Media Studies key terms

The process through which fewer organisations control a larger share of the media.

A music video form organised around ideas, symbolism or abstract imagery rather than only a story or a performance.

The final answer to the question, reached by weighing the argument and evidence developed in the response.

A large company that owns a range of other companies, often operating across several media sectors.

Ownership in which a parent company controls several smaller companies. Bauer’s radio and magazine businesses are part of a wider media group.

An associated meaning suggested by a sign, shaped by its context and the audience interpreting it.

The way a media product is put together using choices such as images, words, sound, editing and layout to communicate meaning.

A culture in which buying and owning goods is closely associated with pleasure, status and a desirable lifestyle.

A value system that places importance on buying and owning products, often linking consumption to identity and success.

The process of checking and managing user contributions against a service's rules, including restricting or removing content when appropriate.

An organisation that supplies media material for audiences to access, such as the BBC or Marvel Studios.

A portrayal that challenges an established representation or offers an alternative to it.

The social conditions, attitudes and historical circumstances surrounding a media product’s production and reception.

Editing that makes action appear to flow coherently across shots, helping viewers follow events.

An established feature audiences expect within a media form or genre, such as exploration and dangerous obstacles in an action-adventure game.

The coming together of media industries, content and technologies across different platforms and national settings.

Paul Gilroy's idea of people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds living together through ordinary shared relationships and community life.

An arrangement in which organisations collaborate to make a media product, sharing resources, expertise and costs.

The main group of people a media product regularly attracts and serves.

A representation that challenges or reverses an established stereotype.

Text on a magazine cover that introduces an article and encourages readers to look inside.

Text on a magazine cover that promotes a story or feature inside.

Ownership by one organisation of businesses in different media forms, such as film, television and newspapers.

Promotion of a media product across several formats or platforms, such as print, television, websites and social media.

Using one media product or platform to promote another product, brand or platform.

A theory proposing that repeated exposure to media messages can gradually shape an audience’s attitudes, values and view of the world.

The wider arts and media landscape, traditions and elements of national identity surrounding a media product.