Media Studies key terms

A narrative with several connected storylines involving different characters.

The way a story is organised and communicated, including the order of events, information revealed and roles of characters.

A person's ability to make decisions and take actions that influence the development of a story.

A character’s function in a story, such as opposing the hero, providing help or sending the hero on a mission.

Restrictions on the amount of commercially released recorded music a broadcaster could play.

An interpretation that accepts some of a media product’s intended meaning but modifies or rejects other parts.

A company that supplies the digital network through which media content travels, such as EE or Sky Broadband.

The criteria used by news producers to judge which events are newsworthy and how much prominence they deserve.

The judgements used to decide which events are newsworthy and how much attention they receive.

A relatively specialised audience with a particular shared interest.

Sound added from outside the story world, such as an orchestral score heard by the audience rather than the characters.

A narrative that presents some events out of chronological order, for example through flashbacks.

A character controlled by the game's programming rather than directly by a player.

A feature that communicates meaning without words, such as an image, colour or facial expression.

Pleasure associated with remembering or revisiting the past, which can make familiar media characters, sounds and settings appealing.

A media organisation whose main purpose is not to distribute profit to owners. Any surplus can be reinvested in its work.

An organisation that uses any surplus to support its purposes rather than distributing it as profit to owners.

A non-player character controlled by the game rather than directly by a player.

Representing a person primarily as an object to be looked at, desired or chosen, rather than as an individual with thoughts, goals and control over their actions.

The independent UK communications regulator with legal responsibilities for online safety under the Online Safety Act 2023.

Access to media at a time chosen by the user rather than only at its scheduled broadcast time.

Content available when the audience chooses to access it, rather than only at its original broadcast time.

Accessing media at a time chosen by the user rather than only when it is scheduled for broadcast.

A service that lets audiences choose when to access available programmes rather than follow a broadcast schedule.

Access to programmes at a time chosen by the viewer rather than only at their scheduled broadcast time.

A situation in which a person's identity is not known to others, for example when someone posts online without revealing their real name.

Media content accessed through the internet, including websites, social media and streaming services.