Below is a list of some of the issues and debates discussed as it's important for you to be well rounded. I also found this wicked blog started by a Mrs Fisher and thought it was interesting. Keep sharing any useful media examples you might find.
http://mediastudiesissuesanddebates.blogspot.co.uk/
- online safety
- sexualisation of women in advertising and music videos increasing and being declared ironic and not demeaning
- phone/online addiction
- gaming addiction
- porn addiction leading to love/relationships being affected
- losing sense of self/identity on social media
- citizen journalism
- audience as producer
- audiences having more control of media or just an illusion
- hacking
- poor/few representations of minorities
- increasing world knowledge as a result of social media and globalisation of news
- rise of youtube channel stars
- social media and revolutions
- body pressures
- bullying
Remember texts like Carrie/Devil Baby trailers, Russia abuse, Flappy birds, elections, tv programmes that want you to tweet whilst you're watching, rise of Netflix dramas/comedies
Have a look through the latest news section on blog to remember some class discussions - it's good to have up to date examples.
Section B exemplar
A dominant
representation is one that is repeated across the
media over time and
so are the values that it carries. Discuss.
Teenage girls as a group are often
victimised in their representation.
Throughout history – despite many
changes women’s representation
has remained the same.
In 1959 Beat Girl was made and it
became a cult film which was
revolutionary at the time. Jennifer
the main female character is 16
and shown sneaking out, drinking,
acting promiscuously and
ultimately ending up working in a
strip club. The historical context of
the film needs to be explained. World
War 2 paved the way for the
teenager to be born with the influx of
American soldiers came
American culture. Coffee bars, music
clubs and rock n roll music and
dance allowed youth of Britain to
achieve their own style, culture and
a life away from their parents. Just
as there is now there was a media
panic surrounding teenage girls and
the promiscuity developing. The
introduction of contraception allowed
girls sexual liberation and that is
how we see Jennifer in Beat Girl.
The dominant representation of teenage
girls has always been
overtly sexual, downtrodden or a
damsel in distress that can only be
complete and be rescued by a man. This
is true of Beat Girl in 1959
right up to Kidulthood, Mean Girls and
Girl Next door in the 21st
century.
Feminist critic Laura Mulvey suggests
that the media sexualises
women into an ‘object for the male
gaze’ and she also suggests that
women never challenge their own
representation because they are
intimidated by it and ultimately the
hypodermic needle theory injects
into them that this is how they should
look and behave and this is a
result of the dominant representation
being repeated over and over.
Television programmes such as Skins
and Hollyoaks endorse this
representation and patriarchal
hegemony can be seen in all their
representations. The opening titles of
both programmes show women
with little clothing looking
seductive, being shot in a sexualised
manner – which is unusual considering
their dominant audience is
teenage girls. Due to the dominant
representation developed by the
media no one question or challenges
the portrayal of teenage girls
anymore as it is what is expected and
sex sells.
Kidulthood 2006 was revolutionary when
it was released. The
narrative made it post modern and the
actors were amateurs
however a closer analysis of the text
reveals that it is not
revolutionary at all, infact it
endorses the dominant representation of
teenage girls . The main characters
Becky and Alisia are both seen
taking drugs, partaking in
prostitution and throwing themselves at
boys . Alisia in the film also
endorses a moral panic about teenage
pregnancy. The film is a very poor
representation of teenage girls
and is in my opinion inaccurate.
Girl next Door and Mean Girls both
2004 show a very similar thing to
Kidulthood just in a less gritty,
stereotypically American way. Both
main female characters are blond
haired , blue eyed teenage girls
who in the film and in reality become
objects for the male gaze –
Regina George in Mean Girls uses
phrases such as , “I was half a
virgin when I met him” and Danielle in
Girl Next Door is ultimately
revealed as a porn star – this
promotes promiscuity and encourages
lose morals.
There is a whole new representation to
teenage girls - self
representation. Social networking
sites such as YouTube, Facebook,
Bebo and MySpace have allowed teenage
girls to represent
themselves, however it is clear that
the young girls age 13 -18
represent themselves according to what
the media has dictated to
them they should be like. Girls are
shown posing seductively – often
with little clothing and writing
suggestive messages in order to attract
attention of older boys. This also
links in to a moral panic regarding
internet grooming and paedophilia.
The dominant representation of teenage
girls is spoilt, blonde, dumb,
promiscuous, reckless, irresponsible
and difficult. However there
have been many cases where teenage
girls have done good which
seem to be ignored. Girls consistently
achieve higher grades than
boys but men are still regarded within
the media as more intelligent
Neo Marxism believes that the dominant
classes , white middle class
males control the media and therefore
the representations it gives
are false and demeaning to minority
groups who do not have say . I
think this it very true of the
representation of teenage girls
On researching my case study I found
an article in the Times entitled
“Teenage girls drink boys under the
table”. The times being a
broadsheet newspaper are not even
exempt from endorsing the
dominant ideology. The article goes on
toe say that 23% of teenage
girls get drunk more than once a week
compared with21% of teenage
boys – so with a difference of 2% they
have created a negative
headline that will sell papers by
appealing to the binge drinking moral
panic.
Music videos can also be blamed for a
false dominant representation
of teenage girls. Teen stars such as
Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears,
Rhianna and Christina Aguilera all
started between the ages of 14
and 19 and were swiftly moulded into
sex symbols by the mass
media. Britney Spears is the prime
example of a media product. She
grabbed both female and male attention
with her Hit me Baby one
more time video in which she
sexualised a school girl’s uniform an
endorsed the perverse male stereotype
of the sexy school girl. After
this she continued to create more raunchy
videos such as I’m a Slave
for you where she is seen being licked
and groped by 10 - 12 men at
the same time. Britney Spears was
endorsing the dominant
representation by following what the
media decide is sexy and
projecting this into the minds of her
very young teenage fans. The
Hypodermic needle theory suggests that
the media inject an idea into
the audience and then the audience
take in on without any question
and I think this does apply to the
representation of teenage girls.
In conclusion the dominant
representation of teenage girls has been
going on for a long time and it will
not doubt continue. Just as Neo
Marxism suggests people will not
question this representation until an
alternative is given and the media
will not create one until the
demand for the repetitive dumb blonde
ceases to exist.
Examiner’s comments:
Comprehensive, with
wide range and variety of detailed
examples. Detailed
case study showing clear evidence of
individual study.
Good media debates, theories and wider
contexts, a wide
range of relevant points applied. Good critical
autonomy. Good focus
on the question and evaluation
throughout.
Section B plan
MEST3
Exam Specimen Question
It has been said that media representations often reflect the
social and political
concerns of the age in which they are created. Discuss. (48
marks)
Essay plan
Opening paragraph – outline your case
study. Who and in what ways is the place/group represented hegemonically
(dominant representation). Use a range of textual examples to exemplify
your points across the platforms or genres.
How were women/black people/cities etc
(focus on your case study) were represented in the past in the media? Apply
your theory i.e. Marxism/Gramsci and explain, again using a range of texts to
support your points, how your group/place were represented/stereotyped in terms
of hegemony. Within this paragraph highlight how these representations reflect
the social
and political concerns of the time. For example, fears of
women becoming too powerful after WWII resulted in a number of advertisements
showing women in the home. This reflected the very real concern at that time
that women would increasingly shy away from their ‘natural’ role as a housewife
and mother. The media was
used to show women how they were expected to behave!
How these representations have continued
until more recently. What has occurred either socially, politically,
economically that has resulted in these (transgressive) representations? Again
using women as the example, the growing feminist movement and a more relaxed
Labour government in the mid 1970s brought about change in terms of women
gaining equality through the a number of political acts.
Focus then on whether this has actually
resulted in less misrepresentation in the media or whether things have actually
stayed the same. Why? Think about who remains in control of the media. Would
they really allow hegemony to be challenged?
Section A Q3s
A compilation of all Section A question 3s that have come up. Examiners say:
·
Use the unseen products to answer a question on wider contexts.
·
You should move beyond the texts, referring to other media products to
support
your answer. The
‘should’ is intended to tell candidates they will be expected to move beyond
the two unseen
products and include other examples.
·
For question 2 and 3 candidates can include examples from either of
their individual case studies, class work they have done and from their own
media
Question 3 Jan 2011
0 3 Multiplatform media can allow access to a wider range of views,
including extreme ones.
Should the internet be more regulated?
You should refer to other media products to
support your answer.
Question 3 June 2011
0 3 Consider the value of using online
marketing to target a youth audience.
You
should refer to other media products to support your answer.
Question 3 Jan 2012
0 3 Why do media institutions celebrate
new technology to market their products?
You
should refer to other media products to support your answer.
Question 3 Jun 2012
0 3 Do you think that official and
unofficial websites contribute to a film’s box office success?
You
should refer to other media products to support your answer.
Question 3 Jan 2013
0 3 Is the media able to challenge traditional representations of
femininity? You should refer to other media products to support your answer.
Question 0 3 June 2013
How
important is it for producers of print products to have a multi-platform
presence? You should refer to other media products to support your answer.
Group essays Section A question 3 examples
Do you think that unofficial or official websites
contributes to a film box office success? You should refer to other media
products in your answer.
Official websites will contribute as all revenue will go to
the company. Could include information about the story like and could be used
to appeal to a wider demographic. For example the Hunger games website.
Official review websites can make the audience want to watch
the film. Institutions such as IMDB give ratings and review about the film. I
believe that if a film gets a good review it will make a wider demographic wish
to see it, on the other hand, a bad review could have a negative effect on the
films box office.
I believe that official and unofficial websites definitely
contribute to a film’s success. Websites for films such as Godzilla (http://www.godzillafilm.com) generate
excitement and there can also be the social interaction. Social networking
sites allow the film websites to advertise so when the audience go and to the
website there is the option to share with friends, this two-step flow can generate
excitement and anxiety.
I think that unofficial and official websites contribute a
great deal to a films box office success. Fansites and blogging platforms such
as http://www.Tumblr.com or http://www.livejournal.com generate
excitement for new releases outside of a mainstream audience affected by
advertising campaigns because of the ease to make media go viral for example
with the trailer for Avengers.
I think that official sites can generate a greater box
office success for a new film. However unofficial sites can do this more. Or
the opposite with existing film or film ideas such as Batman. The new Batman
film set to be released features Ben Affleck as Batman and already the fans are
turning against the franchise despite the lack of official reviews.
Unofficial and official websites contribute massively yo a
films box office. They give a film an online presence before it has even been
released. An example of this would be for the film “The Hunger Games” There is
a large fan base for the franchise who create blogs and websites/fan sites for
the film. This creates excitement and hysteria around the film. Individuals
talk to each other about the films and this therefore increases the interest in
the film before it has been released.
Unofficial websites can contribute considerably to the box
office revenue as the create games for the users to play. This gets people
interested in the series and more like to play the game, Marvels Avengers had
many of these and was very successful film. This allowed everyone to understand
the plot of the storyline and maybe people went to watch it. This shows the
hypodermic syringe.
Why do media institutions celebrate new technology’s to
market their products? You should refer to other media products to support you
answer.
Media products celebrate new technology to market their
products for a number of reasons. They will use social networking to get their
products known to a wider demographic. An example of this is Microsoft who
shared their Xbox One on Facebook to gain fans. This allows the company to make
more fans and give people more of a view. I think this then creates free
testers for the product who they do not have to pay for, showing liberal
pluralism. Alex
Advertising could be cheaper online. Before YouTube videos,
could be made non skip able. Hypodermic syringe by constant exposure. Nick
Indie creators can use YouTube advertising. The new free
advertising on YouTube allows user created content to be advertised. This gains
a higher demographic. In my opinion this will also make more young people want
to create their own product. Shaun
They do it to initiate a trend do for example when apple came
into full flight. Institutions such as online shopping or news make adverts
promoting their new application that would be “Available of the app store”. Dan
I believe that media institutions are celebrating new
technology because of the wider demographic reached. YouTube advertising. Not
being able to ship. Tom
Media products celebrate technology to market their products
and make full use of platforms such as the internet. Although the internet
itself isn’t a new technology, programmes used by institutions such as
amazon.com or online platforms for other stores such as Topshop are far more
successful when advertising online as they can target potential customers
directly based on past google searches.
Celine
Media institutions celebrate the use of new media platforms
such as the internet as a means to gain more profit. With real advertising
technologies such as tracking cookies and institutions can allow companies to
advertise their products on their websites, offering both sides an opportunity
to gain more profit. Christian
Is
the media able to challenge traditional representations of femininity? You
should refer to other media product to support your answer.
Social media can be used to create countertypes. The “No makeup
selfie” portrays that you don’t need to wear tons of makeup to look “beautiful”.
This uses liberal pluralism to challenge the beauty myth created by the Marxist
hegemony. I believe this firmly challenges the representation of femininity.
I believe that the media has the power to challenge the
representation of femininity. The Dove film “Beauty patch”, tells the audience
that beauty is not only skin deep and more psychological. I think that the
dominant ideology of “Beauty” and “Perfection” is being challenged by the media.
Negative representations are turning to positive and the glamorisation and
objectification of femininity are being smashed.
The media is able to challenge traditional representations of
femininity through the representations of countertypes in the media the dominant
ideology of a week, emotional woman obsessed with finding love s challenged by
characters such as Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games (2012). In this film,
binary opposition is used to portray Peeta, the male characters, as
traditionally feminine as he is caring and fond of baking and Katniss as the
hero who often saves his life.
Media is able to challenge the traditional representation of
femininity through the resistance of dominant ideologies. Some films have
started to create female characters that break the stereotypical female would.
An example of this would be in the film Brave, where the protagonist, a young
girl with flame-red hair and relatively dull clothes, is seen as the strong and
independent character. Girls in the current tie are influenced by the hypodermic
needle theory, to act and dress a certain way. The idea of breaking and
challenging that representation is starting to empower woman, albeit slowly.
The media is not able to challenge traditional representations
of femininity. The audiences try however they do not change the minds of the
chairmen of institutions. An example is the groups online like Dove who
challenge the traditional representation. They are not listened to due to
companies not wanting to change. This goes against liberal pluralism. I think
this is bad as people’s views should always be heard.
A grade section B answer
How does the representation of the group or place you have studied differ across different media platforms or genres? Why do you think this is the case?
Section B past questions
Representations in the
Media (48 marks)
·
Representations
are rarely straightforward but are often complex and may be contradictory. What evidence is there for this in your case
study?
·
One
effect of repeated negative representation is to demonise and marginalise. How far is this true of the representation of
the group or place you have studied?
·
There
are a wide range of representations in the media and audiences are free to
choose how they interpret them. To what extent do you agree with this statement.
·
How
and why do alternative representations of the group or place you have studied
challenge mainstream values and ideology?
·
‘Constant
media stories about gang crime create a depressing and unbalanced picture of
black youngsters.’ (www.guardian.co.uk) Using the group or place you have
studied, consider whether media portrayals are more complex than simple
positive or negative representations. (48 marks)
·
How
does the representation of the group or place you have studied differ across
different media platforms or genres? Why do you think this is the case? (48
marks)
·
How
are stereotypes used by media producers and why are they so popular?
·
Audiences
are now too sophisticated to be taken in by negative and stereotypical
representations. Do you agree?
·
“1Xtra, MTV Base and
ZeeTV are all hugely popular. But whenever I watch these channels, all I see is
a ghetto... Nobody wants to be in the ghetto, OK? We all want to live in the
mainstream.”
(Lenny Henry in a speech
to the Royal Television Society, Guardian News andMedia Ltd, 2008) Why
would the group or place you have studied want to be represented in the
mainstream media?
·
A dominant
representation is one which is repeated across the media over time and so are
the values that it carries. Discuss.
·
Critics
have accused the mainstream media of tokenism and stereotyping by creating
extreme and exaggerated representations. To what extent is this true for the
group or place you have studied?
(48 marks)
·
Media
representations rarely challenge the dominant values of society nor do they
give a voice to those with little power. To what extent is this true for the
group or place you have studied? Why? (48
marks)
·
It has been said that media
representations often reflect the social and political concerns of the age in
which they are created. Discuss. (48 marks)
·
Media representations favour those
with power at the expense of those without. To what extent do you think this
statement is true? (48marks)
Section A question 3s - probs be digital media related
A
compilation of all Section A question 3s
that have come up. Try and test yourself giving yourself 17 minutes to answer
it.
Examiners
say:
·
Use the unseen products to answer a question on
wider contexts.
·
You should move beyond the texts, referring to other
media products to support
your
answer. The ‘should’ is intended to tell candidates they will be expected to
move beyond the two unseen products and include other examples.
·
For question 2 and 3 candidates can include
examples from either of their individual case studies, class work they have
done and from their own media
Question 3 Jan 2011
0 3 Multiplatform
media can allow access to a wider range of views, including extreme ones.
Should the internet be more regulated?
You should refer to other media products to support your answer.
Question 3 June 2011
0 3 Consider
the value of using online marketing to target a youth audience.
You should refer to other media products to support your answer.
Question 3 Jan 2012
0 3 Why do
media institutions celebrate new technology to market their products?
You should refer to other media products to support your answer.
Question 3 Jun 2012
0 3 Do you
think that official and unofficial websites contribute to a film’s box office
success?
You should refer to other media products to support your answer.
Question 3 Jan 2013
0 3 Is the media able to challenge traditional representations
of femininity? You should refer to other media products to support your answer.
Question 3 June
2013
How important is it for producers of print products to have a
multi-platform presence? You should refer to other media products to support
your answer.
Section A practise questions 1 and 2
Sample Mest 3 questions
How is the use of mobile phones represented in the following
media texts?
Use of smartphone technologies is often represented
negatively. How is this being challenged?
Ice Age – Was shown in cinemas
Big Buck Bunny – Online film, rarely or never shown in a
cinema
1. In both clips, how are different media techniques employed
to set the scene.
2. How have advances in technology changed the way we access
the media.
3. To what degree is the group you studied outcast by the
media.
Section
A June 2014
3) Media Product 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8vncRUbnQU Barclays
Premier League Advert
Media Product 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMGsxgdqJnc
ECB Official Ashes Promotion Film
1.
How is sport portrayed as a being
for everyone in both of the media products? (8 marks)
2.
Explain how narrative techniques
are used in sports advertising to create audience anticipation and excitement.
You may refer to other Media examples (12 marks)
3.
How are institutions using New and
Digital Media to further advertise their product or brand? You should refer to
other media texts in your answer (12 marks)
Section A
· Evaluate how each media
product represents ‘celebrity’.
· Does the media fuel celebrity
obsession or are they just giving the audience what they want? You may also
refer to other media examples to support your answer.
4) Media Product One- ARGO opening sequence
Argo is a
2012 American Political film directed by Ben Affleck. This dramatization
is adapted from U.S. Central Intelligence
Agency operative Tony Mendez's book The
Master of Disguise and Josuah Bearman’s 2007 Wired article The
Great Escape. The plot focuses around Tony Mendez rescue of six U.S.
diplomats from Tehran,
Iran, during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. Argo was widely acclaimed by American
critics, however the Islamic nation was outraged at the generalisation of their
nation.
Media Product Two- Reel Bad Arabs clip
Reel Bad Arabs: How
Hollywood Vilifies a People is a documentary film directed by Sut Jhally and produced by
Media Education Foundation in 2006. This film is an extension of the book of
that name by Jack
Sheenan, which
also analyses how Hollywood corrupts or manipulates the image of
Arabs. The film received positive and
negative critics when being reviewed, the documentary itself didn’t receive
great publicity and was only shown at small independent film festivals.
1. Evaluate how the Islamic nation is
represented in both media products. (8 marks)
2. How has Marxist hegemony shaped the stereotype
of Islam in Media texts? Is it challenged? You may also refer to other media
products to support your answer. (12 marks)
Question 3
3. How does new and digital media help to challenge
and produce countertypes? You should refer to other media products to support
your answer. (12 marks)
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