Media Interpretations

Marshall McLuhan is an important figure in media studies because he changed the way mediums were interpreted and viewed by audiences. McLuhan adapted this view of thinking from two of his Cambridge University professors. This first being, I.A. Richards, in which the idea was to not look at literature, in McLuhan's case Media, in how it can be restated or easily interpreted, but how it mentally effects the reader or audience. The second was F.R. Leavis, who taught McLuhan to analyze his social surroundings. McLuhan applied those teachings into his analyzing of mediums and how they affected the mental perception of those who viewed them. Also showing the cultural beliefs and common assumptions that are perpetuated in the media through advertising.

McLuhan personally speaks to me as an advertising major, to take notice of the subliminal messages that are being fed to viewers through all forms of media (television, radio, etc.) His research and the technique he used to apply to media shows how in our society, stereotypes are able to be able to continually be perpetuated by the role media plays in our day-to-day existence.

-Alexis Cummings