Media Language
Media language is media encoded or decoded through their forms, codes, conventions and techniques communicate meaning. When applied in movies, actors, costumes, props, colors, gestures and facial expressions (mise-en-scene) are the main points used in media to convey the message implied. This includes compositions in camera shots, lighting, angle, camera movement and shot size.
According to Stuart Hall, there are two ways in which the audience consumes media; passive and active. Passive meaning the media is taken as a true event without questioning, even if it is announced as fake or staged. It's split into two parts, the hypodermic needle theory and desensitization. While active meaning the audience are aware of its artificial nature, but aren't affected in thinking it's a real event. Also split in two parts; uses and gratification theory and reception theory.
- Hypodermic Needle Theory
The hypodermic needle theory is a model of communication suggesting that an intended message is directly received and wholly accepted by the receiver - essentially believing all of what the media says. It is not fully considered as accurate as the lack of empirical studies led to many unsupported assumptions. An example of this theory is the famous radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds by Orson Wells.
- Desensitization
The numbing effect of being repeatedly exposed to a shocking or aggressive content. It could be based from both fiction and media. For example, in fiction content, children are exposed to violence in family movies, brainwashing them into thinking it's normal. In fact-based content, constantly seeing numbers from a war decreases empathy as it is seen frequently.
- Uses and Gratification Theory
Media is actively used for satisfying our base social needs. There are 4 base needs, diversion, personal identity, social relationships, and surveillance. Diversion is how we use media as a form of escapism, personal identity as those who we can compare our life experiences to, social relationships as how people form connections and relationships on screen, and finally surveillance as of how people keep up with trends and the world.
- Reception Theory
Stuart Hall, a cultural theorist, explored how media texts are made sense as well as claiming how audiences were active, not passive. He argued on how audiences actively chooses how to respond to media - by social class, education, gender, race, age, politics, sexual orientation, and religion.
How It Targets the Audience
As media producers, we need to give what the audiences want. To do this we must find out who our target alliances are, and to further process it, a social media manager is necessary. By giving the audience what they want, it allows them to give feedback for improvement, which then lets us find the gaps in the market.
To find our target market, we distinguish them by researching their demographics and psychographics.
Demographics
- age
- gender
- class
- location
- race
- political leanings
Psychographics
- personality
- behavior
- values
- interest
- spending habits
There is a difference in market and target audience. Market emphasizes more on products, while target audience is literally what it means - the method to target audiences.
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