Media Studies key terms

The view that gendered attributes and behaviours are shaped by society, culture and the media rather than determined by nature.

The attitudes, beliefs, values, fashions and social expectations surrounding a media product.

An occupational classification used to categorise audiences into groups A, B, C1, C2, D and E.

Communicating and building connections with other people, including through discussing media or participating in audience communities.

A filmmaking approach concerned with everyday lives and social problems, often using real locations and naturalistic performances.

An audience united by a particular interest, such as a genre, author or fictional world.

Financial support, products or services supplied to a person, programme, event or organisation by a sponsor.

An introductory sentence or paragraph, visually distinguished from the main article, which summarises or introduces the story.

The public identity constructed for a celebrity through media appearances, performances and promotional material.

Regulation based on laws and legally established powers, rather than only on an industry's voluntary standards.

A question divided into parts, which can move from factual recall to a more developed explanation.

A simplified, generalised portrayal of a group that emphasises supposedly shared characteristics.

Playing audio or video delivered over the internet without needing to download the complete file first.

A smaller category within a wider genre, with its own more specific conventions.

A company controlled by a larger parent company.

A decision about how convincing a claim is, supported by relevant evidence and explanation.

The placement of one visual element over another, such as text over a photograph.

Using media to gain knowledge about events, people or the wider world; also called information.

A connected argument developed throughout an answer, in which evidence and explanations lead towards a supported overall judgement.

Something understood as representing an idea, object or relationship through its associated meaning.

An element whose meaning depends on cultural associations, such as a costume suggesting status or a setting suggesting danger.

The combined benefit gained when brands or products work together and promote one another.

An answer that connects knowledge, skills or understanding from different parts of a course to address one question.

A newspaper associated with a compact format and a popular style, often using prominent images, striking headlines and accessible language.

The acquisition of control of one company by another company.

Radio programming in which speech, such as interviews and discussion, is central rather than music alone.

The particular group of people a media product or marketing campaign is intended to reach and appeal to.