One consequence of the information explosion is found in the area of media research methodology. The accessibility of the computer has not only broadened the scope of electronic media research but has also helped media scholars to develop new, more accurate, and more reliable media research methodologies. Whereas in the past, electronic media…

Little research has been conducted into the structure of television images. This structure merits examination in terms of its perceptual psychology, composition (light, color, form, placement, sound, and editing), and the aesthetics of motio Field forces theory asserts that there are differences between a real scenario and its representation on…

The viewer's perception of television pictures is different from the perception of pictures generated by other visual media. The research findings on the subject reveal that there are four major areas under which the study of television picture perception can be grouped. The "light through" as opposed to the "light on" theory…

Research has shown that producers and consumers of television programs are still uncertain about the nature of the "grammar" or "lexicon" that makes up the language of television. Although attempts have been made in experimental television ("video art"), systematic studies on the idiosyncratic nature, unique features,…

A review of research on television's major compositional factors was undertaken to determine the status of such research and to note the major variables involved in the structure of television pictures. It was found that such research could be grouped in four categories--lighting and color, staging, editing, and sound--and that these areas covered…

The process and effects of visual communication are examined in this paper. The first section, "Visual Literacy," discusses the need for a visual literacy involving an understanding of the instruments, materials, and techniques of visual communication media; it then presents and discusses a model illustrating factors involved in the…

Technological advancements in television images have resulted in an increase of media imagery. One cause of people's fascination with the new media technology is the constant utilization of depth axis staging. The visual elements that make up the image are often placed within the Z-axis, moving rapidly toward or away from the viewer, often…