November 8, 2016

Key Questions To Ask When Analyzing Media Messages

Authorship

Who made this message?

Purpose

Why was this made? Who is the target audience (and how do you know)?

Economics

Who paid for this?

Impact

Who might benefit from this message? Who might be harmed by it? Why might this message matter to me?

Response

What kinds of actions might I take in response to this message?

Content

What ideas, values, information and/or points of view are overt? implied? What is left out of this message that might be important to know?

Techniques

What techniques are used? Why were those techniques used? How do they communicate the message?

Interpretations

How might different people understand this message differently? What is my interpretation of this and what do I learn about myself from my reaction or interpretation?

Context

When was this made? Where or how was it shared with the public?