Everybody interprets, understands, sees, and reads what perspective they desire to see, however each individual does it a different way. Today, media is a big part of how people portray things. As the result of this, certain media outlets only want viewers to see one perspective– their perspective. This results in getting people to think and believe what the certain media think and believe. Print media includes typeface, camera angles, sizes of pictures, the use of different punctuation, font and many more ways to influence the readers’ perceptions.
The picture selection from an author of a different person can change the view a reader has of someone within the picture. Meyrowitz said in his article “powerful content and powerful grammar typically have opposite effects on audience awareness” (Meyrowitz, 102), like a photo– the same person, but in in a different focuses.
Both images of Madonna have been used in multiple different newspapers. Like Meyrowitz had said in his article “the impact of media grammar is most visible when a content” exactly my example.
If a newspaper wants to highlight the negative about Madonna, they will be more willing to use the first picture but if they want to talk about something positive in regards to Madonna, the media will probably choose the second one. Also, like the famous Arthur Brisbane’s quote “ a picture is worth a thousand words”, when newspapers decide to choose a certain image, their predominance over their audience to think certain assumptions or presume different idea is what this article pertains to.
One of the many other aspects of media grammar in print media is the camera angles. These are two different images of Marshall Mathers III best known as Eminem.
Does it change the audience’s perception about Eminem whenever they see one of the images on a newspaper? When you see the first image, you see the confidence, kind of cocky side of Eminem. Whenever newspapers use the first image, they want to influence the reader mostly to project how Eminem is arrogant/ conceited. Like Meyrowitz said in his article, “low-angle shots are often used to suggest power and authority”(Meyrowitz, 101). However, whenever newspaper uses the second picture to project the “good side” of Eminem, the media are probably wanting to discuss the positives regarding Eminem.
Meyrowitz touched all aspects of media grammar literacy in this article, it is such an interesting concept, a simple image can change reader’s perspective regarding the certain subject. What is even more interesting is that most people who utilized this media are totally unknowledgeable of the power it can have over the audience.
Sources
Meyrowitz, Joshua. (1998), Multiple media literacies. Journal of Communication, 48: 96–108
MTV Award 2013, 3 news, MTV Award Pictures Best Hip-Hip Award
Yuan Yuan says
I enjoyed reading your essay about the media grammar in newspaper. In your article, you provide two examples of the same person in different focuses can have distinct effects in one commercial. I would like to say that I totally agree with your position, it is very reasonable. In my opinion, there’s also another example that one situation but in diverse commercial can choose different celebrities. That’s an opinion from your thought but in different ways. I think if you add some examples into your essay and defend the other side of your view. That will be perfect.
mvl5410 says
Before telling my opinion about this post, I personally really enjoyed reading it because it explained it so well about this week’s lesson. Also, the example that the author used was self-explanatory. I couldn’t agree more on how media uses certain techniques to deceive the audience so easily. Like the picture that is given in the post is a good example. Even though people in the U.S. or the fans will not be deceived by the photos that the media choose to use, people who are not familiar with them and people who only gets information through the media will definitely judge them through photos that are displayed. The author of the post only gave examples of print media, but also we can see this happening not only in print media but also in TV shows, and in films. If we are aware of how the media manipulates us that it might seem to be not of a big problem. However, as Meyrowitz said in his article “powerful content and powerful grammar typically have opposite effects on audience awareness.” Media grammar literacy, even though it seems obvious, is very complex. Although I am familiar how media works, it is astounding to know the fact that, as the poster author said, a simple image can change reader’s perspective regarding the certain subject and that most people who utilized this media are totally unknowledgeable of the power it can have over the audience.
cmf5533 says
Great post. I agree with your point on how certain TV stations and other media outlets choose what type of picture they want to present to the audience based on what story they are presenting about a certain person. What the media presents to the audience has a huge impact on what we tend to think about that particular person. I think depending on what the story is will determine what picture they choose to advertise. I do think that the pictures that are shown in the media are presented to help create and form a particular perception of that person. I also agree with Meyrowitz on how a single picture can change one’s perception on someone or something based on how that particular media outlet presents the story or person.
Matt Smith says
I agree that newspapers and news on TV chooses different images to use about the same artist giving them a different reputation to some people. But I believe that it is not about the photo they show in newspapers because the media is always going to show an artist like Madonna or Eminem in a good fashion unless there is a controversy about them. Using the Eminem example, if newspapers show the second photo, or photos like that, it is getting his reputation as a “good person.” When they show the first photo, people are not going to think much about it because they know his “good side” and his fan base has already formed through photos like the second one.