A2 Exam – G325

One question from 6 topic areas:

• Regulation * (?)• Global Media

• Collective Identity *• Media in the Online Age• Post-Modern media• ‘We Media’ and democracy * (?)

The topic areas require understanding of contemporary media texts, industries, audiences and debates. For the purposes of examination a contemporary media text is defined as being a media text that was published or released within five years of the examination date. For example, in June 2012 a contemporary media text would be any media text from the period of 2007 onwards.

This understanding must combine knowledge of at least two media and a range of texts, industries, audiences and debates.

You need to learn about the following in relation to at least two areas of the media:

• How the media represent groups of people in different ways

• How these representations can be seen as different to

historical representations of the same groups

• The effects in society of particular kinds of

representation or collective identities

• Ways in which people might use the media actively to form a

collective identity

• Debates about the idea that our identities are increasingly

structured by, or through, or in response to the media (and

arguments against this notion)

In order to be fully prepared for the specific requirements of the question,

the material studied by candidates must cover these three elements:

• Historical – dependent on the requirements of the topic, candidates

must summarise the development of the media forms in question in

theoretical contexts.

• Contemporary – examples from five years before the examination.

• Future – candidates must demonstrate personal engagement with

debates about the future of the media forms / issues that the topic relates

to.