How to become a Media Literate teenager

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• How to become a Media Literate teenager!

An introduction to media literacy for 8th graders!
Created by Consuella E. Jackson
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What exactly is media?
Media Media is a means of mass communication,
such as newspapers, magazines, radio, television
and computers.
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Why should I become media literate?
You should become media literate so that you can
assess media messages in order to understand
their impact on you, the community and society.
You must understand media and how it influences
your life!
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• The ABCs of Media Literacy  

Teenagers are bombarded with media messages
attempting to influence your habits and attitudes
about products, services, issues, and lifestyle.
It is critical for you to recognize and
understand the media in order to make educated
decisions.
To become media literate follow your A, B Cs. A
Know who the intended audience of the media
is B Beware of promises whether implied or
directly stated C Consider the source of the
material
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Who is the intended audience?
Media messages are aimed at a target group.This
is the group of people most likely to purchase
this product or use the service.
Media companies spend billions of dollars on
research to identify their target audience. They
want to determine the demographics and
psychographics of the target audience. Attitudes
such as sex, race, income, education and location
are important to them. Psychographics describe
emotional attitudes, such as how the target
audience feels or acts as well as basic
behavioral characteristics. The media then
focuses on a particular audience. Products and
services are marketed to and for a particular
audience. Thats why you dont see Nintendo
advertised on 20/20 or Rolaids on Saturday
morning cartoons. The same concept applies to
web pages. Look at web pages designed to appeal
to elementary age students, teenagers and adults.
What differences do you see? Why?
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Beware of promises whether implied or directly
stated!
Implied promises, though often unnoticed or taken
for granted, can be every bit as powerful as
expressed promises. Everyone recognizes a
commitment has been made when you see the best
burger in town, or hear, every movie in stock,
but consider all the implied promises in
advertising. A girl uses a certain shampoo and
then gets a date the football star. What does
that imply? A young man is driving around alone
in his old clunker. He buys a new sports car and
now his car is full of friends especially
girls. Dont overlook the promises in internet
pop-up ads! These are promises the product can
not deliver!
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Whats the message?
Whos the target audience?
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Consider the source!
Who produces the media you experienceand for
what purpose? Who profits? Who loses? And who
decides? Recognize that the message might be
distorted. Distinguish fact from fiction,
reality from fantasy.   Is the advertiser trying
to sell or sensationalize something? Is that
product or service healthy for you? Is the
sponsor of that product or service trying to get
you to purchase it by making you feel unhappy,
unloved or inferior? If so, ask yourself why?
Dont fall into their trap!
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Dont fall asleep on media literacy!
Learn to Access Analyze Evaluate and Communicate

the media messages you see everyday!
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References
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www.andreasoccer.homestead.com/ Torneos.html
Animation Factory. Retrieved August 18, 2003
from http//www.animationfactory.com Animations.
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chwefel.de/megaloma/eyes.htm Connecting Youth
to a Brighter Future. Retrieved August 18, 2003
from http//www.youthlearn.org/learning/activitie
s/multimedia/medialit.asp Dictionary.Com.
Retrieved August 18, 2003 from www.dictionary.com
M2S. Retrieved August 18, 2003 from
www.music2showcase.com/ issue2/fubu.htm Media
Awareness Network. Retrieved August 18, 2003
from http//www.media-awareness.ca/english/resour
ces/educational/teaching_backgrounders/media_liter
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PowerPoint MotoWorld. Retrieved August 18, 2003
from http//motoworld.azeronline.com Oral
Hygiene Breakthroughs. Retrieved August 18, 2003
from www.cleanbreath.com/ Photoshop 7.0