Does media instruct?

ex. ads, documentaries, cartoons...

intended or unintended

What messages are communicated?

in a media saturated world...

cultivation?

does the Internet's diversity lessen a "TV Reality" view?

what about self-selection?

Depiction Analysis

an attempt to understand what the media is teaching us

5 Key Questions

1. What are the characteristics of our physical environment?

ex. is our world largely like the TV worlds of NY and LA?

environment, housing, weather, small towns, Midwest etc.

2. What is Society like?

what do media teach us about diversity, social status, gender roles...

3. What consequences flow from our actions?

instant or long term?

ex. sex, relationships

real?

ex. fight scenes

4. What are our responsibilities?

expectations and social norms

ex. what should a mom or dad be like?

ex. what should the police be like?

5. What are the standards by which we should evaluate ourselves?

implicit or explicit?

relative or absolute?

Star Trek (The Original Series)

Star Trek "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield" (1969)