GCSE Media Studies: Coursework

 Summer project tasks:

Task 1:

1) 

Actor placement in this scene creates a sense of family and community as there are people seen hugging and smiling, and overall shows the atmosphere of love in the room.

The domestic setting of a family illustrates a community setting .

The setting shows community.

2) This media product is aimed at big families and communities and predominantly people of African and Asian descent. It shows the community from these cultures and strong bonds they have withing their families.

3) This music video makes the audience feel like they're part of a community through visceral pleasure of watching the families being so content with each others company.

Task 2:

1) The name of the musician is Lana Shiki and my genre is pop. The core style of my brand is love/emotive songs predominantly aimed/relatable to a young female demographic who struggle with love and being in relationships.

2)

End of Year 1 Exam: Learner Response

 1) Try to balance the 2 shows on the 20-marker question.

 2) We use CLAMPS to remember mise-en-scene and we can see this through the ragged clothing on Will and Lyra, and Cittagaze itself.

3) Enigma codes, binary opposition, and Propp's character theory.

4) Doctor Who does reflect its time period through its social and cultural contexts of gender seen throughout the episode. When suspicious of Susan's living conditions, Barbara offered to go to her house, but Ian insisted on joining her, and ending up driving there. When arriving at the junk yard, they encounter the Doctor and question the truth behind the police box, and when trying to lower their suspicions, the Doctor only explained to Ian and dismissed Barbra. This reflects the time period, and domestic expectations of women at the time. The expectation of only sticking to household jobs, and anything outside of that stereotype , wasn't credited and instead reinforced.

His Dark Materials also reflects its time period of production, and this is seen throughout the episode. The use of modern camera editing and background music is used at a high, and modern level of technology. The ability of music as an underlaying sound behind characters speech reflects a modern TV show, rather than a show with visible technological errors from before the 2000s.

5) I need to practice past papers and read questions carefully.

KISS Breakfast on KISS Radio

 Context:

1) Deregulation refers to overruling previous strict laws, and shifting the power from the government over to a free market.

2) Deregulation allowed big conglomerates to buy smaller radio stations and build bigger brand monopolies.

3) It allowed Bauer to play KISS from one radio station but have access to everyone across the UK.

4) Sub stations like KISS afrobeat's and KISS 80's can be accessed via the app rather the radio itself so it doesn't have to undergo complicated laws.

Industry: 

1) Bauer is multinational media conglomerate and differs completely from the BBC as they are purely profit driven.

2) They are competing with radio one as they both have similar target audience, alongside Spotify and apple music. The sub genres are KISS afrobeat's and KISS 80's.

3) Rayo platform offers different genres of KISS but a small monthly fee which one way they receive profit. It opens a wider psychographic of listeners and more money.

Audience:

1) Target age bracket is 15-34, with an urban demographic and slightly female bias.

2) 84% of Gen-z listeners strictly use Rayo. KISS breakfast make short clips/reels to attract a younger audience. The constant scrolling on TikTok and Instagram made by young people on a daily basis is a lot, so making those short videos that are bound to fall onto their feed is guaranteed and the shortness of the videos engage young viewers.

3) They do easy giveaways and prize driven competitions which are easily accessible to listeners.

4) A preferred reading may be the comfortable discussions and friendly conversations with listeners show respect and attraction to new listeners. They show diversion by they pun "manifestation", personal relationships by first name basis with listeners, identity by song appeal, and surveillance by celebrity gossip.

Extension:

12 marker-

Commercial radio productions like KISS use technological convergence to engage with an active audience via the Rayo app. This app exclusive to KISS allows listeners to access KISS from any device, anywhere. It includes multiple genres of music for almost any audience, and includes podcasts; it is guaranteed to appeal to majority of psychographics. This ultimately gives listeners a premium experience and the Rayo app also offers sub-genres as part of their premium listening experience at a small price of 3.99 a month and free 30-day trial. In terms of branding, KISS have social media platforms on TikTok, Instagram, X, and YouTube to reach their audience and engage in content. Over the last decade, scrolling on platforms like TikTok and Instagram have shortened attention spans, so KISS making short reels reaches a younger audience and can gain new listeners. Their modern marketing strategies definitely appeal to a younger generation and strategically engage with a lot of listeners.

Radio Launch 1

 Historical, social, and cultural contexts:

1) BBC radio home and BBC radio light were radio stations available before the 60s.

2) Radio 1 wasn't as popular as the BBC had hoped when it first launched because it wasn't seen as "cool" by the youth.

3) Pirate Radio was when radio stations would broadcast from international waters so they didn't have to obey UK laws about radio. This meant that they could play all types of songs at any time aimed at a younger audience which made it so successful.

4) Pirate radio stopped broadcasting in 1967 due it being outlawed by the marines broadcasting offences act. The government closed the legal loophole meaning anyone who wanted to listen to popular had no choice but to go Radio 1.

5) Many of the DJs who were on pirate radios then worked for Radio 1 after being outlawed meaning the style of music was very similar, so it kept majority of its audience.

6) "Needle Time" was the restriction given by the musicians union phonographic performance which only allowed the pirate radio stations to play music for 5 hours a day as it was threat the usage of records declining.

7) Radio 1 differed to other radio stations as it exclusively only played music and fun discussions for young people.

8) Tony Blackburn was the first presenter/DJ and they were upset at the traditional BBC as they didn't offer a lot freedom for creativity for the presenters.

9) It was very fast paced, meaning it wouldn't ever bore the younger audience, and the music played was popular at the time.

10) It wasn't formal like the other radio stations and played "informal" pop music which was of appeal to a younger audience.

Audience and Industry:

1) The target audience was 15-24

2) Radio initially struggled to attract young listeners as the BBC stood for conservative values rather than to fit their audience needs.

3) In terms of psychographics, explorers may be a big majority of listeners and the fast paced music and style of pop is of appeal to those who search for adrenaline and enjoy a constant thrill.

4) BBC is funded through people paying TV license.

5) Preferred reading of Radio 1 would be that it offers responsible and legal music for young people, whereas an oppositional reading might be that BBC 1 took away the fun and thrill of pirate radio.

TV and Radio index

 1) Doctor Who

2) His Dark Materials

3) BBC and Industries

TV Industry Contexts

 1) The BBCs mission statement is to inform, educate, and entertain.

2) The BBC is funded by its viewers via people paying TV license.

3) The BBC must provide information, support learning for people of all ages, produce creative output, have diverse content, reflect the culture of the United Kingdom.

4) OFCOM is the regulator for TV and radio in the Untied Kingdom.

5) It oversees all media channels and produces a code of conduct that all media channels must follow or have their license to make content removed and/or be fined heavily.

6) In His Dark Materials and Doctor Who meet the requirements to inform by showing the control and power the government has over people. In terms of educating viewers, both episodes show strong and smart female leads, and this particularly significant in the Doctor Who episode as misogyny was very much a social norm in 1963, and by showing Susan as exceedingly smart for her age subverted the stereotypes of women in that time period. And lastly, both episodes entertain to a specific audience of those who enjoy sci-fi and fantasy by using props and settings that fit the genre .

His Dark Materials

 Language:

1) His Dark Materials fits the genre of fantasy through the props and CGI used to create this fantasy effect. The talking daemons, and flying witches display this theme as it shows that the world Lyra is in, is nothing like reality.

2) Lyra's mum fits the character theory of the villain. Lyra is the hero as she is trying to find all the missing kids. Will would be the helper.

3) In His Dark Materials, some obvious enigma codes are seen at the end of the episode, when Lyra is told by the alethiometre that Will is a murderer, and the ending scene shows will sneaking around. This will leave questions and wanting to watch more from the audience as throughout the entirety of the episode, Will was presented as the friendlier and more approachable character compared to Lyra, and for the ending scene to reveal such an accusation will leave viewers intrigued to learn about the backstory of Will .

4) An example of binary opposition seen the episode, is Lyra helping man frozen at the water tap; she saw someone in need of help, and assisted him, whereas her mum, was torturing the witch to gather information on Lyra's whereabouts; she hurt someone for the benefit of her own.

Representations:

1) In this episode, women are displayed in a way which subverts the typical stereotypes of women in media. Lyra and her mum both assert dominance and independence in the episode; Lyra's mum is part of the magisterium, which is a type of government predominantly led by men, and Lyra was the leader in sense as to Will following her around, and listening to her ideas and suggestions without questioning her authority.

2) Men are subverted to their typical stereotypes as Will is seen following Lyra throughout the episode; taking her lead and trusting her leadership to help them get out of Citagaise.

3) Age is shown as a subversion as Will and Lyra are portrayed as intelligent and wise whilst searching their way through Citagaise, however teenages are usually portrayed as immature in serious situations and their only motive is to have fun.

4) Race is reinforced in this episode as the Magesterium only consists of white people; a place considered to fit those of high intelligence . Another reinforced stereotype is Will being revealed as a murderer at the end of the episode; one of the few black actors is shown as criminal/ someone to not be trusted.

5) This episode displays fictional world like scenarios and story lines; alternate universes and time travel including witches.

Audience: 

1) I think his dark materials is aimed at viewers who enjoy sci-fi and fantasy as the story line, plot, props, and entire mise-en-scene fits that genre . Additionally, in terms of demographics, i believe it's also aimed at a younger audience because the protaganist's are adolescents.

2) Personal identity: those who feel out of place for enjoying fantasy like shows

Personal relationships: perhaps those who don't have a strong relationship with their mothers.

Diversion: to escape from the troubles they face in reality; watching the adventures of others from a fictional perspective may divert their worries that await for them in reality.

3) One of the audience pleasures that can be felt/seen through the audience is vicarious pleasure. This can be experienced when watching Lyra and Will chase down the only two other people they believe to be in cittagaise. This can create an exciting thrill as it reveals new characters and the chase can create suspense as the audience doesn't know what will happen next.

4) The critic review states the though the trailer is thrilling, it doesn't give the book enough credits, nor does it have enough magic to keep the younger viewers engaged. Older viewers who have already watched the first season will definitely be of interest in watching the second, however new viewers may not be frequent.

5) Some preferred readings may be for the audience to trust the process of the trailer and watch till the end of the series to gain the sastification and credit not given in the reviews. An oppositional reading may be that the trailer was highly dissapointing and didn't bother making it fit to appeal new viewers.

Industries:

1) Bad Wolf and New line productions produced the series.

2) There was a major drop in viewings in comparison to the first episode of series 1 and 2 with series 1 having 7.2 million in the Uk and 4.4 for series 2. On HBO, the viewings in comparison from series 1 to 2 dropped from 423,000 to 227,000.

3) HBO helped promote the series as they have over 40 million subscribers.

4) Bella thorne, know for her famous role in game of thrones, is seen in the show, and this has been done to show the shows progression and important stroyline requires good actors.

5) Bad Wolf is a TV drama production company based in Wales who are an independent company who network with larger broadcasters such as HBO, BBC, and Sky.

Comparison:

1) In comparison to Doctor Who, and his dark materials, both created in such different timelines, there are many visible diffrences in the making of both shows with Doctor Who being quite a cheap and oldly filmed because of its time period, whereas in his dark materials, the props and camerwork show the money put into it and both reflect its time periods.

2) In terms of genre, both are similar in the sense that there are 2 protaganists in discovery of new sci-fi adaptions but the difference is that Lyra and Will are aware of the fantasy around them, Ian and Barbra aren't.

3) Representations / stereotypes are different as in doctor who, Barbra is dismissed because of her gender; she is made out to lack knowledge and understanding of the sci-fi, whereas Lyra is hown to be more of knowledge and dominance than Will.