MEST 3 EXAMINATION

SECTION A• 2 UNSEEN MEDIA TEXTS(15m WATCH/MAKE NOTES)

• 3 COMPULSORY Q’S• COMPARE & CONTRAST TEXTS• GENERAL MEDIA KNOWLEDGE &

UNDERSTANDING• SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT MEDIA DEBATES

AND THEORIES

MEST 3 EXAMINATION SECTION B – CASE STUDY•REPRESENTATIONS IN THE MEDIA•THE IMPACT OF NEW/ DIGITAL MEDIA•CHOOSE & ANSWER 1 Q ONLY•1HR – 48 MARKS•INDEPTH AREA OF RESEARCH INVOLVING THE CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF A RANGE OF MEDIA TEXTS•DEVELOP VIEWS UPON REPRESENTATION/DIGITAL MEDIA•WRITE ABOUT YOUR VIEWS IN THE EXAM. SUPPORTING THEM WITH EVIDENCE AND EXAMPLES FROM YOUR OWN CASE STUDIES•DETAILED REFERENCES TO SPECIFIC TEXTS YOU HAVE STUDIED

CASE STUDY OPTIONS • REPRESENTATION OF TEENAGERS (CLASS) • YOUR OWN CASE STUDY (ESSAY FOCUS/NEW TOPIC)• CRITICALLY ANAYLSE A RANGE OF TEXTS AND THEIR CONTEXTS• APPLY A RANGE OF THEORIES, CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES AND

CONCEPTS• SHOW AN AWARENESS OF RELEVANT MEDIA ISSUES AND DEBATES

YOU WILL NEED TO:• ANALYSE HOW REPRESENTATIONS ARE CONSTRUCTED IN

VARIOUS MEDIA TEXTS• CONSIDER THE POLITICS OF REPRESENTATION AND THEIR

PRODUCTION• CONSIDER CROSS-CULTURAL FACTORS (IF RELEVANT)• EXPLORE THE APPEAL OF REPRESENTATIONS FOR

AUDIENCES AND HOW AUDIENCES INTERPRET REPRESENTATIONS

REPRESENTATION THEORY

Representations are influenced by the cultural, political and social contexts in which they are produced.

• REFLECTIVE VIEW• CONSTRUCTIONIST VIEW

REPRESENTATION ANALYSIS • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epbrArUH5B4

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PI4ZLN8vQk

1. Who or what is being represented? How are they being represented? Use the key concepts to help you deconstruct the text.

2. How might you apply the reflective view?3. How might you apply the constructionist view to this advert?4. Why do you think the representation have been constructed in

this way?5. Who does this construction/value message benefit and why?

COMMON SENSE OR ‘NATURALIZATION’

1. Beliefs are being represented about groups and institutions in a ‘naturalized’ manner. (e.g. It is the ‘norm’ that old women aren’t sexy) endorsed by the idea of common sense (because they’re old, married, have kids).

2. Views about what is OK or not OK are endorsed by common sense, therefore making opposing views difficult, sometimes impossible to even consider.

3. Thus creating dominant meanings, reinforcing the dominant aspects of an ideology.

COMMON SENSE OR ‘NATURALIZATION’

• It is argued that common sense or naturalization of views are themselves manifestations of ideology-hegemony or the invisible exercise of power at work

• Stopping people from seeing that representations are actually going against their interests

Q. Can you think of an example of naturalization with regard to specific social groups or places, in terms of media representation?

IDEOLOGY

1. What is an ideology?2. What is the role of an ideology within

society?3. What is the dominant ideology within

Marxism?4. What is the media’s role within various

ideologies?

• An ideology is a set of ideas or a world view, which offers a partial and selective version of reality often to protect the interests of powerful and social groups.

• The media’s role is to promote various ideologies to the public, influencing our viewpoints and perceptions of what is ‘natural’.

• We see their views as a common sense approach and therefore make no attempt to challenge them. In fact, we find it hard to think of the opposing argument.

‘I want families to be more like The Waltons’ and less like The Simpsons’

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfTEz4FVa6s&feature=related

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3ZcZ2h4Ths

• What other media texts challenge or subvert traditional American values?

• In what ways are the media texts ideologically subversive? (psychologically change what people believe)

Representations and teenagers

Read Osgerby (1998)Analysis and feedback to group.• Key concepts• Ideology and representation theory• Contexts around construction (social,

cultural, economic, historical factors)