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GCE EXAMINERS' REPORTS

MEDIA STUDIES AS/Advanced

SUMMER 2016

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Grade boundary information for this subject is available on the WJEC public website at: https://www.wjecservices.co.uk/MarkToUMS/default.aspx?l=en Online Results Analysis WJEC provides information to examination centres via the WJEC secure website. This is restricted to centre staff only. Access is granted to centre staff by the Examinations Officer at the centre. Annual Statistical Report The annual Statistical Report (issued in the second half of the Autumn Term) gives overall outcomes of all examinations administered by WJEC.

Unit Page MS1 1 MS2 5 MS3 8 MS4 12

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MEDIA STUDIES

General Certificate of Education

Summer 2016

Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced

MS1 Question 1 The text for this examination was an extract from the BBC Panorama documentary Apple's Broken Promises. It was a rich text that proved very accessible for candidates who were clearly well prepared for this question, and for many candidates this was their strongest answer. It was encouraging to see that candidates across the mark range were able to analyse the text in detail employing various degrees of relevant media vocabulary. They were confident in discussing the codes and conventions of the extract and were particularly strong when discussing technical codes. The more able candidates could, as expected, discuss the impact and effect of specific camera shots and angles. There was some excellent, detailed analysis using a wide range of media concepts and theory. Even weaker responses made some attempt to analyse, although some candidates tended to list or describe technical and audio codes without analysing their purpose and effect. It was reassuring to see that many centres had obviously studied documentary as a genre and candidates were able to use some genre-specific concepts (e.g. “voice of God” narrator) in their responses. Narrative was the aspect of the question that was answered least well. Although most responses made reference to binary oppositions and/or enigma codes, some centres had several candidates who ignored this bullet point completely and many (otherwise good) candidates tended towards inappropriate application of theory such as Propp. There was an assumption by some candidates that because the text was not fictional it therefore could not have a narrative. Those candidates who clearly focused on the bullet points produced a more structured and coherent response. It continues to be the case that the notes made by candidates in preparation for this question differ greatly in their usefulness. Candidates need to be taught how to make notes that will benefit them in approaching this question. The range of points made included: Visual codes

muted colours to suggest realism

graphics and typography to suggest the world of computers and programming

iconography of technology e.g. iconic representation of Apple products

clothing and physical appearance giving clues to character e.g. suits of 'experts'

real locations

graphics e.g. shattering of Apple logo/title of programme

range of settings

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Technical and audio codes

'real footage' to establish credibility – blurred to suggest 'secret filming'

establishing shots e.g. the Apple shop

use of archive footage to suggest 'evidence'

close ups in interviews

use of music to establish mood – builds to crescendo – convention of genre

editing used to create narrative enigmas

use of different types of dialogue e.g. voice of news reporter

changing music e.g. dramatic and then upbeat to suggest 'cool' image of Apple

different editing styles

Narrative

characters and their role within the narrative

binary opposites re characters

setting e.g. 'experts' in rooms with books

manipulation of time and space

reporter as anchor directing audience through narrative

action and enigma codes – codes and conventions of the documentary format

use of dialogue

dramatic mode of address

personalisation – reporter as part of story

technical codes reflecting theme of secrecy and intrigue

language constructed for effect e.g. 'swanky store'

Question 2 (a) Responses were generally confident and many gained full marks. Candidates had clearly been guided well by centres as there were fewer instances of candidates writing too much and there were instead clear and concise justifications for the two different audiences identified for the opening sequence. However, some candidates did suggest inappropriate and very general audiences e.g. explorers/succeeders that should only be applied to the advertising form, or the victims of slave labour and 'workers' in general. Suggestions included:

those attracted by the 'exclusivity' of the subject matter

loyal viewers of Panorama

those attracted by the idea of a 'real life' story

Apple users who may be interested

those with a social conscience interested in the issues raised Question 2 (b) The best answers were those that were able to make points that were then backed up by examples from the text. The choice of audiences for 2a affected the response for 2b; where the audiences were clear and relevant there was adequate discussion in this question. There were, however, some simplistic responses linked to inappropriate audiences. More discerning responses demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of the audience and the appeal of the opening sequence. Where 'fans of Apple' was chosen as an audience, several candidates found it problematic when discussing the negative aspects of the programme or ignored this element. Some candidates effectively related audience appeal to theory, such as uses and gratifications, which allowed these candidates to demonstrate their broader media knowledge. There was also some good awareness of institutional factors. Weaker candidates adopted a very general approach and did not support their points with specific references to the text itself - these were less successful responses. Several candidates did not focus on appeal but on the perceived target audience for the programme and this type of response lacked textual focus.

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Responses related to the audience chosen and referred to:

the construction of narrative

narrative suggesting that audience will find out 'secrets' - enigmas created

appeal of generic codes of documentary

real footage and characters suggesting real life story e.g. news reports, awareness of the story

evidence based report appealing to concerned audience

repertoire of elements of a cutting edge documentary

direct mode of address of reporter, involves audience Question 2 (c) This question was designed to allow candidates to demonstrate their understanding of the different ways in which audiences respond to media texts and as such it was an 'audience in' question. The expectation was that the response would be supported by two specific examples of media texts from different forms. There was a range of ways in which candidates approached this question and it was answered well by those who understood the specific focus of the question and had studied this across a range of examples and forms. There were very few examples of candidates using only the stimulus material. Stuart Hall featured as a theorist and this was effective when applied appropriately. Although strong candidates were able to apply theory to relevant examples and explored them in detail with reference to potential audience responses, many answers to this question consisted of quite vague and unsupported theoretical descriptions of oppositional, negotiated and preferred readings. There were some responses that demonstrated an understanding of theory but referred to no examples of specific media texts. Popular specific examples that considered different audience responses were film trailers, television extracts, DVD covers and magazine front covers. Some candidates chose two examples from the same form e.g. television, which restricted their ability to offer a broader response to this question. There were some sophisticated responses addressing how texts, e.g. newspapers, fulfil audience expectations and so elicit a preferred response, particularly with regard to newspaper front pages. This question proved problematic for some candidates and it was evident that many candidates were not prepared to engage in detailed textual analysis of specific texts. It is important for a coherent response that candidates select specific scenes, pages etc. and analyse these in detail. Popular examples included The X Factor and Grand Theft Auto but weaker candidates tended to make general and at times simplistic points about these texts in relation to audience response without analysing the specific elements of the text that may elicit such a response. There was also in many cases little evidence of understanding of the context of the chosen text. It continues to be a concern that some candidates do not display effective essay writing skills - few answers concluded or gave evidence of an overview. Many candidates moved from one example to the other without the development of a point of view or exploration of differences, purpose or effect.

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Responses included reference to:

age

gender

ethnicity

culture

positioning by the text

construction of the text

situation

experience Question 3 This question was designed to be a broader, more open question whereby candidates could use the examples studied in their centres to demonstrate their understanding of representation as a concept. However, it was obvious that some candidates had not been prepared to discuss the representation of issues in the media despite the fact that this is clearly stated in the specification. Some candidates adapted what they had been taught with varying degrees of success. Where they stated clearly that, for example, the representation of women in the media is an issue, then that was acceptable. Where they just discussed the area of representation they had studied without relating it to the representation of an issue, then this caused problems. It is essential that candidates are taught all aspects of the specification in order to adequately prepare them for the paper. It is still of some concern that many candidates do not show any awareness of the context or purpose of the text. Some candidates only discussed one issue. As with events, the expectation is that candidates will explore the representation of two issues across two to three examples. Several centres had taught events and some candidates used the General Election and the Paris riots as their case studies which were not appropriate for this question. More able candidates were able to adapt these examples to consider, for example, terrorism or the biased representation of the election in the print media. Where candidates had been well prepared there were some very good responses which explored how different texts constructed representations of specific issues. Body image, poverty, sexism and the under-representation of ethnic groups and youth were popular choices of issues with music videos, advertisements, charity campaigns and magazine covers as common examples. However, some candidates produced opinion led responses not anchored in specific texts. This was the case where The Oscars was chosen to illustrate the lack of ethnic representation. Candidates needed to refer to texts such as news reports, newspapers or a specific extract from the programme. There are still problems with structure for this longer essay, as noted in previous years. The best candidates introduced the concept, demonstrated their understanding of representation through the analysis of specific media texts and then summed up their points in a conclusion The more simplistic responses tended to highlight negative and positive representations with limited discussions of how they were achieved e.g. editing, camera shots. Candidates must be able to demonstrate a detailed understanding of the examples they choose to use. Some candidates made the mistake of writing generally about issues, others were unclear about what constituted an 'issue' and there were many candidates who used the Royal Wedding and The Olympics without explaining why they deemed them an issue. The candidates who produced the best responses were able to discuss their chosen issues with reference to detailed examples from a range of formats and to show a more perceptive understanding of representation as a media concept incorporating: context, ideology, construction and mediation.

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MEDIA STUDIES

General Certificate of Education

Summer 2016

Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced

MS2

The majority of Centres submitted a range of interesting work which had clearly engaged candidates and was wholly in line with the specification. Print work continues to be the most popular form for pre-production and production, covering a wide range of forms and including some very professional looking DVD covers, posters, magazine pages, advertising materials, CD covers and inserts, and newspaper pages. In audio-visual work, music videos and trailers remain the most popular, closely followed by film and TV opening sequences. This year saw an increase in web productions with some very creative pieces submitted. Radio was, once again, the least popular media form but some of the radio work moderated was excellent. Most centres helpfully completed the MS2/1 forms with teacher details linked to the assessment criteria and candidate comments summarising the work they had done. A minority of centres and candidates did, however, complete paperwork with only the briefest of comments or with just a signature, which was not helpful to the moderation process. It would be very helpful if the following points could be noted:

Please ensure that each piece of candidate work is clearly labelled with the candidate’s name and centre number.

Please submit audio-visual work on a DVD which can be played back in both a computer and on a DVD player and check, before submission, that the disk does play on a platform other than the one it was formatted on. Please make sure that each group/candidate’s piece is clearly labelled.

Print pieces must be submitted in the correct dimensions, for example CD covers and DVD covers. It is acceptable to submit magazine covers in A4 format, double page spreads should be submitted on A3.

It would be appreciated if a word count could be included at the end of the report. Please note that reports should be between 1200 – 1600 words in length.

Please include a copy of the brief so that moderators are aware of the work that has been set.

There was an increase in the submission of late work this year and it is requested that Centres make every effort to post work to arrive with moderators by the May 15th deadline. Please contact the Subject Officer in the event of any delays so that the moderation process can be completed efficiently.

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Pre-production: Candidates generally engaged well with this part of the Unit. A range of suitable tasks was set with storyboards, scripts and magazine pages proving to be the most popular. Most work clearly reflected the research that had been undertaken and some excellent creative and technically competent pieces were seen. Points to note:

Storyboards should contain a range of features including shot duration, visuals, camera instructions, audio track and details of transitions between frames. It is also very useful to include a comments section (or a mise-en-scène section) where more details may be given. Hand drawn or digital images are acceptable but the visuals must match the camera details. For this reason found images are often less successful. Also, storyboards should not be completed post production and should not, therefore, use screen grabs from the production.

Scripts should be correctly formatted, and indeed technical marks are awarded for this. Candidates are advised to research the appropriate layout for the script they are producing (e.g. TV, film, shooting script etc.).

Although the specification states 1–2 pages for print work, the expectation remains that more able candidates will produce two pages. These pages must contain a majority of original photographs.

Pixelated, stretched and blurred images are not technically competent and should be marked accordingly.

Web pages should be working pages, not print designs, although these pages should be printed out and submitted to the moderator as hard copies.

Hand drawn sketches and basic flat plans should not be submitted.

Candidates should be reminded that, as Media Studies students, presentation is important.

Production: Moderators reported that some really excellent productions were seen this year. The very best were clearly linked to the pre-productions and were technically and creatively sophisticated, barely indistinguishable from professional pieces. Such high quality work is a pleasure to moderate. Work submitted for moderation covered the full mark range as expected and the majority of centres were able to accurately assess candidates' work at the lower levels. However, a small number of Centres continue to over reward poorly constructed work. Where this was the case, an appropriate adjustment to marks was made and centres are urged to apply the marking scheme consistently and appropriately. The exemplar material on the WJEC secure site demonstrates the required standard of production work at every level. Points to note:

Whilst audio-visual productions may be completed in groups, each individual group member must have a clear technical role and this must be specified on the MS2/1 form and reflected upon in the evaluation part of the report. Camera, editor, sound (where appropriate), lighting (if appropriate) are ideal roles. Director, actor, make-up, props etc. are not appropriate technical roles. It is essential that individual candidates are rewarded for their technical and creative abilities and that the finished piece is not given an overall mark. It is not common for all candidates working together to be given the same mark.

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Print production should strive to reflect an industry standard in terms of layout, design and features. Magazine double pages, for example, which do not use appropriate column widths, font sizes and which do not reflect the layout of an actual double page spread, should be assessed accordingly.

DVD (and CD) covers should be presented to size with all the required industry information.

Print productions must be 2 – 3 pages in length and the majority of images must be the candidate’s own. Please note: a front and back cover counts as 2 pages. Most Centres who produce DVD covers ask candidates to submit a poster as well, ideally this should feature a different main image.

The Report: Many reports were very well written and demonstrated a clear understanding of the requirements, however some reports did not reflect the assessment objectives clearly enough. AO4 is awarded for the research which has been undertaken to inform the pre-production, whilst AO2 is awarded for an evaluation of the production. The evaluation should reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of the production through a comparison with existing media products. Candidates working in groups should evaluate their own contribution to the group production. Many Centres ask their candidates to write the report in two stages – the first after the pre-production is completed and the second part after the production is completed. This has proved to be a very effective and is to be recommended. Points to note:

The research undertaken to inform the pre-production must be done individually. Whilst it is good practice to look at a text from a whole class perspective to guide candidates, it is not expected that all candidates from a centre would write about the same researched texts.

Research should be viewed as more than just textual analysis of similar products. Whilst this is an important and useful aspect, other forms of research should also be encouraged (for example into the structure of scripts or the design and layout of magazine covers).

It is essential that candidates discuss how they have used their research to inform their pre-production.

Evaluations should be a critical reflection rather than an account of the production process.

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MEDIA STUDIES

General Certificate of Education

Summer 2016

Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced

MS3

It was clear to see several recognisable patterns to both the task setting and assessment of all aspects of this unit. Many centres have developed effective approaches to MS3 which allow candidates across the ability range to address the assessment criteria in a manner that allows them to achieve their potential. In the same vein, however, it was discouraging to note that a significant number of centres failed to address key issues previously raised through the moderation process, both in terms of task setting and assessment. Problems at the task setting stage often compromise candidates’ ability to demonstrate their skills, develop their ideas and meet the assessment criteria. Generous assessment of any or all elements raises issues of parity between centres and, where this was the case, an appropriate adjustment of marks was made. The purpose of centre moderation reports is to offer practical advice as to how candidates can best meet the assessment criteria and feedback on assessment to maintain national standards. It is expected that centres will read and act upon the advice given as well as making use of the broad range of exemplar material available on the WJEC secure site. It was pleasing to see that many centres had clearly followed the advice offered in previous Principal Moderator reports. MS3 provides challenges for candidates as it demands both a high level and broad range of knowledge and understanding, and the application of both analytical and practical skills. Those candidates at the higher end of the mark range continue to demonstrate sophistication in their research, essay writing and production, combined with effective evaluative skills. Research Investigation The most effective research investigations demonstrate the following features:

Clear, focused titles which include a key concept (narrative, genre or representation) and incorporate between 1 and 3 specific media texts for analysis.

Secondary research focused on the key concept identified in the title, which makes use of academically credible and clearly referenced sources such as textbooks, journals, essays and reliable websites.

Textual analysis which makes use of the skills candidates have developed for MS1 and attempts to apply the findings of the secondary research.

Clearly drawn, thoughtful conclusions which can be used to inform the production element.

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Common issues which limit the effectiveness of the research investigation and therefore create problems at the production and evaluation stages:

Prescribed titles: candidates should be offered a menu of options so that they can follow their own interests, as this leads to higher levels of engagement. Where candidates have titles prescribed by the centre they tend to have less successful outcomes.

Titles that: o are too broad o encourage an overview of a topic o lack focus on a key concept.

Titles which encourage a focus on audience/audience responses or a more sociological approach to topics, such as the representation of issues.

An over-reliance on sources which lack academic credibility such as Wikipedia, Slideshare or Prezi.

Overuse of sources that, whilst academically credible, do not have a clear conceptual or media focus.

A lack of referencing skills which in the worst cases can result in issues of plagiarism.

Description rather than analysis, for example description of the basic visual codes or plot at the expense of an exploration and analysis of the technical features of the texts.

Audience research, in the form of surveys, questionnaires and focus groups, which is unnecessary and unlikely to aid conceptual understanding.

Production The most effective productions display the following features:

Clearly demonstrated links to the conceptual focus of the research investigation. An effective understanding of, and adherence to, the relevant codes and conventions

of both the media form produced and its genre – this is usually achieved through detailed analysis of relevant texts and well-drawn conclusions in the investigation.

A high level of engagement, partly due to the candidate having been allowed to choose their own area for research and develop their production from this.

Appropriate levels of technical competence, for example effective editing and use of original images.

Clearly defined technical roles within group production work, such as editing or camerawork.

Common issues which limit the effectiveness of the production:

A lack of clear links to the investigation, often where candidates have produced a different media form or genre from that which they investigated.

Failure to adhere to codes and conventions of the media platform, including incorrect aspect ratio; most likely due to the candidate not having analysed appropriate texts or not having paid sufficient attention to technical details when completing their research investigation.

Lower levels of technical competence than the specification requires, for example use of found images only.

No individually defined technical role within group work, for example candidates citing pre-production work as their role within a group.

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Evaluation The most effective evaluations demonstrated the following features:

A clear understanding of how research investigation findings and conclusions informed the production.

An effective ability to analyse technical features of the candidate’s own work in relation to the research findings and conclusions.

Exclusive focus on the relationship between the research investigation findings/ conclusions and the production artefact.

Less effective evaluations were characterised by:

Discussion of the production processes such as filming and editing. Discussion of the general strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement of the

production element. The introduction and discussion of new research/ texts which did not appear in the

research investigation. Assessment There was a clear trend towards generous assessment, sometimes significantly so, although the majority of centres were close to national standards. Where research investigations were generously assessed, this was often due to candidates either lacking effective academic secondary sources or failing to incorporate secondary sources with primary research in the form of detailed analysis. It is important for candidates to consult appropriate secondary sources in order to develop their understanding of the concept to the level required at MS3. There was a tendency for a significant minority of centres to over-reward candidates who drew research purely from inappropriate, online sources such as Wikipedia, Slideshare and blogs; it should be noted that these do not provide the range or credibility expected at MS3. Some centres over-rewarded productions, especially at the higher levels, for technical competence where these lacked the close attention to detail required for the levels awarded. The exemplar material available on the WJEC secure website demonstrates the technical competence required at each level. Often, the codes and conventions were not securely used because of the lack of detailed analysis in the investigation. Candidates who change media form between research and production are often making their task more challenging. While it is possible to analyse texts in one form and then produce a text in a different form, candidates need to understand the technical codes and conventions of the media form they intend to produce. This may require additional analytical work before beginning the production. Candidates who work in groups must be individually assessed and candidates need to have clearly defined and appropriate technical roles. Groups should be managed so that all the members can reflect their individual research investigation findings clearly in their productions. Each candidate’s contribution should be assessed on how effectively their research investigation findings inform the production, as well as on their technical competence, therefore it is unlikely that group members will be awarded the same marks.

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Administration Many centres presented work well for moderation, used appropriate annotation that clearly explained the rationale for awarding marks and showed evidence of internal moderation, all of which constitutes good practice. Once again, increasing numbers of centres ensured that their candidates included a word count which helps to ensure parity. There were, however, some centres who did not annotate work which made it difficult for the moderator to see where and how marks have been awarded; this should be addressed next year. The MS3/1 form needs to be completed in detail by both assessors and candidates; not all centres did so. The form should be used to give details of all aspects of the work, including individual roles within group production work where appropriate, and any other information relevant to the completion and assessment of the work. Found imagery or music should also be identified and assessors should outline how they have addressed this issue when awarding marks. A significant number of centres submitted work late, in some instances without an agreed extension which made the moderation process difficult and raised issues of parity. Centres are requested to take all reasonable measures to ensure that the deadline is met and to contact the Subject Officer if any issues arise that may result in a delay.

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MEDIA STUDIES

General Certificate of Education

Summer 2016

Advanced Subsidiary/Advanced

MS4 It was pleasing to see the full range of industries being covered by centres, with film, television, advertising, music and magazines the most popular choices. There were also some very good responses on gaming and newspapers. At their best, candidates’ responses were engaged, articulate and well-informed with detailed, relevant and extremely specific examples from their texts. Candidates were much more secure with (and better-prepared to answer) the textual questions in Section A rather than the industry/audience questions in Section B. General Observations Whilst most centres had prepared their candidates well for the structure of the paper, there were still a number of rubric infringements and a significant minority of candidates who failed to discuss three texts per industry. This occurred more frequently within some centres, who need to remind their candidates that there are fixed penalties for covering only one or two texts in their responses. The majority of centres did adhere to the requirements of the specification, using at least two contemporary texts and at least one British text for each industry. However, some centres are disadvantaging candidates by covering industries and texts too generally. This was particularly evident in Section B, where a significant minority of candidates were unable to refer to specific episodes for television or explore magazines or newspapers further than their front covers. Centres are reminded of the need to teach whole texts and to study at least one specific episode or edition of their chosen texts in depth. In the music industry, it is not sufficient to simply study a single music video. The 'text' is the artist and candidates should explore how their texts are constructed and consider the different factors that contribute to this in their responses. Candidates who do not consider a range of factors will necessarily be limited in their responses and marks awarded will reflect this. A minority of centres who chose advertising also failed to consider campaigns as a whole and focused instead on single adverts, e.g. John Lewis’ Tiny Dancer advert or Chanel No 5’s The One That I Want moving image advert. The lack of detailed reference to the whole campaign limits the marks achievable by candidates, and teachers need to reinforce this. It is also important that centres prepare their candidates to interpret media terminology in the questions set - particularly when this is referenced within the specification or Guidance for Teachers. It was disappointing to note that some candidates (and whole centres) had limited understanding of 'positioned' (B1) or 'production' (B3).

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The most significant problem faced by some candidates this year was their inability to answer the question asked rather than the question they had prepared. This was particularly evident in Section B. It is clear that some centres had prepared candidates to respond to a certain question using a particular industry (e.g. film for representations, television for narrative); this limited candidates’ ability to choose the most appropriate industry for each question and became self-penalising as the paper progressed. There was also a tendency for centres who taught certain industries (advertising, music, newspapers) to avoid the narrative question when it would perhaps have generated a better response than the question chosen. It would also benefit candidates to practise essay-writing skills as many responses lacked introductions and conclusions, and paragraphing was often weak or non-existent. This limited the capacity of many candidates to offer a coherent argument. Please see below for question specific comments. Section A: Text A1. “Media representations of people are often simplistic”. How true is this of the representations of people in your three main texts? This question was popular and generated some good responses, regardless of the medium chosen. Film was a popular industry for this question, with Skyfall and Frozen frequently used texts. At the top end, there was a recognition that representations may change, dependent on ideological and cultural shifts, and a sense that representations may have depth and complexity. Whilst most candidates were able to discuss conventional or stereotypical representations, many still lacked an awareness of how/why representations were constructed. Several candidates did not understand or engage with “simplistic”, and merely described clothing or behaviour. Particularly in the music industry, there was much downloading of biographical detail with no sense of the construction of a representation. Candidates also too often referred to 'male gaze' on a superficial level with little real understanding of its meaning. A2. “Narratives generally follow a linear structure”. Discuss with reference to your three main texts. This question was not as popular as A1, but most candidates were able to respond to it as the question was relatively straightforward. This question did, however, generate some fairly formulaic responses with a downloading of Todorov and Propp. Some candidates were able to engage more closely with the question and discussed narrative arcs, parallel and contrapuntal lines of action and Campbell/Vogler’s concept of the hero’s journey in some detail. Some good responses argued that the statement was untrue and effectively referenced circular, surreal and flexi-narratives. A minority struggled with the word 'linear', taking it to mean either purely chronological or single-strand. There were some very interesting responses on gaming here, but this question was significantly less popular for those who had studied advertising, the music industry, newspapers and magazines. It would perhaps be beneficial for centres studying these industries to develop their candidates’ understanding of narrative and its links to audience, genre, budget and success. Some candidates had evidently prepared a 'genre' response and were determined to use it - despite the 'narrative' question set, and this was clearly self-penalising.

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Section B: Industry and Audience B1. Discuss the different ways audiences are positioned by your three main texts. This was a popular question and there were some excellent responses, with clear focus and direction and a strong sense of how textual construction positions audiences. Candidates used texts such as Sherlock, Breaking Bad, The Big Issue, House of Cards, and explored how technical, visual and linguistic codes were used to position audiences. Most candidates who responded on gaming were able to discuss positioning through gameplay very well. However, too often candidates lost focus on the question and drifted into ‘target’, ‘appeal’ or ‘response’. A minority of candidates had no understanding of 'positioning' and gave very generalised and vague responses, often veering into definitions of audiences. Many candidates did not fully comprehend that texts are encoded to produce a preferred reading and audiences are positioned to accept this. Instead, they downloaded Stuart Hall, offering oppositional and negotiated readings which would have been better suited to a 'response' question and were less valid here. B2. All media texts are subject to regulation. How has regulation affected your three main texts? Where candidates were well-prepared, this was a competently answered question. Most candidates had sound knowledge of regulatory bodies (although there were some glaring factual errors at times) and were able to comment on how their texts had been affected. There were good responses on film (e.g. The Dark Knight), music and computer games (e.g. Assassin’s Creed) where stronger candidates made links between regulation, institution, audience and profit. Too many candidates downloaded the history of the PCC, the Hays Code or the BBFC with little sense of their contemporary relevance and there was inaccuracy and confusion in the responses of some candidates discussing press regulation post-Leveson. B3. Explore the key factors which influence the production of your three main texts. This was a broad question which was open to many different interpretations and approaches, but which did require candidates to think and evaluate the influence of external factors on their texts. A startling number of candidates had surprisingly little knowledge or understanding of 'production'. Where candidates had been taught 'production' through other areas such as technology, stars or institution, they struggled to pull together the factors which affected the production of their actual texts. The music industry offered the most disparity between answers - at the top end candidates fully understood how a persona is produced and discussed audience, genre, labels and budgets with confident links back to the question. In weaker responses, there was sometimes little or no notion of how the artist was produced. Some candidates were able to offer considered and sophisticated responses with an overview of the interaction between text, industry and audience, particularly in relation to film, advertising or television. The best candidates discussed a range of influences - including budget, production context (studio/label/network/platform), UK v US constraints, the text’s place as part of a franchise or as a cross-platform artefact, audience and fan base, agendas and technology - with detailed examples. Some candidates seemed to have prepared a response to a marketing or technology question and tried to apply their knowledge to this question, mostly inappropriately.

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B4. Discuss actual responses to your three main texts. This question proved very popular but was problematic for some candidates who lacked knowledge and understanding of actual responses. There were some very sophisticated responses at the top end, using some particularly successful texts such as Benefits Street, My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, Ed Sheeran, Modern Family, Tomb Raider, Spectre, Think!, The Big Issue, The Sun and Grazia. Theoretical application could be rewarded here, but responses which did not address 'actual' responses were self-penalising as they did not fully answer the question. A very wide range of actual responses was acceptable - from individual and class focus groups to viewing/ circulation figures, sales, social media responses, reviews, letters, regulation, controversy and complaints, fan sites/forums, voting/phone-ins, ratings, spin-offs etc. It was disappointing to note that some candidates had no 'actual' responses to offer - despite the fact that the specification lists 'audience responses and user interaction' as an area of study for MS4, and this aspect of response is detailed in the Guidance for Teachers and has been emphasised at CPD. Whilst there is undoubted validity in a theoretical approach to audience response, the study of a text for Section B without reference to any actual audiences and their reactions is clearly limiting. GCE Media Studies Report Summer 2016/LG

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