Issues and debates quiz wk 4

Scroll down to see the answers to last week's quiz. Well done to all those of you who sent me the correct answers; and, to those of you who are still not participating, remember that participation will help you in your Med 6 exam! You'll find the answers on the media Guardian website; email them to Ms Jones.

1. Who's railing against the Competition Commission for limiting his media empire, and what's he so upset about?
2. Which print media MD has just had his role expanded into the digital realm?
3. Which media corporation is moving much of its business out of London, in a bid to shift the balance of power away from the capital?
4. Who, in a speech to the Broadcasting Press Guild, insisted that the TV industry should "stop looking to Ofcom for the answers, because more regulation is not what's needed"?
5. Which political figure is asking YouTube to leave potentially copyright-infringing videos on the sight for longer?

13C2, 13D1 Hw for Tue 04.11.08

Here's are the two additional Tasks set this week for your Med 5 coursework (alongside those you've set yourself - at least 10), both of which need to be fully complete - and posted on your blogs - by the lesson we return after the holiday (04-11-08)...

TASK ONE
Keywords Task x10

Using the Media Studies Essential Word Dictionary (that you received a few weeks back) you need, in the first instance, to identify TEN keywords, ideas, theories or theorists that are relevant for your study. For each one, provide a definition of the term and then explain how it is useful or can be linked to your study.

TASK TWO
del.ici.ous Links x10

It is noticeable that too many of you haven't been using the list of Med5 links that Macguffin has put together for you that are really useful for your research. There are over 100 carefully selected sites that will lead you to the right kind of information you need for a top grade.

By Christmas you need to have explored all of them but for the time being you need to select TEN that are directly relevant. Navigate your way to specific links within the site (don't just stay put at the homepage) and copy these to your blog. Under each one explain what it is and how you will use it in your essay.

13C2, 13D1 Hw for Tue 21.10.08

Action Plan Timetable

Using all the information you've already put together after the self-assessment of your blog work, and the action plan you created after reading the Med 5 pack, you now need to produce - on your blogs - an Action Plan Timetable, where you identify the main tasks that need to be done (at least 10) over the next fortnight.

List each one in detail with a deadline for completion. All of the tasks need to be done by Tuesday 4th November (first lesson after the holiday).

Peer Assessments

Make sure you've posted up www/ebi comments for every student who has already presented their Med 5 powerpoints and blogs.

Evaluations 10.08

To be completed over the course of the next week (by Friday 19-10).

Your responses will be used to help write your Interim Reports and help us to plan a better course for you.

1. SELF EVALUATION
Write an evaluation of your progress on the Media course so far.
Post the work up on your Module 5 blogs.

a. Comment on each of the following, giving yourself a grade with an explanation outlining why:

(Grading should be1-5: 1 = excellent, 2 = v. good, 3 = good/average, 4 = poor, 5 = v. poor)

• Attainment
• Effort
• Punctuality
• Submission and quality of homework
• Ability to work independently
• Quality of writing
• Organisation of Media folder
• Oral contributions in class
• Standard of Module 5 blog
  
• Standard of Module 6 blog
  

b. Make a list of three achievements (www) and three targets/areas for improvement (ebi) over the next half-term.

2. COURSE EVALUATION

Write an evaluation of the actual course/teaching.
Please submit the work as a comment after this post. Include your name!

a. Answer each of the following with a grade (1-5), giving reasons/examples:

(Grading should again be1-5: 1 = excellent, 2 = v. good, 3 = good/average, 4 = poor, 5 = v. poor)

• How well is the course organised?
• How interesting is the content that is covered?
• How useful are the handouts?
• Have the lessons been well-paced?
• What is the standard of the teachers’ presentation/subject knowledge?
• How well has the course met your expectations?
• Have the extra-curricular events been useful? (eg. Awards Eve.)
• Has the Macguffin Blog been useful?

b. Make a list of three things you like and help you to learn (www) and three suggestions of things you’d like to see changed/improved (ebi).

Globalisation Task 13D1

Complete all tasks from lesson.

For the allocated institution (either Time Warner, Sony, Viacom or Newscorp) research the different brands owned and the media platforms covered in detail (broadcasting: TV, Radio, Film; Print: newspapers and magazines; E-media: internet, gaming, mobile technologies. Post your findings on the blog and consider the information in the light of the globalisation debate. your findings can be organised as a flowchart but you must also analyse and annotate.

Issues and debates quiz wk 3

Here are the answers this week.

1. Which terrestrial broadcaster has closed its radio division, with the aim of saving £10m in 2009? Channel 4.
2. Which of Rupert Murdoch's tabloids has just reduced its cover price? The Sun - it's now just 30p.
3. How has Barack Obama upped the ante in the US presidential race? By buying a 30-minute advert slot on CBS and NBC.
4. Which Sunday newspaper saw its circulation drop to its lowest for the second month running in September? The Independent on Sunday, which saw circulation drop 14.54% year on year.
5. Which radio company is being sued by a Swedish alcohol producer, and why? Absolute Radio is being sued by Absolute vodka, for violation of its trademark.

Issues and Debates quiz wk 2 - the answers

Well done to Noura, our quiz winner so far.

1. The 'credit crunch' appears to be affecting advertising spend. What's the lastest forecast? UK advertising spend will slump 5.8% this year.
2. Ofcom is considering allowing PSBs to boost advertising income by £85m annually. What might this mean to your average viewer of Saturday night ITV? An extra 20 minutes of adverts.
3. What are Gmail Goggles? A solution to late-night drunken emails - you can pre-set your Gmail account to stop you from sending emails during times you expect to be inebriated.
4. Which international body is fixing to ban a £14m bailout for Channel 4? The EU in Brussels.
5. Which famously belligerent news presenter has accused the BBC of 'fawning over' the royal family? Jeremy Paxman.

13C1 MED 5 blogs

All 13C1 students must ensure their MED 5 blogs are up to date and have done the same as the other groups (in particular see the work set for the other 2 groups fo 7/10/08 which you must also complete this week). George, Hanna & Jyoti please make sure you have sorted out any problems you are having with your posts as a matter of urgency!

Miss Holliday

13C2, 13D1 Hw for Tue 7.10.08

Start a new posting entitled...

SELF-ASSESSMENT OF BLOG WORK

...then for each of the following Module 5 Assessment Objectives, provide a detailed self-evaluation, answering the questions, including an overall www + ebi/key target (with details of how to achieve it) for each one:

AO1

• demonstrate knowledge and application of the Key Concepts employed within Media Studies and the evaluation of texts and ideas using the Key Concepts

How well have you analysed your text/topic using the Key Concepts (MIGRAIN)? Which have you covered best? (Think about when you answered all the Key concept questions for the Summer Research Project). Which still need more research? How could you achieve this?

AO2

• demonstrate knowledge and application of the wider contexts (historical, social, political, economic) relevant to Media Studies

Have you considered the current zeitgeist (‘spirit of the age’) and how this has impacted on your text? Which aspects of SHEP have you covered? In what way? How could you go about covering those missing?

AO5

• demonstrate the ability to use appropriate investigative and research techniques in carrying out an independent study of a media text, topic or issue

Have you fully reviewed the available literature on your text/topic (books, online articles, reviews etc.)? Have you formulated a good question? Have you written a detailed hypothesis? Have you considered the issues and debates surrounding your study? What textual analysis have you done? How many scenes/sequences from your text have you analysed? Have you analysed your text from different theoretical perspectives (e.g. feminist, Marxist, psychoanalytic, postmodern)? How many times have you actually viewed your main text? Have you analysed other texts from the same/different genre or from the same/different historical period, comparing them with your own? Are you keeping a detailed record of specific website addresses, key quotes - who said/wrote them and where they came from (including page numbers!)?

SYNOPTIC ABILTY

• draw together understanding of Key Concepts, from different parts of the specification in order to make effective textual readings

• draw upon knowledge and application of a wide range of possible relevant contexts, in order to account for the characteristics of media texts

Have you linked what you’re studying to other parts of your course? Your Med 2 study last year (e.g. narrative or audience theories)? Your Med 4 study this year (representation, genre)? Your Med 6 issues, debates and theories (institutional factors, globalisation, etc.) What MediaGuardian stories have you read which are relevant to your study? Have you done research into the dominant values and ideologies that will influence the production of your text?

CRITICAL AUTONOMY

• apply critical ideas and principles to new situations – and demonstrate media literacy in responses to media texts

Are you thinking for yourself? Coming up with your own ideas? Working independently? How self-motivated have you been?

QUALITY OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

• select and use forms and styles of writing appropriate to purpose and complex subject matter

• organise relevant information clearly and coherently, using specialist vocabulary when appropriate

• ensure text is legible, and spelling, grammar and punctuation are accurate, so that meaning is clear

How carefully have you presented your work so far? Is it clear and well organised? Do you use key media terminology? Do you spell check your work? Do you highlight key points from research from what you cut and paste?