1. A2 exam paper 2021 onwards 1
Section A: Media debates (30 marks)
Candidates answer two questions from a choice ofthree. There will be one question for each topic:
o Media regulation
o Postmodern media
o Power and the media
Candidates should refer to one or more media forms in each answer.
Section B: Media ecology (30 marks)
Section B is synoptic, requiring candidates to synthesise their knowledge and understanding ofthe key concepts of
language, representation, industry and audience, studied throughoutthe course. Candidates are expected to adapt
and apply this knowledge and understanding to contemporary examples from atleast two media forms in order to
explore evolving media environments. Candidates should answer the question referring to at least two media forms.
Thesingle60-min Section Bessayisworth twiceasmuch as each
30-minSection Aessay,buttheassessmentcriteriaareidentical.
2. A2 exam paper 2021 onwards 2
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Considering the course as a whole (all 4 units), you are expected to learn aspects of media language;
audience; representations; industry (MARI for short) as detailed below.
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We’ll focus especially on the press (IPSO + its predecessors) and film (BBFC) – I’m using UK regulators,
but comparison with others worldwide (eg MPAA) is useful … and the possible need for global or
transnational regulation/taxation/ownership restrictions is an issue with global distribution – notably the
FAANGS but also UK ‘newspaper’ brands like the Guardian and Mail.
We’ll also consider OfCom (broadcast media, telephony, ISPs … but mostly TV). Some basics:
PRESS INDUSTRY: non-statutory regulation (NOT backed/created by law, so no legal force). IPSO is a
voluntary self-regulator (press is regulated by … the press!): the FT and Guardian simply refused to join it!
It has given itself the ‘power’ to issue fines … but has never used it. Predecessors: PCC, PC, GCP!
FILM INDUSTRY: This is also a self-regulator, set up by the film industry to enable national distribution
in 1912. Before then, every local council had its own distinct censorship code to meet (think 100s of
different versions for a UK release). No age rating = legal ban on UK distribution (but every UK council
retains the power to change/give a rating (very rarely used: Dark Knight, This is England, Sweet 16).
TV: The BBC partly self-regulates but essentially OfCom is the statutory regulator. Like the press, there
have been multiple earlier versions (ITC, IBA, ITA). It is a quango (quasi-autonomous non-governmental
organisation) – sort of/ish independent from government. But, like the BBC, the government appoints its
leadership (they also control BBC funding, meaning the BBC isn’t that independent). They have the power
to issue fines (they fined ITV millions!) and ban stations (eg Press TV, the Iran-funded news channel, lost
its license so is now illegal to distribute in the UK).
OfCom issues licenses to broadcast; the BBFC age rating is effectively a license; the newspaper licensing
system was scrapped in 1694. ASA (advertising) and PEGI (games) are also useful statutory regulators.
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You will learn aspects of this through coursework lessons, but we will not focus on this as an exam topic.
You should prepare to answer the questions on Media Regulation + Power and the Media, BUT you may
feel the question given is favourable based on your coursework learning.
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There is considerable overlap with media regulation here, especially when thinking about globalisation and
web 2.0/convergence. Chomsky’s propaganda model (the 5 filters) is a useful theory for both.
This topic is especially about audience and representations though – you will need to make use of your
MANGeR packs! We’ll use LGBT+ representations as a key case study to explore much of this.
DON’T FORGET – THE SECTION A TOPICS ARE 30-MIN
ESSAYS.
You might struggle to write a full 1 hour essay, but a 30 min essay
= 5 detailed paragraphs (6mins each).
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This is both awesome and awful … The negative take is that it requires wide-ranging knowledge spanning
multiple media industries. The positive take is … that it requires wide-ranging knowledge spanning
multiple media industries! You either have a love of learning or you don’t. If you do, this is an amazing
topic, one that most certainly allows you to draw upon your own interests and knowledge as much as
anything covered in lessons. It will unquestionably help you if begin reading the Media Guardian as
routinely as I do!!! You will gain by dipping into the wide range of academic books I have purchased for
you to loan out too.
You’ll see that there is further interlinkage with the Section A topics too – web 2.0/convergence,
globalisation, ownership (regulation, Chomsky…), audience reception.
This is definitely a university-level topic.
