Media Literacy in Understanding Media Messages

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As the Media Literacy textbook states, people do not typically prefer media messages that are too far removed from their own experiences.

What are the personal implications of this?

Individuals do not prefer media messages that are too far removed from their experiences; this is true in that individuals are more likely to support a conclusion that aligns with their beliefs and values while rejecting messages that they believe are far-fetched from what they stand for (Lanette et al., 2018). The preferred media messages with individuals’ experiences are quite similar in regard to the personal, social, and cultural implications. From an individual’s perspective, an individual can miss out on a beneficial media message merely because they believe that the message does not relate to them directly. These individuals believe that since the media messages are too far removed from their personal experiences, there is no need to pay attention, and this reduces the effectiveness of the media messages. Based on this, media messages need to be tailored according to what relates to the intended audience.

What are the social and cultural implications of this?

Media messages that are too far removed from individuals’ personal experiences have both social and cultural implications that are almost similar. One of the implications is that it creates a divide in society, with individuals trying to avoid media messages that are too far removed from their personal experiences (Oliveira, Araujo & Tam, 2020). This has the implication of avoiding the chance to learn something new and different away from their culture. As a result, this may have the implication of reduced diversity in the society as ideas from other cultures are denied – less absorbed. This can be dangerous to society as it may widen the racial/ethnicity gap, increasing the rate of discrimination in society.

How can you engage with media in a more globally responsible way if the messages don’t align with your own cultural experiences?

One of the major ways that an individual can engage with media in a more globally responsible manner, especially if the messages do not align with a person’s cultural experiences, is through being media literate. Media literacy involves being receptive to all messages regardless of personal experiences (Kellner & Share, 2019). Whether the media messages are derived from personal experiences or not, I believe that everyone can benefit from learning about new cultures, providing an opportunity to increase knowledge through diversity.

References

Kellner, D., & Share, J. (2019). The critical media literacy guide: Engaging media and transforming education. Brill.

Lanette, S., Chua, P. K., Hayes, G., & Mazmanian, M. (2018). How much is’ too much’? The role of a smartphone addiction narrative in individuals’ experience of use. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 2(CSCW), 1-22.

Oliveira, T., Araujo, B., & Tam, C. (2020). Why do people share their travel experiences on social media?. Tourism Management, 78, 104041.