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Cam Martin, Ben Grieve, Mike Hetherington, Grant Gibson


Media Literacy


1. All media are constructs
• What technology is used to create this?
• What is the construction illustrating?
• In which medium is it constructed and why?
• Who created this media?

2. The media construct reality
• What view of reality is being displayed?
• What Point of View is this taking?
• Whose vision of reality is this directed at?
• What interpretations can be made from this reality?

3. Audiences negotiate meaning in the media
• What message are they trying to portray?
• What target audience/market is this ad directed at?
• How could this media be misinterpreted?
• Where would this ad be displayed?

4. Media have commercial implantations
• What are they trying to sell?
• Who are they trying to sell it to?
• What techniques are used to sell this product?
• Where is this being displayed?

5. Media contain ideological and value messages
• What message are they trying to portray?
• Is it implicit or explicit?
• Why are these values connected to the audience?
• What type of media is displaying these messages?

6. Media have social and political implications
• What organization is portraying these messages?
• How are these messages selling the idea?
• What political values are they trying to sell?
• What is the end-goal of their political message?

7. Form and content are closely related in the media
• Where is this media being displayed?
• What is this media constructed of?
• How does the media effectively reach the target market?
• Why was this form chosen to present the content?
• How is the content changed because of the form?

8. Each medium has unique aesthetic form
• What materials used in this medium?
• Where is this located?
• How does the design relate to the message?
• How is the medium related to current social communication methods?

Questions for Obama Campaign Ad

1. What technology is used to create this? This picture was taken by a digital camera and the colours displayed were filtered/photo shopped to add a sense of wisdom and power to his face.
2. What interpretations can be made from this reality? It can be deduced that the red colour shown on Obama’s face portrays a sense of power and direction in the American people. The blue on the other side of his face shows the fact that although he is powerful; he is also peaceful and calm. Finally, the white on the left side of his face completes the American flag colours showing a sense of American Pride.
3. What target audience/market is this ad directed at? This ad is directed at perspective voters in the upcoming Presidential Election of the United States of America.
4. What techniques are used to sell this product? This campaign ad is much like one that was used by F.D.R. during his election in the 1930’s. F.D.R. helped the American economy out of the depression that they were in the midst of and Obama hopes to recreate this economic success. Obama is mirroring F.D.R.’s policies during this time of economic despair.
5. Why are these values connected to the audience? These values connect to the American people because of the Red/White/Blue colours that Obama has used to cover his face. The sense of pride that an American will feel when seeing this ad could possibly persuade them to vote for Obama.
6. What is the end-goal of their political message? The end-goal of this ad campaign was to win the American presidential election of 2008.
7. Why was this form chosen to present the content? This form was chosen so that it could be easily displayed in a possible downtown setting where people who could vote would be able to see it on a regular basis.
8. How is the medium related to current social communication methods? This ad could have been posted around highly concentrated areas of potential voters. This ad also appeared on internet sidebar ads to get to people who can vote.

Media have Social and Political Implications

1. What organization is portraying these messages?
The Democratic Party and their supporters

2. What political values are they trying to sell?
Those of Barack Obama and the democratic party