Media Analysis
Questions
How to Analyze Commercials,
Print Ads, Political Ads,
and Web Sites
Introduction to Media
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Media is everywhere; we are constantly
bombarded from movies, TV, political
advertisements, the internet, commercials,
and magazines.
Being media literate means to be able to
make your own decisions by analyzing what
you see.
Introduction to Media (cont.)
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Media literacy means to be able to:
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Access,
Analyze,
Evaluate,
And Create
media in a variety of forms. This is the process
involved in media literacy.
Media Literacy - Access
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Access
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Media is everywhere: TV, movies, commercials,
political ads, the internet, magazines, and
newspapers. It is fairly easy to access.
You must be able to make informed decisions
about products, a school project, or life choices.
You should work at accessing media from a
balanced variety of sources.
Media Literacy – Analyze (Pt 1)
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To analyze means to examine closely and
separate into parts
When analyzing media messages, you
should ask yourself:
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Who is creating the message and why?
What techniques are being used to convey the
message?
What kind of values, lifestyles, and points of view
are emphasized?
What types of stereotypes are shown?
Media Literacy – Analyze (Pt 2)
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Who is the Creator of the Media Message?
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A company selling the product?
A candidate for a political office?
A provider of information as a public service?
What is the Purpose of the Media Message?
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To inform you?
To persuade you to buy or do something?
To entertain you?
To present a conflict?
To express an emotion?
Purposes of Media Products
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News broadcasts- Inform- to persuade you
that an issue or idea is important (public
service announcements, some Web sites
Advertisement- Persuade- to entertain you; to
inform you about a product (editorials,
reviews, political cartoons)
Sports Coverage- Entertain- to inform you
about sports or athletes (most TV shows,
films, recorded music, video games, most talk
shows)
Media Advertising
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Uses powerful media language specifically to
persuade you to spend money.
Goal is to create a psychological want or need for a
product
Underlying Messages (“subtext”):
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The promise of lifestyle – “You need this product to help
you live the kind of life you want”
Testimonial – Someone famous endorses
Slice of Life –ordinary person you can relate to with a
problem or need you may have
Fear – of not being safe; of not being beautiful;
Media as Entertainment
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There are messages in entertainment
Entertainment is a business; it exists to make
a profit.
Messages in entertainment are designed to
attract consumers who will spend money.
These messages are carefully construct to
appeal to a certain audience.
Analyzing Entertainment
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What are you being asked to feel?
Who made these decisions and why?
Who is the target audience, and who isn’t?
Do you agree with the messages?
Media Literacy – Analyze (Pt 3)
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What Techniques are Used to Attract
Attention?
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Visual Effects such as color, type font and size,
video, photography, drawings, or visual special
effects (conflict v. harmony)
Sound such as music, speaking, or special effects
Visual Effects in Media
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Effects Used in Photography
Other Visual Effects
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Here are some other visual effects that can
be used:
Visual Effects for Conflict
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What types of conflict does the media
represent?
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Person v. person
Person v. Environment
Person v. Technology
Person v. Self
How is that conflict expressed using visual
and sound techniques?
Conflict Examples in Media
Conflict in Media (Continued)
Harmony in Media
Visual Effect of Color
Color in Media and Advertising
Red
The color of fire and
blood – conveys
energy, love, war,
power
It brings text and
images to the
foreground.
Yellow
The color of the sun –
conveys joy,
cheerfulness,
happiness.
The color of the sky
and ocean – conveys
trust, loyalty, wisdom,
confidence.
Attention getter, also
for promoting
leisure.
Blue
Provides a calming
effect.
Color (Continued)
Purple
It is found rarely in
nature. Symbolizes
power, nobility, luxury,
and ambition
Represents wealth
and extravagance.
Green
Green is the color of
nature. Conveys
growth, harmony,
freshness.
Strong emotional
correspondence to
safety and healing.
Color (Continued)
Black
Conveys power,
elegance, formality,
death, evil, and
mystery.
White
Conveys light,
goodness, innocence,
purity.
Can represent
strength and
authority. As a
background it makes
many other colors
stand out.
Suggests simplicity,
cleanliness.
Media Literacy - Evaluate
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Based on the questions you asked previously
when analyzing, you the evaluator (decide for
yourself) how true and valuable the media
messages are.
Also, you can decide if there is more than
one way to interpret the media source. Could
someone else interpret the media differently
than you?