What is Media Literacy?

Media Literacy

Media Literacy is all about questioning everything you see and hear about on the radio, TV, movies, magazines and on the web. Media Literacy is being able to think about the messeges being sent to us and figureing out what the motive and meaning being sent. Media Literacy allows one to learn skills that enables he or she to think critically and to question what truly lies beneath the messages being sent to us.

There are many questions we need to ask ourselves in order to become more literate. As citizens we have the right to know the truth behind messages, especially the ones in our News.

Many of the questions we need to ask ourselves apply when watching or reading any and every type of news. Whether it be local news, Fox or even entertainment, the simple truth is you cant always believe what you hear.Every story is influenced some way or another, whether it be by word choice, witness, reporter, or even by the camera mans photo's. When watching or reading ask yourselves these questions:

• From whose prospective is the story being told?
• Whose voices are being heard?
• Whose voices aren't being heard?



THINK CRITICALLY BEFORE YOU BUY.

Not only does questioning the media to become more literate apply when watching the news, but also advertising in the media. When watching commercials on TV, reading ad's online and in magazines we must view them critically. Ask yourself, how are they getting my attention? Who is making a profit and how? Company's will literally do anything to make there product appealing, to draw a person in and make them think they need the product, when in reality they don't need it at all. Many messages advertising a product have a creative way of disguising. Even deadly ones, take smoking ads for example.

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 In this cigarette ad Camel is getting a person's attention with a beautiful woman holding a pack of cigarettes.Not only are they using the woman to draw you in but possibly even trying to distract from the warning label at the bottom of the poster. This ad gives an almost positive, intriguing, almost sexy feel to it to camouflage the fact that by buying this product, you're slowly but surely digging your own grave.

McDonald's had the same advertising idea that ultimately enables the franchise to serve billions. However, instead of using a sexy model, they chose a lovable clown.

Ronald McDonald is the franchises way of drawing children in all around the world. He gives a positive, happy feeling to children and parents everywhere, despite how extremely unhealthy their cheeseburgers and fries really are.  

Media literacy not only teaches us how to think critically but also to be smart consumers, and even helps to better the society we live in.