This is a basic introduction to media literacy. It looks at the core concepts of media literacy and breaks each of them down.

1. Sr. Jennifer Tecla Hyatt, FSP
Oxnard Public Library
July 12, 2014

4. Media (singular is medium)
are ways/means to
communicate/transmit
information from person to
person

5. Media with storage and transmission began
more than 30,000 years ago (cave painting)
This is a 16,000 year old
cave painting from
Lascaux, France

6. The first alphabet is over 3000 years old.
This is an Egyptian
alphabet from 1700 B.C.E.

7. The Gutenberg Press
Johannes Gutenberg invented 1st printing
press.
He printed 180 copies
in Europe
1455 C.E.

8. Newspapers - 1640
With mass printing available newspapers
could be made.
1640 in England
The London Gazette in
1666 was the 1st
commercial newspaper

9. Phonograph – home audio
Patented by Thomas Edison in 1877
We can finally store
and transmit audio

10. Photographs
The idea is more than 1000 years old.
George Eastman made it more available to the
public in 1888 and founded the Eastman
Kodak Company in 1892
The Kodak Brownie
Produced in 1910

11. Radio - 1894
Finally wireless and paperless transmission of
information is available.

12. Movie Theatres
First public movie show in New York, 1896
Now we can store
And transmit video
The first full length film (12 minutes)
was The Great Train Robbery
made in 1903

13. TV– live action in home 1936
First black & white then color
Allows us to transmit
More media to more
people
1st Color TV
Philo Farnswoth in 1928 was the inventor

14. established
to research and develop
new technology for the
United States Military

15. Business + Military Computers
Not for homes. They were huge!
IBM Business Computer
1964

16. Video players– 1976
movies in your home
Sony made first VCR
Publically available one
In 1971 – cost $1400

17. Video cassettes - 1976
A long battle between VHS and BetaMax
VHS wins the battle
Betamax VHS

18. Walkman - 1979
Take your music with you.
Revolutionary portable media
Sony Walkman

19. CD Players – 1982
Play better quality music in your home
This is a 1980s era
home CD player

20. Consumer Computers
Not yet popular but soon!!
Apple Computers in
1976
The Apple I & Apple II, TRS-80
and Commodore computers were
released in this era

21. From 1977 – today
Computers have advanced rapidly
They have come from massive machines to
small laptops with more power.
Computers are used in many parts of our
daily life.

22. Personal Media Players
Very popular, can play more than just songs

23. Media Literacy = asking questions
The ability to access, analyze,
evaluate, create and participate
with messages in a variety of forms
— from print to video to the
Internet.

24. Core Concepts Key Questions
1. All media messages are
constructed.
Who created this message?
2. Media messages are
constructed using a
creative language with its
own rules.
What creative techniques are used to
attract my attention?
3. Different people experience
the same media message
differently.
How might different people
understand this message differently?
4. Media have embedded
values and points of view.
What values, lifestyles and points of
view are represented in, or omitted
from, this message?
5. Most media messages are
organized to gain profit
and/or power.
Why is this message being sent?

25. All Media are constructed

27. Words
Music
Color
Movement
Camera angle

29.  boy’s eye level
car with remote ignition
family at center
Silence

31. What was your experience of watching this
commercial?

34. Friendship
universality

36. It’s all about
the money!

38. Avatar $760,505,847

39. "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" (2007):
$341.8 million
2. Priciest film to make of all time?
"Cleopatra" (1963): $339.5 million

40. Techniques to craft stories
◦ Careful framing and deliberate camera angels
◦ Close-ups=create intimate relationship
◦ Music=draws audience into story
◦ Costumes
◦ Lighting
◦ Set designs

43. Hugo big machine

45. Medialit.org
Namle.net
Frankwbaker.com ( Media Literacy
Clearinghouse)
(National Association for
Media Literacy Education)
(Center for Media Literacy)