photo? Taken after Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina Photo Controversy… WHO interpreted these photographs?

Question #4 WHAT VALUES, LIFESTYLES, AND POINTS OF VIEW ARE REPRESENTED IN, OR OMITTED FROM, THIS MESSAGE? Core Concept: Media have embedded values and points of view

What ‘values’ do these ads portray? …Audiences negotiate meaning

What about these?

Question #5 WHY IS THIS MESSAGE BEING SENT? Core Concept: Most media messages are organized to gain profit and/or power

Media = Power + Profit What are the implications of only a few corporations controlling the majority of industrial media?

A few interesting facts… 47 % of children have a television in their bedroom. The average American sees 2 million commercials by the age of 65. By the age of 18, children have watched 17,000 hours of television and this number continues to increase. The average American youth spends 900 hours in school and 1023 hours watching TV a year. SOURCE: American Academy of Pediatrics

At the center of all media is…