Feedback legend
i - Media language - you are not using enough key media language! Make sure to revise the textual analysis toolkit. Remember, without media language, you are giving a common sense response!
ii - Knowledge and understanding - you are not familiar enough with the set texts... or you are simply not getting this knowledge across in the response. Re-read/watch the media products we have studied in class!
iii - The big concepts- you are not making enough considered reference to concepts such as ideology, cultivation, patriarchal hegemony, polysemic readings and so on. Revise and apply advanced media concepts for a better result.
iv - Theorists - You are not referring to theories and theorists by name. Sort it out!
Advice for individual questions
Component 1 A
In what ways do music videos encode viewpoints and ideologies? Make reference to Formation by Beyoncé and Riptide by Jack Vance*. [30]
Most of you made excellent reference to media language in this question. However one thing many of you overlooked was the commercial aspect of music videos. A music video is an advert for a song. So why does an advert for a song explore references to abuse and voyeurism? Does it reinforce patriarchal hegemony? Is this appropriate for the target audience?Additionally, when discussing ideology, you must discuss how encoding an ideology reinforces this message for the target audience. In this sense, the producer is manipulating the audience!
*Finally, well done to those of you who corrected the name of the performer of Riptide in your responses. It's Vance Joy. Jack Vance is sci-fi author, though I have never read any of his books. Mysterious! (Seriously though, please refer to Vance Joy by his proper name in the real exam, otherwise you will lose marks).
Component 1 B
Explore the ways in which production, distribution and circulation have shaped the newspapers you have studied. Make reference to The Daily Mirror and The Times. [15]
This question asks you to make reference to The Times and The Daily Mirror. Not enough of you actually did this. Additionally, many times students would begin a paragraph namechecking distribution or circulation, but would then describe, in general detail, what a newspaper looks like.
For this question, it's pretty much essential to point out the following:
- The Mirror's readership has declined (18% in 2017!)
- The Mirror's readership is higher than The Times, though The Times has a more stable readership
- Both newspapers target different demographics
- The Mirror in particular has embraced online distribution in the form of the website
- The recent rebranding of Trinity Mirror as Reach PLC
- The fact that the company now known as Reach PLC are the largest regional newspaper publisher
Component 2
To what extent has sociohistorical context influenced representations in the magazines you have studied? Make reference to both Adbusters and Woman. [30]
For this section, there was not nearly enough explicit textual analysis. Many students merely described the magazines, and this impacted your grade in many cases. So, to be as blunt and straightforward as possible, you all must ensure you know these magazines like the back of your hand. You have plenty of time to rectify this, so start now!