Terminology

Anchorage: a fixing device – the text directs the reader through the signifiers of the image towards a meaning chosen in advance by the producer of the text.

Banner headline: page wide headline.

Brand image: how an institution, a media product or even a person is promoted to create a particular perception or belief amongst the public

Byline: name of the writer.

Caption: headline under a photo.

Codes and conventions: A code is a network of signs, written, visual, artistic or behavioural, which signify meanings that are culturally accepted and shared. A convention is a conduct or practice or method that is commonly accepted and has a tradition. Media texts are constructed using a number of codes and conventions which have agreed meanings.

Connotation: meanings arrived at through the cultural experiences a reader brings to the text.

Deck: the number of lines in a headline.

Denotation: refers to the simplest and most obvious level of meaning of a sign – be it a word, image, object or sound.

Exclusive: a story published by only one newspaper, a scoop.

Headline: words in large type found at the top of the story summarising it, the head.

Ident: an identifying image or sound e.g. a brand logo.

Ideology: the opinions, beliefs and ways of thinking characteristic of a particular person, group, or nation.

Institutions: the organisations or companies that produce and / or distribute media.

Intertextuality: within a text, visual or audio references are made to other texts. It is expected that audiences will recognise such references

e.g. an article in a music magazine entitled 'Hey Jude' about the lead singer of a band who happens to be called Jude, could be said to be an intertextual reference to the Beatles song 'Hey Jude' - an appropriate reference for a music magazine to make.

Layout: arrangement of content, pictures and words, on a print or webpage.

Lead: the first paragraph or two of a news story – sometimes in bold or a larger typeface.

Logo: the identifying design used by a brand to provide recognition.

Masthead: the top of the front page which gives the title and publication date of the newspaper printed in every issue.

Mediation: the process by which an institution or individual or a technology comes between events that happen in the world and the audience who receive the re-presentation.

Niche audiences: the separation of the media audience into segments, each of which have different tastes and concerns.

Puff: a promotion of a product or service.

Representation: media texts are artificial versions of reality, and thus provide certain 'versions' of "the truth" e.g. positive / negative / accurate / inaccurate / stereotypical / unconventional versions.

Skyline: a banner across the top of a magazine that advertises contents within the magazine.

Socio-economic groups (SEG): AB = Professional, business and white collar; C1 =  higher skilled manual; C2 = Lower skilled manual; DE = Semi and unskilled manual.

 

Stereotype: a standardised, usually oversimplified, mental picture or attitude towards a person or group, place or event.

Strapline: a short statement that sums up a story in a newspaper or magazine in a few words and may appear with the main headline for that story.

Synergy: the process through which is a series of media products derived from the same text is promoted in and through each other.

Target audience: the specific group of people towards that a media text is directed.