Asking questions about media is the easiest way to get the answers behind the message.
Since all media messages have embedded values, people whose values differ from those of the message's producer will have a different interpretation of the message. Because of people's differing backgrounds and world experiences, not everyone experiences media messages in the same way. This is why you may love a movie, and your friend hates it. This is why you may find something funny, and someone else finds it offensive.
Here are some questions you might ask when trying to discover how you view the particular message, and how might others view it.
How might someone of a different race view this message?
How might someone of a different religion view this message?
How might someone of a different gender view this message?
How might someone older or younger than me view this message?
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Resources
Media Literacy: 3rd Edition
Media Literacy is a critical skill students must learn to succeed in today's tech-driven, media-saturated society. This book helps students understand media literacy, and how to implement and share that knowledge with others. As an experienced media literacy expert and professor, Nick Pernisco provides a well-researched guide for learning this important critical thinking skill and using it in everyday life. This is a must-read for anyone interested in learning how to interpret the enormous amounts of information we are exposed to every day, both in traditional media and online. Buy it now!