Potential Short Answer Questions from the Book by Kevin Williams: Understanding Media Theory
Answer the question in 5-6 sentences.
1. Describe the three levels of analysis when studying media production. How do
the levels influence one another?
2. Describe the four types of media workers. Make sure to give an example of each
type of worker.
3. What are formulas and why do media organizations rely on them?
4. What are some of the conditions that can shape media producers’ work?
5. What does the film Spotlight tell us about how news is produced at various levels
(i.e., at the level of individual workers, news organizations, and larger media
institutions)?
6. What are the strengths and weaknesses of studying bias in the media?
7. Describe two of the ways that stereotyping can occur in the media.
8. What are some common narratives in film and advertising?
9. Explain Stuart Hall’s encoding/decoding model. What are preferred, negotiated,
and alternative/oppositional readings?