Media Messages Practice Exam Questions

News

Question 1 Example Questions:

Analyse the representations in Sources A and B. Use Van Zoonen’s concept of patriarchy in your
answer. (10 marks)

Analyse the representations in Sources A and B. Use Gauntlett’s identity theory in your answer. (10
marks)

Analyse the different representations of ethnicity in Source A and B. Apply one appropriate theory of
representation in your answer. (10 marks)

Question 2 Example Questions:

How far has genre influenced the media language in Sources A and B?

In your answer you must:

- Outline genre conventions in British newspapers

- Analyse the contrasting use of media language in the sources
- Make judgements and reach conclusions about how far genre has influenced the media
language used. (15 marks)

To what extent do the representations used in source A and B display the typical ideology associated
with each Newspaper? “

In your answer, you must:

Analyse the ways in which the newspapers represent the subject, and how this its fits into what is
their typical ideology

Refer to relevant contexts and academic ideas and arguments in your analysis and

Draw judgments and conclusions in relation to the question. (15)

To what extent does the representations used in source A and B display the typical ideology
associated with each Newspaper? “

In your answer, you must:

Analyse the ways in which the newspapers represent the subject, and how this its fits into what is
their typical ideology

Refer to relevant contexts and academic ideas and arguments in your analysis and
Draw judgments and conclusions in relation to the question. (15)

With the increased use of social media within society, the audience have been able to give instant
feedback to newspapers more than any other time in history.

Explain how the content of newspapers could be impacted by this. Refer to The Daily Mirror to
support your answer.

In your answer you must:

• consider the increased use of social media within society

• use your knowledge and understanding of relevant academic ideas and arguments

• explain how the opportunity to receive instant feedback may influence newspapers content

• refer to The Mirror as an example (15)

Explain how this content would attract a certain type of audience. Refer to The Telegraph to
support your answer.

In your answer your must;

• consider relevant political contexts that influence newspaper ownership

• use your knowledge and understanding of relevant academic ideas and arguments

• explain how the content in a newspaper would attract a particular audience.

• refer to The Telegraph as an example (15 marks)

Question 3

Explain the impact of technological developments and changing economic contexts on the cost of
audiences of consuming news. Refer to The Guardian and the Daily Mail to support your answer. (10
marks)

Explain how political context in which newspapers are produced influenced their ownership and
regulation. Refer to The Guardian and The Daily Mail newspapers you have studied to support your
answer. (10 marks)

Question 4

Evaluate the usefulness of one of the following theories in understanding the extent to which media
ownership influences the content of new stories:

Either:

Curran and Seaton on power and media industries

Or

Hesmondhalgh on cultural industries (10 marks)

Evaluate the usefulness of one of the following in understanding audiences for online newspapers
such as The Guardian and The Mail Online:

EITHER

Gerbner’s cultivation theory

OR

Shirky’s ’end of audience’ theory

Media Language and Representation

Question 5 Examples

Explain how representations in music videos are chosen to promote the artist(s). Refer to one of the
music videos you have studied to support your answer (10 marks).

Explain how media language in advertising incorporates the brand image the advertisers wish to
convey. Refer to the advertisements for Old Spice and Lucozade you have studied to support your
answer. (10 marks)

Analyse how magazines use media language to produce meaning for the audience. Refer to the Big
Issue to support your answer (10)

Explain how viewpoints and ideologies are communicated by the media language used in adverts.
Refer to Source C to support your answer. (10 marks)

Explain how the representations in magazines reflect their contexts. Refer to The Big Issue covers
you have studied to support your answer. (10 marks)

Explain how political contexts influence representations in the media. Refer to the Big Issue to
support your points. (10 marks)

Question 6 Examples

Analyse why The Big Issue magazine has used an intertextual approach to Brexit on its front cover.

In your answer you must:

- Analyse the use of intertextuality to create meaning in the source

- Make judgements and reach conclusions about the advantages of this use of intertextuality
on The Big Issue magazine cover. (15 marks)
-

Analyse how individuals and social groups are represented through processes of selection and
combination of text and image in Source D.

In your answer you must:

 - Analyse how media representations are constructed in Source D through the selection and
combination of text and image.
- Make judgements and draw conclusions on the effectiveness of the representation of
gender and identity through the media form. (15 marks)

Analyse how some magazines give alternative representations of key events compared to what the
mainstream media reports. Refer to The Big Issue to support your answer. (15 marks)

Analyse how the Titanium video by David Guetta uses media language to represent a variety of
positive and negative images of age. (15 marks)

Analyse how the Unfinished Sympathy music video by Massive Attack uses real figures to present a
diversity. (15 marks)
 Exam 2- Evolving Media Exam Questions

Media Industries and Audiences

Question 1 & 2 Example Questions

Analyse how the producers use media language to give different representations of key characters in
The Jungle Book’s trailer or film posters. (15 marks)

Explain how economic contexts influence film production. Refer to The Jungle Book to support your
points. (15 marks)

Analyse how technology was used in the advertising and marketing of The Jungle Book. (15 marks)

Explain how Disney used digital technology in the production, distribution and circulation of The
Jungle Book. (15 marks)

Explain how Disney use diversification to aid the success of their films. Refer to The Jungle Book in
your answer. (15 marks)

Explain how Disney uses vertical integration for it films. Refer to The Jungle Book in your answer. (15
marks)

Explain how social media is used to help attract a larger audience share. Refer to the BBC Radio One
breakfast show in your answer. (15 marks)

Explain how the political contexts influence radio production. Refer to The BBC Radio One Breakfast
show to support your points. (15 marks)

Explain how economic contexts influence radio production. Refer to The BBC Radio One Breakfast
show to support your points. (15 marks)

Explain how the ownership model of a company influences the content. Refer to the BBC Radio One
Breakfast Show to support your points. (15 marks)

Explain how online gaming makes it more difficult for regulators of video games. Refer to Minecraft
in your answer. (15 marks)

Explain how having a video game on as many platforms as possible helps in the success of a game.
Refer to Minecraft to support your points. (15 marks)

Explain how Mojang used digital technology in the production, distribution and circulation of
Minecraft. (15 marks)

Explain how economic contexts influence video game production. Refer to Minecraft show to
support your points. (15 marks)

Explain how social interaction how can help in the success of a video game. Refer to Minecraft in
your answer. (15 marks)
 Long Form TV Drama

Question 3 Example Questions

"Representations in LFTVD's are more diverse than ever to help attract the highest amount of
viewers possible”

Discuss how far you agree with this statement in relation to the set episode of the long form
television drama you have studied. In your answer, you must:

Consider the different representations of characters in LFTVD’s

Analyse how media representation is used to represent certain characters in a positive or negative
light in the set episode of the LFTD you have studied.

Refer to relevant academic ideas and arguments in your analysis.

Make judgements and draw conclusions about how far you agree with the statement. (30)

"The advancement of technology has had a massive influence on the popularity of LFTVD’s"

Discuss how far you agree with this statement in relation to the set episode of the long form
television drama you have studied. In your answer, you must:

Consider how advancements in technology helps LFTVD’s

Analyse how technology is used to attract the audience in the set episode of the long form television
drama you have studied.

Refer to relevant academic ideas and arguments in your analysis.

Make judgements and draw conclusions about how far you agree with the statement. (30)

“To attract a huge audience you need to have a huge budget when producing a LFTVD”

Discuss how far you agree with this statement in relation to the set episode of the long form
television drama you have studied. In your answer, you must:

Consider the importance of having high budgets when producing LFTVD’s

Analyse how far the budget of your LTFVD was in attracting its audience.

Refer to relevant academic ideas and arguments in your analysis.

Make judgements and draw conclusions about how far you agree with the statement. (30)
"Many LFTV'S often subvert the typical genre codes and conventions to the genre it's most
associated with"

Discuss how far you agree with this statement in relation to the set episode of the long form
television drama you have studied. In your answer you must:

Consider the typical codes and conventions of the LFTV'S you have studied

Analyse how media language is used to subvert the key codes and conventions in the set episode of
the long form television drama you have studied

Refer to relevant academic ideas and arguments in your analysis

Make judgements and draw conclusions about how far you agree with the statement. (30)

Question 4 Example Questions

Evaluate the usefulness of one of the following theories in understanding long form television
drama.

EITHER

Jenkin’s theory of fandom

OR

Barthes’ theories of semiotics

Evaluate the usefulness of Todorovs theory of narratology to Long Form Television Drama. (10
marks)

Evaluate the usefulness of one of the following theories in understanding long form television
drama.

EITHER

Baudrillard’s theory of Post Modernism

OR

Gilroy’s theory of post colonialism (10 marks)