MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY (MIL) actions, clothes, and setting.

A message is presented as is,

(1ST Semester –G12 S.Y. 2023-2024) and viewers have less or no control of interpreting its
By end of this semester: It is hoped everyone will be the agent of change in the
meaning.
current Filipino media and information landscape.
This media element serves as the languages that
Chapter 1: Introduction of Media and Information signal the meaning to a message. In general, the
Literacy presentation of information is the primary basis of
interpretation of most people. This is how they take,
Lesson 6: Media and Information Languages analyze, and choose to understand and interpret a
message.
Marshall McLuhan, in his essay “The Medium is the In given example presented to you, both book and
Message” (1964), said that media shape and control the film versions of Harry Potter aimed to deliver the same
scale and form of human association and action. Media are story or message. However, because print and film use
no longer considered as mere channels that transmit different media languages, the audience received the
messages from the sender to the receiver. Their very same, yet varying, messages.
essences as media are enough to be considered as the The theory of semiotics; semiotics is the study of
message itself. This happens through the use of media signs. According to Hall (1997) media always is engaged in
languages. “signifying practices,” which means there is a kind of
Media language is a method, consisting of signs symbolic work that can be found in media texts.
and symbols, used by information producers to convey Media languages can be written (writing styles,
meanings to their audiences (Orlebar, 2009). It is a set of punctuation), verbal (diction, stress), non-verbal
technical codes and conventions to communicate (gestures, facial expressions), visual (camera angles,
information (UNESCO, 2016). Each medium has a specific colors), and aural (diegetic and non-diegetic sounds).
media language.
Like for fiction authors utilize words to create vivid Diegetic sounds are the raw sounds in an audio-video
descriptions of environments that would immerse the material (e.g. voices, footsteps, etc.); while non-diegetic
audience in different worlds. Because of this, readers have sounds are the sounds that have been added in the post-
the ability to create their own picture of the story through production stage of the material (e.g. sound effects).
their own interpretation of the details presented. This is
different in television or film, where viewers are spoon-fed
with concrete details from which their imagination could
not be exercised. When people watch a soap opera, they
base their interpretation of the story, not just on the
characters’ lines, but also on other elements like time,

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Codes and Conventions: Full Shot A view of a
Media language can be further characterized as figure’s entire
codes and conventions. body in order
to show
Codes are systems of signs that are put together to
action and/or
create arbitrary meaning (Fiske, 1987). There are two
constellation
common types of codes: technical and symbolic. group of
1. Technical codes – are ways in which materials are characters
used to tell the story in a media text, such as camera
angles and techniques, framing, lighting, and exposure. Medium Shows a
Shot, subject down
The “Grammar” of the Camera Mild to his or her
Extreme Shot of, e.g., Shot, and chest or
Long a large crowd Medium waist
Shot scene or a Close
view of Shot
scenery as An example of a medium group
far as the shot featuring Gary Cooper and
horizon Adolphe Menjou from the
Long shot A view of a 1932drama film A Farewell to
situation or Arms
setting from Close-Up A full-screen
a distance shot of a
subject’s
face, showing
the finest
Medium Shows a nuances of
Long group of expression
Shot people in
interaction
with each
other, e.g., a
fight scene,
with part of
their
surroundings
in the picture

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Extreme A shot of Over-the- Often used
Close-Up hand, eye, Shoulder in dialogue
(shot) mouth, or Shot scenes, a
Detail object in frontal view
(shot) for detail of a
Objects dialogue
partner
from the
perspective
of someone
POINT OF VIEW standing
Establishi Often used behind and
ng Shot at the slightly to
beginning the side of
of a scene the other
to indicate partner, so
the location that parts
or setting, it of both can
is usually a be seen
long shot Reaction Short shot
taken from Shot of a
a neutral character’s
position response to
Point-of- Shows a an action
View scene from
Shot, perspective
POV-shot of a
character or
one person.
Most
newsreel
footages
are shown
from the
perspective
of the
newscaster

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 Insert A detail CAMERA ANGLES
(shot) shot which Aerial Long or
quickly Shot or extrem
gives visual High e long
information Angle or shot of
necessary Overhea the
to d ground
understand from
the the air
meaning of High- Shows
a scene, for Angle people
example a Shot or
newspaper objects
page, or a from
physical above,
detail higher
Reverse- A shot from than
Angle the eye
Shot opposite level
perspective, Low- Shows
e.g., after Angle people
an over- Shot or or
the- Below objects
shoulder Shot from
shot below,
i.e.,
Hand- The camera
lower
Held is not
than
Camera mounted on
eye
a tripod and
level
instead is
held by the
camerapers
on,
resulting in
less stable
shots

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 Eye- Views a Tracking The camera
Level subject Shot follows
Shot or from along next
Straight- the to or behind
on Angle level of a moving
a object or
person’ person
s eyes
Zoom The
stationary
CAMERA MOVEMENT camera
Pan(nin The camera approaches
g shot) pans a subject by
(moves “zooming
horizontally in”; or
) from left moves
to right or farther
vice versa away by
across the “zooming
picture out”
Tilt The camera
(shot) tilts up 2. Symbolic codes – comprise of objects, setting,
(moves body language, and actions that signify things more than
upwards) or what is seen by the audience. Usual symbolic codes include
tilts down hand gestures and colors (e.g. okay sign- thumbs up,
(moves anger – closed fist) and symbols (e.g. red rose – love,
downwards)
black – death).There are also codes that can be classified
around a
vertical line as both technical and symbolic, such as music.

Conventions are also used by media and

information professionals to communicate ideas,
information, and knowledge. According to communication
professors David Croteau and William Hoynes (2003), “is a
practice or technique that is widely used in a field.” This is
a habit or a long accepted way of doing things, relatively
on the style or content. For example, one convention in the
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Filipino news broadcast is how anchors report news with ideals, or to convey beliefs or principles. By doing so, they
louder, non-monotonous voice- a contrast to their Western highlight all pros of the principle that they want to impart
counterparts who report news mildly. to the masses.
Conventions can be classified as either technical or 3. Lastly, the definition of the term “real” is
genre specific. indefinite for many scholars. They point out that there can
a. Technical convention is applied to the technical never be a real world, since what many perceive as “real”
area, such as the length of television series, films, or music are only framed to include certain components of many-
videos. sided reality. Also, culture affects how people view reality.
b. Genre convention is usually associated with the
type of the content. Classic genres include musicals, horror Furthermore, people do not always watch or listen to
films, war films, comedy movies, romance films, and media to know what is socially real. Most treat media
others. information as an escape from their existing realities.
Sometimes, they prefer indulging in comedy shows or
Media Representations drama programs because they feel tired of the gravity in
Many scholars have proven that most of the media news or documentaries, or because these shows represent
content are different from the real characteristics of the their frustrations in their real world.
social world (Croteau and Hoynes, 2003). Codes and
conventions are used to represent an information in a How to analyze media representations:
specific manner that oftentimes does not represent reality. One way to analyze media representations is through
This is referred to as media representation. denotations and connotations.
Croteau and Hoynes (2003) provided several issues Denotation is the literal aspect of an information.
that explained how media represent the world. Connotation refers to the meaning or interpretation
1. Media representations are not the realities of the people associate with an information.
world, but only results of selection processes that highlight
some aspects of reality and neglect the others. Since
modern people live in a society saturated with many media
messages and information, they tend to be selective in
their choices. On the other hand, due to limitations of time,
space, resources, and other constraints, media producers
have to take into consideration their targets clients or
audience, profit, and other aspects in producing
information.
2. Another issue presented by Croteau and Hoynes
is that information producers use media to develop some
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 The picture above has only one denotation which evaluation. Many times people were deceived by hearsays,
explains the information presented in its literal sense. digitally edited photos, propagandas, and sensationalized
However, several connotations can be extracted from it. information. But as technology made it easier for people to
gain more information and evaluate facts from fiction, the
Denotation Connotation media audience slowly transformed from being passive to
Multicolored candles light up • The candles, both lit active consumers of information.
a Catholic church’s candle and melted, signify People are now able to create their own
stand. the strong faith of the interpretation and meanings of media information. Croteau
Catholics who remain
and Hoynes (2003) gave three areas which proved the
to frequent the
parish. activeness of people in consuming media information:
• The candles interpretation, collective interpretation of media and
symbolize the hope collective political action.
people need amid The present media audience is interpretive. When
their life storms. producers create media information, the audience develop
• The number of
it through their own understanding. However, the audience
colored candles
interprets messages individually, assigning various
mounted at the stand
represents that many meanings to these based on different contexts. Potter
believe in the ability (2008) described how individuals assign and create
of the candle’ meanings from information they encounter, which involves
filtering, matching meanings, and constructing meanings.
Media representations are not clear-cut Another point that proves media audience as active
(Touminen and Kotilainem, 2012), that is why it is consumers is through collective interpretation. For Croteau
necessary that one distinguishes the denotation of and Hoynes, media messages are interpreted socially.
an information from its connotation. People create media interpretations through social
interaction with relatives, friends, classmates, or other
The Media Audience individuals to whom they interact with. They discuss
In 2012, panic spread in many parts of the world different issues within their social groups. Usually,
because of the sensationalized news about the apocalypse whatever interpretations most of the members in a social
dated December 21, because this is the day when the group share, if justified well, is eventually adopted by
Mayan calendar ends. Imagine if people took to heart this other members. Discussion boards often exist in film
fear and did rash acts in lieu of the alleged end of the review sites for sharing of opinions. If media audiences are
world. passive, discussion among other consumers of media
Before, media audiences were considered as passive information would not exist.
individuals who accept any information without further
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 Perhaps the greatest indicator of media audience’s
activeness is collective political action. How the Filipinos
responded to the call of Jaime Cardinal Sin in 1986 that led
to the first people power in the country; to the group
messages sent across the metro to accomplish the second
people power; to the fight for the sovereignty in the West
Philippine Sea; and many others are clear manifestations
that media audience in the Philippines are not just active
socially, but also politically.

Sources:
Media and Information Literacy for the 21st Century pages 47 – 54
Media and Information Literacy by Maria Jovita E. Zarate pages 40 - 44
https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium_shot
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ReactionShot

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