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).

WWW:

• You cover a range of theories in Q3 and engage with one half of the effects debate

EBI:

• Revise Industries
• Revise Public service broadcasting
• Q3 offers only one side of the debate... You need to explore both sides. You also need to be more sophisticated as an A-Level Media student.

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.

3) On a scale of 1-10 (1 = low, 10 = high), how much revision and preparation did you do for this assessment? On a scale of 1 to 10 I'd give myself a 5. The reason I didn't get a very high mark this assessment is because I had revised on everything from September and I wasn't aware of the fact that we would be tested on everything we learnt in the term.

4) Look at your answer for Question 1. Did you manage to write about three different strategies and three different benefits? It's vital you read the question and follow it exactly. For question 1 I was only able to talk about two strategies and two benefits. Talking about the third strategy and benefit would've potentially gained more marks for me.

5) Look at your answer for Question 2. 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? For question 2, I misunderstood the question and started talking about regulation and public service broadcasting which led me to gaining no marks for question 2.

6) Now look over your mark, teacher comments and the mark scheme for Question 3 - 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. 

I strongly agree with the view that the media has a damaging effect on audiences. Gerbner's cultivation theory suggests that watching TV over a long period of time with influence the audience's ideas and perception of everyday life. Gerbner later developed a theory that suggests heavy TV viewing made viewers fearful. This is very damaging to society. Gerbner's cultivation theory also suggests that heavy TV viewers developed a 'mean world syndrome' an saw society as far more dangerous than it actually is. This is a significant damaging effect on the audience. An example is the hypodermic needle theory. The hypodermic needle theory is massively discredited but is becoming relevant in the era of 'fake news'. Fake news is created very often and TV viewers are fallen into the trap believing the fake news that they see. This supports that the media has a damaging effect on the audience.

Another reason why I strongly agree that the media has a damaging effect on the audience is because of Bandura's social learning theory. Bandura's social learning theory suggests that people copy behaviour seen on screen. Because of the media the audience try to be celebrities by acting and behaving the way celebrities do through imitation, modelling and mediation. However, the experiment was with children and has been discredited by some studies since. This raises questions about regulation and whether young people should be protected from certain media content. In the digital age, this also raises question if such regulation is even possible when content can be downloaded and parents are not always aware of what their children is consuming.

The dependency theory supports the idea that the media is having a damaging effect on audiences. Rokeach and Defleur said audiences were becoming dependent on the media in 1976 and possibly even today. Studies in recent years have raised concerns over young people and social media use.

The two-step flow theory suggests that 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. This could still have a damaging effect depending on political viewpoint e.g. celebrities or columnists.

In conclusion, I think the media is having a extreme damaging effect on the audience as there is fake news which is created very often to fool TV viewers and the TV viewers are falling into the trap. Furthermore, people are imitating celebrities to be like them so they're liked by people and they're no longer being their selves anymore.