13D1 Cult of the Celeb Image Analysis - MED6

Remember the question for this unit is ALWAYS:

'Using the comparison of these two texts as your starting point, explore the media issues and debates which they raise.'

Plan a MED 6 essay using MIGRAIN, SHEP and relevant theories for discussion/ presentation in next week's lesson.

MISS SIVANESAN'S COVER Thurs 6th Nov P1 13C

SIV Cover: Thurs 6th
P1: 13 C Media – Essay - An exploration into selected Media coverage of the American presidency elections. How does the Media sway/confirm public opinion? This must be copied. All of it. Hence the boxes – just for you!

On Google images find either VIBE front cover ‘IT’s Obama time’ or type in “Time Obama front cover” - compare this image of the “saviour” with YouTube “Barack Obama TV infomercial 10/29/2008 part 1 of 4”. Same, different, unrepresentative? Remember “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights”/”We shall overcome”/ Alice Walker interview BBC iplayer/ The Colour Purple – Google and see what you think... be open to research... is it just about Americanism or could it happen here too?

Use Media knowledge in your comparative analysis representations/Americanisation/audience theory/anchorage/image manipulation. Don’t be obvious. What other texts could you bring in? Research the other candidates’ adverts, their front covers. Apply the above methods... and more.

An essay, typed, emailed to me by Tues 11th. Thank you.

Issues and debates quiz wk 5

One issue dominated the media news last week, so this week's quiz is dedicated to 'Sachsgate'. Remember that you can find the answers to these questions on the media guardian website, and that, for a chance of winning the end of year prize, you should email your answers to Ms Jones.

1. What is 'Sachsgate'? 'Sachsgate' is the furore surrounding a phonecall made by Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross to Andrew Sachs, that was broadcast by the BBC.
2. A comedian resigned and a presenter with an £18m contract was given a 'final warning'. Who are they? Russell Brand resigned; the warning was issued to Jonathan Ross.
3. Which famously right-wing daily newspaper stoked the fire? The Daily Mail led the moral crusade against the broadcast; Ofcom subsequently received 30,500 complaints.
4. Which major broadcasting institution does the furore spell trouble for? The BBC.
5. Name two other recent scandals that have had an adverse effect on the institution question's reputation. The Hutton Enquiry (the result of a Today programme broadcast on Radio 4 that alleged the government's dossier on Iraq's WMD had been 'sexed-up'); the phone-in scandal (BBC programmes censured include Blue Peter, which went against the audience vote regarding the name of the programme's new kitten).

MISS SIVANESAN'S COVER Tues 4th Nov P1 13C

In groups of three (MAX) devise a presentation, in the style of a documentary... remember conventions! Choose a modern film trailer and the film poster to match as we always compare. You must include the following:
- Narrative theory
- Audience theory
- Media Language analysis
- Globalisation, Cult of celeb ideas and Marxist ideology
- Ideology from last year: Feminist, heterosexual etc..

This is to ensure that in your comparative analysis you ALWAYS remember the valuable lessons from last year, as well as this year. This will be assessed for your interim grade.

MISS JONES' COVER 13C2 P1 Tues 4th Nov

Analyse the two covers, using the key concepts, and make detailed notes to bring to the next lesson. As well as MIGRAIN, they must:
Come up with at least 3 relevant SHEP points Come up with at least 3 relevant issues/debates Make links to recently-learnt theories and terminology, including Marxism vs. Pluralism, hegemony, cult of the celebrity

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?

13D1 Cover Work: Wed 24.09.08

Please complete the following on your Med 5 blogs by Thursday's lesson (25.09)...

Find one YouTube extract from your text (a clip or trailer). Paste into your blog and carry out a detailed MIGRAIN analysis.

Find three online reviews about your text (one from each of The Guardian/Film , Rotten Tomatoes, and IMDB) and put the links on your blog. Read carefully and cut and paste two quotes from each that are particularly useful or relevant to your study. For each one, either explain why you chose it or say how you agree or disagree with the view provided.

If you do the work I will mark you present in the register but you don't have to come to the lesson to sign in.

Issues and Debates quiz wk 1

Welcome to year 13. As you all know by now, your Med 6 exam requires extensive knowledge of current media issues and debates. This is the kind of knowledge that we just can't give you in class - it's up to YOU to visit the Media Guardian website and start reading around.

What you can expect from us, however, is this weekly quiz. Send your answers to Ms Jones by the end of each week (that's 26.9.08 for this week's quiz), and the student who gets the most correct answers over the course of the year will win a media-related prize.

1. Which news channel, recently taken to an employment tribunal and accused of religious, sexual and race discrimination, is now facing allegations of bullying?
2. Which radio station is planning to invest £15m on its marketing and content over its first few years on the air?
3. Deepak Chopra, Bill Gates, Eva Longoria and her basketball-playing husband Tony Parker all have cameos in which new advertising campaign?
4. The BBC and ITV are embroiled in a Saturday night scheduling contest. Which programmes are battling it out?
5. Which satellite channel is about to launch a week-long campaign against knife crime?

Module 6 Blog Setup

For all Year 13s...

This week you all need to set up a new blog (in addition to the Med 5 - Independent Study one that you should have already done, including the Summer Research Project). This one is for Module 6 - an exam that you'll be taking next June - and will be where you include research about the media in general (that's not directly related to your coursework).

The following needs to be completed by Monday 22-09-08...

• Set up a new blog on Blogger (make a note of your username and password and don't forget them!)
• Call the blog Med 6: Issues & Debates
• Post up the link, your name and your Med 6 teacher's name (whoever teaches you two lessons/week) in the comments below.
  
• Carry out your First Research Task...

Choose a large media institution (one that produces media texts). You could choose from the following suggestions (or come up with your own) but try to do something different from that you know someone else is doing...

BBC, News Corp, C4, Disney, EMAP, Fox, MGM, ITV, Zee TV, Microsoft, Sony BMG, Google, IPC, C5, HBO, Time Warner

Carry out a case study into its workings, using at least three different internet sources. (Include the urls in your posting). Find out...

• who owns it...people and other organisations involved
• a history of the institution...how has it developed or changed
• the texts it produces...give lots of examples
• information about its finances & income...provide actual data
• recent developments...how is it responding to the 'new media' age

Try to make this as detailed as possible, include images & logos etc. that are relevant, and make sure it has been written in your own words and not cut and pasted from other sources. You will be required to make a presentation on this topic - without notes - in lessons w/c 22nd September.

Size Matters!

Well done to those who are working hard on their blogs. Yes, the Summer Research Project deadline has past so, in theory, everyone should have completed all the tasks, in as much detail as possible. Unfortunately, this is not the case and extended deadlines have been set for next week, after which action will be taken against those still unfinished. Please make sure you check very carefully what you have to do and GET IT DONE!

Amongst those in TeamC2 and TeamD1 there is a real range of effort. But the winners at this early stage - when all postings have been added together - are TeamC2 with 102 postings against 98.

Within each team the medal winners for the most postings are as follows...
Gold (= 3 credits): Ajitpal, Hardeep
Silver (= 2 credits): Mohammed, Vipesh
Bronze (=1 credit): Latisha, Yasmeen

None of these blogs are perfect and they all still have work to do but please take a look at them to see what the best so far are like.

And have also have a look at one of the best from last year that puts everyone to shame at the moment (yes, she got an A for her coursework, will you?)...here are her postings from July and August - where you should be by now!!

Project: Summer Research

For all Year 12 students (who'll be Year 13 in September 08)...

The following needs to be completed by the first lesson you come back at the start of September(some tasks you should have already done)...

• Start a new blog. Call it after the name of your text/topic that you're doing for your Independent Study.
• Leave a comment with the address and your name here so I can put up a link on this blog.
• Your should post up a completed version of your proposal. Remember that this needs to include: a brief summary of your investigation (and, ideally, your hypothesis too); a few lines on each of the key concepts (MIGRAIN); a few lines on each of the wider contexts (SHEP); two or three theories/theorists and how they will be relevant; and a short list of related other texts that you hope to consider alongside your main one.
• Get hold of a copy of your text. Watch it at least once over the summer. While you are watching it make key concepts notes like you have done on Module 2 texts all year. You need to consider the following questions for each key concept...
  

Media Representations

Who is being represented?

• In what way?
• By whom?

Why is the subject being represented in this way?

• Is the representation fair and accurate?
• What opportunities exist for self-representation by the subject?

Media Languages and Forms

• What are the denotative and connotative levels of meaning?
• What is the significance of the text’s connotations?
• What are the non-verbal structures of meaning in the text (e.g. gesture, facial expression, positional communication, clothing, props etc)?
• What is the significance of mise-en-scene/sets/settings?
• What work is being done by the sound track/commentary/language of the text?
• What are the dominant images and iconography, and what is their relevance to the major themes of the text?
• What sound and visual techniques are used to convey meaning (e.g. camera positioning, editing; the ways that images and sounds are combined to convey meaning)?

Narrative

• How is the narrative organised and structured?
• How is the audience positioned in relation to the narrative?
• How are characters delineated? What is their narrative function? How are heroes and villains created?
• What techniques of identification and alienation are employed?
• What is the role of such features as sound, music, iconography, genre, mise-en-scene, editing etc within the narrative?
• What are the major themes of the narrative? What values/ideologies does it embody?

Genre

• To which genre does the text belong?
• What are the major generic conventions within the text?
• What are the major iconographic features of the text?
• What are the major generic themes?
• To what extent are the characters generically determined?
• To what extent are the audience’s generic expectations of the text fulfilled or cheated by the text? Does the text conform to the characteristics of the genre, or does it treat them playfully or ironically?
• Does the text feature a star, a director, a writer etc who is strongly associated with the genre? What meanings and associations do they have?

Media Institutions

• What is the institutional source of the text?
• In what ways has the text been influenced or shaped by the institution which produced it?
• Is the source a public service or commercial institution? What difference does this make to the text?
• Who owns and controls the institution concerned and does this matter?
• How has the text been distributed?

Media Values and Ideology

• What are the major values, ideologies and assumptions underpinning the text or naturalised within it?
• What criteria have been used for selecting the content presented?

Media Audiences

• To whom is the text addressed? What is the target audience?
• What assumptions about the audience’s characteristics are implicit within the text?
• What assumptions about the audience are implicit in the text’s scheduling or positioning?
• In what conditions is the audience likely to receive the text? Does this impact upon the formal characteristics of the text?
• What do you know or can you assume about the likely size and constituency of the audience?
• What are the probable and possible audience readings of the text?
• How do you, as an audience member, read and evaluate the text? To what extent is your reading and evaluation influenced by your age, gender, background etc?

Other Tasks to complete by the start of September...

• Start researching your text/topic on the internet. Use the de.li.cio.us tags that are in the sidebar on the main Macguffin page to guide your research. These links are the best sites for Media Studies. In particular, you must work through all of the sites for Med5 which have been specially selected to help you.

• Post up all evidence of research on your blog. You are looking for the following: reviews, newspaper/magazine articles, useful book titles, relevant theory, relevant media issues and debates, information about wider contexts, etc.

• Don't just cut and paste mindlessly - be selective, try to summarise the information, comment on it and explain why it is useful. Also, make sure that you include specific links to all the sites you find (this will be crucial when it comes to putting together your bibliography).

• Feel free to be as creative with your blogs as you can (just like you were for Module 3). Include pictures, clips, reflections, links, etc.

• Prepare a presentation to be given to the class during the first week you return. In this you will show everyone your blog and talk through the research you found. Also, you will need to put together a five-minute Powerpoint presentation that summarises what you've found out so far in answering your question. Here it is best to use the format/structure of your proposal but also try to make it interesting by including pictures/clips etc.
  

Good luck. There is a lot to do here. Our advice is to work on this throughout the Summer rather than leaving it all to the last minute. It should be an enjoyable process - finding out about something that you're interested in. If you have any problems then please don't hesitate to email me.

MD12C2 Cover work

We've had a lesson on book research, and hopefully borrowed something from the library to start reading this summer. Now you're ready to start researching your text/topic on the internet.

Please do this intelligently. Do not just run a google search - the websites you cite in your bibliography must be authoritative. Use the de.li.cio.us tags that are in the sidebar on the main Macguffin page to guide your research. These links are the best sites for Media Studies. In particular, you must work through all of the sites for Med5 which have been specially selected to help you.

Those who have not presented their blogs to the class should expect to do so during next Wednesday's lesson (July 16th).