Dream by Dizzee Rascal

A Level Media Studies

Knowledge Booklet

Component 1 A level Media Studies – Set Product Fact Sheet Tide print advert

(1950s)

Image Courtesy of The Advertising Archives A level Media Studies – Set Product Fact Sheet Tide print advert

(1950s)

AS Component 1: development and, with so many ‘new’ brands and Investigating the Media products entering markets, potential customers A level Component 1: Media typically needed more information about them than Products, Industries and Audiences a modern audience, more used to advertising, marketing and branding, might need.

Conventions of print-based advertising are still Focus areas: recognisable in this text however, as detailed below. Media language Representation Consider codes and conventions, and how media language influences meaning: Audiences Media contexts • Z-line and a rough rule of thirds can be applied to its composition. PRODUCT CONTEXT • Bright, primary colours connote the • Designed specifically for heavy-duty, machine positive associations the producers want cleaning, Procter & Gamble launched Tide in the audience to make with the product. 1946 and it quickly became the brand leader in • Headings, subheadings and slogans are America, a position it maintains today. written in sans-serif font, connoting an • The D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles informal mode of address. (DMB&B) advertising agency handled P&G’s • This is reinforced with the comic strip style accounts throughout the 1950s. Its campaigns image in the bottom right-hand corner with for Tide referred explicitly to P&G because two women ‘talking’ about the product using their market research showed that consumers informal lexis (“sudsing whizz”). had high levels of confidence in the company. • The more ‘technical’ details of the product • Uniquely, DMB&B used print and radio are written in a serif font, connoting the advertising campaigns concurrently in order more ‘serious’ or ‘factual’ information that to quickly build audience familiarity with the the ‘1, 2, 3’ bullet point list includes. brand. Both media forms used the Consider theoretical perspectives: “housewife” character and the ideology that Semiotics – Roland Barthes its customers “loved” and “adored” Tide. • Suspense is created through the enigma of “what women want” (Barthes’ PART 1: STARTING POINTS – Media language Hermeneutic Code) and emphasised by the

tension-building use of multiple exclamation Historical context: The post-WWII consumer boom of the 1950s marks (Barthes’ Proairetic Code). included the rapid development of new technologies • Barthes’ Semantic Code could be applied to for the home, designed to make domestic chores the use of hearts above the main image. The easier. Vacuum cleaners, fridge-freezers, microwave hearts and the woman’s gesture codes have ovens and washing machines all become desirable connotations of love and relationships. It’s products for the 1950s consumer. Products linked to connoted that this is “what women want” (in these new technologies also developed during this addition to clean laundry!). time, for example, washing powder. • Hyperbole and superlatives (“Miracle”, “World’s cleanest wash!”, “World’s whitest Cultural context: wash!”) as well as tripling (“No other…”) Print adverts from the 1950s conventionally used are used to oppose the connoted superior more copy than we’re used to seeing today. cleaning power of Tide to its competitors. Consumer culture was in its early stages of

1 A level Media Studies – Set Product Fact Sheet

This Symbolic Code (Barthes) was clearly The representations in these adverts successful as Procter and Gamble’s competitor challenge stereotypical views of women being products were rapidly overtaken, making Tide confined to the domestic sphere, something the brand leader by the mid-1950s. society needed at the time as traditional ‘male roles’ were vacated as men left to fight. A level only: Structuralism – Claude Lévi-Strauss In the 1950s, while men were being targeted for the • The latter point above links to Lévi-Strauss’ post-war boom in America’s car industry, women theory, whereby texts are constructed through the were the primary market for the technologies use of binary oppositions, and meaning is made and products being developed for the home. In advertising for these types of texts, stereotypical by audiences understanding these conflicts. • In this text, “Tide gets clothes cleaner representations of domestic perfection, caring for than any other washday product you can the family and servitude to the ‘man of the house’ buy!” and “There’s nothing like Procter became linked to a more modern need for speed, and Gamble’s Tide”, reinforces the convenience and a better standard of living than the conceptual binary opposition between women experienced in the pre-war era.

Tide and its commercial rivals. Consider how representations are constructed • It’s also “unlike soap,” gets laundry “whiter… through processes of selection and combination: than any soap or washing product known” and is • The dress code of the advert’s main female “truly safe” – all of which connotes that other, character include a stereotypical 1950s hairstyle inferior products do not offer what Tide does. incorporating waves, curls and rolls made fashionable by contemporary film stars such as

PART 2: STARTING POINTS – Representation Veronica Lake, Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth. The fashion for women having shorter hair had a Social and political contexts: practical catalyst as long hair was hazardous for Interesting intertexts to consider would be WWII women working with machinery on farms or in adverts for the ‘Women’s Land Army’ and J. Howard factories during the war. Miller’s ‘Rosie The Riveter – We Can Do It!’ advert • The headband or scarf worn by the woman also for the War Production Co-Ordinating Committee. links to the practicalities of dress code for

http://www.womenslandarmy.co.uk/ww2-womens- women developed during this time. For this land-army-newspaper-recruitment-campaign/ advert, having her hair held back connotes she’s focused on her work, though this is http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/ perhaps binary opposed to the full make-up search/object/nmah_538122 that she's wearing.

2 A level Media Studies – Set Product Fact Sheet

Consider theoretical perspectives: Consider how industries target audiences, and how audiences interpret and use the media: • Stuart Hall’s theory of representation – the • The likely audience demographic is constructed images of domesticity (including the two through the advert’s use of women with whom women hanging out the laundry) form part of they might personally identify (Uses and the “shared conceptual road map” that give Gratifications Theory). These young women are meaning to the “world” of the advert. Despite likely to be newly married and with young its comic strip visual construction, the scenario families (clothing belonging to men and children represented is familiar to the audience as a on the washing line creates these connotations). representation of their own lives. • The endorsement from Good Housekeeping Magazine makes them an Opinion Leader for the • David Gauntlett’s theory of identity – women target audience, reinforcing the repeated represented in the advert act as role models of assertion that Tide is the market-leading product. domestic perfection that the audience may want • The preferred reading (Stuart Hall) of the to construct their own sense of identity against. advert’s reassuring lexical fields (“trust”, “truly safe”, “miracle”, “nothing like”) is that, despite A level only: being a “new” product, Tide provides solutions • Liesbet Van Zoonen’s feminist theory – while to the audience’s domestic chores needs.

their role socially and politically may have Consider theoretical perspectives: changed in the proceeding war years, the advert Reception theory – Stuart Hall perhaps contradicts Van Zoonen’s theory that • The indirect mode of address made by the the media contribute to social change by woman in the main image connotes that her representing women in non-traditional roles and relationship with the product is of prime using non-sexist language. importance (Tide has what she wants). This, • bell hooks’ feminist theory argues that lighter according to Hall, is the dominant or hegemonic skinned women are considered more desirable and encoding of the advert’s primary message fit better into the western ideology of beauty, and that should be received by “you women.” the advert could be seen to reinforce this by only • The direct mode of address of the representing “modern”, white women. This could images in the top right and bottom left- also be linked to Gilroy’s ethnicity and post- hand corner link to the imperative colonial theories that media texts reinforce “Remember!” and the use of personal colonial power. Contextually, this power has pronouns (“your wash”, “you can buy”). perhaps been challenged at this moment in American history by the events of WWII. Cultivation theory – George Gerbner • Advertising developed significantly during the 1950s and this theory, developed by PART 3: STARTING POINTS – Audiences Gerbner in the early 1970s, explains some Social context: of the ways in which audiences may be Despite women having seen their roles in society influenced by media texts such as adverts. change during the War (where they were needed • The Tide advert aims to cultivate the ideas that: in medical, military support and other roles this is the brand leader; nothing else washes to outside of the home) domestic products of the the same standard as Tide; it’s a desirable 1950s continued to be aimed at female audiences. product for its female audience; and its “miracle suds” are an innovation for the domestic washing The likely target audience of increasingly affluent market. Gerbner’s theory would argue that lower-middle class women were, at this point in the the repetition of these key messages causes 1950s, being appealed to because of their supposed audiences to increasingly align their own need for innovative domestic technologies and ideologies with them (in this case positively, products. The increasing popularity during the 1950s creating a product that “goes into more American of supermarkets stocking a wider range of products homes than any other washday product”). led to an increased focus by corporations on brands and their unique selling points.

A level Media Studies – Set Product Fact Sheet Water Aid audio- visual advert

(2016)

© Water Aid; http://www.wateraid.org/uk A level Media Studies – Set Product Fact Sheet

Water Aid audio- visual advert

(2016)

AS Component 1: Consider genre – and the significance Investigating the Media of subverting genre conventions: A Level Component 1: Media • The Water Aid advert reinforces charity Products, Industries and Audiences advertisement conventions by including key information about the concern, a personalised Focus areas: narrative to which this information is relevant, and Media language a direct appeal to the audience for money. Representation • However, the fact it lacks a non-diegetic Audiences voiceover, melancholic audio codes and black and Media contexts white visual codes could all be seen as

unconventional of this advertising sub-genre.

PRODUCT CONTEXT Consider codes and conventions, and how • The charity Water Aid was established in 1981 media language influences meaning: as a response to a United Nations campaign for • The opening medium shot with a pull focus clean water, sanitation and water hygiene between the digital radio and the rain against the education. It now works with organisations in 37 window establishes the advert in a modern, African, Asian and Central American countries plus British setting (the audio codes are of an the Pacific region. Since announcer with an English accent). It’s 1991 its patron has been Prince Charles. connoted that the scenes that follow (in an • Created by Atomic London in October 2016, unnamed but likely African country) are this advert (titled Rain For Good) stars happening at the same time. 16 year-old Zambian student Claudia and • The visual and audio codes work together aims to show how communities benefit to construct the narrative of “sunshine” (in from clean water by depicting everyday Africa) “on a rainy day” (in Britain) with the chores such as farming and laundry. associated problems of drought and “lack of access to clean drinking water” that the charity

is aiming to relieve. PART 1: STARTING POINTS – Media language Consider theoretical perspectives Cultural context: Semiotics – Roland Barthes Following 1984’s Do They Know It’s Christmas? • Suspense is created through the enigmatic use single for Band Aid, 1985’s Live Aid was the first of the slow-motion, medium close-up, low-angle global charity event aiming to raise funds for tracking shot of Claudia’s feet and the swinging relief of the ongoing famine in Ethiopia. The bucket (Barthes’ Hermeneutic Code) and Comic Relief telethon was launched by Richard emphasised by the crescendo of the song in the Curtis and Lenny Henry in 1985 with the same scene at the water pump over which the initial famine relief aim, and went on to raise over informative on-screen graphic appears (Barthes’ £1bn for charitable causes across Africa and in the Proairetic Code). UK. The contemporary audience for this advert • Barthes’ Semantic Code could be applied to the could be assumed to be familiar with the codes and conventions of both audio-visual adverts and lines from the song used from 00.34 diegetically and then as a sound bridge over the medium those for charitable organisations in particular. 1 A level Media Studies – Set Product Fact Sheet

shot of a group of women carrying water audience who might otherwise have become immune buckets on their heads: “make me feel, make to the emotive representations conventionally me feel like I belong… don’t leave me, won’t deployed by this advertising sub-genre. leave me here”. The connotation here being Consider how representations are constructed that the text’s audience can help Claudia “feel through processes of selection and combination: like she belongs” and “won’t leave” her there • The dress codes of the advert’s main / in that situation if they donate to Water Aid. • The Symbolic Codes (Barthes) of female character include a stereotypical knee-length skirt and pink colour palette in drought-ridden African countries are reinforced both her top and shoes. both visually and through the advert’s audio • Her age is similar to the other young women she codes up until about 00.47. walks past at 00.30 and those who join her at the A level only: water pump at 01.00. This connotes that she has Structuralism – Claude Lévi-Strauss perhaps had to “grow up too quickly” because of the • How texts are constructed through the use of tough environment in which she lives. Her binary oppositions – at 00.47, the song’s title line independence is connoted by the wide-angled shot at “sunshine on a rainy day” is used over shots of 00.18 in which she is denoted on her own on a long children running, playing, laughing and the more and empty dust road. positive connotations of this section of the advert • Close-up shots using handheld cameras (00.16), are emphasised by the high key lighting used. her open, confident gesture codes (00.51) and her • A further visual binary opposition is created smiling gesture code (01.09) represent her as the between the arid, washed-out, primarily beige and advert’s protagonist and a ‘character’ with whom the brown colour palette of the advert’s first third and audience can positively associate. the more vibrant colours used at 01.02. Consider theoretical perspectives: • The on-screen graphic (“650 million people still • Stuart Hall’s theory of representation – the don’t have access to clean drinking water”) creates a images of a dry, dusty African environment in conceptual binary opposition between Claudia’s which people may be struggling to survive form positive story and that of other, less fortunate people. part of the “shared conceptual road map” that give It’s this opposition that the audience is encouraged to meaning to the “world” of the advert. The more be part positive audio codes then work to challenge these of the solution to by giving “£3 today”. stereotypical representations, creating enigmas around why Claudia appears to be so positive. The PART 2: STARTING POINTS – Representation solution to these enigmas is given to the audience at Social context: 01.00 when we first see the water pump. An interesting intertext to consider would be • David Gauntlett’s theory of identity – Claudia Water Aid’s ‘No Choice’ TV advert from 2013 acts as a role model for the type of lifestyle changes which is more conventionally constructed and that the audience could be responsible for creating if represents the suffering of its main ‘character’ they donate to Water Aid. in a more explicit and emotive way (https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=szT7grQnHRU). A level only:

Launching the Rain For Good campaign, Water Aid • Liesbet Van Zoonen’s feminist theory – by said that it had “deliberately broken away from the assuming the stereotypically male roles of traditional charity ad formula” in response to the ‘protagonist’ and ‘provider’, Claudia is perhaps contributing to social change by representing women public’s desensitisation to traditional fundraising in non-traditional roles. The work involved in tactics. The stereotypical ‘victim’ needing our help collecting the water is physically challenging (non- is an archetype with which the audience would be traditional for female roles) though the advert does familiar from many other charity adverts. This would reinforce stereotypes of women being associated with perhaps make the more positive representation of care of children. Claudia as a healthy, independent and musically • Gilroy’s ethnicity and post-colonial theories talented woman stand out to an that media texts reinforce colonial power could

2 A level Media Studies – Set Product Fact Sheet

be applied, as Water Aid is encouraging its Consider theoretical perspectives: British audience to ‘help’ those like Claudia Reception theory – Stuart Hall who live in ‘less developed’ countries. • The use of handheld camera shots and indirect mode of address made by Claudia

connote that the audience is following her PART 3: STARTING POINTS – Audiences story, but Water Aid rather than she herself Social/cultural context: have constructed this narrative for us. This, In December 2016, this advert had been viewed according to Hall, is the dominant or about 47 000 times on Water Aid’s YouTube hegemonic encoding created by Water Aid. channel and this page also actively encourages • The fact that she’s named creates the the sharing of the advert through social networks. preferred reading that she is a real person Further evidence that the likely target audience and that the audience should invest in her are literate with technology is that donations are narrative, sharing Water Aid’s ideologies. encouraged through the imperative “Text Cultivation theory – George Gerbner SUNNY to 70555” and the use on the YouTube page of a twitter hashtag (#ShareSunshine). • This theory might suggest that audiences have become used to the conventions of this The advert’s cover of Zoe’s 1990 song Sunshine On A sub-genre of advertising and perhaps Rainy Day could indicate that the target audience are somewhat ‘immune’ to pleading, earnest in their 30s–40s as they’re likely to remember the non-diegetic voiceovers by well-known original and get pleasure from the nostalgic value of voices and black and white, slow-motion, hearing a song with which they’re familiar. emotive representations of people suffering.

Consider how industries target audiences, and • The target audience’s likely liberal political how audiences interpret and use the media: perspectives will have been shaped by exposure • The likely audience demographic is constructed to previous, generically similar adverts, shaping through the advert’s use of a young woman with their world view that the suffering whom they might personally identify of people less fortunate than themselves (Uses and Gratifications Theory). can be alleviated by charitable donations. Parents might make similar readings, identifying empathetically with the ‘better life’ that Water Aid’s clean water provides for the children represented in the advert. • Water Aid acts as an Opinion Leader for the target audience who would assume the “650 million people…” statistic (01.14) is true and reliable. • The unconventionally positive visual codes, audio codes and representations would, the producers hope, give the advert unique selling points compared to other charity appeals and therefore make the audience more likely to donate.

3 A level Media Studies – Set Product Fact Sheet Kiss of the Vampire film poster

(1963)

Everett Collection, Inc. / Alamy Stock Photo A level Media Studies – Set Product Fact Sheet

Kiss of the Vampire film poster

(1963)

AS Component 1: The Evil of Frankenstein (1964) Investigating the Media http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058073/ A Level Component 1: Media mediaviewer/rm2054095104 Products, Industries and Audiences Blood From The Mummy’s Tomb (1971) Focus area: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068290/ Media language mediaviewer/rm892444416 Representation Media contexts Consider codes and conventions, and how media language influences meaning: • The capitalised, serif font of the title creates PRODUCT CONTEXT connotations linked to the vampire film genre • Produced by Hammer Film Productions and with its ‘wooden’ styling distributed by J. Arthur Rank and Universal, Kiss of (referencing the vampire’s coffin or the the Vampire was intended to be the second sequel to stake needed to kill him perhaps) and the 1958’s Dracula, although the film’s script actually blood dripping from the letter V’s ‘fang.’ makes no reference to Stoker’s character. This is • The use of a ‘painted’ main image is highly perhaps to distance itself from unfavourable conventional of films of the period and links to comparisons to the superior the poster for Christopher Lee’s Dracula, but the Christopher Lee who starred in the original film. fact that it’s in colour (anchored by the text “In • In addition to Dracula, Hammer had, by Eastman Color”) connotes that this is a modern 1963, success with other ‘monster movie’ telling of an older story. franchises such as The Mummy and • The gloomy grey, black and brown colour palette Frankenstein. Distributers Universal also saw reinforces the film’s dark, scary conventions while the early success with films in this genre. red highlight colour draws attention to the attacking • Historically, 1963 saw the early stages of bats, the vampire and the blood – all key visual ‘Beatlemania’ and the so-called ‘swinging sixties’, signifiers for the genre. the assassination of JFK and the Soviet • Conventionally, the stars are listed with the Union launching the first woman into space. more highly paid male actors first and in order of fame, Clifford Evans having starred in Hammer’s

1961 hit Curse of the Werewolf. PART 1: STARTING POINTS – Media language Consider theoretical perspectives Cultural context: Semiotics – Roland Barthes The 1960s audience for this advert could be • Suspense is created through the enigmas assumed to be familiar with the codes and surrounding the connoted relationship between the conventions of ‘monster movie’ film posters – male and female vampires (emphasised such as its composition, fonts and by the “kiss” of the title) and the fate of their representations of ‘the monster’ and its (usually two victims (Barthes’ Hermeneutic Code). female) victims. Interesting intertexts for • Barthes’ Semantic Code could be applied to comparative study might include: images of the bats and their conventional association with vampirism and horror in general.

1 A level Media Studies – Set Product Fact Sheet

• The Symbolic Codes (Barthes) of horror, darkness and fear are more widely reinforced through signifiers such as the moon and the male victim’s ‘submissive sacrifice’ gesture code.

A level only: Structuralism – Claude Lévi-Strauss • The vampire himself seems uncharacteristically • The idea that texts are constructed through the fearful in his gesture codes with his arm thrown use of binary oppositions could be applied to the across his body in a defensive gesture, perhaps opposing representations of the vampires and protecting himself from the female vampire. their victims, and the romantic connotations of Consider theoretical perspectives: “kiss” opposed in the film’s title to the • Stuart Hall’s theory of representation – stereotypical “vampire” monster. the images of a castle, bats, the vampire’s cape

and dripping blood form part of the “shared PART 2: STARTING POINTS – Representation conceptual road map” that give meaning to the “world” of the poster. The audience is actively Political and social contexts: encouraged to decode this familiar generic The 1960s is often seen as the start of women’s iconography. sexual liberation, aided by events such as the • David Gauntlett’s theory of identity – perhaps introduction of the contraceptive pill in 1960. More the female vampire acts as a role model for women women than ever were entering the paid workforce struggling against male oppression and sixties feminists were campaigning for equal or desperate to be seen as the equals of men, pay, an end to sexual harassment and more equality whatever the narrative or environment. between men and women in wider society. In America, equal pay legislation was passed in 1963. A level only: • Liesbet Van Zoonen’s feminist theory – by ‘Older’ stereotypes of women as passive assuming this ‘co-antagonist’ role, the female victims of men and more modern ‘male fears’ vampire is perhaps contributing to social change by of women challenging male dominance could representing women in non-traditional roles (Van both be seen to be encoded in this film poster. Zoonen, 1989) though the passive female victim Consider how representations are constructed does reinforce these. through processes of selection and combination: • Both women wear pale dresses made of light materials and these dress codes serve to reinforce their femininity by highlighting the curves of their bodies and revealing the flesh of their upper chests and arms. • The gesture code of the woman on the left is that of the stereotypical passive victim of the ‘monster’, his power highlighted by the fact that he’s holding her by just one arm. • Baring her teeth and with her arm raisedalmost fist-like as she’s being bitten by the bat, the second woman’s gesture codes are more aggressive, and the submissive pose of her male ‘victim’ (including being on his knees with his head back and throat exposed) represent her in a non- stereotypically dominant way.

2 A Level Media Studies Fact Sheet

Black Panther (2018)

A level Media Studies Fact Sheet

Black Panther (2018)

AS Component 1: provide armed monitoring of police behaviour Investigating the Media and prevent police brutality in the US. It was A level Component 1: Media controversial, with many Panthers being Products, Industries and Audiences arrested or killed in confrontations with police.

Focus areas: Cultural context: • The science fiction blockbuster and superhero Media Industries Media Contexts genres have traditionally been dominated by white, male characters. In the 1990s, actors like Will Smith and Wesley Snipes did break ground playing black PRODUCT CONTEXT characters, but recent action films and especially • Black Panther is the 17th film in the ‘Marvel superhero films have rarely featured African- Cinematic Universe’, the highest-grossing film American actors in lead roles. franchise in history. It was directed by Ryan • For the last 15 years, Marvel films have topped Coogler (Creed) and released in February 2018. the box office. Though these regularly featured non- • The film shows us the fictional African kingdom white characters, they were often sidekicks (e.g. The of Wakanda, which has avoided European Falcon in the Captain America films). There have colonisation and achieved a technological superiority also been very few superhero films with a female through the use of a mineral called Vibranium. lead (Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel being T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) must fight a number exceptions). of foes who oppose him becoming king after the death • Black cinema has traditionally consisted of of his father. issues-based social realism (e.g. the films of Spike • The film was produced by Marvel Studios, Lee) or have been ‘arthouse’/’prestige’ pictures a famous comic book brand that is also a (e.g. Moonlight, 2016). Blade subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company. (1998) is one of the few superhero • Black Panther was extremely successful, broke films to have a black main character. records for the highest opening weekend in the • In 2016, the #oscarssowhite meme drew attention USA, and also performed well globally. The film to the lack of diversity in the films nominated. has grossed well over $1 billion worldwide, with • US/European news media tends to portray Africa 48% in non-US countries. as an under-priviliged, developing country, focusing • It was also one of the only superhero films to on civil wars, famine and terrorism. The Victorian be nominated for a ‘Best Picture’ Academy branding of Africa as ‘the Dark Continent’ has not Award. It won three Oscars for Costume, evolved very far. Very few feature films from Africa Production Design, and Original Soundtrack. reach the Western mainstream, and films like Blood Diamond (2006) and Captain Phillips (2013), though featuring sympathetic African characters, still PART 1: STARTING POINTS – Media Industries portray Africa as a dangerous and barbaric place. • Further study: research the cultural movement Historical Context: • From 15th-20th century, European powers of ‘Afrofuturism’. What does this term mean? colonised African countries and exploited the How have artists explored the idea in music, art, continent for both resources and slave labour. Africans film and other media? To what extent were branded ‘savages’ by the European invaders, their is Black Panther an Afrofuturist film? cultures dismissed as ‘primitive’. Economic and Political Contexts: • During the early 20th century, African- • Barack Obama (2009-2017), America’s first Americans attempted to establish a new black African-American president, created many cultural identity with movements such as initiatives that aided minority and women’s the Harlem Renaissance. groups: from universal healthcare, to college • The Black Panther Party (1966-82) was a and entrepreneurship political activist group established initially to

1 A level Media Studies Fact Sheet

access funds for the under-priviliged. from being ‘another superhero’ film into • Donald Trump, the current president, has vowed something more politically resonant. to reverse many of these, winning support from • Here are some of the brand association deals mostly white, right wing Americans who consider Disney used to target a diverse audience who may not such initiatives unfair. In addition, Trump has be ‘fanboys’. How do these a.) appeal to a different insulted other countries (including many in Africa), spectator than other Marvel films?: Hasbro toys and refused to condemn violent racist attacks in https://io9.gizmodo.com/this-black-panther-toy- American cities. commercial-is-moreimportant-tha-1821802836 ; • Worrying statistics about the amount of Lexus cars https://www. prnewswire.com/news- unarmed ‘people of colour’ (POC) shot by US releases/lexus-introduces-two-newvehicles-inspired- police led to the #blacklivesmatter campaign, by-marvel-studios-black-panther-ahead-of-sema-2017- which has utilised social media to raise 300542095. html Interscope records (Universal Music) awareness of an issue that has often been https://www.factmag.com/2018/02/13/ ryancoogler- ignored by mainstream media. kendrick-lamar-black-panther/ and b.) how do they combine in a synergy to make Black Panther ‘more’ Consider the significance of patterns than a superhero film? of ownership and control, including • Black Panther’s teaser trailers were shown conglomerate ownership, vertical between NBA games and a special collaboration integration and diversification: with Lexus called ‘Long Live The King’ was • Black Panther was produced by Marvel Studios, shown during the Superbowl. What kind of who became a subsidiary of Disney in 2008. They are audiences normally watch these programmes? also the film’s distributor, which makes this a good How are they different to the usual Marvel example of vertical integration. fanbase? • Marvel has historically sold options on • The film’s release also harnessed a political individual characters or comicbook titles e.g. element to add gravitas. Crowd-funding projects to Spiderman to TV and then to Paramount (and who buy under-privileged children a ticket won support is still partly owned by Sony). Black Panther was from celebrities; the film was released during Black one of those owned fully by Marvel; in 2009 a new History Month; plus Coogler, the stars and the team began developing T’Challa and lesser known costume , hair/make-up , production designers all gave characters. detailed interviews about how the film celebrates • In early 2000s, Marvel Studios began African culture. https://www. to produce films, starting with Blade theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2018/02/ why- (1998) and the X-Men films (2000). fashion-is-key-tounderstanding-the-world-of-black-

• When Disney bought Marvel, they agreed to panther/553157/ minimal creative influence over Marvel products. • There was also a ‘Welcome to Wakanda’ catwalk • in 2013, Marvel also signed a deal with streaming show at New York Fashion Week and features in service Netflix to develop TV series for six more numerous fashion magazines. (On opening weekend characters (including Daredevil and Punisher who had 44% of ticket buyers were female) already been made into films). This may have caused • Look at the preview posters and the trailer - conflict with Disney, who has their own streaming (https://www.youtube.com/ channel, and in 2019 Netflix cancelled their Marvel watch?v=xjDjIWPwcPU) - how does the film shows. celebrate African culture? Why might it be

Consider how media organisations maintain, important to black children to have characters like including through marketing, varieties of Black Panther? How does it also represent black women in a powerful way? How does it also appeal audiences nationally and globally: • Disney, the film’s distributor adopted to fans of blockbusters? a ‘360-degree consumer experience’ to • Disney are adept at identifying nuanced their marketing (i.e. wherever you look, demographic groups and strategies for targeting them. Many of their products are ‘intercultural’ i.e. there’s Black Panther!) • The concept was to make the film into a they strongly represent one cultural tradition but in a ‘cultural event’ across a variety of media way that resonates with audiences from other cultural and platforms and raising its profile / national / ethnic backgrounds.

2 A level Media Studies Fact Sheet

• Disney has used recent Nielsen research to about film ever with 35 million tweets. challenge conventional ideas about the ethnic Consider how film/film marketing diversity in mainstream America. 53% of is circulated and distributed: Americans live in a multicultural or ‘blended’ household. 67% indicated they were enthusiastic • Where and how is film/film marketing about encountering and experimenting with most likely to be consumed by audiences? • How has this consumption changed/ ‘diverse cultures’. • Think about recent Disney releases like Moana been impacted by the internet, (2016) or Coco (2017): how do they represent a including YouTube and smartphones? cultural tradition positively? What universal • Are audiences now more likely to seek out, themes or story elements would audiences not from for example, new trailers online as active consumers? (Think about ‘reaction’ videos that culture still engage with? of people watching trailers!) Consider the regulatory framework of • Consider the way people share trailers or contemporary media in the UK and the movie gossip (casting decisions, plot role of regulation in global production, elements etc.) especially those with a distribution and circulation: strong fan community. How is this is an • The BBFC (an independent, non-governmental example of ‘word-of- mouth’ marketing. body) classifies film and video releases in the UK. • How does this impact the relationship However, local councils have the power to overrule between audience and product? BBFC decisions and rate films differently (e.g. This • How did Black Panther harness other, is England was rated 18 by the BBFC but several more political social media campaigns councils rated it 15). to create a ‘cultural event’ rather than • The theatrical release of Black Panther just another summer blockbuster? gained a 12a certificate. Look at the BBFC website for what constitutes a 12a - why do Theoretical perspectives: you think they awarded this to Black Panther? (http://www.bbfc.co.uk/) A level only: • The film, like many recent Marvel films, features very little romantic drama and no sex or Cultural industries – David Hesmondhalgh nudity. It is fairly violent, but the combat is • Further explore the concept of profit in relation fantastical (hard to imitate) and there is a strong to the film industry and in this case specifically moral code to most of the conflict. The film was to the film franchises. Often films within a classified as PG-13 in USA, and similarly in other series can become formulaic and lack risk. Is this territories. Why do you think the film was regulated the case with Marvel Studios? Or Disney? this way, even in countries with stricter rules and • Explore Hesmondhalgh’s idea that media censorship like China or India? conglomerates operate across a range of cultural industries by considering the way the film was Consider processes of production, released as part of a synergy - with fashion, distribution and circulation and the music, videogames, sports tie-ins, even a car! impact of digitally convergent platforms: • You might also usefully introduce the idea that • The teaser trailer was released in June this film has a very low risk for the producers. 2017 by Disney’s sister channel ABC, The character of T’Challa and Wakanda were during NBA Finals. Within 24 hours it had introduced in Captain America: Civil War, the been viewed 89 million times on Youtube. comic is over 50 years old, and all previous • Just before release, Black Panther was the Marvel films have been hugely successful. On most-tweeted about film of 2018 with more the other hand, having such an Afrocentric film than 5 million tweets globally. In mid- could have been seen as a commercial risk, March 2018, it became the most-tweeted especially outside the USA and Africa.

3 than Curran and Seaton describe? Curran and Seaton ‐ Media and power • To what extent does the dominance of • How does the film’s much celebrated diversity Marvel in the sci-fi/superhero genre limit challenge Curran and Seaton’s idea that theopportunities for alternative, riskier domination by a small number of media independent films in these genres? institutions limits creativity and variety? • How could the conglomerate model (Marvel as a separate brand to Disney) offer a more complex pattern of ownership

4 A level Media Studies Fact Sheet I, Daniel Blake

(2016) A level Media Studies Fact Sheet I, Daniel Blake

(2016)

AS Component 1: educated, media literate and socially aware).

Investigating the Media A level Component 1: Media Consider the significance of economic factors, including commercial and not-for-profit public Products, Industries and Audiences funding, to media industries and their products:

Subject Content: Media Industries • Economic factors including funding are Focus Area: Media Contexts extremely significant to this independent British co- production. The funding bodies are the BFI (through National Lottery Funding) and the BBC. »» PRODUCT CONTEXT Consider the ways in which this film • I, Daniel Blake is an independent social realist is funded differently from many film directed by renowned filmmaker Ken Loach mainstream films, exploring Public (Kes, Raining Stones, Sweet Sixteen etc.). Service Broadcasting and the respective • A UK/French co-production, it received remits of the BBC and the BFI. funding from the BFI and BBC Films. • Discuss why vast financial profits might • It became Ken Loach’s largest grossing film at be less important for practitioners working in the box office (taking over $8 million), was highly this genre of film. critically acclaimed and generated much debate Consider processes of production, due to the contemporary social and political issues distribution and circulation and the addressed in the film. impact of digitally convergent platforms: • I, Daniel Blake was exhibited at many • I, Daniel Blake is a low budget social film festivals, won the Palme d’Or at realist film, funded by the BFI and BBC. It was Cannes, and was nominated for many filmed largely on location (hospital, job centre awards including several BAFTAs. etc.), features lesser known actors and does not

rely on special effects. PART 1: STARTING POINTS – Media Industries • Consider how films and their marketing are distributed and circulated: Social and Political Contexts: »» Where and how are films and their marketing I, Daniel Blake addresses contemporary British social issues such as poverty, the welfare system and most likely to be consumed by audiences? the Work Capability Assessment. The film portrays »» How has this consumption changed/ a group of traditionally underrepresented characters been impacted by the ubiquity of in Newcastle struggling in poverty to gain benefits online and social media? and support. I, Daniel Blake conveys a clear left- »» Are audiences now more likely to wing political message and criticises specific seek out marketing (e.g. new trailers) government policies. Consideration of the wider online as active consumers? economic context and concept of “austerity” might »» How does this impact the relationship be useful in exploring how changes to benefit policy between audience and product? had been justified. • The I, Daniel Blake website includes links to Much of Ken Loach’s work has addressed similar social media and the trailer offers a hashtag issues (Cathy Come Home, Raining Stones) and he (#idanielblake) suggesting links with Twitter, but it is is a social campaigner, known for his socialist worth considering the ways in which the marketing political views. This is important to consider in might be more likely to be consumed in more terms of film production and maintaining audiences traditional ways. Might an assumed older audience be (arguably the intended audience for this film is more likely to see the trailer

1 A level Media Studies Fact Sheet

at the cinema and less likely to search for it on 1969 might be a useful specific comparison) the internet? Consider how the film was and, unlike some film genres which have marketed more traditionally (poster campaign, been impacted by technical developments trailer in cinemas etc.) as well as online. and special effects, might this genre be • The film was exhibited at various film particular in its tendency to resist change? festivals and received a theatrical release in • There are specific and distinct potential Britain and various other countries (including audiences that the film is attempting to France, Spain, Brazil and Japan – although not in target through its marketing: the USA). It was later released on digital »» The trailer references the BBC, BFI and the download and DVD/Blu-ray. Palme d’Or. Discuss the extent to which these

Consider the effect of individual references suggest an assumed education and level of media literacy in the target audience. producers on media industries: • It may be useful to explore Ken Loach and his »» The trailer explores specific governmental significance as a practitioner in British and Global policy which also may suggest audiences cinema - how Loach has been able to repeatedly will have an awareness of political secure funding for social realist films and the and social issues in the UK. extent to which the genre itself exists in its current »» The only specific “star” identified in the trailer using intertitles is the director Ken form due to his work. • Consider the extent to which I, Daniel Blake can be Loach. Loach’s work whilst having broad described as a mainstream product. Loach is a well- appeal sits firmly within the niche of known and successful figure in the UK and Europe but social realism and candidates may discuss is his work mainstream? Does the fact he is the extent to which the fans of his work are pre-sold based on his name alone. challenging governmental policy mean he is also challenging mainstream opinions? Consider theoretical perspectives: • It might also be interesting to consider whether Power and media industries – Curran and Seaton there exists a pre-sold audience of Loach fans who • Consider the extent to which the trailer is a are eager to watch his films and the extent to which challenge to ideas set out by Curran and Seaton. this gives him license to make films that might not »» The trailer seems to offer an experience otherwise secure finance. that sits outside the logic of profit and

Consider how media organisations maintain, power and may arguably also demonstrate including through marketing, varieties of a level of variety and creativity that does not reflect Curran and Seaton’s ideas audiences nationally and globally: • The marketing materials establish the status about the impact of media concentration. and reputation of film – positive critical »» Candidates might also consider whether comments on the poster, reference to the Palme the trailer is able to offer a more adventurous production due to socially d’Or award in the trailer etc. • The genre (British social realist film) and diverse patterns of ownership or (as director Ken Loach are important factors in above) Loach’s own pre-sold audience. maintaining an audience. Loach has a long history of directing work in the genre (Kes from

2 A Level Media Studies – Set Product Fact Sheet The Times

(13 March 2019) A Level Media Studies – Set Product Fact Sheet The Times

(13 March 2019)

A Level Component 1: Media which her party suffered heavy losses. Meanwhile, products, industries and audiences. she had been regularly visiting Brussels and other

EU countries in an effort to create a Brexit deal that Focus areas: will satisfy both the EU and the UK parliament Media language On the date this edition of the Mirror was published, Representation MPs had voted against the deal she had negotiated Media industries with the EU. This was very serious as the UK was Audiences scheduled to be leaving the EU in just ten days. Media contexts Withdrawing from the EU with ‘no deal’ could have

catastrophic consequences on trade, immigration, PRODUCT CONTEXT healthcare etc., affecting all UK citizens. • The Times newspaper is a British national ‘quality’ newspaper first published in Cultural context 1785. The Times has been published by Horse racing meets like Ascot and Cheltenham Times Newspapers since 1981, a subsidiary are an iconic part of British culture, often of News UK, wholly owned by News associated with the upper classes. Corp, Rupert Murdoch’s company. The contemporary audience can be assumed to • This edition was published on March 13th, 2019, be familiar with the codes and conventions of after Theresa May had encountered another newspaper front pages and the mode of address Commons defeat over her Brexit proposals. that these newspapers present to their readers. • The Times is famous for having a range of The layout of the broadsheet newspaper usually journalists with varied political viewpoints which has one main story, with lots of details, then smaller headlines at the bottom. allows the newspaper to offer a more neutral political stance on Brexit negotiations. Front page: • The central image is a close-up photograph

PART 1: STARTING POINTS – of Theresa May looking distraught. She has a pained facial expression and dark rings under Media language and representation her eyes which denote high emotions and Media Language possible lack of sleep.

• The headline anchors this by making the Political context On 23rd June 2016, citizens of the UK voted to defeat of her Brexit proposals into something leave the European Union (EU). This was more personal and emotional than political and nicknamed ‘Brexit’. The vote was very close with factual. This is an attempt to narrate what is a 51.9% voting leave and 48.1% voting remain. The quite ‘dry’ story. It fulfils the news value of controversies from the campaign continued even ‘personalisation’ where politicians become after the vote. Remainers accused leave voters of characters we may empathise with (even if we xenophobia and racism; leavers accused remainers don’t agree with their politics). of being unpatriotic and un-democratic. The period • Though the smaller headlines above since the referendum has been one of political the main offer a bigger picture, the last still turmoil. Following the resignation of David focuses on May as an individual. Cameron shortly after the vote, Theresa May has • The ‘In the news’ stories at the bottom faced regular leadership challenges from within her of the page also supply some global context for the main story: financial, own party, and a snap general election in 2017 in 1 A Level Media Studies – Set Product Fact Sheet

environmental and travel news are topics achievements. However, the tone suggests The Times’ audience is interested in. that she is justified in feeling this way. • Most of the print is black on white, which • Learners might want to look at photos of male connotes the seriousness of the content. The politicians - how many show them expressing fashion feature ‘puff box’ at the top of the emotions? How many are constructed to show page is in a paler, pastel colour that is more strength, confidence, defiance and other feminine and also less serious. stereotypically ‘masculine’ traits? • The strapline ‘Britain’s Most Trusted Theoretical perspectives: Newspaper’ draws on the Times’ long history and Feminist theory ‐ Van Zoonen reputation as a quality brand that will give readers Van Zoonen suggested that women are often a range of viewpoints on serious issues. The portrayed as sexualised, weak or vulnerable in the heraldic style logo reinforces this. media. Though Theresa May is shown as vulnerable, Theoretical perspectives: the image used also suggests defiance in the face of adversity; she is not sexualised (compare to Semiotics – Saussure the infamous Daily Mail ‘legs-it’ headline). Also, The photograph appears to be taken through a car even though the reader may not agree with her window (there is a shadow of a rearview mirror in the political actions, May is a high profile, very foreground and the ‘Driven To Despair’ is a pun). The powerful woman who is often portrayed battling connotation of this kind of shot is that they are un- against privileged male politicians. This kind of posed and often private situations that the woman is rarely seen in the media, especially within photographer has managed to capture. The framing current affairs, and Van Zoonen would suggest that suggests a candor to the photo. This emphasises the despite her politics many women would aspire to her emotional and personalised framing for the story. status. The personal tone of the headline and photo Narrative ‐ Propp build this sense of intimacy. This style takes a complex political debate (described in factual detail in the body of the text) and turns into a PART 2: UNDERSTANDING MEDIA dramatic incident, an emotional incident INDUSTRIES AND AUDIENCES for a ‘character’ (May). Candidates could look Industry context at Vladmir Propp’s 32 ‘narratemes’ and select The Times was first published in 1785 and is part of those which this story seem to be playing out. the Times newspaper group which is a subsidiary of News UK. News UK is a British-based, American- Starting Points: representation owned newspaper publisher, and a subsidiary of the American mass media conglomerate News Corp. Consider how representations are constructed News Corp is a newly formed company, which through a process of selection and combination concentrates on newspapers and publishing. • The photograph could be interpreted The company formed following a split from as representing May as a stereotypical News Corporation, a powerful conglomerate • woman: emotional, vulnerable and easily with interests in film and broadcasting in upset. However, the ‘candid’ (almost invasive) addition to newspapers and publishing. framing of the photo also suggests she is allowing The company also produces The Sun her feelings to show in private, whereas in public newspaper and previously the News of the she is more controlled. World, which ceased production following • Female politicians often find it challenging to the phone hacking scandal of 2011. show they are both strong, capable leaders and The company has demonstrated a predominantly caring and warm human beings. One rival MP right wing political allegiance with The Sun said May wouldn’t make a good Prime Minister newspaper backing the conservative government because she doesn’t have children! If they come in recent elections. However, The Times across as too ‘masculine’ female politicians can has maintained a more neutral stance. lose supporters, something male politicians don’t The group was one of the first companies in the seem to worry about. UK to introduce an online newspaper but also • The language of the headline also focuses paywalls which required readers to pay for use on May’s emotions rather than her political of the site. This was introduced in response 2 A Level Media Studies – Set Product Factsheet to the fall in print sales within the group. greatly in terms of production and promotion. However, The Times is the only national The Times’ target audience, according to NRS quality newspaper to show year-on-year and ABC data, is predominantly ABC1, over growth for print sales (407, 566 daily average). 35 and has a liberal/right-wing political stance. The Times is part of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) - an independent Starting points: Audience body which is not backed by the Government and is How are audiences grouped and categorised? fully funded by the industry itself. This is a regulatory body that maintains press The Times’ target audience, according to NRS standards but is anti-Leveson in its approach. and ABC data is predominantly ABC1, over 35 and has a liberal/right wing political Theoretical approaches: Power and stance. This well -educated and middle class media industries – Curran and Seaton audience take an interest in global affairs and The Times is part of a horizontally and vertically can understand detailed political reporting integrated company and subsequently a large conglomerate. Being part of a huge press How do audiences interpret the product? organisation could limit or inhibit creativity and The Brexit chaos edition will target this group as journalists’ freedom. Rupert Murdoch is often it takes a fairly neutral approach which will accused of controlling his newspaper content and allow readers to construct their own opinion and editorial teams which would support this point. negotiate their own response to the Outcome of However, it could also be suggested that by having the Commons vote. The close-up photo of May’s a more diverse pattern of ownership, a more despairing face may build empathy and a sense of pluralistic approach could create conditions for identification: the audience feels similar more varied and adventurous media productions. to May about the tedious Brexit process.

Regulation – Sonia Livingstone and Peter Lunt Theoretical approaches:

The Times Newspaper Group and News Corp are Cultivation theory – Gerbner facing increased pressure alongside the rest of the Exposure to repeated patterns of representation (of UK press industry to adhere to strict rules and May struggling to reach a deal, of Brexit chaos regulations on industry practice. This has arisen generally) by newspapers can shape and influence after the phone hacking scandal and subsequent an audience’s views and opinions. Gerbner went on Leveson enquiry into the industry. There is an to say that this is not like ‘hypodermic model’ but underlying issue of protecting citizens from harmful rather depends on what the audience already material while ensuring choice and press freedom. believes. The messages (e.g. politicians are The increasing power of companies like News Corp ineffectual) need to resonate with an established and their expansion into digital media has also belief (e.g. Brexit is a chaotic mess) in the audience placed traditional approaches to media at risk. (e.g. middle class, middle-right wing).

Cultural industries – David Hesmondhalgh Reception theory ‐ Stuart Hall The Times Newspaper group is part of a The Times has portrayed May and the vote in a vertically and horizontally integrated company way that encourages a negotiated reading. By with a wide range of titles on offer in order to focusing on the emotional state of May and the maximise audiences and minimise risks. Rather general despair at the progress of negotiations, than seeing digital media as a threat, the company it is asking readers to reflect on their own has embraced its digital expansion and introduced emotional response to the situation. paywalls to allow for online content to be viewed End of audience – Clay Shirky while still generating income. As part of News The concept of audience members as passive Corp, the company finds itself part of a wide consumers is no longer tenable in the age of the organisation responsible for different cultural internet with the rise of the prosumer who can industries. This can benefit the newspaper create their own content such as submitting

3 A Level Media Studies – Set Product Factsheet

stories and being part of forums. Many broadsheet newspapers like The Times have embraced this, taking popular ‘below-the-line’ (i.e. non- professional) commentators and offering them ‘above-the-line’ columns in their on-line editions.

4 A Level Media Studies – Set Product Fact Sheet The Mirror

(13 March 2019) A Level Media Studies – Set Product Fact Sheet The Mirror

(13 March 2019)

AS Level Component 1: Cameron shortly after the vote, Theresa May has Investigating the Media faced regular leadership challenges from within her A Level Component 1: Media own party, and a snap general election in 2017 in Products, Industries and Audiences. which her party suffered heavy losses. Meanwhile, she had been regularly visiting Brussels and other EU Focus areas: countries in an effort to create a Brexit deal that Media language would satisfy both the EU and the UK parliament. On Representation the date this edition of the Mirror was published, MPs Media industries had voted against the deal she had negotiated with the Audiences EU. This was very serious as the UK was scheduled to Media contexts be leaving the EU just ten days after. Withdrawing from the EU with ‘no deal’ could have catastrophic PRODUCT CONTEXT consequences on trade, immigration, healthcare etc., • The Daily Mirror is a British daily affecting all UK citizens. national tabloid newspaper. Established in 1903, it is aimed at predominantly working Cultural context class readership. It follows a traditionally Eastenders is one of the UK’s most popular soap operas, with a reputation for featuring hard-hitting left wing political stance. • One of the Mirror’s main competitors is The storylines that often feature issues such as rape, Sun newspaper which targets a similar socio- domestic violence and homophobia. Since 1985, it economic demographic, but usually adopts a more has been regularly watched by audiences of up to 20 million people. This has turned the actors into traditionally right wing stance. • This edition was published on March 13th, 2019, celebrities and - like Dyer’s ‘Star Theory’ suggests • tabloid newspapers often run stories about the after Theresa May had encountered another Commons actor’s lives mirroring their Eastenders’ storylines. defeat over her Brexit proposals. As a mostly left- Traditionally, one of the Mirror’s (and other wing newspaper, the Mirror has been critical of the tabloids’) main elements is sports reporting - often way the conservative government has been handling over half the paper is dedicated to sport. The ‘back the Brexit negotiations. pages’ often feature the betting odds for horse races and will have special ‘pull out’ features when there PART 1: STARTING POINTS – is a major racing event. Racing ‘meets’ like Ascot Media language and representation and Cheltenham have upper class associations, but

Political context have increasingly become popular days out for the less wealthy audiences. On 23rd June 2016, citizens of the UK voted to leave the European Union (EU). This was nicknamed Front page: ‘Brexit’. The vote was very close with 51.9% voting • The page is split between the political story, a to leave and 48.1% voting remain. The controversies ‘puff box’ promoting the pull-out supplement, and from the campaign continued even after the vote. an advert for a betting service (that obviously links Remainers accused leave voters of xenophobia and to the Cheltenham pull-out). The headline ‘Brexit racism; leavers accused remainers of being Delay Mayhem’ and unpatriotic and un-democratic. The period since the the use of the emotive words ‘surrender’, referendum has been one of political turmoil. ‘defeat’ and ‘chaos’ suggest the negotiations Following the resignation of David for Britain leaving the EU are disastrous.

1 A Level Media Studies – Set Product Fact Sheet

• The image of May looking very serious • On either side of the double page there are two anchors the headline - that fact the image is tiny rival columns offering opposing viewpoints on the (smaller than the photo of attacked actor in the top proceedings. The style of these is similar to that of right) shows how little respect or faith the Mirror sports journalism, and there are numerous light- has in May’s abilities. hearted pop culture references (e.g. comparing • The strapline ‘Fighting for you’ provides one man to Gandalf from Lord Of The Rings and solidarity for people confused or worried including his famous line “You shall not pass”). about the political turmoil of Brexit. Theoretical perspectives: • The Cheltenham Festival pull-out actually Structuralism ‐ Levi – Strauss dominates the page - with bright green font and There is a binary opposition between the MPs and background, combined with an exciting action “the Nation” which feeds into the ‘us vs them’ shot of a horse and rider, it grabs the attention ideology of ‘populism’. There is also an opposition more than the political story. The puff box “All between the two political pundits on the double the tips! All the form!” offers practical advice page piece. The language in the headlines (plus the and the offer of a free bet will also entice the odds from ‘Honest Jason’) also explains some quite reader. The use of these terms positions the complex political debates in using the allegory of a reader as someone already knowledgeable horse race - this dramatises the details (and also about racing. links to the paper’s main advertisers!) • The advert at the base of the page also uses brightly coloured graphics, the greens linking it Starting points: Representation

to the racing feature above. Consider how representations are constructed

• The article about the assault on the actor is a through a process of selection and combination close-up of her upset face, to create empathy and the reader feel closer to this ‘character’. The Front page: headline uses emotive slang like ‘glassed’ and • By reducing Theresa May to the smallest image ‘thug’ to condemn the attack. It also doesn’t use on the page, the Mirror is sending a clear message the real actor’s name (Katie Jarvis) instead about the way she is seen by her fellow MPs and by addressing her as her character’s name. The the newspaper’s target audience. abbreviation of Eastenders along with the slang • The headline focuses on her defeat and implies the suggests this story is less important and more whole situation is her fault - there is very little ‘gossipy’. description of the MPs who have challenged her.

Article: • This personalises a complex story by making it about the experiences of one individual rather • The central image is a medium shot of than a complicated political progress involving Theresa May: her hands are raised which hundreds of people. This is a technique used by could connote defeat. It could also indicate news media to help audiences build emotional conciliation or resistance. engagement about ‘dry’ political or economic • The text of the article shows it is a stories. mixture of all of these! May is portrayed as • The small amount of space given to the whole someone who is losing, but who is also story - along with the “...Loses Key Vote Again’ bravely fighting on against the odds. headline - suggests that, these political conflicts have • The language of the whole article is allegorical: become almost commonplace, and this portraying the debate in Parliament as if is all part of the ongoing Brexit ‘chaos’. it is a horse race. “A Faller At The 2nd” is • Both this and the Eastenders story could suggest racing track slang for a poorly performing women are weak and vulnerable: May ‘surrenders’, horse, and there is even a book-keeper ‘Hayley’ has been physically assaulted. Yet the character at the bottom of the page, offering images - May in mid-argument, ‘Hayley’ looking odds for the different Brexit outcomes. defiant - give the impression of inner strength • Throughout the main article, May is described despite the attacks they have experienced. The using light-hearted derogatory language (“tottering Mirror has an even gender split in their audience, Theresa”). Though her “dwindling authority” is which may explain this more complex portrayal of ridiculed, at some points her efforts sound almost women. heroic (“dashing to Brussels”).

2 A Level Media Studies – Set Product Factsheet

Article: the Mirror’s brand being the “Intelligent Tabloid”. • The portrayal of May as embattled continues Reach plc is the largest national and regional with a blow by blow account of the debate. The multimedia content publisher in the UK, detail of her losing her voice again represents her as comprising national and regional news brands both weak, but also relentless in her aims. across the country. The group publishes more than • The image of her dominates the page, whilst the 150 newspaper titles across the UK and Ireland, male politicians are in far smaller photo-boxes. There from the national presence of the Daily Mirror, the is a sense that even though she is failing, she is going Daily Record, the Daily Express, to local down fighting. Though this seems at odds with the newspapers such as the Manchester Evening News Mirror’s political bias, it does fit with the large female and Nottingham Post. The Daily Mirror is part of market who may admire May’s tenacity even if they Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) don’t like her politics. • an independent body which is not backed by the Government and is fully funded by the industry Theoretical perspectives: itself. This is a regulatory body that maintains press Feminist theory ‐ Van Zoonen standards but is anti-Leveson in its approach.

Van Zoonen suggested that women are often Theoretical approaches:Power and portrayed as sexualised, weak or vulnerable in media industries – Curran and Seaton the media. Though the two women featured on Reach plc has maintained their position in the UK the Mirror’s cover are from stories that seem to market despite falling sales of the Mirror and portray them as vulnerable, the images used other mainstream titles by diversifying into connote strength and defiance in the face of regional news. This diverse pattern of ownership adversity; also neither are sexualised (almost a has allowed them to create the conditions for more genre convention in many other UK tabloids!) varied and adventurous media products.

Regulation – Sonia Livingstone and Peter Lunt PART 2: UNDERSTANDING MEDIA INDUSTRIES AND AUDIENCES Reach plc is facing increasing pressure alongside the

STARTING POINTS – Media rest of the UK press industry to adhere to strict rules and regulations on industry practice. This has arisen Industry Industry context after the phone hacking scandal and subsequent The Daily Mirror was first published in 1903 as a Leveson enquiry into the industry. There is an newspaper for women ‘to act as a mirror on feminine underlying issue of protecting citizens from harmful life’. However the newspaper was quickly material while ensuring choice and press freedom. redesigned to appeal to a broader audience. Owned Cultural industries – David Hesmondhalgh by the Reach plc, the Daily Mirror was once the most popular tabloid in the UK. Reach plc has become a horizontally integrated However, it has had the largest year on year company with a wide range of titles in order to fall in sales of any national print newspaper in maximise audiences and minimise risks. Rather recent years with a current average daily sales than seeing digital media as a threat, the company has embraced its digital expansion of just 509, 000 copies (Jan 2019). Online media has largely been responsible for the and now offers digital marketing as well as digital classifieds to generate additional income. downturn in print sales and the Daily Mirror has responded to this by launching ‘Mirror Online’ and Starting points: Audience having a presence on social media sites. The website How are audiences grouped and categorised? offers interactive opportunities for its readers with competitions, polls and a ‘Got a story?’ feature which The Daily Mirror’s target audience, according to invites readers to submit their own stories. Though it NRS and ABC data is predominantly C2DE, over 35 and are working class Labour supporters. doesn’t invite users’ comments on political issues, it does have accessible stories breaking down the key How do audiences interpret the product? events into ‘bitesize’ chunks (e.g. “5 Facts About…”). • The audience is positioned as being disapproving This reinforces of May, a Tory PM, and towards the other MPs.

3 A Level Media Studies – Set Product Factsheet

The use of despairing, defeated language would Theoretical approaches: resonate with their cynicism towards politicians, Cultivation theory – Gerbner and their fears about the ‘chaos’ of Brexit. Audience exposure to repeated patterns of • The red font and central positioning of the representation (of May, of Brexit, or of modern headline indicates that this story is important, politics) by newspapers may shape and influence but the sandwiching between adverts for their views and opinions. Gerbner went on to say gambling, along with the ‘Loses Again’ that this is not like ‘hypodermic model’ but rather indicates this is just another installment in a depends on what the audience already believes. The long, tedious process, and that it is advisable messages (e.g. politicians are ineffectual) need to to focus on more entertaining experiences. resonate with an established belief (e.g. Brexit is a • The use of horse-racing terminology in chaotic mess) in the audience (e.g. working class, the main article’s headlines relates to left-wing men and women). the audience’s interest in racing, and the rival political columnists describe Reception theory ‐ Stuart Hall the day’s events in the opinionated and There is an ambiguous representation of women emotive style of a sports ‘pundit’. on the front page. Some may decode the stories • Despite much emotive and symbolic language as portraying women as defeated and vulnerable, (that also references popular culture) there others may negotiate a meaning as these women is actually a lot of factual detail about the being defiant in the face of adversity. Commons debate. The ‘cut and thrust’ of the End of audience – Clay Shirky proceedings narrates what could be quite a The concept of audience members as passive dry and inaccessible series of arguments. consumers is no longer tenable in the age of the

How do different audience interpretations reflect internet with the rise of the prosumer who can create social, cultural and historical circumstances? their own content such as submitting stories and being part of forums. Newspapers like The Guardian have • The tone of the article - and the prominence of more stereotypical working class entertainment embraced this, taking popular ‘below-the-line’ (i.e. like soap operas and horse-racing - link non-professional) commentators and offering them to ideology of ‘populism’ that has become ‘above-the-line’ columns. The Mirror does offer some more prevalent in mainstream politics over opportunities for ‘citizen journalism’ (e.g. the “What’s the past five years. Donald Trump’s ‘Make Your Story?” section of their website) the majority of America Great Again’ and Nigel Farage’s content is still written by journalists. attack on the ‘elite’ encourage the view that mainstream politicians are hopelessly out of touch with the ‘common people’.

4 A level Media Studies Fact Sheet

Dream by Dizzee Rascal

This image is used for review purposes under the fair dealings policy. A level Media Studies Fact Sheet

Dream by Dizzee Rascal

AS Component 1: child-like backdrop to the video and contrasts Investigating the Media with the contemporary issues and problems A level Component 1: Media depicted. An example from Muffin the Mule Products, Industries and Audiences can be viewed via this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spQY2FbCUtM Subject Content: Media Language Focus Area: Consider the codes and Representation, Media Contexts conventions of media language: • Dream combines elements of performance and narrative, typical of the music video form. PRODUCT CONTEXT »» Two ‘worlds’ are constructed – the salubrious • Dizzee Rascal is a solo rap artist within 1950s sitting room and the contemporary the genre of garage/ grime who won the city setting, established through the set, Mercury Music Prize for his debut album, props and puppets on the grand piano. Boy in da Corner, in 2003. »» The video features a female pianist who • Dream was released as a single in 2004, taken directly addresses the audience, introducing from Dizzee Rascal’s second album Showtime. Dizzee Rascal and singing some lines from • Dream samples lines from Happy Talk, a single Happy Talk. She acts as a presenter/ that was released in 1982 by Captain Sensible and narrator and reacts to the action, arguably originally featured in the musical South Pacific (a reflecting the ‘typical’ or ‘expected’ Broadway stage show in response of an older audience to rap music. 1949, film version released in 1958). »» Dizzee Rascal performs and directly • The video for Dream was directed by Dougal addresses the audience, also Wilson for the Colonel Blimp production commenting on the narrative and company. Wilson is an award-winning actions of the puppet characters. director of commercials and music videos. »» The narrative is linear, featuring disruptions and a resolution that reflects PART 1: STARTING POINTS – Media Language the dominant message of triumph over adversity through commitment to a dream. Cultural Contexts: The video references 1950s children’s television, • The video features many postmodern elements, most specifically Muffin the Mule, which was aired juxtaposing 1950s children’s television characters with on the BBC from 1946 until 1955 (when it switched familiar contemporary iconography to ITV). The BBC programme was presented by such as the nightclub and off-licence, and a matriarchal older female with a young male Annette Mills who sang and interacted with a puppet grime artist. This creates a fable-like quality mule and other characters who appeared on her grand to the video, as Dizzee Rascal tells the story piano. The programme was broadcast live and was of the development of a successful career. hugely successful, becoming the first children’s • The images are highly illustrative, often television programme to have its own merchandise. featuring a literal interpretation of the lyrics e.g. The actress who plays the female pianist in Dream ‘off licence’, ‘young babymothers’. This adds to bears a clear resemblance to Annette Mills, the the sense that a vivid story is being told. puppet mule is also featured, and the set is similar to Muffin the Mule. The use of these references creates an innocent,

1 A level Media Studies Fact Sheet

Consider how elements of media http://www.studiodaily.com/2005/02/something- language influence meaning: old-something-new-in-dizzee-rascal-video/

• The period setting of the sitting room is Consider how meanings are established through the mise-en-scène of the established through intertextuality: striped wallpaper, floral curtains and grand • The references to 1950s children’s television, piano, connoting a middle-class environment especially the use of direct address by the pianist, that contrasts dramatically with the ironically position the audience contemporary setting of the narrative. The as children being told a story. The puppet stereotypically socially deprived, inner-city characters are interwoven into the narrative environment is constructed through the set and e.g. Muffin the Mule operating the sound props on the piano (e.g. off licence building recording desk and the Lord Charles puppet with letters missing, graffiti). in the pram – this juxtaposition potentially • There are many props that reference childhood: creates a sense of surprise or unease, »» Pastel coloured building blocks at the provoking the audience to think about the beginning and end of the video. narrative and messages in the video. »» Musical box from which Dizzee Rascal • Dizzee Rascal also intertextually references emerges – and returns to at the end of Captain Sensible, who recorded Happy Talk in the the video when it is covered in stars, 1980s, when he says ‘This is too sensible for me, connoting his success as a music artist. man’ as he climbs out of the musical box. »» Toy police car and helicopter. • These references could create a »» Puppets – Muffin the Mule, sense of nostalgia and pleasure for youths, policeman etc. viewers who recognise them. » » The use of this iconography of childhood Consider theoretical approaches: establishes a sense that the video is a fable with a clear moral message. This, Semiotics – Barthes coupled with the juxtaposition of the • Many of the images illustrate the lyrics but 1950s references, helps to distance the connote deeper meanings in relation to the more audience – there is little attempt to create abstract notion of working to achieve a ‘dream’. verisimilitude or the illusion of reality – • The idea of ‘myth’ relates to the use of it is clear that it is a constructed narrative. iconography such as the ‘hoodie’ which, over • Dizzee Rascal begins to use the microphone time, has become recognisable as a symbol prop at the point where he talks about of youthful rebellion. discovering music and gaining air time. Structuralism – Levi-Strauss (A level) The microphone connotes power – Dizzee Rascal’s voice can now be heard (literally • Many binary oppositions are evident, most and metaphorically), and this signifies a prominently that of the young black male v older move away from deprivation and rebellion white female which reflects the idea of towards achieving his dream and becoming hierarchies of power in society. The female is physically bigger than Dizzee Rascal, due to the a respected member of society. • The use of simple props and iconography, difference in scale, and she shows disapproval of the anti-social behaviour and approval of the such as the nightclub signified by the disco ball positive actions. Despite and dimmed lights, constructs distinct and Dizzee’s success, she arguably retains the recognisable settings to illustrate the lyrics and power as he gets back into the box at the end. communicate meanings. • Other oppositions include youth v police/ Consider how developing authority – with some sense of resolution as they all technologies affect media language: dance together towards the end of the video. • The video makes use of green screen • Anti-social behaviour v hard work and technologies to allow Dizzee Rascal to perform dedication - the central message of working hard on the piano and interact with the puppet to achieve a ‘dream’ reflects a dominant characters. The following article gives further ideological message that hard work offers an information about the process: ‘escape’ from social deprivation.

2 A level Media Studies Fact Sheet

PART 2: STARTING POINTS – Representation face connotes her stereotypical British reserve – she does not like this invasion Social and Cultural Context of her personal space and is not used to The representation of the white, upper middle class encountering antisocial behaviour. pianist reflects 1950s Britain when people in »» She reinforces dominant messages and positions of power tended to belong to hegemonic ideologies, smiling her approval on the social groups. Dream is also interesting to consider positive elements of the narrative, for in the context of the post-war period in Britain example holding up Dizzee Rascal’s when many people from the Caribbean, as well as album and singing ‘just do it’. from India and Pakistan, moved to Britain to work • Dizzee Rascal is constructed as a rebellious and British society was becoming more ethnically young black male through the dress codes of red diverse as a result of this period of immigration. tracksuit with a ‘hoodie’ top and trainers. »» He The 1950s references create a sense of distance appears to be a stereotypically defiant youth and allow the audience to view the video as an who challenges authority at the beginning of allegory and understand the use of quite extreme the video, reinforced by the stereotypes as a way of exploring contemporary lyrics e.g. ‘reckless with no shame’. issues. For example, police brutality may be »» As the narrative progresses, a more positive considered as something that would have representation of Dizzee Rascal is occurred more frequently in the past, but there are constructed as he describes his strong sense cases of this happening in contemporary society. of purpose, hard work and achievement.

Dream is also interesting to consider in the context »» Later in the video, following Dizzee’s of the early 2000s when it was released, in relation transformation, the youths also partake of to concerns about antisocial behaviour amongst more creative and less destructive inner-city youths. The decision by Bluewater behaviour (e.g. kicking a football, break- dancing), establishing him as a role-model. Shopping Centre in Kent to ban ‘hoodies’ in 2005 »» This positive representation of a young received widespread media coverage. ‘Hoodies’ have black rapper challenges many negative been worn by hip hop artists since the 1980s and stereotypes of this social group. have become to be associated with rebellion and antisocial behaviour. The following article gives • Positive messages and values are embedded in the representations e.g. the power of pursuing a some further background information on the topic: ‘dream’ is connoted when Dizzee Rascal is inside the https://www.theguardian. recording studio and the policeman is battering on com/uk/2011/aug/09/power-of-the-hoodie the window, but cannot reach him – perhaps

suggesting that music offers Consider the way social groups are represented a ‘protection’ from the harsh realities of the through processes of selection and combination: outside world. Similarly in the nightclub

scene, the puppet characters, including the Representations of gender, age and ethnicity. • The pianist is constructed as a stereotypical policeman, dance harmoniously, connoting the power of music to bring people together. 1950s white, middle-aged, middle- class woman through the mise-en-scène • Many clear stereotypes are constructed through of her upright posture, formal jacket the ‘puppets’ to create recognition and humour, and also convey messages and values: with large floral brooch and hair style. »» She fulfils a matriarchal role and uses »» Youths are constructed as irresponsible and quite a patronising mode of address having no purpose in life – skateboarding, (‘Hello boys and girls’), especially as she spraying graffiti, stealing the TV. »» The Scots character (red hair, tartan) is introduces Dizzee (‘he’s such a rascal’). »» This creates humour, especially as the video constructed as a drunk with a lager bottle. progresses and reaction shots reveal her shock »» The police officer is constructed as a brutal, baton-wielding white male, beating a youth and disapproval of the actions of the ‘youths’. »» Her horror as the helicopter flies past her in a style that references ‘Punch and Judy’.

3 A level Media Studies Fact Sheet

The puppets are attached to strings, linking to Theories of ethnicity and the notion that this story is a fable, but also postcolonial theory - Gilroy (A level) suggesting hierarchies of power and control – • The construction of the white matriarchal they are conforming to stereotypical, possibly children’s TV presenter and the young black pre-ordained roles. This raises questions male ‘rascal’ is interesting to explore in about key issues in contemporary society relation to postcolonial theory, especially in such as crime, antisocial behaviour, underage the social and historical context of the 1950s sex etc. and how these can be tackled. and increasing ethnic diversity in Britain. • The narrative embeds positive messages and values, constructing a representation of a Consider theoretical approaches: successful rapper and subverting negative

Theories of representation – Hall stereotypes of ethnicity. However, the female can be seen to be in control, especially • The video deliberately constructs the puppet as Dizzee Rascal is diminutive, arguably characters as stereotypes to exemplify the way in depends on her for ‘endorsement’ of his which these social groups are often represented – and to demonstrate that these stereotypes can album and returns to the box at the end. • While the story suggests that 21st century misrepresent individuals from these groups. Britain is an inclusive and multicultural society, the repeated shots of the TV presenter looking shocked and her patronising tone towards Dizzee Rascal imply that society is not yet fully integrated.

4 A level Media Studies Fact Sheet

Riptide music video, Vance Joy

(2013)

Used with permission from UNIFIED A level Media Studies Fact Sheet

Riptide music video, Vance Joy

(2013) http://www.vancejoy.com/video producers. Are mainstream audiences impressed by larger budget music videos and attracted to AS Component 1: the apparent implied “quality” of that band? Investigating the Media A level Component 1: Media Consider how the combination of elements of media language influences Products, Industries and Audiences meaning and intertextuality:

Subject Content: Media Language • The video makes intertextual references to Focus Area: Representation, different media forms (see below) and offers a Media contexts wide variety of seemingly disparate elements. • Montage editing is used in an overt way - a wide range of contrasting shots juxtaposed PRODUCT CONTEXT (often through hard jump cuts) to convey a • Vance Joy is an Australian singer-songwriter large amount of information: signed to Atlantic records (a subsidiary »» The editing together of seemingly disparate of major label, Warner). His music can be images invites audience interpretation categorised as fitting into indie folk-pop genre. and candidates could consider Eisenstein’s • Riptide was Vance Joy’s first single to be concept of “intellectual montage” where released in the USA, following his debut EP, new ideas emerge from the collision “God Loves You When You’re Dancing”. of images and generate new meanings It became a platinum selling single. that might not otherwise exist: • The video was directed by Dimitri Basil • For example the sequence where a male and Laura Gorun and has had nearly 100 and a female suddenly turn their heads to look at million views on YouTube. something off-screen and the next shot shows a seemingly unrelated pile of dollar bills - consider the connections audiences are being asked to make PART 1: STARTING POINTS – Media Language through this use of montage. Economic Contexts: • Many of these cuts also have a clear Consider whether the seemingly low budget, unique link to the lyrics themselves and candidates style of the music video was an artistic decision or an might explore the visual metaphors and possible economic one. Later Vance Joy music videos such as significance of these edits in relation to the “Georgia” make use of larger budgets, special effects lyrics. and elaborate, coherent narratives. Funding could be »» The music video for the most part rejects a discussed in relation to music video in terms of the clearly defined narrative. There are some short way that bands might start out with small low budget coherent narrative sequences (such as the scene productions which increase in scope and budget as they where the girl goes missing in the graveyard) gain popularity and fans. Consider the extent to which but for the most part the sequences deliberately budget impacts artistic decisions and the visual style lack narrative coherence. of music videos. An extension of this discussion might • Candidates might explore the way in explore whether music videos are in themselves an which the music video seems to reference surrealist advert for the band or or avant-garde cinema (such a representation of how “valuable” the band are to 1 A level Media Studies Fact Sheet

as the work of Luis Buñuel) and discuss Consider the significance of challenging the impact these references might have and/or subverting genre conventions: on the meaning of the video. • Riptide is relatively unusual both as a music video and specifically as a text within the indie folk Consider the codes and conventions genre in terms of its style, rejection of narrative and of media forms and products: lack of spectacle or special effects. • Ways in which the music video seems to • Comparison could be made with a later defy or subvert music video conventions: Vance Joy video Georgia (2015), which »» Whilst it is a convention of the music video follows many more conventions, to consider form to have song lyrics interpreted on why Riptide challenges or subverts the screen, the overt and deliberate way the conventions of the genre. lyrics are interpreted in this music video • Candidates might explore the way in which the might be subverting this convention: video might have been designed to confer a sense • The opening line “I was scared of dentists of uniqueness or intrigue to the band. Consider the and the dark” is interpreted explicitly with a shot of a purpose of music videos and the way that Vance female looking “scared” with a metallic contraption in Joy are been marketed to audiences through the her mouth that suggests she is in a dentist’s chair and style of the video. followed by a shot of a light swinging in a darkened room. This overt graphical representation of the Consider theoretical perspectives: lyrics is largely repeated throughout the video. Semiotics – Roland Barthes Consider whether this is following or subverting the • Explore the concept of signifier/signified convention of lyrical interpretation. using specific signification in the music video and »» The music video seems to explicitly how this might be interpreted according to social convention, for example the pile reference feature films: • The opening shot makes use of cinematic of dollar bills which accompanies the line style credits and information about “Oh, all my friends are turning green”. the music is presented with a title at the »» Explore Barthes idea that constructed bottom of the screen. This title is meanings can come to seem self-evident graphically similar to a “billing block” by discussing the connotations of the colour or “credit block” which is often seen on green in relation to both money and envy - film posters or in trailers. Consider why this could be said to have achieved Barthes’ this style of presentation might have status of myth through a process of been appropriated from the film genre naturalisation which might allow for and how this might frame an audience complicated readings of the image. response. Is the video presenting itself as »» This example of polysemy could be a short film or a music video? interpreted in a variety of ways e.g. is it • The video frequently references the implying that friends (possibly in other bands) Western and Thriller genres (and arguably the have “sold out” by giving into money? Or hipster style of Wes might instead these friends be turning green Anderson films), but most notably uses with envy at the success of Vance Joy? Horror genre iconography, e.g. Genre Theory – Steve Neale females repeatedly dragged off screen • Use the video to explore Neale’s idea that genres by unseen forces and a character going may be dominated by repetition, but are also marked missing in a dark graveyard. by difference, variation, and change. • Consider whether the overt use of • Discuss the ways in which the indie folk references to film is attempting to offer an music video genre is dominated by repetition implied artistic value that transcends the music (low-fi videos with bands playing instruments video form. etc.) and the extent to which Riptide offers variation to these aspects. • An extension of this discussion might explore the way that the video fits into the wider economic and institutional context of the music

2 A level Media Studies Fact Sheet

industry. Candidates might explore the purpose make-up and is framed and lit in a of the music video and ask whether Riptide flattering way arguably conforming to is offering variation for artistic reasons or to social norms of beauty and glamour generate interest in the band to make a profit. associated with mainstream media texts. As we repeatedly return to this character she becomes increasingly dishevelled, her PART 2: STARTING POINTS – Representation make -up smudges and her expression becomes more and more vacant as she Social and Cultural Contexts: Consider the context of the music video in terms of the sings “the words wrong”. Discuss the texts and media forms it references and explore the extent to which this representation significance of these texts in relation to the way challenges gender representation in women in particular are represented. Candidates could music video and how it sits with the other watch sequences from Buñuel and Dali’s Un Chien representations of women in the video. Andalou (1929) to explore surrealist film, considering • Along with the representations of women the the way this film explores violence and sexual desire music video also presents a number of scenes in a way that might inform the music video. The that offer images of violence, such as a infamous eye cutting scene in Un Chien Andalou for female hand being stabbed by a knife and a instance could be compared to the hand stabbing scene gun being pointed off screen. The lip- the music video. A brief exploration of the synching woman also clutches at her own subconscious might also afford the chance to add neck and we see what seems to be blood over depth to a discussion of the representation issues in the her hand. Candidates may discuss why these video and its sometimes dream-like logic. images are used in the video and whether they may be trivialising or normalising violence. Consider how media representations convey Consider theoretical perspectives: values, attitudes and beliefs about the world: • The video offers many interesting examples Theories of Identity – David Gauntlett of the representation of women - consider • Use Gauntlett to explore complex and diverse whether or not the video reinforces a representations in the music video - his patriarchal world view or is subverting the concept of the pick and mix seems particularly relevant to the style of the video objectification of women in media. • Women in the video are repeatedly which constructs a range of different stimuli presented as an object to be watched: that the audience are invited to interpret. The video rejects singular, straightforward »» In one shot a woman with her back to the camera undresses out of her swimming messages and instead invites a variety of different responses and interpretations. costume and there are a number of instances where we see disembodied, A level only: isolated sections of women’s bodies such Feminist Theory – bell hooks as bare feet running away or feminine • Hooks could be used as a stimulus to explore the hands being dragged out of shot. seemingly contradictory messages about gender »» Consider whether these images of women in the video. Is the video objectifying women in are sexualised and offered to audiences for an ironic or knowing way or is it instead feeding their pleasure (scopophilia) or presented in a into the oppression of women in a patriarchal way that challenges the sexualisation of society? Use hooks’ position that feminism is a women in many music videos. struggle to end sexist/ patriarchal oppression to »» Explore the lip-synch sections where a ask whether the video is part of that struggle or woman sings the lyrics of the song into a part of the oppression. microphone. At first she has immaculate

3 A level Media Studies Fact Sheet Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation

Flickr CC; https://bit.ly/2maJfSv A level Media Studies Fact Sheet Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation

AS Component 1: Creed game franchise) have been marketed Investigating the Media and received across the three major territories. A level Component 1: Media Consider processes of production, Products, Industries and Audiences distribution and circulation:

Subject Content: Media Industries • The game was released on the Sony hand Focus Area: Audiences, Media Contexts held device PlayStation Vita. It was developed by Ubisoft and released alongside Assassin’s Creed III on the PlayStation 3. PRODUCT CONTEXT • This simultaneous release might be discussed in • Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation, part of the terms of an attempt to have maximum impact on the very successful games franchise, was developed by three major markets for console and video game Ubisoft and released on October 30 2012, along release (Japan, North America and Europe). with Assassin’s Creed III. • In terms of production the game was a • The game was originally exclusive to the multinational development which is typical of PS Vita but was later (2014) released in a game production in larger studios such as modified HD version across a large range of Ubisoft. consoles and platforms (including PS3, Xbox Consider the relationship of recent 360 and Microsoft Windows). technological change and media • Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation offers production, distribution and circulation: familiar pleasures to existing fans (narrative • The ways in which the PS Vita was attempting situation of the Assassins v the Templars, open to tap into the increasing success of mobile gaming world gameplay etc.) along with new elements (smart phones, tablets etc.). The PS Vita was to target a wider audience (e.g. the use of a designed with many features usually associated with strong female protagonist). smart phones (touchscreen as well as Wi-Fi, 3G and Bluetooth capability). PART 1: STARTING POINTS – Media Industries • The game itself as part of a well-known and popular franchise may be seen as an attempt to Historical Contexts: bring high game production values to the Video games are a relatively new media form. burgeoning new mobile gaming arena. Consider the exponential growth of this form It is significant that the game was originally since the 1970s, the rapid technological exclusive to the PS Vita but was later (2014) development, the construction of “the gamer” released in a modified HD version across a large and the difficulty of regulating or monitoring range of consoles and platforms (including PS3, the impact of such a fast paced industry. Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows). Economic and Political Contexts: • In terms of distribution these versions of Video games are culturally and financially significant the game could be purchased over the internet across three major territories (Japan, Europe and the using such outlets as Steam, the Playstation USA). The release of new gaming technology (PS Network or Xbox Live Arcade. Vita is considered part of the 8th generation of game Consider the regulatory framework and technology) or games from popular franchises can be the role of regulation in global major economic events. It would be useful to explore production, distribution and circulation: the way that games and technology (and specifically those from within the Assassin’s • Video Game regulation differs around the world but is becoming standardised

1 A level Media Studies Fact Sheet

across many European countries. informed decisions for themselves?

• In the UK until July 2012 video games had Cultural Industries – David Hesmondhalgh: been regulated by the BBFC. They are now • Use Hesmondhalgh to explore the way in which largely regulated by the Video Standards cultural industry companies might attempt to Council (VSC) applying the PEGI system (Pan minimise risk and maximise audiences. European Game Information). The PEGI system • The game is part of an established franchise can be discussed in terms of its process (age with a large fan-base. Producers are clearly ratings as well as visual descriptors of content) and also its attempt to harmonise the protection of attempting to harness the popularity of this franchise to encourage sales both of the game itself children across Europe. • Consider the effectiveness of PEGI and the hand-held device the PS Vita. (possibly in comparison with the BBFC or • The video game industry offers many the American ESRB system in terms of comparable examples of attempts to use software (games) to sell hardware (games authority and compliance). • The game was classified 18 by PEGI and this systems and platforms). in itself may be a good area for discussion.

PART 2: STARTING POINTS – Audiences Consider the impact of digitally convergent media platforms on global Social and Cultural Contexts: production, distribution and circulation: Considering video games in relation to gender issues • It is significant that the Assassin’s Creed III: may be a useful way to explore them in terms of social Liberation hand held game could be linked to the full and cultural significance. The representation of PS3 console version of the game (owning both female characters, under-representation of women in versions would unlock additional game content). This video game development and an assumed minority of use of convergence is relevant in terms of female video games players are areas that could be promotion/marketing and circulation. explored. This game has a female protagonist and it • The internet/Wi-Fi functionality of the PS may be useful to consider whether she subverts Vita allows users opportunities to download or reinforces expectations of female characters in additional content (DLC) such as weapons, games and how audiences may respond to this. characters and “skins” or outfits. Consider how producers target, attract, reach, It also affords users the chance to engage in address and potentially construct audiences: multiplayer versions of the game. These There are many aspects of the game features promote gamer engagement and that are significant in relation to identification with the game. audience targeting and construction: Consider theoretical perspectives: »» The game is for a hand held device.

A level only: This may imply it is aimed at a more casual or mobile gamer (a discussion Regulation – Sonia Livingstone and Peter Lunt • Consider the impact of convergence and here about “on the go” gamers playing diversification in media on regulatory practices. mobile games versus traditional New technology (in this case the convergent PS console and PC gamers may be useful). Vita with access to internet etc.) opens up new »» The game features a female protagonist. This is opportunities and arguably new risks that unusual in the franchise and may be considered complicate regulation. in terms of appealing to a different • Questions that might be discussed in demographic (possibly linked to the “on the go” gamers discussion above). The existence of relation to Livingstone and Lunt include: »» Should regulation be more flexible? a female protagonist may also be discussed in terms of constructing audiences by asking »» Should industries self-regulate? whether this game might offer a platform for »» Should individuals be empowered female gamer identification. to make their own decisions? »» Should individuals be expected to develop ‘media literacy’ and make

2 A level Media Studies Fact Sheet

Consider the interrelationship between portrayed in the game? What might be imitated? media technologies and patterns of • A useful discussion might be had in relation consumption and response: to the active role adopted by a player of • The game is linked to a more traditional console video games. Question whether Bandura’s version and which was simultaneously released with conclusions are invalidated or made more this game. This might be considered as an attempt relevant if audiences are choosing to to draw gamers from different platforms to commit acts of violence in a video game purchase additional hardware and adopt new rather than watching/imitating violent acts. gaming habits. A level only: • The two versions of the game are also linked in Fandom – Henry Jenkins terms of downloadable content and special • Discuss the significance of fan culture (and in features. This relates to changing patterns particular online fan communities) when of consumption. Gamers might be being exploring the success of video games. This encouraged to have a more complete or satisfying discussion may focus on the way video games experience by using a range of interlinked products have evolved closely alongside the internet. that offer exclusive downloadable content. This is Video games offer social experiences (online only made possible through convergent multiplayer options) as well as communities technology and gamer “buy- outside of the core game experience. Fans may in” to the value of the exclusive content. be passionate exponents of a game or the Consider theoretical perspectives: harshest critics and can often impact Media effects – Albert Bandura the development of games directly. • The game received an 18 rating from • The Assassin’s Creed franchise has a strong, well PEGI due largely to violent content. developed fan-base that could be researched and • Consider audience response to violent video discussed in relation to Jenkins’ ideas. games in terms of Bandura’s arguments about observation and imitation and vicarious consequences. Explore the “Bobo Doll Experiment” and discuss how relevant this is to the audiences targeted by the game. Are audiences likely to imitate the behaviours

3 A level Media Studies Fact Sheet

Late Night Woman’s Hour

- BBC Radio 4 podcast A level Media Studies Fact Sheet

Late Night Woman’s Hour

- BBC Radio 4 podcast

AS Component 1: Consider the specialised and Investigating the Media institutionalised nature of media production A level Component 1: Media and the significance of economic factors to Products, Industries and Audiences media industries and their products: • Explore issues relating to public service Focus areas: broadcasting and consider the extent to which Late Media Industries Night Woman’s Hour meets the BBC remit to Audiences inform, educate and entertain. Consider whether Media Contexts the broadcast is typical of products created for the BBC and explore the hallmarks of productions made

for this institution. PRODUCT CONTEXT • Consider the significance of license fee funding • Late Night Woman’s Hour is a spin-off from the and compare this to the financial considerations of long-running BBC Radio 4 daily magazine commercial radio e.g. would this podcast be too programme, Woman’s Hour. It began broadcasting “niche” for commercial radio? The broadcast has in 2015 on a limited basis but was so popular that it only female contributors, is made up predominantly began a permanent run as a monthly, then in 2018, a of unadorned dialogue (without music, sound effects weekly podcast. etc.) and the topic is explored using intellectual and • Late Night Woman’s Hour is recorded weekly, specialised vocabulary. Learners might discuss why hosted by Emma Barnett (occasionally purely commercial institutions would be with founder Lauren Laverne) and features less likely to produce similar products. female guests from a range of backgrounds • How significant is the move from broadcast including science, health and entertainment. to podcast? What could this tell us about the • Each episode focuses on a particular theme changes in the media forms the BBC is producing relevant to its female audience e.g. ‘Lost Friends’ and the way they distribute them? and ‘Extreme Breastfeeding’. The original broadcast was at 11pm on Thursday nights, which Consider recent technological change and media meant explicit and honest discussions could be production, distribution and circulation and the had. Since becoming a podcast, the show has been impact of digitally convergent media platforms: less controversial. • The podcast offers a number of ways to explore recent changes to the radio industry in relation to digital technology such as the PART 1: STARTING POINTS – Media Industries profound changes that have been brought about Historical Contexts: by switching from analogue FM radio to digital Woman’s Hour was first broadcast in the 1940s, so audio broadcasting (DAB), and the boom in it’s worth considering the historical and social downloading and streaming. shifts that have occurred since the show’s • A brief history of radio before the mid- inception. The original show reflects possible 1990s should allow learners to appreciate the tokenism (a show set aside for women might significance of podcasting and listening to imply all other radio content was oriented towards broadcasts on digitally convergent platforms men). Late Night Woman’s Hour features frank such as computers and smartphones. and open discussions and demonstrates societal • In November 2018, the BBC launched its shifts and increased gender equality although some BBC Sounds streaming service, featuring of the issues raised reflect the fact that society is live broadcasting, audio-on-demand and not yet completely equal. podcasts. This a good example of technological convergence as Sounds is

1 A level Media Studies Fact Sheet

available on PCs, laptops, tablets, phones. content to the Woman’s Hour brand, • Late Night Woman’s Hour used to have an 11pm which previously had a ‘safe’ reputation. broadcast time that was suitable for the adult • The podcast format - available without age discussions taking place. The switch to weekly restrictions or post-watershed scheduling - may podcast gives the producers more time to discuss a have needed a less controversial host. greater range of issues, but the topics and discussion • The topics are not strictly based around female are less explicit. Episodes can be any length, usually experiences. Though topics like ‘extreme breast- 10-30 minutes. feeding’ are female-centric, other discussions about • Podcasts have soared in popularity in the past few grief, male/female friendships and modern slavery years, with many - such as Serial - becoming cultural offer a female perspective on issues that would events in their own right. Minority groups who have also interest male listeners. traditionally been excluded from mainstream radio Consider theoretical approaches: have used podcasts Power and media industries - Curran and Seaton to find a voice, and producers have utilised the • It could be argued that Late Night Woman’s lack of regulation to discuss controversial Hour challenges the idea that media is issues, especially personal or sexual matters. controlled by a small number of companies • Female-produced podcasts such as The High driven by the logic of profit and power. Low and The Broad Experience not only explore • Whilst the BBC is inarguably a large, significant issues affecting women in society, they also attract company, the nature of PSB (discussed above) and the high profile guests that rival those of traditional content of the broadcast seem to be radio. Comedy podcast Dope Queens even had at odds with the “logic of profit and power”. Michelle Obama as a guest! Consider the funding of the BBC in comparison • BBC Radio, whilst being a traditional with commercial organisations. Candidates might media institution, does not treat these explore the extent to which the license fee frees independent podcasts as competition. Rather BBC producers from the pressure they build a symbiotic relationship with the to generate profit and the way in which this presenters, often inviting them to guest on BBC impacts the content of their broadcasts. Radio programmes (Radio 1, 4 and 6 particularly • Late Night Woman’s Hour podcast format do this). This could be seen as an example of might also be used to support Curran and cross-media convergence. Seaton’s idea that socially diverse patterns of • A good example of this is regular LNWH ownership help create conditions for varied and guest Chidera Eggerue, who writes and presents adventurous productions. The Slumflower blog and podcast. Controversial • Candidates might consider the proliferation comments she made about race and feminism of podcasts across a wide range of topics and were re-tweeted and shared across social media, genres in recent years. Do the relative low creating debate and promoting the ‘edgy and production costs of this medium and the candid’ brand identity of both The Slumflower inexpensive hosting/digital distribution costs and LNWH. offer producers (and often prosumers) Consider how media producers opportunities to take risks and develop maintain varieties of audiences: adventurous content that still manages to reach • The current presenter is Emma Barnett, a diverse international audiences? journalist and broadcaster, who also presents the Regulation ‐ Livingston and Lunt BBC Radio 5 Live late morning show. She also • As a PSB, the BBC has quite strict guidelines writes the ‘Tough Love’ ‘agony aunt’ advice about what content can be broadcast or published. column in the Sunday Times Magazine, where she BBC1 for instance rarely features sex, nudity or explores extremes of peoples’ personal lives. Her swearing, and all the broadcast channels (TV and style therefore is light-hearted yet unafraid to explore emotionally sensitive issues. This suits the radio) follow the ‘watershed’. • The original LNWH was broadcast at 11pm on LNWM format. • Barnett took over from founding presenter Radio 4, where shocking discussions and swearing were acceptable. The podcast version Lauren Laverne, who was renowned for is somewhat ‘safer’ and less controversial, whilst bringing controversial, adult and explicit having uncompromising and honest discussion. 2 A level Media Studies Fact Sheet

• This seems to challenge Livingston and • Explore responses to Late Night Woman’s Lunt’s assumption that ‘new media’ is harder to Hour on Twitter and other social media regulate. The BBC has considered the access of platforms. The Spectator described the initial potential audiences and regulated within the response to the show as a “twitter storm” and institution. candidates might discuss the ways in which the • The sacking of Radio 2 DJ Danny Baker in broadcast has been designed May 2019 after an inappropriate tweet shows to invite audience members to enter the how strictly the BBC regulates their content. discussion through social media platforms. • The topics in the podcast tend to be more focused PART 2: STARTING POINTS – Audiences on personal experiences, some serious (e.g. ‘taking your child to work’) some more light-hearted (e.g. Social and cultural contexts: ‘objects you just can’t throw away’) compared to A gendered discussion of the podcast is likely to the broadcast version. This may be intended to benefit from some context regarding the changing create discussion on social media. roles of women in the UK over the past 70 years. • Candidates could conduct some audience Woman’s Hour was originally broadcast in the 1940s research into male and female responses and candidates might consider how different life in to the podcast - what do male audiences the UK is for women now (possibly focusing on find interesting (or not)? Does it make a shifts from the 1950s housewife towards the difference if the guests are all women? independence of young women in the 1960s and

comparing this with present day). What about the changes to a male’s role in society and their Consider how media organisations reflect representation in the media? Candidates may use this the different needs of mass and specialised information to consider the way that audience audiences, including through targeting: responses to, and interpretations of, media products • A return to the remit of PSB here could invite discussion about the BBC and attempts to reflect social and cultural circumstances. There has been a raised awareness about inequality produce content for all audience demographics. Candidates might ask whether the broadcast has between males and females in the media, and the BBC has made efforts to address gender been designed to explicitly appeal to a imbalance. With a roster of female presenters across specialised (educated, female) audience as part it’s radio channels, some people have questioned the of the remit of the organisation itself. relevance of a show just dedicated to women, and An extension of this discussion might then having a ‘late night’ spin-off. The impact of the explore whether there are any other media #MeToo campaign and other social media products that appeal to this specific target campaigns highlighting sexism, and the popularity of audience on the radio (BBC or otherwise). women’s podcasts, show there is a diverse and • In 2014 the BBC famously introduced a ban on engaged audience for ‘women’s media’. all-male TV and radio panels to offset this dominance. Candidates might use this as a Consider how audiences interpret the media, discussion point to consider preferred readings including how and why audiences may of Late Night Woman’s Hour and why it might interpret the same media in different ways: be particularly welcome to some audiences. • Candidates might consider a male response to the content of the show. They might consider Consider theoretical approaches: how many other media texts are composed of only female members (even Loose Women, for Reception theory ‐ Stuart Hall instance, has male guests) and how this might be • Discuss possible different readings of the unsettling or alienating for male listeners. They broadcast. What is the intended meaning? might compare this to a female audience and What might be a negotiated meaning (e.g. question whether or not this same gender from a male audience member)? What composition might be appealing to some female might be an oppositional response (e.g. audiences. from a sexist male listener)?

3 Feminist theory ‐ Van Zoonen Feminist theory ‐ bell hooks • To what extent does LNWH achieve Van • Radio 4’s audience is often pigeonholed as Zoonen’s suggestion that gender stereotypes being white and conservative middle class. in the media can only change if more women Bell Hooks has written about how women of produce and appear in the media? lower class or different ethnicity are even more oppressed by patriarchy. To what extent does LNWH challenge this by featuring guests and issues that reflect the diversity in the female audience? Think about regular guests Chidera Eggerue and Ambreen Razia.

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