woman in black and white squares

Media Form

Develop your understanding of the codes and conventions of different media forms, including print, moving image and participatory media.

Introduction

We live in a media-saturated world.

You might have a television screen in your bedroom so you can watch the latest episode of your favourite programme. Of course, there are the inevitable advertisement breaks unless you are paying for an on-demand service. While you listen to a new song on the radio or a stream a podcast on your computer, you might scroll up and down the feeds on your social media platforms. You might research some homework on the internet or take an interactive quiz created by your teacher. There is always a new computer game vying for your attention. You might even read a book or magazine.

Step outside and you will be surrounded by posters, billboards and advertisements on the sides of buses. Perhaps, you still enjoy playing “Pokémon Go”! It will not be long before you are holding your phone up to a shop window and experiencing augmented reality.

These are all media products. Any print publication, image, interactive electronic media, or audio-visual recording can be considered a media text. How texts are constructed will depend on the style and genre.

In this section, we are going to explore the codes and conventions of different media forms, including print, moving image and online texts.

Print Media

Print media refers to newspapers, magazines, posters, leaflets, billboards, and fanzines. If you want to write close analysis of these texts or you want to improve the detail of your own product for coursework, these guides to print media terminology will help you apply the key concepts with more precision.

Moving Image

From the stylistic conventions of classical Hollywood cinema to some of the more expressionistic narratives found in music videos, most students are eager to develop their appreciation of the technical and creative aspects of filmmaking. Camera positioning and framing are still important, but you will also need to explore movement and editing techniques. There are also different genres to consider and how they conform to certain styles.

girl in a scary hospital room

Online Media

We are all familiar with social networks where we can update our status, share stories, post images and videos, and follow our favourite celebrities. Instagram, TikTok and YouTube are obvious examples more media-focused sites, but there are also discussion-based platforms, such as Reddit, where we can engage with others who share our interests and hobbies.

You can even create your own blog on WordPress or Tumblr and let the world know about your values and ideologies. Or set up a site to help beleaguered media studies students navigate their way through the very demanding course.

Most businesses and organisations have a presence online with their official website to market their products. We can buy and sell on Amazon, Etsy and eBay. Or Find out what is happening in the world through various news sites. The internet is an incredible resource.