Media Literacy

Are you media literate? In other words, do you know how to "read" media messages, such as the ones you find on television and the Internet? Media messages have authors, audiences, and purposes just as literary pieces do, but media messages also use persuasive techniques to convince you to take action or accept a viewpoint. With today's technology, media messages can also take advantage of special effects to attract your attention, and advancements in psychology are applied in media messages to persuade you in a subconscious manner. In this topic, you will learn more about the characteristics of media literacy and the effects that media can have on public opinion.

Essential Question

• How do you interpret and understand media messages?