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If we want to conduct our own critiques of specific media, we’ll need a working knowledge of that medium—whether it’s a book, TV show, song, movie, video game, magazine, radio show, or some other form. For example, suppose our goal is to develop a meaningful critique of the TV show Dexter (in which the main character is a serial killer), Rush Limbaugh’s conservative radio program, or weekly magazines’ obsession with Kate Middleton. In each case, we will have to thoroughly familiarize ourselves with the show, program, or magazines in question and start thinking about what messages they seem to be conveying. As we begin this process, we will also need to transcend our own preferences and biases. For instance, we may like or dislike hip-hop, R&B, pop music, or country, but if we want to criticize the messages in one or more of these musical genres intelligently, we need to understand what they have to say and consider why their messages appeal to particular audiences.

Familiarization and a certain amount of self-conscious detachment, then, are the preliminaries of a rigorous process that moves beyond matters of taste or, worse, a cynical, wholesale dismissal of culturally significant experiences. Becoming truly media literate requires mastering this critical process and applying it to our everyday encounters with the communication media. The process encompasses five steps: Description, Analysis, Interpretation, Evaluation, and Engagement (see “The Critical Process behind Media Literacy”).