MED - Subject specific vocabulary

ABC figures

The Audit Bureau of Circulations is responsible for measuring the reach of different media across a range of platforms.

Active audience

The idea that media audiences actively engage with texts rather than consuming them passively.

Advertising campaign

A campaign run by an advertising agency incorporating various methods to communicate a product's benefits.

Advertorial

An advert presented in the form of editorial content.

Agenda setting

The prioritization of selected stories by media institutions to reflect their values.

Anchorage

The combination of media language choices to reinforce the producer’s intended meaning.

Antagonist

A character in a plot whose function is to disrupt the protagonist.

Archetype

A universal type of character found in various media texts.

Audience positioning

The manner in which a media product addresses the audience to influence interpretation.

Avatar

The player's representation of themselves within a gaming context.

BARB

Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board, which collects television viewing data in the UK.

Bardic function

The media's role as a storyteller and information provider in culture.

BBFC

British Board of Film Classification responsible for age classification of films.

Big Close Up (BCU)

An extreme close-up camera shot focusing on a person's face or detail.

Binary opposite

Representations structured as pairs that reflect opposing values.

Binge watching

The practice of watching multiple episodes of a TV series in succession.

Blog

A regularly updated website or web page written in an informal style.

Brand

A product manufactured and marketed under a particular name or logo.

Brand ambassador

An individual, often a celebrity, paid to promote and endorse a product.

Brand identity

The image and associations projected by a brand to its audience.

Bricolage

The mixing of signs or artifacts from different styles to create something new.

Broadsheet

A type of newspaper that prioritizes hard news.

By-line

The printed line naming the writer of an article.

Call to action

An instruction aimed at the audience to provoke an immediate response.

Camera movement

Techniques used during filming to add depth and interest to the viewer's experience.

CAP code

The UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct Promotional Advertising.

Censorship

Controls on media content imposed by governments or regulatory bodies.

CGI

Computer-generated imagery used for special effects in film or animation.

Circulation

The measurement of how many people access a media product.

Classification

A rating system designating the suitability of media for different age groups.

Cliff hanger

A narrative device that creates suspense to encourage continued viewing.

Closed narrative

A story where all plot threads are neatly resolved.

Close up (CU)

A camera shot that tightly focuses on a person or object.

Code

Systems of signs used to create meaning in media texts.

Cognitive surplus

Increased leisure time that allows for sharing and creativity online.

Collective identity

A shared sense of belonging to a specific group.

Colloquialism

An informal expression used in casual conversation.

Colour palette

The suite of colors used in media texts to reflect a brand.

Commercial media

Privately owned media funded by advertising revenue.

Commissioning

The process where television programs receive approval for production.

Commodification

The process of turning something into a marketable object.

Concentration of ownership

Refers to the limited number of organizations controlling much of the media.

Conglomerate

A large corporation owning multiple media companies.

Connotation

The associated meanings brought to a sign outside its literal meaning.

Consumable product

Regularly used products that need replacing.

Consumption

The act of engaging with media products.

Content analysis

A research method for quantifying specific features in media.

Content creators

Individuals who create and share content online.

Context

The cultural and social factors affecting the production and reception of media.

Continuity

The logical presentation of images throughout a moving image product.

Continuity editing

Editing choices that maintain logical coherence in narratives.

Contrapuntal sound

Sound that does not match the on-screen action.

Conventions

Typical methods of producing media products within a specific genre.

Convergence

The merging of technologies to create new media experiences.

Copy

The written material in a media text, distinct from images.

Countertype

A representation that challenges negative stereotypes.

Cover lines

Text on a magazine cover that previews the content inside.

Cross platform marketing

Advertising one form of media on another platform.

Crane shot

A camera shot taken from a high crane.

Cross-head

A title or sub-heading that breaks up text in a publication.

Cross cut

An editing technique showing simultaneous action across different scenes.

Cultivation differential

The difference in perception of social reality between heavy and light media viewers.

Cultural capital

Power gained from cultural knowledge valued in society.

Cut

An editing technique where one shot ends and another begins.

Date line

A line indicating when a media article was written or published.

Decoding

The process of interpreting a message by an audience.

Deconstruction

The analysis of structures in media products.

Deep focus

A technique producing a depth of field where everything is in focus.

Demerger

The process of splitting a corporation into smaller organizations.

Demographics

Statistical data based on cultural groupings.

Denotation

The literal meaning of signs.

Deregulation

The relaxation of media controls by the state.

Desensitisation

The process of becoming less sensitive to violence through exposure.

Dialogue

The spoken words of characters in media.

Diegesis

The narration of a story from within the represented world.

Diegetic sound

Sound originating from the film or TV world.

Digital native

A person brought up with digital technology, finding it natural.

Diversification

Large corporations spreading interests across various media forms.

Duopoly

An industry controlled by two companies.

Editing

Post-production work arranging media for audience consumption.

Editorial

An article expressing opinion on a topical issue.

Editorial philosophy

Underlying values and beliefs shaping a media product.

Effects theories

Theories examining potential media impacts on audiences.

Ellipsis

Incomplete sentences finished with three dots for audience interpretation.

Emerging media

Communication via new digital platforms with interactive elements.

Encode

The act of communicating ideas through signs in media.

Enculturation

The influence of media on learning social and cultural norms.

Enigma

A question that draws the audience into the text.

Equilibrium/disequilibrium

In Todorov's theory, the transition from normal state to disruption.

Essentialisation

Attributing fixed traits or characteristics to someone by nature.

Establishing shot

The opening shot showing the geographical location of a narrative.

Ethics

Principles and standards upheld in media.

Ethnicity

Cultural identity demonstrated through customs and practices.

Ethnocentric

Applying the norms of one's culture to others.

Exhibition

The venues where films can be viewed.

Exotic other

A term for someone perceived as different or foreign.

Fabula

A term in narrative theory meaning 'story'.

Facial action coding system

A technique for replicating facial expressions in animation.

Fade

A transition from an image to a single color, usually black or white.

Female gaze

A perspective that subverts the male gaze, presenting female viewpoints.