Introduction to Newspapers

1) What type of news can you typically find in a tabloid newspaper?

You typically find major news in a tabloid newspaper 

2) What type of news can you typically find in a broadsheet newspaper?

You typically find news on topics like politics, economy and international affairs in a tabloid newspaper 

3) If someone is left-wing, which political party in the UK are they most likely to support? Which newspapers would they be likely to read?

Left-wing (Socialist) is in favour of social equality and reform. The Labour Party is considered left-wing and the Daily Mirror generally supports Labour and left-wing causes.

4) If someone is right-wing, which political party in the UK are they most likely to support? Which newspaper would they be most likely to read?

Right-wing (Conservative) prefers the traditional way things are and in favour of low taxes. The Conservative Party is considered right-wing and the Times generally supports the Conservatives and right-wing causes.

5) Why has there been a decline in newspaper sales in the last 50 years?

There has been a gradual decline in newspaper sales due to the rise of TV ownership (and news programmes) and, more recently, the growth of digital news through websites and social media.

6) Why is a free press important in a democracy like the UK?

A free press is important in a democracy like the UK because it acts as a public watchdog, holding power accountable by investigating and exposing wrongdoing while also informing citizens with multiple perspectives and facts

December Mock Exam: Learner Response

 1) Type up any feedback on your paper (you don't need to write the mark and grade if you want to keep this confidential). If you only have marks and a grade on the paper, write a WWW/Next Steps yourself based on your scores.

WWW: Abdul - some knowledge + understanding of the OSP CSP's as evidenced through your 20-mark essay - style questions

Next Steps:

1) You need to ensure you attempt every Q-Q2 was worth 20-marks. Complete past Papers to feel 'Exam Ready'

2) TV questions (Section A) you must analyse the clips for the 8+12 Mark Qs

LR: see blog.

2) Use the mark scheme for this Paper 2 mock (posted on GC) to read the answers AQA were looking for. First, write down a definition and example of a diegetic sound (Q1.1 and 1.2). 

Sounds that can be heard by the characters and audience e.g Lyra talking (Dialogue)

3) Next, identify three points you could have made in Q1.3 - camerawork and the extract. Look for the indicative content in the mark scheme - these are the suggested answers from AQA.

• The opening shot in the extract focuses on the omelette in Will’s hand – almost a close-up – with handheld camera movement following the plate to the table. This focus on the food Will has cooked seems to establish him as the less dominant person in the relationship. The medium shot of Lyra suspiciously looking at the food reinforces this power imbalance in their relationship.

• Camera angle is used in an interesting way in the extract. Will is often shown from a low angle which should suggest power or dominance. However, his expression and body language is very timid so in fact seems to further emphasise Lyra’s confidence. When Lyra is sitting at the table, the camera is deliberately placed at Lyra’s level so

she is not presented as weak or vulnerable.

• The wide shot and slow dolly/tracking through the open doors shows both characters together sitting at the table. This deliberately places both characters in the same frame as the conversation becomes more friendly and less guarded. The camerawork is communicating the growing friendship between Lyra and Will and helps to foreshadow the suggestion (in the very next shot) from Will that they team up and work together. The slow dolly/track at this point signals to the audience that something important is happening; their relationship is changing. It works in a similar way to a zoom.

4) Now look at Q1.4 in the mark scheme - pick out two points from the mark scheme that you could have included in your answer.

• Lyra’s costume subverts feminine stereotypes. It is blue, practical and does not emphasise her figure or draw attention. It helps to establish Lyra as a practical, confident character who is used to surviving on her own.

• The way Lyra first investigates and then eats the omelette also subverts feminine stereotypes. Her interaction with props in the scene deliberately subvert ideas of being ‘ladylike’ or feminine.

5) Look at Q2 - the 20-mark essay on representations of age and social and cultural contexts. Pick out three points from the mark scheme that you didn't include in your answer.

• Media representations of teens/young adults usually identify this group by their attitudes, behaviour, language, clothing and music. There are many negative stereotypes of teenagers in television drama in which characteristics such as laziness, anti-social behaviour, inability to concentrate and self-indulgence are portrayed as ‘typical’.

• There are also positive representations of teens in which attributes such as freedom, independence, creativity and social awareness are likely to be emphasised. Some frequently represented characteristics of teenagers may be seen as positive by younger audiences but as negative by older audiences. These include rebelliousness, openness to change, liberal values on matters such as sexuality and a much stronger commitment to friendship groups than to family or country.

• Dominant cultural values of the early 1960s placed a strong emphasis on ‘tradition’. This meant that there was an expectation that young people would conform to social norms and show obedience, deference and respect to figures of authority including parents and teachers. Media representations which challenged or subverted these

cultural codes would have been shocking to a 1963 television audience.

6) Turning your attention to Section B, write a definition and example of user-generated content - use the mark scheme to check it.

UGC is content that is produced by the audience e.g comments on a YouTube video or a a fan-made video

7) Look at Q4 - the 20-mark essay on the power of influencers. Pick out three points from the mark scheme that you didn't include in your own answer. 

• Kim Kardashian is one of the most successful social media influencers of all time. She uses her social media presence to promote herself and her brands to her 350 million followers. Kardashian is highly sought after as a brand ambassador and is paid millions of dollars by companies to promote their products.

• Kim Kardashian's engagement rate is lower than Rashford at 0.33% but she has over 350 million followers so can still reach and engage with huge audiences.

• Kim Kardashian’s net worth has been estimated at $1.7 BILLION. This is from The Kardashians TV show on Hulu ($100m deal) alongside her brands SKIMS, KKW Beauty and many more.

8) Now look at Q5 - the 20-mark essay on regulation and the internet. Again, pick out three points from the mark scheme that you didn't include in your own answer.

• loss of self-esteem or confidence resulting from competitive use of social media

• distribution of ‘fake news’ or false stories

• diminished attention span and problems of addiction (especially in relation to social media)

9) On a scale of 1-10 (1 = low, 10 = high), how much revision and preparation did you do for your Media mock exam? Be honest here - it's a good chance to think about how to approach the next set of mock exams.

On a scale of 1-10 I'd say 5 as i managed to revise some of the topics that came up on this exam

10) List three key things you want to revise before the next mock exams in February (e.g. particular CSPs, terminology, exam technique etc.)

1) Kim Kardashian CSP

2) Media terminology

3) Camera works and their connotations

Statement of Intent feedback LR and Redraft

Mark

Comments

3

Link to brief: 2 Use of media terminology (language/representation/theory): 1   Comments for AQA: The intentions made by the candidate in this statement are largely inconsistently appropriate to the brief outline. They have not gone into any real detail about the magazine for example no magazine title given etc There are some attempts at including media terminology e.g. cover lines and camera shots but again these are vague and lacking detail and depth   Next steps: Develop your statement of intent by going over the brief outline on Google Classroom and ensure you include all the key words highlighted and mentioned in your own statement of intent Use the statement of intent guidance document to support you with this as you will need to reference media theories too

I am planning to produce a two paged magazine which will focus on a celebrity who recently launched their book about motivating and disciplining young people who may currently be struggling and to overcome their struggles, this book will help them to overcome these difficulties. 

The first page of the magazine will feature a medium close up photograph of the celebrity as the central image which connote strength and dominance. Following this, I will include a cover line which will contain a text that will provide and mostly cover a brief introduction and an overview of the celebrity's book which will try and convince young minds to purchase and read it to improve their everyday lives. To do this, I will use a serif font for the headlines and multiple cover lines to give the celebrity's promotion magazine a more of a polished, worldly-wise and a civilized look.

The second page of my magazine will contain some more smaller original pictures of the celebrity and will cover topics such as "How advice about being consistent and disciplined from this book could change your life". I will use multiple camera shots of the celebrity to communicate meaning with the audience: Medium close up to exaggerate strong emotions which will help the reader's motivation to increase. Another camera should could be medium shot to show how inspiring and exciting it could get if the readers use the celebrity's advice. Most of the page will go over the celebrity's backstory and how you can avoid the mistakes he made in his life.

OSP: Rashford & Kardashian - Audience and Industry

 Audience

1) Who are the potential target audiences for Marcus Rashford and Kim Kardashian's online content? Try and cover both demographics and psychographics.

• Age: 13 - 20
• Gender: Male/Female
• Social class: E - C1
• Race/ethnicity - 
• Job/profession/earnings: Unemployed , working class, skilled working class, lower middle class
• Home (city/village/countryside)

2) Marcus Rashford’s online presence is partly driven by his excellent use of social media. How does he use social media to engage with his fans and make them feel part of his brand?

He posts about how he makes protests against the government, make books for children to read and advertises his brand online to engage with his audience 

3) What is Instagram engagement rate and what engagement rates do Marcus Rashford and Kim Kardashian have? 

Engagement rate is how much followers an individual has on Instagram and Marcus Rashford has over 17m Instagram followers, Kim Kardashian 350m.

4) Go to Marcus Rashford and Kim Kardashian's X or Instagram account. Find and screenshot/link three posts that show the different aspects of their brand e.g. Relatable person (normal, down to earth), Campaigner (interested in politics), Celebrity (e.g. awards ceremony or fashion), Brand promotion (e.g. selling a product).

5) What audience pleasures are provided by Marcus Rashford's online presence? What about Kim Kardashian? Try and apply Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory here. 

INFORMATION/SURVEILLANCE: learning information that you did not already know for example, how many children use to be in need of school meals in the uk in lockdown

IDENTITY: personally relating to something like what families use to go through in 2020

DIVERSION/ENTERTAINMENT: escapism and being entertained away from your normal life this could be through Marcus rashford's advertisement of his book for children

RELATIONSHIPS: social interaction, caring about characters or celebrities like Marcus rashford 

6) Applying Stuart Hall's Reception theory, what would a preferred and oppositional reading of Marcus Rashford and Kim Kardashian's online presence be?

• Preferred reading (people who support Rashford/Kardashian): Marcus rashford had a big impact on politics as he was able to gain his goal to get children free school meals.
• Oppositional reading (people who criticise Rashford/Kardashian): Kim Karashian's advertised products are over priced for many people

Industries

1) What is Marcus Rashford and Kim Kardashian's net worth and how does their online presence help them to make money? 

Marcus Rashford’s net worth has been estimated at around £16m (source: Sunday Times rich list). This includes:

• £300,000 per week from Manchester United (£15.6m a year)
• £2m endorsement deal with Nike
• Additional deals with Burberry, Jaguar Land Rover, Coca-Cola and others

Kim Kardashian’s net worth has been estimated at $1.7 BILLION. This is from:

• The Kardashians TV show on Hulu is a $100m deal
• Her brands SKIMS, KKW Beauty and many more

2) What companies/brands are Rashford and Kardashian associated with? Why might they want to be linked to those celebrities?

Marcus Rashford has partnered up with companies like Nike, dnmaysportsmgt, Manchester united, England national team and finally threesixzero. this information can be seen through his website

3) Research Twitter/X and Instagram. Who owns the companies, how do they make money and how much profit did they make last year?

Twitter/X

• Twitter was started by Jack Dorsey in 2006. It has over 500 million active users worldwide. 
• Twitter’s revenue is around $3 billion. 
• Twitter makes most of its money through advertising – promoted tweets or ‘trend takeovers’.
• In 2022 Elon Musk bought Twitter for $44 BILLION and has since added controversial new features and renamed it X.

Instagram

• Instagram is an image and video sharing site launched in 2010. 
• In 2012 it was bought by Facebook for $1 billion. Facebook and Instagram’s parent company is now called Meta – a global conglomerate.
• Instagram has over a billion active users worldwide and more than 25 million users in the UK alone.
• Instagram revenue in 2023 was $61 BILLION.

Instagram: a danger to teenagers?

4) What are the worries about Instagram’s negative effects?

• Over 40% of Instagram users are aged under 23.
• Research suggests that Instagram is damaging to mental health – particularly for teenage girls.
• The research suggested one in three girls felt bad about their bodies and Instagram made this worse. It is also linked to increased anxiety and depression.

5) How do social media platforms manage online abuse on their platforms and why has Marcus Rashford drawn attention to this? How might this change in the future?

The government is introducing the Online Safety bill to try and add regulation of the internet to Ofcom’s role as media regulator. This includes:

• Sending threatening posts being punishable by jail sentences.
• Platforms like X and Instagram having to actively prevent users seeing harmful material – or risk being fined by Ofcom.
• Platforms paying Ofcom to regulate their content.

6) What happened by law in 2022 that changed the way the internet is regulated? Write three changes that this new law may bring in and explain why it is difficult to regulate the internet.

Government introduced the Online Safety bill to try and add regulation to the internet, this prevents users from being harmed online as sending threatening posts will be punishable by jail sentences and other platforms like X and Instagram having to actively prevent users seeing harmful material – or risk being fined by Ofcom.

OSP: Rashford & Kardashian - Language and Representation

Language

1) Make two lists - one of website conventions used on Marcus Rashford and Kim Kardashian's official website and one of social media conventions found on their Instagram pages. 

Colour scheme - dark/minimalistic, shirt contrasts background

Profile picture - reinforcing website 

2) How does Marcus Rashford's website and social media promote his brand? Give at least three examples of different pages / posts / images from his website or social media. 

Book club -  promote children to read his books

Profile picture - His brand's logo

Tweets - Tweeting and promoting his book online

3) How does Kim Kardashian's website and social media promote her brand? Give at least three examples of different pages / posts / images from her brand websites or social media. 

Navigation Top menu - pages promoting clothes and make-ups

Twitter bio - contains links and mentions to her brand

Tweets - promoting her brands and products

4) How does Marcus Rashford's online presence use the narrative of his childhood upbringing to create a positive brand identity?

He grew up in a poor family with a single mother of 5 so he helps children get free school meals and challenges the government to change in a positive way which gives him and his brand a good reputation

5) How does Kim Kardashian's website and social media promote other media products or websites using the Kardashian brand (e.g. Keeping Up With The Kardashians TV show)? 

She posts on Twitter promoting and selling a new make-up product which earns her a lot of money.

Representations

1) How does Marcus Rashford use different aspects of mise-en-scene (e.g. clothes/costume/ settings/locations) to create representations of himself on his website and social media? 

Setting - dark/minimalistic, shirt contrasts background

2) What examples can you find of website pages, social media posts or aspects of his brand that create a positive representation of Marcus Rashford? You may wish to comment on his discussion of family or his campaigns - his page on the FareShare campaign website may help with this question.

He grew up in a poor family with a single mother of 5 so he helps children get free school meals and challenges the government to change in a positive way and also promotes his books for chldren to read which gives him and his brand a good reputation

3) How does Marcus Rashford's online presence challenge stereotypes? Think about gender (masculinity), race/ethnicity, social class or football here. 

His race and ethnicity challenges the stereotypes for black people as he is able to have a huge impact on politics as he challenged the government and ended up winning

4) What representation of celebrity is created by Kim Kardashian's website and social media? How are audience encouraged to view celebrity? 

Profile picture - Make-up/Photoshop - Reinforces female beauty standards (expectations of appearance)

5) What gender stereotypes are reinforced or challenged in Kim Kardashian's online presence? 

Expectations of appearance (Symbolic code) - her make-up and Photoshop  reinforces female beauty standards

OSP: Introduction to influencers

 1) What years did YouTube, Twitter and Instagram launch?

Youtube - 2005

Twitter - 2006

Instagram - 2010

2) What is the definition of an influencer?

a person who has become well known through regular social media posts and is able to promote a product or service by recommending or using it online

3) Give an example of an influencer and how many followers they have. Try and add some additional information, brand associations or other statistics if you can.

KSI:

Instagram: ~12.8 million followers

YouTube: Over 44 million subscribers across his active channels

4) How big is the influencer industry according to the article?

"By the end of 2019, the influencer marketing industry was worth some $8bn a year"

5) What are the problems associated with being an influencer?

There’s the pressure of always seeking to increase your follower count to drive up revenues.

6) Why is it suggested that audiences actually like being sold products by influencers?

A decade ago, shilling products to your fans may have been seen as selling out. Now it’s a sign of success

7) What representation of beauty is often found on Instagram or other influencer sites?

today, of a look known as “Instagram face”. It’s “a young face, of course, with poreless skin and plump, high cheekbones”, long lashes and full lips – generally white but with a hint of “rootless exoticism”

8) What is YOUR opinion on influencers? Are they a positive or negative influence on our society and culture? Why?

In my opinion they can be a negative influence on our society. This is because some influencers only care for the revenue and they don't really don't care about their fans as they promote websites or products that can be unsafe or a scam.

Preliminary exercise feedback and learner response

1) Type up your teacher's feedback in full. If you've received your feedback via email, you can simply cut and paste it from the email into your blog.

WWW: Attempted to write a statement of intent about the preliminary exercise

Next steps:

1. Complete coursework to a high standard

2. Meet deadlines by being organised and proactive – take your photos and plan your production

2) Using a combination of your own reflection on the preliminary exercise and the feedback you were given, write two WWW bullet points (What Went Well) and two Next Step bullet points for your preliminary exercise. 

WWW: 

1. I wrote over 300 words for the statement of intent.

2. I gave a brief information on what my magazine will look like

Next steps:

1. Include more information on what my magazine will be about and what i will include in it

2. Be more proactive by planning my production and take my photos before the deadlines.

3) What have you learned from the preliminary exercise that will help you in the actual coursework project? List three things you have learned or will do differently as a result of this exercise. You may want to comment on organisation, actors, filming, editing or something else entirely but be specific.

 I have learned to be more specific and give more information on what my magazine will look like and what i will include in it and finally more details on what it will be about.