Fiches Media Literacy PDF

Fiches MEDIA LITERACY I. Understanding Media and Communication Information: Information shapes how we see the world, but it is inherently subjective. Framing decides what is included/excluded, the tone used, and how facts are presented. Example: Using "cheap" instead of "inexpensive...

Fiches MEDIA LITERACY I. Understanding Media and Communication Information: Information shapes how we see the world, but it is inherently subjective. Framing decides what is included/excluded, the tone used, and how facts are presented. Example: Using "cheap" instead of "inexpensive" influences perception. ○ Stylistic Choices: Word choice, metaphors, and grammatical structure (e.g., "A house was broken into and its owner injured" vs. "Armed bandits broke into the house and shot the owner"). Communication Process: ○ Communication : to make common ○ Media : Plural of “medium” (tool/go-between/means) ○ Sender : The person who initiates the convo by encoding and send mess ○ Receiver : The person who gets the mess after decoding ○ Encoding : An idea put into a langage or code trans via a given channel and can be understood by the receiver ○ Channel : The medium through which the message is sent ○ Decoding : Process by which the receiver decipher the message the message and makes sense of its meaning ○ Field of experience : Things that influence an individual’s perception of the world and that therefore affect how a message is interpreted (age, nationality, tastes, ideology, values, education…) ○ Noise : Any disruption that might occur ○ Feedback loop : Retour/Uno reverse, retour d’un message à l’envoyeur Impact of the Internet: ○ Feedback is instant via likes, comments, and reposts. However, information spreads quickly, which increases the risk of miscommunication (like in the "telephone game"). II. Press Freedom and Media Roles Media as Democracy’s Watchdog: ○ Investigative journalism exposes corruption and holds governments accountable (e.g., Watergate Scandal uncovered by The Washington Post). Watergate Scandal : Several men wanting President Richard Nixon to be re-elected decided to spy on the Democratic Party in 1972. They broke into the Democratic Party offices in the Watergate building twice. On the second time they were caught and arrested. Nixon and his staff tried to cover-up the break-in but it ended with his resignation 2 years later Pentagon Papers :Top-secret Pentagon Papers leaked to the press in 1971, setting in motion a chain of events that led to the Watergate scandal [not investigative jour. yet a big scandal so i put them both here] ○ The media allows citizens to access multiple viewpoints and fosters free debate. Global Press Freedom (2024): Top-ranked countries Worst-ranked countries (highest press freedom). (heavily controlled press). Norway, Denmark, Sweden Afghanistan, Eritrea, China, Russia ○ Even democracies face challenges in ensuring press freedom due to political or corporate interference. Legal Protections: ○ USA: 1st Amendment protects free speech (No law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise, freedom of speech of the press) ○ Europe: Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (Everyone has the right to freedom of expression) ○ Despite legal protections, press freedom is sometimes limited in practice. Constitution : “the set of political principles by which a state or organization is governed, especially in relation to the rights of the people it governs” III. Media Ownership and Bias Concentration of Power: ○ In the U.S., 6 corporations (e.g., Disney, Comcast, News Corp) control 90% of the media, reducing diversity of opinions. In 40 years, ownership shrank from 50 major companies to 6. Public vs. Private Media: ○ Public media: Funded by taxes (e.g., BBC) with educational/cultural content but risks government influence. ○ Private media: Driven by profits, focuses on sensationalism and large audiences, which can lead to biased content. Bias in Statistics: ○ Selection Bias: Skewed samples, like asking pet store customers if they like animals. ○ Cherry-picking: Showing data that supports a claim while ignoring contradicting evidence. ○ False Correlations: Assuming two trends are linked when they are not. ○ Reliable data warns about its own limitations and uses cautious language (e.g., "The trend suggests"). IV - Quality press vs Tabloid press Quality press National and international news reporting and analytical articles (with possible bias) -Informative headlines -balanced layout -illustrative photos -formal standard english -Target audience : middle to upper-income readers Tabloid press Local and national new reporting essentially, opinion articles sometimes (accentued bias) -Headlines are shorter, over-sized -Sometimes lurid photos and over(sized) -Colloquial English with used of slang, diminutives and puns -Target audience : middle to lower-income readers, younger readership IV. Old vs. New Media Traditional Media: Includes newspapers, TV, and radio, offering structured reporting. ○ Examples: The Times (UK, conservative), The Guardian (UK, left-leaning), The New York Times (USA, center-left). Main broadsheet papers in the UK Broadsheets in America The times : Founded in 1885 The New York Times : Tagline : “Honi soit qui mal y pense” (ils Founded in 1851 écrivaient en français at the time). Tagline : “All the news that’s fit to print” Political position : center right publications, Center-left, liberal stance, supports the often supports the Conservative Party Democratic Party (endorse Kamala Harris Political reporting, business news, for the elections coming) international affairs (not easy to read) 1971 : published the Pentagon Papers The Guardian : The Washington Post : Founded in 1821 Founded in 1877 Left lean Tagline “Democracy Dies in Darkness” Support the Labour Party Investigative journalism Investigative journalism Politically engaged readership Advocates social justice, progressive and 1973 : Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of the educated audience, academics Watergate Scandal 2013 : acquired by billionaire Jeffrey Bezos The Daily Telegraph : The Wall Street journal : Founded in 1855 Founded in 1889 (paper linked to NY Supports the Conservative Party (called the financial district) “daily torygraph”) Tagline : “It’s your business” Attracts upper-middle Center-right orientation 1994 : first newspaper in Britain to produce Focus on business and economic news an online website (“Electronic Telegraph”) Caters to business executives, investors and policy makers Draws the line between news and opinions,different teams (the news department and the opinion dep.) to be impartial The Independent : USA Today : Founded in 1986 Founded in 1982 Tagline : “It is. Are you ?” Centrist newspaper that aims for neutrality Center-left, liberal stance, supports in reporting progressive causes Audience is younger and socially conscious Has the largest newspaper circulation in 2016 : became UK’s first national America newspaper to go digital only Appeals to a wide audience (can read it during lunchtime, straight to the essential, called the “CNN of newspaper” easy read) Financial times : The New York Post : Founded in 1888 Founded in 1801 by Alexander Hamilton Tagline : “Make sense of it all” Right wing, supports the republican party, Centrist to center-right orientation ex : “Kamala Harris → kam’t keep up” Focuses on financial and economic news. The Daily Mail / MailOnLine (digital /online AM Metro New York : version) : Founded in 2003 Founded in 1896 Editorial stance : from centrist to “Middle market” tabloïd progressive Focuses on local news, tailored to NYC residents and commuters The Daily Mirror : Los Angeles Times Tabloid founded in 1903 Tagline: “The Heart of Britain” Left-wing, supports the Labour Party Focus on social issues + workes’ rights The Daily Star : Tabloid founded in 1978 Slightly right-leaning Focuses on sensationalist and entertainment news (celebs new for ex) The Sun : Founded in 1964 Tagline “Forward with the people” Has conservative views on social and political issues, traditionally supports the Conservative Party Focuses on sensationalism and celebrity news Metro : Free commuter newspaper launched in 1999 Now UK’s highest circulation print newspaper Advocates politically neutral editorial line Core readership is 20 years younger than any other newsprint outlet  New Media: Online platforms They offer faster updates and integrate features like videos and comments. However, they can blur the line between news and opinion. Breitbart → American far right news and opinion website founded in 2005 ○ Steve Bannon expanded the website into a platform for far-right views ○ Supports extreme conservative causes and candidates (such as Trump in 2016) ○ Nationalist, anti-immigration stance ○ Criticized The Daily Beast → Center left stance, content focus on opinion articles, sometimes on controversial news stories, audience interested in a blend of serious journalism and entertainment (name in reference to idk) Politico → Founded in 2007 by RobertAllbritton ○ Cover policy and politics in the US and beyond (Europe edition) ○ Audience : political insiders, politically engaged readers (very recognized between professionals) Slate → Center left orientation, founded in 1995, audience : educated Buzzfeed → Founded in 2006 by Jonah Peretti, left leaning, investigative journalism, political reporting + entertainment, blend of news and pop culture Huffpost → Founded in 2005, left leaning VI - Media Gatekeeping: Decisions on which stories to cover depend on factors like audience interest, political stance, and exclusivity. “Watchdog” media vs “lapdog” media. Watchdog journalism, on the other hand, monitors powerful people and organizations to ensure they act ethically and responsibly Is the media only ever a counter power ? Aside from being described as “a pillar of democracy”, the media is also often referred to as “The fourth power/estate” This suggests that aside from its role as a watchdog of democracy, the media can also function as : agenda setter (changing people opinion and putting pressure on the government) gatekeeper of information ⇒ Gatekeeping : how are stories chosen / Gatekeeper : privileged position in the communication process in which the person or the organization acting in that role makes the decisions as to what information is passed on or withheld to the public Some stories are too “big” to be ignored (les conflits ukraine/russie, palestine) Other choices will depend on many variables including (but not limited to): - a newspapers political or editorial line - the target audience’s likely interests - a story’s potential to attract attention (violence, disaster, scandal…) - exclusivity of information leading to a scoop - the geographic or emotional proximity of an even (ex: coverage of events in ukraine v yemen) Whose voices are behind the media ? The issue of gatekeeping They can be : reporters (their articles may sometimes not be published) editors web editors tv program executives wire service reporters (reuters, ap, afp etc… → they source) The effects of overexposure to certain kinds of news stories If only bad things are exposed, we’re starting to think it’s the only thing that happens → distortion V. Types of News Articles 1. News Stories: Present hard facts without bias : ○ Lead: The fact straight away, in the first sentence ○ Body: Details, evidence, and context. ○ Tail: Additional information for those interested. - Several reporters who produced the stories → signed - Focus on what are the hot news/scoops → hard or hot news - In theory, unbiased - Follow a certain pattern → the inverted pyramid structure (see down below : )  2. Feature Articles: Longer, more in-depth, and creative. Often analyze cultural or social topics. ○ Example: The New York Times feature on climate change. 3. Opinion Articles: Express personal views or political stances. Found in editorials, columns, and cartoons. ○ Example: HuffPost article debating gun control. VI. Television and Media Evolution Impact of TV: ○ Made news accessible to all, especially less-educated audiences. ○ TV and Newspaper end up having complementary stuff ○ Historical example: Vietnam War footage showed shocking realities of war, sparking public opposition ; Martin Luterking welcoming/attracting the press because he knew it could mobilize people opinion towards the march Modern TV News: ○ Relies heavily on visuals for impact (e.g., CNN’s Baltimore bridge collapse video). ○ Differences in tone: CNN focuses on facts, while Fox News adds dramatic flair. The Guardian Evolution : → global audience on their website : 113m unique browsers globally each month → different editions : Australian ones etc… VII. Cartoons and Satirical Media Political Cartoons: Use humor or exaggeration to critique leaders and events. Has a clearly political function ○ Example: Punch magazine’s satirical take on Britain’s colonialism. Satirical News Shows:Tries to trigger interest through sarcasm and irony (maybe you’ll get interested in politics through satire), a big role in politics. (e.g., The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver). ○ They often lean left politically and appeal to younger, educated audiences. Cartoon artists : Marten Morland, Bob Moran for the Telegraph, Peter Brookes for the Times, Martin Allegories and symbols Allegories and symbols Symbols are objects that are meant to signify other objects or concepts. In visual communication, symbols are often essential because they can express… Britannia & Hibernia “The Fenian Pest” → Two people shown. They’re sisters. Britannia is an allegory of Great Britain. Hibernia is an allegory of Ireland. 1886 Map of the British Empire : Britannia rules over the world Animal symbols → Example : “Stranger thing have happened” by Thomas Nast, 1879 edition of Harper’s Weekly Foreground : donkey representing the democratic party Background : The elephant represents the republican party. VIII. Internet revolution : empowerment or alienation ? What is social media ? Forms of electronic communication (websites,social net) through which users create online communities to share info, ideas, pers. messages 1991: first internet page Bidirectional/multidirectional : can receive info but also send it Internet revolution : empowerment or alienation ? Opinions diverge → Some people still see it but other think it brought negative things : addiction to internet content. Echochamber : people living in a little bubble on social media for inst. talking to people with the same opinion (not really opening their minds) ⇒ What strategies to avoid being stuck in echo chamber ? Diversifying one’s sources “ “ searches Looking for opinions that contradict our own Avoiding engagement on controversial topics Refrain from clicking on ads etc… Vocabulary Extreme close-up / close u p / medium shot / long shot In the middle / in the center / on the left / on the right / in the corner In colours / in black and white A picture / an illustration / a photograph (vs. photography → le domaine de l’art ⇒ DIFFERENCE !!!!) / the figures / the backdrop (larrière plan) / the compo A film / a scene / a sequence / the protagonists Edit : Ex →man on a horse in a camp but actually an edit of three different pictures put together Doctor : change the content or appearance of (a document or picture) in order to deceive Crop : Ex → a soldier being given water on the right but also a gun pointed on/to him so important), Reframe : Misleading image depending on how they’re presented, Example :--> meme made by an american conservative group (Turning point USA) actually pic showing a japanese market) Tamper with : to change or touch (something) especially in a way that causes damage or harm Alter : change in character or composition, typically in a comparatively small but significant way Falsify : picture of a small child crying caught at/on the texas border/ mexican who had apparently been separated from her family when she actually hadn’t been)(AI video of Kamala talking) Solutions (Do not escalate the rhetoric of fear by assuming everything’s fake) Apply SIFT : Stop Investigate the source Find trusted coverage Trace the original context (reverse image search) REVISION - Is it correct to say that the internet freed society from “gatekeepers” ? Who or what is a “gatekeeper” ? Définition RAPPEL : Privileged position in the communication process in which the person or the organization acting in that role makes the decisions as to what information is passed on or withheld to the public The answer seems to be : NO Traditional media outlets (NYT, CNN…) are still very influential sources of information. Not everything about gatekeeping is bad. Citizen online engagement and activism does not guarantee visibility Online influencers as new gatekeepers AI and cookie-powered algorithms as overly powerful content gatekeepers Platforms such as X, FB, insta are not public forums but private companies. People like Zuckerber and Musk are also powerful gatekeepers IX. Political Polarization Polarization : The sharp division of opinion on key issues, for example between political parties Ideological : divergent beliefs and attitudes between opponents Affective : positive feeling towards allies and negative feelings towards opponents Why does it matter ? Severe polarization makes democracy vulnerable. When political leaders cast their opponents as immoral or corrupt, they create “us” and “them” camps (Perceptions that “If you win, I lose” grow. Each side views the other political party and their supporters as a threat to the nation or their way of life if that other political party is in power) Political polarization in the US “Cultural wars” refers to the struggle between social groups who try to impose their values and social beliefs. Frequent topics in culture wars : Abortion and women’s rights, racial equality, affirmative action, family structure X. Political awareness-Trust in the media ⇒ Media Bias charts shown - To record the ideological leaning of different media - The more bias the source, the lower reliable it will be (ex: fox tv is not placed the same place fox news is (online you can cover a wider list of subjects unlike on TV)) Fact vs opinion How to recognize what we’re reading/looking at FACT : refers to something that can be verified or proved to be true based on observation or research represented something that really happened shown with unbiased are real info so cannot be challenged or debated OPINION : refers to a judgment or belief about something based on assumption or personal view represents a perception about something expressed with biased words opinions can be debated