Describe three ways in which individuals can become more effective consumers of media messages

Answer:

As a potential consumer of practically nonstop messages coming from radio, television,
newspapers, magazines, advertisements, movies, and so on, you need strategies for dealing with this complex media environment. The solution cannot be boiled down to a set of simple guidelines, of course, but here are some ideas to consider when interacting with media. To become more effective in your media consumption, be an active agent in your media choices, be mindful of the media choices you make, and speak out if you find media content offensive.
How can you become an active consumer of media? First, don't just watch or read whatever is available. Make deliberate choices about media you expose yourself to so that you can better control the effect that media messages have on you. As you become more selective, you express a set of media-related values, which in turn indicates to media providers what type of media programming they should be providing.
As you work to broaden your horizons, obtain a range of views on world events. Try to understand why other people view the world the way they do, no matter how different their views are from your own. Try to understand the rising anti-Americanism coming from around the world. You may disagree with what you hear, or even find it offensive, but by seeing the complexity of issues involved you can gain a better understanding of the world we live in.
You can benefit from talking back or challenging the messages you receive via news commentators, politicians, reporters, or even characters in television programs. In other words, if you hear something you disagree with or that sounds wrong, point this out, even if only to yourself. For example, suppose you hear a reporter covering a natural disaster refer to "innocent victims." What, you might ask yourself, is a "guilty victim" in the context of an earthquake, or in any context for that matter? Noticing and questioning these kinds of empty phrases makes you a more active consumer of media.