January assessment learner response

 January assessment learner response

1) Type up your feedback in full (you don't need to write the mark and grade if you want to keep this confidential).

Grade: B

Mark: 30/43

WWW: Ishmeet, a brilliant assessment attempt from you. It is obvious that a lot of revision and preparation has taken place. For example, Industries Q- knowledge on conglomerates and audience theories

EBI: In places, your responses just explain theories but not validating or providing examples to form a debate or argument. For example Q3 on PSBs and Q4 on audience theories.

2) Read the mark scheme for this assessment carefully. Identify at least one potential point that you missed out on for each question in the assessment.

Q1: In contrast to this, the image has Stormzy bare-chested which arguably reinforces the sexualisation of black males in the media and reinforces traditional masculine stereotypes which contrasts with the idea of vulnerability. The lighting is low-key and sees a focus on both the left side of his face and chest, emphasising these contrasting meanings of masculinity and vulnerability.

Q2: Synergy allows companies to maximise profit from a brand (e.g. Harry Potter) by branching out into other platforms, merchandise or products. Diversification means companies can embrace new technology and find new revenue streams e.g. music industry and streaming.

Q3: For points: Unique funding model for BBC and Channel 4 means channels don’t need to chase audiences/high ratings and PSB remit means subjects are covered and people are represented that otherwise may be ignored by commercial broadcasters. In digital age, we are swamped by content providers – public service broadcasting gives us institutions we can trust. Channel 4 reinvests any profits back into programmes – this raises quality and benefits audiences.

Against points: Commercial broadcasters cannot compete to provide content such as news and current affairs if audiences can get it free from public service broadcasters (e.g. BBC website). This places commercial broadcasters (e.g. Sky News) at a huge disadvantage. BBC and Channel 4 shouldn’t produce popular programmes such as Strictly Come Dancing as this is unfair on commercial broadcasters struggling to survive in the digital age. Instead PSB channels should focus on programming that isn’t profitable so therefore not produced by commercial rivals.

Q4: 2 step flow model could still have damaging effect depending on political viewpoint or breadth of

influence e.g. influencers, celebrities or columnists who court controversy and deliberately

seek to offend (Andrew Tate etc.)

3) On a scale of 1-10 (1 = low, 10 = high), how much revision and preparation did you do for this assessment? You may also want to think here whether you had completed all the original blog tasks from last term before doing the assessment.
On a scale of 1-10; 8. I have revised a lot during the Christmas holidays as my first class test mark was not good as I did not revise that much, and I wanted to improve. In my opinion, I should have revised more of PSBs and BBC and had completed the cultural industries blog task.

4) Look at your answer for Question 2. Did you manage to write about three different strategies and three different benefits? It's vital you read the question and follow it exactly.

Yes, I wrote about conglomerate ownership, vertical and horizontal integration. I could have also written about synergy and diversification.

5) Look at your answer for Question 3. Did you follow the question guidance and write about both the BBC and commercial broadcasters? What could you have added to this answer to reach a higher mark?
I mentioned that the BBC's funding will decrease as people nowadays wouldn't pay TV licence as they have access to variety other streaming platforms like Netflix. I did not mention commercial broadcasters. I should have included that and mention funding model. I could have added: Commercial broadcasters cannot compete to provide content such as news and current affairs if audiences can get it free from public service broadcasters (e.g. BBC website). This places commercial broadcasters (e.g. Sky News) at a huge disadvantage.

6) Now look over your mark, teacher comments and the mark scheme for Question 4 - the 20 mark essay question on media effects theory. Write a new paragraph for this question based on the suggested theories/answers in the mark scheme. Make sure it is an extensive, detailed paragraph focused on the question and offering examples from the wider media. 

Two-step flow theory – audiences are more likely to respond to people rather than media institutions so opinion leaders in the media are crucial in influencing opinion and audience responses. Could still have damaging effect depending on political viewpoint or breadth of influence e.g. influencers, celebrities or columnists who court controversy and deliberately seek to offend (Andrew Tate etc.).

Technopanics – the online version of moral panic. Links to idea the internet is dangerous and unregulated. Suggests media perhaps can have a damaging effect on audiences. For example, young children could discover inappropriate and dangerous content on social media, websites and games without any warnings which could have damaging effects on the media. The guidelines mention that app stores game purchases are safe and simple, however in some cases this isn't true. In 2016, there was a "game" reportedly consisting of a series of tasks assigned to players by administrators over a 50-day period, initially innocuous before introducing elements of self-harm and the final challenge requiring the player to kill themselves. This was the Blue Whale Challenge. It had been reported worldwide that many children aged 12-14 were committing suicide because of this game. This shows how unregulated the media is and it has long lasting damaging effects which leads them to suicide. This shows that the internet is very dangerous.