The document outlines the 7 key concepts for A-level Media Studies: 1. Media Language - the tools used to analyze media texts through concepts like denotation and connotation. 2. Institution - the origin and context of a media text and how it influences the form and content. 3. Genre - the codes and conventions of different media types and how genres appeal to audiences. 4. Representation - how media texts portray society through aspects like age, gender, race and ideology. 5. Audience - who media is aimed at and how audiences are targeted for purposes of informing, educating or entertaining. 6. Ideology - the values and beliefs reflected in media texts, often representing

1. THE 7 KEY
CONCEPTS

2. THE 7 KEY CONCEPTS
• The key concepts underpin all of your
A level Media studies work.
• You must use the key concepts as a
framework for analysis.
• The application of the key concepts is
equally important across all four topic
areas.

3. THE 7 KEY CONCEPTS
• The key concepts can be remembered in the
following way:
Media Language M
Institution I
Genre G
Representation = R
(migraine)
Audience A
Ideology I
Narrative N
Everything else E

4. MEDIA LANGUAGE
• Media Language is the language we use to
deconstruct a media text.
• Remember, a text does not use media language,
YOU DO as a tool for analysing still or moving
image products.
• You should not refer to this concept directly as
‘media language’ in your analysis.

5. MEDIA LANGUAGE
• KEY WORDS INCLUDE:
DENOTATION; CONNOTATION; MISE-EN-SCENE
NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION; ANCHORAGE
ICONOGRAPHY; EDITING; INTERTEXTUALITY
Are you able to name any type of camera shot/angle?

6. INSTITUTION
• The context and origin of a media text and how
this has an influence upon the form and content of
a product is very important.
• Essentially, you must consider who made the text
and why.
• The motivation/purpose for making the text may
have some bearing upon how the text is shaped.

7. INSTITUTION
• KEY WORDS TO CONSIDER:
COMMERCIAL; PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTER
MAINSTREAM; ALTERNATIVE; INDEPENDENT
MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS
Can you think of 6 major media institutions?

8. GENRE
• Genre, in the context of media studies, is defined
as:
• All media texts, whether audio, audio-visual or
print based belong to a particular genre, that will
possess specific codes and conventions.
• Media industries use genres because they aid
audience understanding and help them reduce
their risks.
• Modern media texts are said to be less rigid in
their use of media texts.

9. GENRE
• KEY WORDS TO CONSIDER:
GENERIC CONVENTIONS; SUB-GENRES
GENERIC HYBRIDISATION
GENERIC DETERMINATION
Can you think of any characteristics of the teen pic?

10. REPRESENTATION
• Representation is the way that media texts re-
present different aspects of society, particularly
in relation to age, sexuality, race and gender.
• The manner in which these aspects are re-
presented will be effected by the ideology in the
production of the text.
• Representations can work to support or challenge
widely accepted values, attitudes or opinions.

11. REPRESENTATION
• KEY WORDS TO CONSIDER:
STEREOTYPES
POSITIVE/NEGATIVE REPRESENTATIONS
MINORITY GROUPS; POWER; IDEOLOGY
RACE/CLASS/GENDER/SEXUALITY/AGE
What words would you use to describe a ‘chav’ ?

12. AUDIENCE
• Media products are never made just for the sake
of it.
• They are always made to appeal to a specific
audience or audiences in order to inform, educate
and/or entertain.
• You should never just state who the target
audience are.
• You must also consider how the audience are being
target and for what purpose.

13. AUDIENCE
• KEY WORDS TO CONSIDER:
TARGET AUDIENCE
MAINSTREAM; ALTERNATIVE
NICHE
PREFERRED/NEGOTIATED/OPPOSITIONAL
READINGS
Who do you think would watch Big Brother?

14. IDEOLOGY
• Ideology relates to the system of attitudes,
values and beliefs that are apparent within
society.
• When studying media texts, it is important to
understand that they will be supported by a
particular ideological point of view e.g. pro-family,
heterosexuality.
• The views within the media often represent the
views of those with the most power in society and
so the texts they produce often help to support
dominant ideology.

15. IDEOLOGY
• KEYS WORDS TO CONSIDER:
DOMINANT IDEOLOGY; HEGEMONY
MAINSTREAM OR ALTERNATIVE
RACISM; SEXISM; HOMPHOBIA; XENOPHOBIA
How do soaps work to support dominant ideology?

16. NARRATIVE
• Whether you are examining print, audio or audio-
visual media products, they will contain a narrative
structure in which they present their ideas,
opinions, values to the audience.
• When exploring any media product, always think
about it in terms of how it tells a story.
• It is often the case, particularly with mainstream
narratives, that a deep structure or dominant set
of norms will directly influence the structure
which impacts on the messages for the audience.

17. NARRATIVE
• KEY WORDS TO CONSIDER:
CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD NARRATIVE
EQUILIBRIUM/DISEQUILIBRIUM
NARRATIVE AGENT; CLOSURE
MULTI-STRAND; CAUSE AND EFFECT
What do you expect from a Disney narrative?

18. EVERYTHING ELSE
• Outside of the key concepts, you must also
consider the wider social, political, economic and
historical contexts.
• You MUST keep your eye on the news and keep up
to date with what is happening in the world.
• If you do this, it will help you to understand the
texts we study on a higher level.
• READ NEWSPAPERS, WATCH TV AND GO TO
THE CINEMA!!!