1. Higher Media
The Key Aspects

2. This lesson... Covering the main ideas of the course
Discussing our understanding of media so far
Don’t worry if it doesn’t all sink in today if this is your first time studying Media – just do your best
TAKE NOTES

3. Course content reminder
Assignment – 50%
Done in/around class time
Starts just before or after Oct break
Question Paper – 50%
Sat during exam diet
Two essays – one on media content and context, one on role of media

4. An idea to start with -
All media content is constructed

5. Key aspects split into two areas:
Content
The codes, techniques and structures contained within the text
Context
The time/place/conditions in which a text is produced

6. Key aspects split into two areas:
Content
Categories
Language
Narrative
Representation
Context
Audience
Institutions
Society

7. Media content Categories - How media content is categorised based on
Genre (sci-fi, fashion glossy, tabloid...)
Purpose (to entertain, to inform, to persuade...)
Tone (ironic, serious, comedic...)
Style (e.g. documentary – fly on the wall, interactive...)

8. Media content LANGUAGE
Technical code – camera angles, sound, special effects, mise en scene...
Cultural codes – signs and symbols that have cultural associations (red rose = romance)

9. Media content NARRATIVE
Structures – the order in which events are presented – the beginning, middle, end. Points of conflict.
Codes – setting up of recognisable structures, for example binary oppositions such as good vs evil, youth vs age.

10. Media content REPRESENTATION
How people, places, groups are represented in a media text.
Consider: selection and portrayal (non-fic), stereotypes, non-stereotypes, cultural assumptions, ideologies

11. So far...
Media content
Categories
Language
Narrative
Representation

12. Task Watch the following opening sequence.
Analyse the media content, using the key aspects we have looked at so far.

13. Media context
Remember: context = The time/place/conditions in which a text is produced

14. Media context AUDIENCE Target audience – who is meant to consume
Preferred reading – how the producer wants the consumer to read the text
Differential decoding – how others may read text differently

15. Media context
Task
Identify the target audience, preferred reading and differential decoding of each of the home appliance adverts we just watched.

16. Media context INSTITUTION
Internal institutions – the company structures, policies and procedures that inform the production – for example finance and reputation
External institutions – organisations or legislation that control media content – for example health and safety law and regulatory bodies such as Ofcom, BBFC.

17. Media context
SOCIETY
Time, place (e.g. Facts, ideas, history, circumstances, events, politics, technology)
Task: discuss how society informs the two similar but distinct representations in the adverts discussed previously.

18. Case study Think about media texts that you are familiar with.
Describe how these media concepts relate to this content.
Write something for each key aspect

19. Consolidating our understanding
Lesson 2

20. Key aspects CATEGORIES REPRESENTATION NARRATIVE LANGUAGE SOCIETY
INSTITUTIONS
AUDIENCE

21. Task Look at the media texts provided.
What can you say about them in relation to the CONTENT-BASED key aspects we have looked at? Be as in-depth as you like – you are giving me an idea of how much you have grasped. You should be able to do this mostly without research. Use a PEE structure as you would in English.
Once finished, do this with the CONTEXT-BASED key aspects. In this case, you will have to look up details of ownership etc.

22. LANGUAGE
Technical codes – font, layout, lighting, composition, headline, sub-headline
Cultural codes – colour, associations with objects…