Media and Information Languages

• The unit is about Media and Information languages
• The unit will discuss the codes and conventions that media users subconsciously have
• Analyzing these codes will give a clearer perception of how media impacts our thinking

Essential Questions

• Why recognize codes and symbols in media texts?
• How do we analyse media?

Learning Targets

• Evaluate media and information presentations regarding codes, conventions, and messages
• The evaluation should include how they affect the audience, producers, and other stakeholders
• Produce and assess the codes, conventions, and messages of a group presentation

Media Language

• It involves the study of codes, conventions, and genre
• Codes are structures and arrangements of signs decoded to produce meaning

Types of Codes

• Technical: Utilizes tools or equipment to convey a certain message in the media
• Symbolic: Association and connotation reflected in what is seen
• Written: Includes buzzwords, catchphrases, and specific word usage

Technical codes:

• Camera work
• Editing
• Lighting
• Audio mixing

Camera Angles

• Low angle: camera looks up, making the subject look large and powerful
• Normal angle: camera looks straight, making the subject look equal to the viewer
• High angle: camera looks down, making the subject look small and weak

Lighting

• Selective use of natural or artificial light to create an effect

Symbolic Codes

• Deals with association and connotation reflected in the physical aspect
• Includes objects, colors, or even animals, and in verbal/non-verbal gestures

Written Codes

• Buzzwords are words that may seem pleasant but have an empty value
• Catchphrases are easily remembered expressions associated with certain products

Conventions

• Rules or norms of how codes are organized and presented to the audience
• Expectations of the audience must be addressed to avoid confusion or dissatisfaction

Media Genres

• Genre is from a French word, which means kind
• Genre is a type of media with a common set of characteristics, styles and techniques

Television Genres

• Contests involve competition among players
• Actualities include news, documentary and reality programming
• Persuasions reflect an intention to persuade, often through advertising
• Dramas cover most storytelling

Analysing Codes and Conventions

• Understand the basics to apply knowledge of media language and analyze with a framework

TAP Questioning Model

• Framework used to assess and evaluate media
• TAP refers to text, audience, and production

Media Analysis: Texts

• Media texts are any form of media that is being examined and scrutinized
• Examples of media texts: film, TV show, advertisement, radio program, video game

Media Analysis: Audience

• The audience are anyone who receives the media
• People discover explicit and implicit ideas created for certain consumer groups

Media Analysis: Production

• Production is guided by a framework that examines the context, ownership, creation, distribution and rules

TAP Questioning Framework

• Text: what media is this, how does it tell the story, does it follow any types
• Audience: who is the audience, what makes it appealing, does this appeal to you
• Production: who made this text, how was it done, who benefits