Media construction Notes

Media Construction

1. Media texts do not simply "mirror" reality.
2. They are constructed: people and institutions make choices about what to include, what to exclude, and how to present information.
3. Understanding media construction helps you judge credibility, spot bias, and recognise persuasion in an age of mass information.

Media Texts Are Built from Choices, Not Found as Facts

1. A news story, a social media post, an infographic, a podcast episode, or a documentary all feel like they are "about the world".
2. But each one is created through decisions: what event counts as news, which quote is used, what headline is chosen, and which image is shown first.

3. These decisions shape meaning.

4. This matters because, in today's information environment, you receive messages from many places (search results, news sites, friends' reposts, video platforms, group chats).
5. Even when the topic is real, the version of reality you see is a designed product.

Construction Begins with Selection and Omission

1. The first stage of construction is selection: creators choose which events, details, and voices enter the text.
2. Selection includes:
   1. Which event is covered (and which is ignored)
   2. Which facts are highlighted (and which are backgrounded)
   3. Which sources are quoted (experts, witnesses, officials, "ordinary people")
   4. Which data is used (and how much context is provided)
3. Omission is powerful because audiences often assume that what they see is "the whole story."
   1. If a report includes one perspective repeatedly, it can create the impression that other perspectives do not exist or do not matter.

Framing Shapes How We Interpret the Same Event

1. After selection, texts use framing: the angle or "lens" that guides interpretation.
2. A single event can be framed as:
   1. a problem needing control
   2. a human-interest story needing empathy
   3. a conflict with winners and losers
   4. a moral issue about right and wrong
3. Framing is often visible in headlines, the order of information, the first image shown, and which background facts are provided.

Language Choices Create Emotion and Imply Judgement

1. Media construction is strongly shaped by language.
2. Words such as "shocking," "heartless," "brave," "illegal," "flood," or "crisis" can intensify emotions and push readers toward a judgement.

1. Implication can appear through:
   1. rhetorical questions ("What are they hiding?")
   2. vague attributions ("Many people say…")
   3. selective detail that suggests guilt or innocence
   4. contrast and comparison ("Unlike responsible citizens…")
2. These techniques connect closely to persuasion, where a text aims to influence beliefs or actions.

Images, Sound, and Design Also Persuade

1. Construction is not only verbal. Visuals and audio can do persuasive work even when the words seem neutral.
2. Key non-verbal choices include:
   1. Image selection (which photo, which moment, who is shown)
   2. Camera angle and distance (authority, vulnerability, threat)
   3. Editing (what is cut, what is repeated, pacing)
   4. Music and sound (tension, sadness, triumph)
   5. Layout and typography (what looks "important")
3. In digital spaces, design often encourages fast reactions: bold captions, short clips, and simplified "takeaways."
   1. This can reduce careful evaluation and increase sharing.

Context, Purpose, and Control Influence What We Receive

1. Media texts are shaped by their context (where and when they appear) and their purpose (why they were made).
2. Common purposes include:
   1. to inform (explain events)
   2. to persuade (gain support, sell, recruit)
   3. to entertain (hold attention)
   4. to provoke (spark outrage or controversy)
3. Creators and distributors also matter.
   1. Different groups may "control" information flows: traditional editors, content moderators, advertisers, influencers, and platform companies.
   2. In an age of mass information, audience attention is valuable, and that can influence which content is promoted.

Bias and Credibility: Related but Not Identical

1. Many constructed texts include bias, meaning a tendency to present an issue from a particular viewpoint.
2. Bias can appear as:
   1. one-sided selection of sources
   2. loaded language that signals approval or disapproval
   3. oversimplified cause-and-effect
   4. missing context that would change interpretation
3. A text can be biased but still contain accurate information (for example, an opinion column).
4. A text can also look neutral but be misleading through omission or manipulation.

Fake News: An Extreme Form of Construction

1. Some media texts are not merely selective, they are deliberately false or deceptive.

2. Fake news spreads widely online because it can be emotional, easy to share, and reinforced by social networks.
3. It is also unlikely to disappear soon because it benefits some creators (attention, money, influence) and can travel faster than careful corrections.
4. Constructed misinformation often uses:
   1. strong emotional triggers
   2. simple villains and heroes
   3. "proof" that is out of context (cropped quotes, edited images)
   4. false authority (fake experts, official-looking graphics)

How Audiences Can Engage Critically with Online Texts

1. Your role is not passive.
2. Audiences can engage with constructed texts thoughtfully by applying information literacy, media literacy, and critical-thinking skills.
3. A practical critical-engagement routine:
   1. Pause before reacting: Notice if the text is trying to trigger anger, fear, or pride.
   2. Check the source: Who created it? What is their role (reporter, influencer, organisation)?
   3. Check evidence: Are there verifiable facts, data, direct quotes, or links to original documents?
   4. Cross-check: Look for multiple, varied sources reporting the same event.
   5. Inspect framing: What perspectives are missing? What assumptions are being invited?
   6. Assess purpose: Inform, persuade, entertain, provoke, or profit?

Responsibilities: Individuals, Media Professionals, Platforms, and Schools

1. Individuals (audiences) can:
   1. avoid spreading unverified claims
   2. read beyond headlines
   3. seek multiple perspectives
   4. reflect on personal habits and biases
2. Journalists and editors can:
   1. maintain clear standards for evidence
   2. separate reporting from opinion
   3. correct errors transparently
   4. explain context rather than only conflict
3. Platforms and internet companies can:
   1. reduce algorithmic promotion of known misinformation
   2. label manipulated media and provide context
   3. improve reporting tools and transparency about ads and sponsors
4. Schools (teachers and students) can:
   1. practice analysing persuasion techniques in speeches, ads, and news
   2. build routines for checking sources and evaluating credibility
   3. discuss how language and representation shape meaning