Media Minute: Media have commercial implications
From Media Minute · 2013
2 min3rd4th5th6thMedia Arts
Summary
Most media exists to make money, and this episode follows that thread: shows, sites, and apps are businesses, a relatively small number of companies own a lot of what we watch, and knowing who profits helps you read a message more clearly. A kid-friendly first look at the money behind the media -- who's paying, who's selling, and what that means for you as the audience.
Viewer safety
All ages
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Follow the money
- The video says most media is made to make money. Where does the money come from in a free video or a free app?
- If only a few big companies own a lot of the media we see, why might that matter?
- How could knowing who profits from a message change the way you think about it?
Quick work-a-long
Who's selling?: Words to know -- *commercial, profit, advertiser.* Pick a free app or website you use. See if you can figure out how it makes money (ads? selling things? your attention?). Write one sentence explaining who pays and who profits.