Audience positioning and media effects for Unit 10 exam.

1. ESSAY STYLE
RESPONSE
STRUCTURE
LO: How should I be structuring responses to higher mark questions.

2. Writing an essay question
• Start with a short intro – explain what key terms mean
• Plan what points you want to make – try to use theory and terminology where
you can
• Think how to illustrate your points with examples from the texts – you need to
cover 2/3 different texts from at least 2 different media; make sure they are
detailed and specific.
• Write up each point fully – be time aware
• Conclusion – sum up key points and ensure you offer a considered answer /
comment on the task / question that reflects what you have written

3. Question: The media is often said to
offer us 'a window on the world'.
Evaluate how media texts represent
reality using example(s) from media
texts that you have studied.

4. Example 20 Mark Question & Criteria:
Question: The media is often said to offer us 'a window on the world'. Evaluate how
media texts represent reality using example(s) from media texts that you have studied.
Indicative Content Level Descriptor
Media texts represent reality in a number of different ways.
Reality can be created by the producer to represent their own ‘understanding’ of reality
Media texts can subvert reality for a particular purpose
The media don’t just offer us a window on the world, although they may claim to offer a
‘snapshot’ of a moment in time
Media producers don’t just present reality, they represent it
Media producers select and combine elements to represent meaning to generate
audience effect
Media producers make events into stories and tell them in their own way
Media producers create characters and represent them to us with enhanced or over
exaggerated characteristics
Media producers try to make us to see the world in a particular way, depending on their
view point
The reader may be aware that the representation isn’t real but accept the elements of
reality being provided
The meaning of the text may have to be negotiated or renegotiated by the reader
Media producers rely on suspension of disbelief
Candidates should make reference to specific texts from their studies and use them for
exemplification.
Level 1 - 0-5 marks
Some appropriate media terminology is used.
Mostly appropriate ideas are mentioned but
there is no supporting evidence and no
connection between the representations
identified and their effects and consequences.
Level 2 - 6-10 marks
Appropriate media terminology is used
throughout.
Appropriate reference to relevant theories.
Appropriate arguments and ideas are included,
supported by reference to the text, although the
connections between representations within the
text and their effects and consequences are
undeveloped.
The question is directly addressed and
superficial evaluative comments are made
regarding competing debates, ideas and
theories.

5. Choose a newspaper text which offer
opposing representations of reality.

6. Other areas?
Film
andTV Advertising Games
Music
Video
Magazines
and
Newpapars

7. AUDIENCE
POSITIONING
LO: How should I be structuring responses to higher mark questions.

8. Audience Positioning
Key Points:
In the construction of media texts, the producer
creates the representations to be seen from a
certain vantage point.
Elements that can help us define how the audience has been
positioned:
• ?... Think of examples

9. Elements that can help us define how the
audience has been positioned:
• The position of the camera (distance from
the subject / angles used / point of view shots
or unseen onlooker)
• The mode of address (direct, objective,
authoritative, familiar, familiar participant)
• Objectification (Male / Female Gaze)

10. Mode of
Address
DIRECT OBJECTIVE AUTHORITA
TIVE
FAMILIAR FAMILIAR
(PARTICIPANT)
Audience
Relationship
Semi Formal
(Informative)
Formal (but
equal)
Formal /
Submissive
Informal /
Friendly
Illusion of
Social
Interaction
Audience
Role
Acquaintance
/ Client
Listener Learner Friend Friend
egging on
contestants
or taking part
Example Consumer
Affairs ie.
Watchdog
Documentary
ie.Wildlife
Documentary
TV News Game Show /
DocuSoap /
SitCom/ Soap
Opera
Game Shows
ie. Pointless /
The Chase /
TheVoice

11. Who is the intended audience?
How have the audience been
positioned?
What is the preferred/dominant
reading?
Think of another audience group
who could read this poster
differently.

12. Who is the intended target audience?
Males / 18-30 / American (English speaking
WesternWorld) / B, C1,C2 / Gamers /
Action Fans
How have the audience been positioned?
Male Gaze – bare leg takes centre frame / Direct
gaze of the subject to draw in the audience /
audience submissive to Lara as she is physically
above us showing her power and dominance
What is the preferred/dominant reading?
-Weapons, powerful bike – Lara as Action Hero
-Determined expression – Fearless adventurer
-High leather boots, tiny shorts – Sexy
-Straddling a motorbike – Sexually powerful

13. Think of another audience group
who could read this poster
differently:
Eastern Religions:
Offended at the state of undress
Feminists:
Offended that an intelligent female
adventurer be depicted with hardly
any clothes and focus on certain
body parts

14. ReceptionTheory – Stuart Hall
Key Points:
Media texts and the messages within them can be decoded / interpreted
in different ways by audiences.
Dominant/Preferred Reading
The audience accept the preferred interpretation of the media text in line with
producer intentions.
Negotiated Reading
The audience understand what the preferred representation is but bring their own
ideas to the table.
Oppositional Reading
The audience disagree with the intended message, interpreting the representations
contrary to producer’s intentions.

15. Open, Closed, PolysemicTexts
Key Points:
Some texts are more open to interpretation than others
Open
A text that is open to alternative interpretations / encourages multiple interpretations.
Closed
A text whose messages have only 1 intended meaning / discourages alternative ways for
the message to be decoded.
Polysemic
A text that purposefully has more than one meaning / whose messages are intended to
have levels for different interpretations.

16. EFFECTS OF
REPRESENTATIONS
LO: To highlight the effects of media representations considering the
positive and negative impacts possible

17. INDEPENDENT
ENQUIRER
CREATIVETHINKER REFLECTIVE
LEARNER
TEAM WORKER SELF MANAGER EFFECTIVE
PARTICIPATOR
Feedback Autonomy Challenge Engagement
D1 – Effects of Media Representations
Each representation carries the values of the producer and shapes the opinions and beliefs of
the audience.
• Positive and negative effects:
• copycat behaviour (positive and negative)
• education and information
• socialisation
• Objectification.
• Stereotypes and archetypes.
• Impact on individuals, groups and society (changes in behaviour, attitudes).
• Reinforcement of an ideology (dominant, counter).
• Challenging dominant ideology.

18. Positive and Negative Effects
Copycat behaviour

19. Positive and Negative Effects
Copycat behaviour
Links to Hypodermic NeedleTheory /
Passive AudienceTheory
• The audience is directly affected by the
representations shown and accept them
• A passive audience who view violence or
other criminal behaviour in media could try to
use it as an excuse for their own.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2004/jul/29/
ukcrime.colinblackstock

20. Positive and Negative Effects
Education / Information

21. D1 – Positive and Negative Effects
Education / Information
Links to both Uses and GratificationTheory and Hypodermic Needle
(depending on whether the audience have actively sought out the media itself
and whether they receive it actively or passively.)
• Audiences can gain otherwise unseen insight
into unfamiliar topics
• Learn new things to pass on to others
• Sometimes information is misunderstood
/ misinterpreted
• The text could be viewed by an
inappropriate audience

22. Socialisation

23. INDEPENDENT
ENQUIRER
CREATIVETHINKER REFLECTIVE
LEARNER
TEAM WORKER SELF MANAGER EFFECTIVE
PARTICIPATOR
Feedback Autonomy Challenge Engagement
Positive and Negative Effects
Socialisation

24. Positive and Negative Effects
Socialisation
Links to Uses and Gratifications
Theory / Active AudienceTheory
• Audiences are made to feel like
part of the discussion
• Making dominant audience
groups aware of minorities
• Giving people opportunities to
form relationships with others

25. Effects of Representations
Media Representations can have a profound
impact on the attitudes and behaviour of the
audiences who view them
Individuals
….
Groups
…
Society
…

26. Effects of Representations
Dominant Ideology is…
The central claim of the dominant ideology model is that powerful
groups in society influence the attitudes and behaviour of the public.
The media is a successful carrier of ideology because it reaches such a
huge audience.The study of the media allows us to consider and
question dominant ideologies and look for the implications of different
ideology and value systems.
When studying a media text you may look for the dominant ideology
present and question whose world view is represented and which
group(s) and their associated world view(s) have not been represented.

27. Effects of Representations
Dominant Ideology is…
Using an example of your choice:
Identify the Dominant Ideologies
that are being shown through the
representations.
Does the text in any way challenge
dominant ideologies?
What do you think the effect is of
the representations displayed.

28. MediaTexts:
INDEPENDENT
ENQUIRER
CREATIVETHINKER REFLECTIVE
LEARNER
TEAM WORKER SELF MANAGER EFFECTIVE
PARTICIPATOR
Understand the features, formats and purposes of…
Examine and analyse a specific examples of existing … focusing on …
Evaluate the effectiveness of … referring to the approaches used and impact on the target audience
Democracy Law Liberty Tolerance