Which of the following best describes media codes?

• A. Brand guidelines for campaigns.
• B. Symbolic, written, and technical elements used in media products.
• C. A plan for casting actors.
• D. A production safety protocol.

Answer: (B)

Media codes are the built-in language media uses to communicate meaning through different kinds of elements. They include symbolic, written, and technical aspects that appear in media products to signal ideas, mood, and messages. Symbolic codes are about imagery, colours, symbols, and clothing that carry meanings beyond the literal scene. Written codes cover on-screen text like captions, titles, and headlines. Technical codes involve how the content is filmed and presented—camera angles, shot types, lighting, editing, sound, and music—and how these choices shape how we feel about what we’re watching.

This description fits best because it highlights the three broad categories that together convey meaning in media texts. The other options describe tasks or rules outside of how media communicates—branding guidelines, casting plans, and safety protocols—areas that matter to production but aren’t the language or codes that encode meaning in media products.