Media language

1. Intertextuality= when one text references another to create deeper meaning.
2. Anchorage= how a text helps clarify the meaning of an image.
3. Ideology= how beliefs and ideas shape how individuals perceive and interpret the world
4. Paradigm= a set of signs that belong to the same category and can replace each other to change meaning.
5. Syntagm= The arrangement of signs to create a specific meaning
6. Diegesis= fictional world of a story
7. Quest narrative= Stories structure where the protagonist overcomes a challenge.
8. Causality= relationship between events where one causes the other to happen
9. Master plot= recurring narrative structure that appears across various genres. Less risk- familiarity
10. Genres of order= Involve conflict and resolution through action. (Thomas Schatz)
11. Genre of integration= Social relationships and emotional connections e.g rom coms
12. Mytheme= a key element of narrative structure from which myths are created.
13. Ideological reading= uncovering media texts to reveal beliefs and ideologies it conveys
14. Pastiche= when a media text mixes styles or borrows from others without mocking them.
15. Bricolage= creating something new by combining existing pieces.
16. Implosion= Implosion is when boundaries blur, like between reality and media representations.
17. Simulacra= copies of things that no longer have an original version.
18. Simulation= when representations are treated as reality.
19. Hyperreality= the line between real life and simulation is blurry.

Media Representation

1. Dominant ideology= main set of beliefs and values promoted by those in power.
2. Constructed reality= A version of reality created and shaped by media.
3. Hegemony= The dominance of one group’s ideas making them seem acceptable.
4. Fluiditiy of identitiy= identity is not fixed but constantly evolving
5. Constructed identity= how identity is formed through social cultural and media influences
6. Negotiated identity= balance between who an individual is and what society expects from them
7. Collective identity= shared identity of a group e.g with similar values and beliefs
8. Voyeurism= watching others, often without their consent, for personal pleasure or interest.
9. Raunch culture= objectifying individuals, especially women
10. Female gaze= Media created from a woman’s perspective, highlighting female experiences and viewpoints.
11. Gender as discourse= Ideas about gender are created and shaped through communication and media.
12. Subversion= Challenging norms can disrupt traditional views of gender.
13. Cultural imperialism= Dominance of one culture over others through media and institutions.
14. Multiculturalism= A celebration of diverse cultures living together.
15. Imagined communities= A sense of belonging to a group created through shared media and ideas.
16. Marginalisation= Pushing certain groups to the edges of society or media representation.
17. Orientalism= Stereotyping Eastern cultures as exotic, backward, or other.
18. Otherness (alterity)= Viewing certain groups as different or inferior to a dominant group.
19. Double consciousness= Feeling divided between two identities, like being both Black and British.
20. Diaspora= Groups of people who leave their homeland and mix cultures to form new identities.
21. Free market = An economic system where prices and production are determined by competition between privately owned businesses.
22. Media concentration = The ownership of multiple media outlets by a small number of large companies.
23. Neo-liberalism = A political approach that supports free markets and less government control.

Media audience

1. Cumulation = The repeated exposure to media messages over time.
2. Standardisation = The process of making things uniform or similar.
3. Enculturation = The gradual acquisition of the characteristics and norms of a culture.
4. Bardic function = Media acts as a storyteller, shaping cultural narratives.
5. Mean World Index = The belief that the world is more dangerous than it actually is, due to media exposure.
6. Prosumer = A consumer who also produces content.
7. Textual poaching = Fans creatively reinterpret and repurpose media content.
8. ‘We the media’ = The idea that ordinary people can create and share media content.
9. Web 2.0 = The second generation of the internet, focused on user-generated content and interactivity.
10. Mass amateurisation = The rise of amateur content creators due to accessible technology.
11. Cognitive surplus = The collective time and creativity of people, used to create and share media content.

Key points:

• In November 2024, Australia announced a ban on social media for children under 16, sparking global discussion on similar regulations.
• Social media has been linked to mental health risks in teenagers, with coroners citing its negative effects in teen suicides and court cases highlighting its role in online radicalization.
• The US Surgeon General proposed warning labels for social media platforms, akin to those on tobacco products, due to their potential harm.
• In the UK, there is growing political and public pressure to curb the influence and power of social media platforms.
• France introduced legislation in 2023 requiring parental consent for social media access for children under 15.
• Livingstone and Lunt’s theories highlight two regulatory approaches: the “consumer-based model” prioritizing competition and profit and the “citizen-based approach” prioritizing societal and public service needs.
• They argue UK media policy has heavily leaned towards the consumer-based model over the past three decades, prioritizing commercial interests over public good.
• This shift explains growing concerns about safeguarding and regulating harmful online content.
• Livingstone and Lunt also point to challenges in regulating global social media platforms, whose companies and content transcend national borders.
• Public discourse around social media regulation has become widespread, involving academics, news outlets, documentaries, and social media itself.

2nd page of article:

• Calls for tighter regulation of social media and the internet have been ongoing for decades, with debates intensifying over time.
• In 2004, Sonia Livingstone advocated for a balanced approach, warning against moral panic and excessive restrictions on children’s internet use.
• Despite her caution, the UK press fueled moral panic with sensational headlines about the dangers of social media for children.
• By the 2015 UK election, all major political parties proposed restrictions on social media, with the Liberal Democrats advocating for a Digital Bill of Rights.
• Nick Clegg, former Liberal Democrat leader, later joined Facebook (Meta) as President of Global Affairs, where privacy ideals were less prioritized.
• The UK’s Online Safety Bill, signed into law in 2023, ended self-regulation by social media companies, placing them under Ofcom’s oversight and introducing new offences to protect vulnerable groups.
• Livingstone supported the Bill but emphasized the need to balance addressing harms with recognizing the benefits of online spaces for children.
• Her work highlights children’s rights to access and participate in online spaces, now partially enshrined in UN Human Rights law.
• Livingstone criticized Australia’s social media ban for children under 16 as overly simplistic and counterproductive to children’s rights.
• Together with Peter Lunt, she has consistently advocated for media literacy as a solution, empowering users to engage actively and responsibly with media rather than relying solely on restrictions.

Question 1) What examples from the music video could be added to this response

A= The video’s visuals of the deserted streets and closed down shops shows the social and economic decline, which affected the working class in Britain during Margret Thatcher’s time as prime minister. The song uses the ska genre, represented in a British context by a mixed race band. This reflects Gilroy’s idea of the Black Atlantic, showing how different cultures mix and create something new through shared experiences.

Question 2) Identify and highlight links to social and cultural contexts

A= The video reflects a time of despair, with the Brixton riots taking place black communities faced huge police discrimination. Additionally, deindustrialisation led to mass unemployment, affecting not only the working class but the black community too. There was also rising tension within Thatcher’s policies which were deepening social and economic inequalities. These issues where highlighted in the music video, to bring awareness and voice the working classes/black communities concerns about their economy.

Context
Cultural	Named a single of the year by various magazines, such as NME and Melody Maker, its message obviously resonated with the young people who bought the record and sang along with the lyrics
Social	The specials are not only providing a soundtrack for the disenfranchised youth, but feeling the pain being felt by millions of people nation wide	‘Ghost Town’ is an important commentary on social injustice in the early 1980s, especially the tremendous dissatisfaction many young people felt towards politicians and their economic policies.
Historical	The song was inspired by the Brixton and Bristol riots, so the sounds become a signifier of social unrest and police brutality, especially the implementation of stop and search powers which disproportionately targeted young black men.
Political	Shops are shuttered and factories are closed. This represents the social collapse caused by the decline of car manufacturers and other industries in the UK. There is no more ‘boomtown’ because there is ‘no job to be found in this country’

Question	What went well?	What could be improved?	What I am going to do to make the improvements
1 (7/9)	Good use of Barthes terminology	Add more information about consumerism	Explore Jean Baudrillard’s work on media culture and consumerism to have a better understanding
2 (20/25)	Good use of knowledge about both CSP	Add more key theorists into answer such as Curran and Seaton and Livingstone and Lunt	Go over industry theorists
3 (19/25)	Good use of social and cultural contexts	Stronger evaluation needed	Link back to the answer, practise structure
4 (20/25)	Good use of rhetorical questions	Make sure to use, audience, industry, rep and language throughout to create a good structure	Analyse over different topics and see which topics require which of the 4 e.g rep, audience, lang and industry.

Paper 1= 66/84 = A ( 2 more marks to get an A*)

Paper 2 = 66/84 = A ( 2 more marks to get an A*)

NEA= 52/60 = A ( 2 more marks to get an A*)

Media Language Barthes – Semiotics Strauss – Structuralism Todorov – Narratology Neale – Genre Baudrillard – Post Modernism	Media representation Hall – Representation Gilroy – Ethnicity and Post-colonialism Van Zoonen – Feminist hooks – intersectionality Butler – Gender Performativity Gauntlett – Identity
Media industries Curran and Seaton – Power and Media Livingstone and Lunt – Regulation Hesmondhalgh – Cultural Industries	Media Audience Bandura – Media Effects Gerbner – Cultivation Hall – Reception Jenkins – Fandom Shirky – End of Audience

Task 2

1. What technique did the film maker use to encode the campaign’s playfulness and inclusivity.

The film maker used story telling to create a narrative, the ad includes a montages of intimate moments which convey the campaigns inclusivity. The ad plays around with vibrant and warm tone colours that emphasises its playfulness.

2. What is the narrative of the advert

Celebrating black history and how black beauty has a huge influence on the beauty industry.

3. The use of interior setting

Through the use of interior setting it makes the ad feel more personal, which helps audiences connect and relate to the advert. It also emphasises that beauty is apart of many individuals day to day life and that we should celebrate the diversity it holds.

Question 2) – missed marks due to missing reference to figure 1.

In figure one you can identify how the media product represents reality by constructing an idealised version of the city during Christmas. The use of the cool tone colours and the Christmas iconography creates a warm and inviting tone suggesting that the city is filled with joy around this time of year. This representation of the city can boost tourism and consumerism by showing the lively and festive atmosphere. However is this an accurate representation of reality in Manchester? Many audiences may view this media advert with an oppositional approach and believe that it is neglecting many challenges faced within the Manchester city during Christmas. For example, according to the Guardian it suggests that many residents feel that the Christmas markets have become too commercialised in which they are too over priced and detract many people from local businesses. Therefore, while this media product does construct an appealing look of Manchester during Christmas, it does not represent the economic or political reality.

Question 3)- missed marks due to no conclusion

conclusion- Overall, the Score advert is a clear example of the Male gaze. This is due to the way that the women are depicted in the media product as they are seen as passive and sexualised, while the man is shown as heroic and dominant, this reinforces traditional gender roles. This advert is to make men feel more masculine and in control, which links to the male gaze. Although many may argue that due to the time period that this advert was made society has moved on from this stereotype and see the advert as out dated. Never the less, this advert still represents gender roles and links very closly with Laura Mulveys theory on the male gaze.

Question 4)- missed marks due to lack of knowledge on Steve Neals theory

Steve Neale’s genre theory is highly valid when analysing media products, as it highlights how genres are not fixed but constantly evolving through repetition and variation. In relation to Old town road, the music video combines country and hip hop which reflect Steve Neals theory on hybridity, where media products can blend different genres to appeal to a wider audience. This music video also involves sub genres by incorporating western imagry with rap style visuals. This validates Steve Neals theory that genre is not fixed but rather changing frequently based on audiences expectations and industry trends.

Question 5)- missed marks due to wrong theorist of the hypodermic model

= Harold Lasswell

1. bricolage = different ideas or styles are mixed together to create something new.
2. diegeses = the world or story created within a movie, including everything that happens in it.
3. implosion = different types of media or styles mix together and blur the lines between them.
4. Mytheme = basic idea or theme that appears in many different stories, like a hero’s journey.
5. Pastiche = different styles or ideas are copied and put together in a new way.
6. Syntagm = the way things are arranged in a sequence to create meaning.

Question 7) – missed marks due to lack of linking diversity to the film industry.

The film industry has definitely made some progress when it comes to diversity, particularly in production. More films are now being made that represent different races, ethnicities and genders. This is a good sign of change, but the issue of distribution is still a big problem. Films with a diverse casts that don’t fit the usual mainstream ideas often struggle to get a wide release, especially internationally. The big media conglomerates still have a lot of control over distribution and tend to prioritise films that fit the typical white hero narrative with the usual story line, this links closly with Hasmondalgh’s idea of minimising risk and maxamising profit.

Questions	What went well?	What could be improved?	What I’m going to do to make improvements?
1	Good use of terminology (semiotic language) Appropriate theorists used
2	Good use of knowledge and facts. Great use of economic and political context	Read the question! Missed marks due to miss reading the question	Use a highlighter in the questions to make the key words stand out
3	Good use of theorists and good application	Add a conclusion	Go over more 9 mark practise questions
4	Clear structure and good use of terminology. In depth facts and statistics used.	more reference to the genre theory, potentially missed marks due to over analysing the close study products and not linking back to the questions	Revisit genre theory. Go over 20 mark questions and see where i’m missing marks. Add a question to give a clear understanding of the unit.
5	Good understanding of postmodernist terms.	Understand the term implosion. Go over hypodermic model theory and linking it back to a media product.	Make revision cards on postmodernist terminology.
6	Strong analysis and good understanding of the Daily Mail
7	Good understanding of media industries and contribution	Learn cultural industry terms by David Hesmondalgh: o cultural industries o commodification o convergence o diversity o innovation o conglomeration o vertical integration o cultural imperialism.	Make revision cards on key terms. Go over 20 mark structure.

overall = 66/84

NEA= 42/60

= 71 needed on paper 2 to secure an (A)

	week 1	week 2	week 3	week 4
mon	statement of intent (SOI)		TikTok 2	Tiktok 3
tue
wed		Tiktok 1		Tiktok 3
thu
fri	SOI	Tik Tok 1	TikTok 2	Tiktok 3
sat
sun

I am going to produce two media products from Set 3 brief: a Tik Tok video and three movie posters, both aimed at promoting a coming-of-age movie. The movie I am referring to is “After”, which has similar aspects of the movie I have created. I have chosen Set 3 brief because of my interest in social media and my experience in creating engaging TikTok content. Additionally, I have never created this type of media work, so I am excited to challenge myself and increase my knowledge and understanding.

My interest in social media and experience with TikTok were significant when I chose this brief. Tik Tok is a new way to promote media products especially reaching a younger audience which my movie is aimed towards. This brief includes digital and traditional media, allowing me to use my strengths and learn new things. It also helps me understand more about media theories and how to apply them in my products.

The TikTok videos will be fun and engaging for the audience, as many people on TikTok have a low attention span so it is crucial that I engage the audience early. The TikTok will capture behind the scenes of the movie and some additional clips and scenes. By using relatable humour and eye-catching scenes the video will appeal to what the audience likes and cares about. I will use TikTok’s interactive features, like hashtags to get the audience involved and spread my media product further.

The three movie posters will relate with my TikTok video creating an attractive media campaign. Each poster will highlight different parts of the movie, from its emotional moments to its exciting moments. I’ll use the same colour themes and movie title to show that they are campaigning the same movie. The posters will be designed to attract the target audience, using images that reflect the movie’s key scenes and themes.

Each poster will focus on a different part of the movie, for instance one poster might show the main character’s journey, and the other might highlight an important relationship, and the third might capture a key moment in the story. This way, the posters together will give a full picture of the movies themes and attract a wide audience.

To help develop my project, I’ll explore Todorov’s narrative theory. Todorov’s idea of narrative structure – equilibrium, disruption, new equilibrium – will help both my TikTok video and the movie posters. I will also use C.S. Pierce’s theory of signs, focusing on indexical signs to intrigue consumers to my movie poster. By using lots of small symbols in my media products it will make the audience curious and get them interested in my movie. This approach will not only make visually appealing posters but also grow a stronger connection with the audience to the movies story.

My target audience for my project is teenagers and young adults aged 12-20. This age group really connects with a coming-of-age movie because they can reflect their own experiences and challenges. Even though “After” has a female lead, I wanted to create a media content that appeals to both genders. By focusing on themes like finding themselves and growing as a person through challenges along the way. This age group is also very active on social media, especially TikTok, so this is a great platform to reach them on so they can engage, interact and find out more about my media products.

I have been inspired by several different coming of age movies on Netflix, especially ‘Mean girls’ and ‘To All the Boys I have Loved Before’. Mean girls stood out to me because its about personal growth and realising there is more to life than being ‘popular’. This movie is a great example of how I want my project to have a positive message and to inspire my young target audience. Although, I did enjoy ‘To all the boys I loved before’ it focuses on romance and finding your other half, where as my movie aims to focus more on finding your true self before you love somebody else.