Active audience- the theory which argues that media audiences do not receive information passively but rather that they are actively involved (subconsciously) in understanding the message with their own personal and social contexts.
Anchorage- a term used to describe the interaction of words and visual texts
Antagonist- a person who opposes something, also known as the 'enemy' or the 'bad guy'
Archetype- a universal type or model of a character which is found in many different texts, repetition of a character. This is a character (or a setting) that can be used universally.
Audience- the recipients of a media text / group of people who are targeted and are intended to read / watch/ play / listen to something.
Audience positioning- this refers to the technique which the creator of the media uses to try to get the audience to understand the ideology of the text.
BARB- stands for 'Broadcasters' Audience Research Board'. This is an organisation which complies audience measurement and television ratings in the UK.
BBFC- stands for 'British Board of Film Classification. This is a non-governmental organisation and is responsible for the nation classification and censorship of films launched and viewed at the cinemas as well as video works.
Big Close Up (BCU)- an extreme close-up shot which focuses on the face / close detail of the body oi a model
Binary opposition- the sudden contrast between two concepts or ideas such as, male/female, light/dark, good/evil. Usually the contrast can cause conflict which then drives the narrative of the story.
Brand- a certain type of product which is manufactured and then marketed under a particular design, logo and name.
By-line- a printed line of text printed in a magazine or a newspaper that names the writer of the article.
Camera movement- The direction in which a camera is moving during filming to create depth, interest and variation for the viewer. For example, in a horror film the camera would move very slow to provide suspense and tension to the viewer.
Censorship- The controls and regulations which exist about media content. These powers can be held by governments or regulatory bodies.
CGI- Computer Generated Imagery. This is an application of computer graphics and pixels to printed or moving image media. The term is commonly used in 3D computer graphics and it is used for special effects in film sequences.
Code- They are a sequence or a system of signs that creates meaning in media texts, they can be symbolic or technical.
Colour palette-A range of colours which are used in the process of creating media texts such as magazines which reflects a brand and appeals to its target audience.
Commercial broadcasting-Privately owned media broadcasting of television and radio programming
Concentration of ownership-This refers to the number of organisations or individuals who control an ownership of the media. This means that there are fewer stakeholders which means that they hold an increase in sales.
Conglomerate- A media conglomerate, media group, or media institution is a company that owns numerous companies involved in mass media enterprises, such as television, radio, publishing, motion pictures, theme parks, or the Internet. It is basically when two or more businesses are own by a parent company.
Connotation-The way a meaning is created (or a deeper meaning) in a media text.
Context-The time, place and mindset of the audience are all example of context and that affects how a media text is read.
Continuity editing- The most commonly used type of video editing which is used in post production- this is predominately used to create a logical and linear relationship between shots.
Conventions- A widely recognised and typical way of doing things in a certain genre or media form.
Convergence-The coming together of technologies and institutions to create a new product or a media experience.
Copy-The written material (as opposed to images) which is featured in a media text.
Countertype- A positive stereotype which which shows the positive qualities of a person
Cover price- The price which is printed on the cover of a printed media text.
Close up (CU)-A very common camera shot that is tightly focusing on a person or an object.
Crane shot-This is a type of camera shot which is taken from above the group, high on a crane- also known as a jib.
Cross-head- Words used as a title or a sub-heading which breaks up text in a newspaper or magazine.
Cross cut- This is an editing technique which establishes an action which is occurring at the same time.
Cut-A very simple editing technique. One shot ends and another begins, with no transitions or effects added.
Date line-A line which shows the date that a media publication or an article was first written or published.
Demerger-Separating a large cooperation into two or more smaller organisations.
Demographics- The characteristics which make up a sample of the population. An example would be age, gender, nationality.
Denotation- The literal meaning in a media text.
Desk Top Publishing-this is a software which allows the user to create media texts with various page layouts and designs.
Digital (platform)- The software or hardware of a site. Social Media is an example: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter are all different types of digital platforms.
Dialogue-A conversation between two people.
Diegetic sound-Sounds which are made on screen. These are sounds which have not been edited in, for example dialogue between characters. This is also known as the actual or the natural sound.
Diversification-The action of making or becoming more diverse. Companies do this by releasing more products or becoming more accessible in different countries.
Editing- correcting or modifying a piece of work.
Editorial- A brief article written by an editor which shows the newspaper's own views and policies on a current issue.
Enigma-A question which is not immediately answered which draws the audience into the text to find out the answer.
Ethics-Guidelines for journalists to follow to help people from feeling unequal or outcasted.
Eyeline match- This is a film editing technique based on the idea that the audience will want to see what the character on-screen is seeing.
Fade In-A transition to an image.
Flashback- A transition in the story to an earlier time which interrupts the chronological order of the events which are happening.
Font- A specific typeface of a certain style and size.
Form- The different types of media such as newspapers and television.
Framing- When the media focuses attention on certain events and educates the audience.
Franchise- collection of related media in which several unoriginal works have been produced to form an original creative work. Also known as a series.
Freelance-A self-employed worker and a person who is hired to do jobs for different companies
Gatekeeping-The way in which information is filtered by the media before it is prepared for production or distribution.
Guerilla marketing- Low-cost and unusual marketing methods with a clear focus on grabbing the audience’s attention.
Headline- The text, usually in larger font is at the top of a page or article in a newspaper showing what the content is to the reader.
Hegemony-The leadership or dominance in the media of a particular social group. In the UK, not many people who are in the working class work for any source of media. The middle classes dominate.
Home page- The first page of a website that a reader will see when they click on the website's link.
Horizontal integration-Companies who get other companies operating in the same sector.
House style- The overall design style of a newspaper or magazine. This can include font, colour scheme and layout. The house style can be a key feature since readers can recognise the brand just by looking at its house style.
Hybrid-is the strategic use of traditional and new media to communicate your message in a more effective way.
Hybrid genre- is a genre that blends themes and elements from two or more different genres.
Icon- A representative image or person.
Ident- A short visual image displayed on the screen between television programmes, emphasising the channel that is being watched.
Institutions-The organisations that create and release media texts, such as the BBC and News International.
Interactivity-Interactive media allows the user to get involved in the media text, an example would be filling out a questionnaire.
Intertextuality-Often media texts make references to other texts and popular culture so that the audience can interact and be engaged.
IPSO- The Independent Press Standards Organisation is the independent regulator of the newspaper and magazine industry in the UK.
Jingle-A short and catchy piece of music or a section of a song/slogan used to promote a product, used particularly in advertising and on the radio.
Links- Clickable text or images that take users to different pages of a website. Adverts online are usually like this.
Logo-The visual image used to identify a product, brand or company.
Medium/mid shot (MS)- A camera shot taken from the waist up and shows some background detail in the shoot.
Mediation- is when the media takes a person or event and changes or interprets it in a particular way to create a media text. Fake News uses this technique.
Merger- The process when two media companies 'merge' together to form one company, this is done to gain more power and more influence in the market.
Message- The expected reading that the audience takes from a media text.
Mise-en-scene-Literally any object which is in the shot or the scene in a single frame. This is what helps the audience to gain meaning from a scene.
Mock-up- A rough plan of how the layout of a page of printed media will look.
Mode of address- The way a media product speaks to the audience.
Moral panic- The way which media brings up intense feelings due to the way it covers a news event or issue.
Multi-media- Technology that enables sound, video, text and graphic images to be used in the same media production.
Narrative- The way in which a story or sequence of events is added into a media text. All media texts have some sort of narrative running through them whether it is verbal or visual.
News values- Ways in which media companies will assess, categorise or 'rank' news stories and decide on their newsworthiness. Each media publication will have its own news agenda and set of news values.
Niche audience/market- A relatively small population of an audience with specific tastes and interests.
Non-diegetic sound-Sound that is neither matches the on the screen visuals or features in the ‘world of the film’. Typically, non-diegetic sound will be sound effects or background music added to create mood, atmosphere and emotion to the audience.
OFCOM-The Office of Communications is a government-approved regulatory body which is responsible for ensuring that the communication and broadcasting industries in the UK are operating fairly and competitively with each other. It also protects the public from inappropriate or offensive material.
Opening sequence- The opening section of a film or a television drama. The directer often starts this scene with a lot of action and ends on a cliffhanger. Opening sequences are also used to introduce key characters or to introduce settings.
Ownership- The companies who own the companies that produce and distribute media texts.
Panning- The simple movement of the camera sweeping from one side to the other. Passive audience-