Through this activity, the participants will get their first inside into the analysis and construction of a media text. The learners will use the ability to evaluate information and communication across print, graphic, and audiovisual forms, and use these comprehension skills to understand what is the intention of the communication, consider how the story is being told, and in that way, to identify the author's purpose and point of view.
Break your group into smaller groups and ask them to analyse one of the media samples you have prepared in advance. Learners select either a print or electronic media to analyse using the questions below.
Five Key Questions of Media Literacy
- Who created this message?
- What techniques are used to attract my attention?
- How might different people understand this message differently from me?
- What lifestyles, values and points of view are represented in, or omitted from, this message?
- Why was this message sent?
Media Deconstruction Key
To deconstruct a media sample, answer the following 10 questions in order:
- What is the context? What environment does the media example come from? What kind of magazine or what channel did the sample appear in?
- Who paid for this media message? They're the real "storyteller." And companies don't pay large sums of money for an ad without a reason. What is it?
- Who is being targeted? Who is the story being told to? Who are the consumers of the message? Who are the readers of the media?
- Why is the storyteller presenting this message? What messages and values are being expressed?
- What kind of lifestyle is presented? Is it glamorised? How?
- What does the story say, and what does it mean? What is the text of the message? Is there a subtext?
- How is the story constructed? What techniques is the storyteller using?
- What technological tools or attention hooks are used?
- What is not being told in the story? Is there missing information or counter messages the author doesn't want you to think about?
- Is the story accurate, fair, truthful and complete? In what ways is this a healthy and/or unhealthy example of media?
To finalise the exercise, each group will present their conclusions to the others and then try rewritting the media text from a different point of view, and present it to the group.
GERMAN 127: Medientexte – Wer sagt was zu wem und warum?
30 minutes
4-10
a room with tables and chairs
depending on the samples selected, wifi might be required.
Depending on the samples selected, playback equipment (audio or video) might be required.
Flip-chart, markers.
pre-selected audiovisual or audio pieces or newspapers articles, adverts or press releases.
Using a range of media texts, Learners will display the ability to analyse media texts drawing on critical skills of reading and understanding.
http://www.medialit.org/ ( 17th September 2010)
Creative Commons
