A2 Media Studies

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A2 Media Studies
Media Issues and Debates
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PICTURE START
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What is it?

• The purpose of this unit is to assess whether you
  are able to develop critical arguments about a
  range of media debates and issues.
• This unit is synoptic as it requires that you
  answer two questions with reference to a wide
  range of media texts, issues and debates, drawing
  on critical skills and knowledge and
  understanding of the key concepts learnt during
  the whole Advanced GCE course.
• In the exam you will have to answer two questions
  in two hours - one from two of three sections
  (!?!)

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What do I study?

• ? Section B Film SJP
• ? Section C Print PH
• The unit is marked out of a total of 90, with
  each question marked out of 45
• Each Section has 3 questions. One on each of 3
  topics..

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Topics

• Section B Film
• Contemporary British Cinema
• The Concept of Genre in Film
• Censorship and Film
• Section C Print
• The Magazine Industry
• Local Newspapers
• Freedom, Regulation and Control in the British
  Press.

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Which means what?

• Contemporary British Cinema
• An examination of the main creative, economic and
  institutional issues in contemporary British
  cinema
• The Concept of Genre in Film
• An examination of the main debates surrounding
  the functions and purposes of genre in film,
  including how, and why, definitions of particular
  genres change according to the contexts of their
  production.
• Censorship and Film
• A consideration of the various issues and debates
  associated with the censorship of film

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.and.

• Magazine Industry
• An examination of the various debates involved in
  the production and consumption of magazines, the
  commercial and ideological factors, and the
  relationship between the magazines, their
  producers, and their readers in contemporary
  society
• Local Newspapers
• A consideration of the role of institutional and
  local contexts of local newspapers
• Freedom, Regulation and Control in the British
  Press
• An examination of the main agencies involved ion
  the regulation and control of the British press
  and associated debates of freedom and democracy.

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Media Issues?

• Media issues are the concerns that people argue
  about, the discussions that we have as a society
  about the role of the media, and the relationship
  between individual people, media organisations,
  producers and the government.

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Media Debates?

• Media debates are the discussions that take place
  about these issues.
• For example, the effect and impact of reality
  television has been high on the news agenda of
  late due to events in Celebrity Big Brother.
  This issue has led to a great deal of debate.

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What might I be asked?

• How has the British film industry managed to
  survive?
• The following issues may be referred to by
  candidates
• Details of box office successes
• Distribution and exhibition issues
• Success of specific films, including heritage
  genre, romantic comedy with US stars, etc
• Funding sources, Film Council, C4 etc
• Independent film
• Art house cinema exhibitions
• Case studies of successful/unsuccessful films

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..or..

• Discuss how and why film genres change over a
  period of time.
• The following issues may be referred to by
  candidates
• Conventions of particular genres
• Role of genre in defining, structuring film
• Genre as promotional tool
• Capacity of genres to adapt to societal changes
  
• Genres reflecting/influencing societal change
• Examples of genres that have become stale,
  redefined themselves
• Hybridity
• Sub genres

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..or..

• Censorship of film is to be avoided at all
  costs. Discuss this view.
• The following issues may be referred to by
  candidates
• Rationale of censorship
• Role of BBFC
• Current classification system
• Case studies from recent history
• Pressure groups for and against censorship
• Audience effects theories and related research
• Experience/policy of non UK countries, eg
  USA/Sweden/Japan

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..or..

• Discuss the view that the magazine industry does
  not create stereotypes it merely reflects
  societys values.
• The following issues may be referred to by
  candidates
• Role of magazines to individuals/groups in
  society
• Uses and gratifications theories, audience
  consumption theories
• Consumerism and lifestyle theories
• Theories of representation and stereotyping
• Expectations of advertisers and sponsors
• ASA market research data

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..or..

• How important is a local newspaper to its
  community?
• The following issues may be referred to by
  candidates
• Local case studies
• Local newspaper as technophobes bulwark
  against electronic media
• Campaigning role of local press
• Forum for local community
• Shop window for local consumers and
  industry/services
• Morale raising reference point for local
  successes
• Antithesis of global corporate media
• Relationship with parent company/owner

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..or..

• Discuss the view that self regulation of the
  British press is unsatisfactory.
• The following issues may be referred to by
  candidates
• Role of PCC
• PCC Code of Conduct
• Relationship of press to broadcast media
• Calcutt Commission and Report
• Legal constraints
• Various landmark cases on privacy, contempt,
  defamation, etc
• Role of Ofcom

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Where do we start?

• The Magazine Industry
• This will mean understanding how the industry
  works as well as doing textual analysis.
• The trick is to be able to combine the two!