Key Concepts of media literacy
...reality because of the way it is constantly present in our lives. Whether one is reading an article in a magazine or watching a show on television, the way everything is presented makes it difficult to realize that what they are seeing, reading, or hearing doesn’t necessarily hold truth. This writer from Marie Claire basically found several statistics from seemingly valid sources and put them together in a firm manner to make single women feel better for not getting married. The reader of this article would probably believe the fact that staying single is healthier because of the assertiveness of the article. Nothing in the article says that the author is an expert in the area but the way she presents her information influences the reader to believe what she says; meaning the reader believes this is reality. The third key concept, audiences negotiate meaning, means that everything society is exposed to in the media is interpreted differently by each member of society. People of different backgrounds, lifestyles, economic status, etc. will all see things in the media in separate lights. Most of the time consumers of the media rarely know any background information which also creates a problem for interpretation. “The Health Benefits of Being Single” can be interpreted with both positive and negative views. Someone who is married will most likely feel much different about this article than someone who is single. People who are reading this article probably don’t have much background information on the subject, so it seems safe to believe that being single is really healthier than getting married. Media have commercial implications is informing society that the basis of the media is economic. Television and radio programs are constantly being interrupted by advertising, as well as magazines containing more advertisements than actual information. Brand name products are also being placed in movies, TV shows, etc. In this particular article there may not be any specific commercial implications but it was found in a popular magazine which probably contains over 100 advertisements. The fifth key concept is the media contain ideological and value messages. Similar to the idea that media constructs reality, the media contains ideas that shape the way people think about certain values in life like “ ‘good life,’ and the importance of affluence in achieving it; the proper roles for women; proper authority; patriotism” (Aufderheide 2000). The way these values are presented in the media is basically determined by the producers idea of what is reality (relating back to media constructs reality). This Marie Claire article discusses values concerning women and marriage. After reading the article I get the feeling that marriage lowers the status of a woman. She becomes less attracting which incorporates the idea that women should value their looks. This article also implies that marriage creates chaos in a woman’s life and makes the assumption that married women do more housework. The media have political and social implications means that everything society hears, sees, or reads in the media will have some effect on our lives. For example, if a product is heavily advertised and incorporated into movies and TV shows ordinary people in society will be more prone to purchasing that product. Concerning political implications, the media will basically determine which politician people will support because the media is the tool that exposes them to the public. Lisa Lombardi’s article in Marie Claire has several social implications concerning married life. Her social implication is to stay si...