Page 19 - A Handbook Genre Studies in Mass Media

CHAPTER 1

provides students with a number of theoretical “lenses” through which
they can conduct primary research into the genre. These strategies also
provide a framework that can facilitate the discussion of media content
with others—including children, peers, and the people responsible for
producing media programming. Media literacy also enables students to
apply these approaches to areas not generally thought of as genres, such
as political cartoons, radio talk shows, and Internet blogs.
This text incorporates many of the principles and strategies of media
literacy to the study of genre. Media literacy is a critical thinking skill
that is applied to the source of most of our information—the channels
of mass communications. Media literacy offers a critical framework
for the systematic analysis of media messages, that is, the underlying
themes or ideas contained in a media presentation. These messages work
on several levels:

• Manifest messages are direct and clear to the audience. We generally
have little trouble recognizing these messages when we are paying
full attention to a media presentation.
• Latent messages are indirect and beneath the surface, and, consequently,
escape our immediate attention. Latent messages may reinforce mani-
fest messages or may suggest entirely different meanings.
• Cumulative messages occur with such frequency over time that
they form new meanings, independent of any individual production.
Consistent messages appear in media presentations with regard to
gender roles, definitions of success, and racial and cultural stereo-
types. These cumulative messages are then reinforced through the
countless hours of media programming.

Media literacy should not be understood merely as an opportunity to
bash the media. A well-produced media presentation can provide audi-
ences with enormous benefit and pleasure. Indeed, the media literacy
approach to genre studies should enhance individuals’ enjoyment and
appreciation of a particular genre. At the same time, genre studies encour-
ages individuals to look outside of the boundaries of a particular genre,
to explore other genres or avant-garde programming that flies beneath
the radar of mainstream channels of the media.

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