MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY

Module 5
Codes, Conventions, and Language of Media

Most Essential Learning Competencies

What I Need to Know

Great day to you dear learner! In this module you will learn the different codes, conventions, and the language used in media to
disseminate information.
Knowledge of these will help you to understand better the messages given to you and at the same time will equip you to convey your
message in different ways to achieve your desired outcome.
After going through this module, you are expected to:

 Define codes, conventions, and language of media.

 Identify the codes and conventions presented.
 Use the codes and conventions of media in presenting an issue.

 Codes, Convention, and Language of Media

Semester: 1st Semester
Quarter: 2nd Quarter
Number of Hours: 4 Hours

Don’t you worry; your teacher will help you throughout your learning journey. So, have fun!

Lesson 1
Codes, Conventions, and Language of Media

Today, media has become very powerful and influential. As a learner, it is not enough that you can read the information given to you. It is
also important to understand media and information codes and conventions to help you better understand the message that media professionals are
communicating. According to Ute Schaeffer as cited by (Sylvia Braesel, Media and Information Literacy A practical guidebook for trainers,
2018)“People need to be media literate. This involves knowing where to find relevant information, how media shape popular culture and
opinion and influence personal choices, and how to navigate the Internet and ensure personal privacy in the cyber world.”
 1. Symbolic codes are social in nature. Such codes exist beyond the media product
themselves but can be interpreted in similar ways in the everyday life of the viewer
(Young, 2017).

Example: which means Christianity

These also include setting, mise en scene, acting and color.

https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2016/jun/10/the-conjuring-2-20160610/

Setting is the time and place of the narrative. It can be the setting of the whole story or just a specific scene. This
will create atmosphere or build a frame of mind (Young, 2017).

https://www.iol.co.za/motoring/mr-bean-drives-from-the-roof-again-1911872

Mise en scene is a French term meaning ‘everything within a frame’. Costume and props are included in the
analysis in the frame (Young, 2017).

https://telecoms.com/ 475799/surely-verizon-wont-buy-twitter-too/
shocked-man-covering-his-mouth-with-hands/

Acting is how an actor portrays a character that will lead to character development and tension making through
facial expression, body language and vocal qualities (Young, 2017).

https://www.insider.com/maleficent-mistress-of-evil-movie-review-2019-10
Color is used to connect connotation to specific scenes, characters or object. Red, for instance, is typically seen as a color of
passion, danger, romance, or violence. Green is connected with nature or sickness, blue with calm or depression. Purple is seen
to be connected with royalty (Young, R. 2017).

2. Technical codes. According to Arniel Ping technical codes are all the ways in which equipment is used to tell a story in a media
text like camera techniques, framing, lighting, etc. (Ping, 2016).

Camerawork refers to how the camera is handled, positioned and moved for specific effects like a high-angle camera shot to
create a feeling of power in a photograph.

CAMERA TECHNIQUES

.https://nofilmschool.com/camera-angles-and-shots-movements
Lighting. According to Robert Young lighting is the manipulation of natural or artificial light to selectively highlight
specific elements of the scene( Young, 2017).
Audio is the expressive or naturalistic use of sound. It includes dialogue, sound effects and music. According to
Chris Constantine(Constantine, 2010) music often defines a scene. An example is the use of
ominous music to communicate danger in films.

3. Written codes are the formal written language used in a media product. These
include language style and textual layout like headlines, captions, speech bubbles, etc.
(Frezi.com, Young, R. 2017)

https://gravereviews.com/2020/04/16/blood-the-last-vampire-2000/

https://design.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-create-speech- https://www.interaksyon.com/trends-spotlights
bubbles-and-comic-effects-in-adobe-illustrator--cms-24764 /2018/12/19/140858/catriona-gray-newspaper-media-
australia-miss-universe/

Prepared by: SHERHAN S. LAARIN

MIL Subject Teacher