Media Literacy

source: Media Literacy Education, Center for Media Literacy, developed and written by Elizabeth Thoman (founder) and Tessa Jolls (President/CEO)

Five Key Questions

“Who created this message?”

“What techniques are used to attract my attention?”

“How might different people understand this message differently from me?”

“What lifestyles, values and points of view are represented in, or omitted by from, this message?”

“Why was this message sent?”

Five Core Concepts

“All media messages are constructed.”

“Media messages are constructed using a creative language with its own rules.”

“Different people experience the same message differently.”

“Media have embedded values and points of view.”

“Media messages are constructed to gain profit and/or power.”


Are you satisfied with this interpretation of “mass media”? What are its strengths and weakness?