UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY
FINALS PERIOD
OPPORTUNITIES, THREATS, AND RISKS IN MEDIA AND INFORMATION
Media Ownership
Media and economy: e-commerce
Media and education: e-learning
Media, politics, and society: e-governance, trends and hashtags
CURRENT AND FUTURE TRENDS OF MEDIA AND INFORMATION
Social Media
Social networking: a supportive system of sharing information and services among
individuals and groups with common interests
Kinds of Social Media
Print-based (e.g. blogs, microblogging sites)
Audio-based (e.g. Spotify, TuneIn)
Photo-based (e.g. Instagram)
Video-based (e.g. YouTube)
Social networking sites (SNS) (Friendster, MySpace, Facebook)
Relevance of Social Media
Personal Communications (e.g. Viber, WeChat, Line, Skype, and Kakao Talk)
Business and Customer Care Tools (e.g. Cebu Pacific and Meralco)
Social Services and Governance (e.g. DOST, MMDA, DepEd)
Education Tools (e.g. blogging, Facebook)
Advocacy Campaigns for Social Change (e.g. EDSA II, Arab Spring)
Traditional Media Coverage and Social Media Enhancement (e.g. iReport web page,
Bayan Mo iPatrol Mo, Youscoop)
Entertainment Portal (MySpace, Multiply)
Trends of Media and Information
Mobile Communications Technology: Smartphones; Phablets
Wearable Technology: Pedometer, FitBit, Oculus Rift
Emerging Technologies: Gaming consoles, Handheld gaming systems, Android Wear
Other Technologies: Computer Generated-Imagery (CGI), Hologram, 3D environment,
Virtual reality (VR) – makes use of VR headsets and sometimes multi-projected
environments to simulate realistic virtual worlds, Augmented reality (AR) – real-world
environment “augmented” with computer-generated images and elements
3D Printer – History: Hideo Kodama invented additive manufacturing (AM) methods with
photo-hardening polymer in 1981. In 1984, Chuck Hull invented a prototype 3D printing
system using stereo lithography, where layers were added through curing
photopolymers with UV light lasers
Ubiquitous Learning: Continuous learning beyond the classroom through mobile
technologies
Massive Open Online Course (MOOC): distance learning and courses which can be
accessed anywhere in the world with internet connection. It makes use of interactive
forums and accessible handouts, videos and lectures.
PEOPLE MEDIA
Citizen journalism occurs when members of the public become active participants in the
collection, reportage, analysis, and dissemination of news and information to other
citizens (mashable.com).
Social Journalism: A model of journalism relay that combines professional journalism
with those offered by citizen journalists or even regular audiences who post feedback,
comment, or content (such as stories and events) on their online accounts.
VISUAL INFORMATION AND MEDIA
Visual Literacy develops our ability to construct meaning from images. To be visually
literate, we must interpret the visual elements beyond what it appears to be.
Photography: the process of recording images through a chemical interaction caused by
light rays hitting a sensitized surface (celluloid film/negative)
Digital photography: images are captured or encoded as electronic signals stored in the
camera system’s memory storage and decoded as digital computer image files
Difference in photography then and now: elimination of the chemical laboratory (dark
room) in the overall photographic process
Rule of thirds: To avoid static compositions, divide the frame using two vertical and two
horizontal lines to create a grid of 9x9 squares. Place the subject along the intersection
of these lines.
Elements of Visual Composition
Dot: simplest unit of visual communication
Lines: direct the eye
Horizontal lines-stillness, tranquility
Vertical lines-stability, uprightness, worthiness
Diagonal-instability, neither upright or at rest, tension, dynamism
Shape: two-dimensional; Shapes are building blocks of visual communication; used to
achieve order, harmony, and create illusion of mass, volume, and space
Square-dullness, honesty, straightness
Circle-endlessness, protection, unity
Triangle-action, tension, conflict
Form: three-dimensional; Both shape and form create space and substance.
Space or dimension: Creates depth; Can be near or far, crowded or vacant; Divided into
foreground, background, middle ground; Dimension is a visual tool that creates the
illusion of depth in two-dimensional forms. A visual field consists of a foreground,
middleground, and background.
Positive space: occupied by an object
Negative space: the space around an object
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Value: Hues of black, white and shades of gray present in an image; The eye can be
trained to see colors in black and white; Highlights and shadows; Adds timelessness,
drama and impact to your composition
Texture: The surface of an object or how it feels like; Can be rough, smooth, gooey,
grainy, etc.; Adds interest through visual sense of touch
Hue or Color: May be categorized as primary, secondary or intermediate; Using colors
that work well together (monochrome, complementary or contrasting colors); Affects our
emotions and makes the visual content more expressive
Dimensions of Color
Hue - color itself formed by different wavelengths of light
Saturation - intensity, the more vivid the color the higher the intensity, the duller the color
the lower the intensity
Value - brightness or tonal gradations from light to dark
Temperature - Warm colors like red, orange, yellow are considered warm and active and
when used on a visual medium tend to come forward, while cool colors like green, blue,
and purple are cool colors and are perceived as passive and calming
Complementary colors - juxtaposing colors with their exact opposites intensifies the
hues. Putting yellow next to purple makes both colors more vivid.
NOTE: Different and careful arrangement of these elements is crucial in creating
visually-appealing and powerful photographs
Principles of Photography
Emphasis: pulls viewers to a specific element in the image
Balance: a sense of stability in the shot, can be symmetrical or asymmetrical can be
achieved by using elements of equal or similar weight
Unity: All elements form a whole
Contrast: Use of contrasting elements (may be in terms of shape, texture, color, or value)
Movement and Rhythm: Movement directs the viewer’s eye to follow a perceived action
Rhythm is the use of repeating or alternating shapes, colors or values
Repetition or Pattern: A repeating element in the image
Scale and Proportions: Juxtaposing a small object with a large object exaggerates their
size.
Direction: Directs the viewer’s eyes across and through the image. Creators can use
lines, shapes, and even colors to direct the viewers.
Types of Perspective
Linear perspective: directs our gaze to a vanishing point within the visual field. The best
illustration to explain vanishing point is the “train-tracks” effect.
Scale Perspective: the figures and objects in the distance are reduced in size.
Atmospheric perspective-details of figures and objects in the distance are not only
diminished but are also rendered in soft focus.
Image-specific Issues
Image manipulation
Done for artistic merits or for deception
E.g. the practice of airbrushing in magazines to erase wrinkles, spots or imperfections,
trimming the waist or fat of models to make them appear thinner
Image-grabbing and plagiarism
Dough Gordon: British event photographer and educator
A graduate student from UP was caught plagiarizing a photo that won the top prize in
the Calidad Humana photo contest held by the Chilean Embassy in 2013. After further
investigations, it was revealed he plagiarized several photographs before this incident
and passed them as his own in various photography contests
AUDIO INFORMATION AND MEDIA
Characteristics of Audio
Amplitude: how sound particles are displaced or scattered to produce a certain level or
intensity (associated with loudness, measured in decibels)
Frequency: the number of vibrations made by sound particles in the path of a wave in
the span of a second (associated with pitch, measured in hertz)
Wave form
Speed of propagation
Volume: Intensity of sound
Tone/Timbre: Audible characteristic of sound
Pitch: highness / lowness
Loudness: Magnitude of sound
MOTION INFORMATION AND MEDIA
Film was earlier called “moving pictures” since its precursor photography is still (non-
moving) pictures which was shortened to “movies.”
Cinema refers to specific bodies of work in film that carry specific thematic topics.
Usually, films come in two formats: short film and feature-length or full-length film.
Modes of Film Production
Preproduction Stage (planning stage, concept development, script writing, financing,
casting, set design, shooting details, and other concerns): The planning stages,
including developing the concept until it becomes a full-blown script or screenplay. It
also includes production concerns such as budgeting, hiring and casting. Visualization
is also a part of pre-production, including production design, shooting details, editing
concerns and planning the kind of music which would be used. This phase takes more
time than actual production.
Production Stage (actual shooting of the film): also known as the principal photography
phase. Typical shooting for mainstream full-feature is less than 30 days, while low
budget independent films are shot in less than 10 days.
Postproduction Stage (editing, film scoring, dubbing): The film will be put together
through editing. Also includes musical scoring and adding special effects. Mainstream
films are edited in less than 25 days.
Linear editing: before timecode and digital editing, tapes were edited manually tape-to-
tape through splicing and cutting the celluloid film strips
Nonlinear editing: made possible through computers and the development of editing
software technology
Film Formats
A narrative film is fictional in nature, meaning the characters and situations were made
up by the film’s scriptwriter. However, the characters and situations are familiar to people
because they could happen in real life. The closer a story is to the viewers’ reality, the
more universal its appeal, e.g. love stories. Filmmakers stick with the familiar through
recurring elements and storylines in hopes of audiences identifying with their stories.
Thus, formulaic films tend to end up using cliché storylines, stereotype characters and
tropes.
Story vs. Narrative: The story usually refers to the entire chronological unfolding of
events, including your character’s back story. In contrast, the plot refers to how you tell
the story. The plot includes omitting things which might drag the tale and reordering the
sequence of events through flashbacks or flashforwards to make audiences understand
the story differently than if the story was told chronologically.
The opposite of narrative is the documentary which presents non-fictional or factual
characters and situations in the film usually made to present a specific issue or societal
concerns to its viewers. Documentaries have stories, but it presents the story through
facts and case studies/lives of real people. Usually, documentaries carry some form of
advocacy wherein specific problems and social injustices are presented, elaborated or
exposed. Here, filmmakers capture reality in hopes of eliciting support for their
advocacy.
Animation encompasses the frame-by-frame shooting and projection of fictional films
using puppets, clay figures, drawings or sketches, shadows, and now computer-
generated images or characters. Animation is the oldest film format since it originates
from attempts to make pictures or images move. Now, it is often associated with moving
non-human things, featuring drawings or caricatures. Some kinds include:
Cel animation – a traditional form of animation where each frame is painstakingly hand-
drawn
Stop-motion – illusion of movement is done through taking pictures of an object with
each slight movement as one frame
An experimental film usually strays away from the traditional narrative format or the
typical documentary format. It plays around with the physicality of the film form, shooting
styles, production process and concept. Experimental filmmakers have a specific
philosophy in mind in conceptualizing the film. They can also discuss taboo topics too
controversial for narrative films. This is a format favored especially by filmmakers who
want to question or challenge authority figures or leadership establishments.
Television Broadcasting
Uses similar aesthetics and technologies as that of film. Same rules of framing, image
composition and motion concepts apply.
Difference with film: TV has more stable and unending supply of content. Films are
usually aired via limited viewing in movie houses while the broadcast industry has
endless supply of TV shows to include in their regular programming.
Airing usually starts at 5 AM until after midnight with a daily lineup of shows interspersed
with regular advertisements.
Free TV: broadcasts on frequencies which any regular antenna could capture.
Very high frequency (VHF) channels: ABS-CBN-2, PTV-4 TV5, GMA-7, RPN-9,
GMANews TV 11, IBC 13
Ultra high frequency (UHF) channels: Channel 21, ABS-CBN Sports + Action 23, Net
25, Channel 29, Channel 31, UNTV 37, Aksyon TV 41
Some major TV networks own multiple channels but each channel requires original
content or at least content specialization.
Cable TV: paid subscription service with 24 hours nonstop programming requiring lots
of content
Because of the content-driven nature of the industry, TV does not have the luxury of
time like in film. As such, shooting TV soap operas usually take two days for an entire
week’s worth of episodes.
Writers need to produce scripts faster per episode to deliver to the production people.
Thus, many TV shows have substandard content and questionable messages.
Weekly programs with longer airtime may have a different schedule since airing is not
immediate.
Free TV audiences cannot be controlled, as such programming and scheduling must be
done carefully.
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Kinds of Television Shows
Informative Programming (news programs, documentary shows, and public service
show shows) includes primetime news and current affairs programs and top-of-the-hour
headline news reports (“Flash Reports”) inserted between regular programs
Documentary-type shows for TV are also included under this programming. Some cable
channels specifically produce thematic documentaries such as National Geographic and
Discovery Channel.
Public service programs also fall into this category, such as shows catering specific
audiences’ needs. Examples include health and wellness programs, “expert advice”
programs (legal advice, health advice, etc.), and charity programs
Entertainment Programming (dramatic series, variety show, talk show, game show,
reality show, and TV specials) includes soap operas and dramatic teleseryes, crime
dramas, police dramas, legal dramas, supernatural shows, superhero shows, etc.
Situational comedy (Sitcoms) shows like Home Along De Riles, Home Sweety Home,
Pepito Manaloto
Sketch comedy or gag shows like Bubble Gang, Saturday Night Live
Variety shows with mixed content including performances, games and contests like It’s
Showtime and Eat Bulaga
Talk shows often discussing entertainment news or featuring celebrity interviews such
as Tonight with Boy Abunda
Game shows of skill or luck like Takeshi’s Castle, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Deal
or No Deal
Reality TV depicting the lives of seemingly-ordinary people in an extraordinary
environment, such as the Survivor and Big Brother franchises
Talent shows like American Idol and The Voice
TV specials are coverage of special events worldwide such as the Grammy’s, Oscars,
and the Miss Universe
MANIPULATIVE INFORMATION AND MULTIMEDIA
Cookie Cutter Storytelling
Regardless of star power or CGIs, it is the uniqueness or originality of stories which
make us interested in films or TV shows.
Genre: formal system of storytelling giving definite parameters of expectations using
expected elements with expected and predetermined outcomes (e.g. drama, comedy,
horror)
Genres have accompanying technical aspects of production (e.g. action, horror, drama)
Genres help make sense of films and TV shows, but some stories become overused to
the point that they become “cookie-cutter style” (e.g. romcoms – boy meets girl, start off
in conflict, get to know each other, fall in love)
Local teleseryes: shouting, fighting, slapping
Aesthetics and portrayal of Filipino values: are we war-freaks? Do we enjoy violence?
Cardboard Characterization
Characters: various fictional people appearing in films or TV shows, including heroes,
heroines, villains, supporting roles, minor and bit parts
Characters are portrayed through speech, appearance and action, mirroring people in
real life
Reel representations or magnified versions of the audience
Icons: James Bond, Lara Croft
RomCom faves: John Lloyd
Cookie-cutter characters: characterization is similar with those in previously popular
films with predictable formulas)
Escapism: happy endings as something audiences want, but since we don’t all get happy
endings, we settle for happy endings for our favorite fictional characters
“Ordinary person” who triumphs over adversity
Curiosity about other people’s lives (voyeurism) as a factor of the rise of reality TV shows
Stereotyping, Misrepresentation and Our Daily Life
Fictional characters affect how we view people in real life and how we view ourselves
(body image, social standing, economic status, career achievement, personal growth)
Fictional characters are supposedly based on people in real life but how much do they
really resemble us?
Stereotype: common form of media representation using instantly recognized
characteristics to label members of a social or cultural group, with both negative and
positive connotations, “pictures in our heads”
Stereotypes are never neutral or value-free, although they are not always negative in
connotation.
Common connotations: PWDs as subject of pity or comic relief; Outcasts: people are
afraid of those who dress act or think differently; LGBT: ridiculed or called hurtful names
and terms
Stereotyping as a form of discrimination and magnified biases / perceived biases of
society
Some stereotypes: the jock/athlete, the nerd/geek, popular girl/boy, the outcast, the
cheerleader, the mean girl/boy, rich/poor boy/girl, the rebel, the bully, teacher, coach,
principal, parent figure