Critical Approaches to Media Awareness

One of the most influential theories of media impact can best be described through the following metaphor: Imagine a large paint can in the middle of a stage; go over and kick the can. It will fly across the stage. Simply put, it is very easy to talk about the impact of the media in this very direct manner. This is particularly the case with modern forms of media expression like the news and violent shows. The can is you and I and in particular our children. The kicker is the media. They send out a message and we respond in kind. Action and reaction. If the media portrayed a world of love and kindness, would we all be loving and kind to each other? In other words, if we are willing to assume that we are simple receivers of messages, actors who respond to directives sent to us in visual form, what would happen if the media reduced their depiction of the world to only positive messages?

Question One: Are the media a place of engagement and reception?

Question Two: How do the media structure their messages to try and influence viewers?

This media education site from the United Kingdom lays out some of the popular theories of media impact and effect. Click here for the site.

Here is a quote which can be used for the purposes of debate:

"The problems with the effects model, in whatever form, have to do with its roots in behaviourist psychology. The behaviourist explanation of human behaviour (Skinner and Pavlov) is looking increasingly hard to justify as we have come to develop a fuller understanding of the complexities of human behaviour, which is not predictable nor is it controllable. There are also the difficulties of linking cause and effect in terms of how we engage with media texts. The large number of studies that have been done do not prove the case conclusively either way. These range from the Walters and Bandura experiments to studies that count incidents of violence on TV. Other criticisms of this model centre on the stress that it places on the audience as passive, whereas newer models suggest that the audience is much more active than was initially supposed."



*Critical Approaches to* *Media Awareness*
			Kick the Can One of the most influential theories of media impact can best be described through the following metaphor: Imagine a large paint can in the middle of a stage; go over and kick the can. It will fly across the stage. Simply put, it is very easy to talk about the impact of the media in this very direct manner. This is particularly the case with modern forms of media expression like the news and violent shows. The can is you and I and in particular our children. The kicker is the media. They send out a message and we respond in kind. Action and reaction. If the media portrayed a world of love and kindness, would we all be loving and kind to each other? In other words, if we are willing to assume that we are simple receivers of messages, actors who respond to directives sent to us in visual form, what would happen if the media reduced their depiction of the world to only positive messages? Question One: Are the media a place of engagement *and* reception? Question Two: How do the media structure their messages to try and influence viewers? This media education site from the United Kingdom lays out some of the popular theories of media impact and effect. Click here for the site. Here is a quote which can be used for the purposes of debate: "The problems with the effects model, in whatever form, have to do with its roots in behaviourist psychology. The behaviourist explanation of human behaviour (Skinner and Pavlov) is looking increasingly hard to justify as we have come to develop a fuller understanding of the complexities of human behaviour, which is not predictable nor is it controllable. There are also the difficulties of linking cause and effect in terms of how we engage with media texts. The large number of studies that have been done do not prove the case conclusively either way. These range from the Walters and Bandura experiments to studies that count incidents of violence on TV. Other criticisms of this model centre on the stress that it places on the audience as passive, whereas newer models suggest that the audience is much more active than was initially supposed."

This page has been designed as a resource for teachers and students who are interested in exploring issues and debates around media literacy, visual literacy and the general role of media in our society. *Home to Critical Approaches Main Page*


If we knew more about how the media create their messages, would this help in understanding our experience of the media? Simulation: You have just witnessed two men being taken in by the police on a street corner near your home. Write a short paragraph for submission to the local newspaper. Make the story as sensational as possible. At the same time, give it an air of objectivity. Now send your piece to Ron Burnett. I will post your simulations on this site.


What do we mean by the term audience? Do groups of people, in this case viewers, respond in similar ways to the same cultural experience? How do we deal with an individual viewer's implicit or explicit assumptions about themselves? How does the context of viewing fit into our notions of audience?
			In order to reflect on some of these questions, visit the AtomFilms site. Since all of the films are short and on a variety of different topics, they tell us something about creativity as well as audience. There are thousands of these films being posted to the Web. This suggests that audiences want to take greater control of their viewing. Choose one of the films and analyse it according to one of the following parameters: Purpose (Who is the intended audience for the film?) What struck you about the style? Did the film affect you and if so, how? Did the film's message get communicated to you?

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	Kids on the Net: Critical Thinking Skills for Web Literacy Part of the Media Awareness Web Site Critical Approaches to Culture, Communications + Hypermedia is a set of resources on the World Wide Web developed by Ron Burnett in Vancouver, Canada. All rights reserved. ©Ron Burnett 2005