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AS/A Level Media Studies

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The Eduqas AS & A level in media studies offers learners the opportunity to develop a thorough and in depth understanding of key issues, using a comprehensive theoretical framework and a variety of advanced theoretical approaches and theories to support critical exploration and reflection, analysis and debate. The study of a wide range of rich and stimulating media products is central to the specification, offering opportunities for detailed analysis of how the media communicate meanings in a variety of forms. Learners will work from the product outwards to debate key critical questions related to the social, cultural, political and economic role of the media. Through studying media products holistically in relation to all areas of the theoretical framework, learners will engage with the dynamic relationships between media products, media industries and audiences. Learners will also consider established media forms alongside more contemporary forms, developing an awareness of emerging and evolving media.

Although the primary emphasis in this specification is on the contemporary media, learners will explore how the products relate to their wider historical contexts. Learners will also extend their experience of the media through the study of products with which they may be less familiar, including those produced by or for a minority group, non-mainstream and non-English language products. This specification aims to develop knowledge and understanding of the transnational nature of the media, considering the effect of different national contexts on representations in media products, the global reach of media industries, and the targeting of audiences on a national and global scale.

Choice and flexibility are a vital part of the specification, enabling teachers to select the most appropriate, relevant and engaging products for their learners to study in Component 2.

This specification also recognises the fundamental relationship between theoretical understanding and practical work, providing learners with exciting opportunities to develop media production skills in different forms, apply their knowledge and understanding of the theoretical framework to media forms and products, and become creators of meaning themselves. Learners will be offered a choice of briefs and forms within which to work, enabling them to explore and pursue their own media interests.

The Eduqas AS & A level in Media Studies offers a broad, engaging and stimulating course of study which enables learners to:

• Demonstrate skills of enquiry, critical thinking, decision-making and analysis
• Demonstrate a critical approach to media issues
• Demonstrate appreciation and critical understanding of the media and their role both historically and currently in society, culture, politics and the economy
• Develop an understanding of the dynamic and changing relationships between media forms, products, industries and audiences
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the global nature of the media
• Apply theoretical knowledge and specialist subject specific terminology to analyse and compare media products and the contexts in which they are produced and consumed
• Make informed arguments, reach substantiated judgements and draw conclusions about media issues
• Engage in critical debate about academic theories used in media studies
• Appreciate how theoretical understanding supports practice and practice supports theoretical understanding
• Demonstrate sophisticated practical skills by providing opportunities for creative media production.

Any requirements set for entry to a course following this specification are at the discretion of centres. It is reasonable to assume that many learners will have achieved qualifications equivalent to Level 2 at KS4. Skills in literacy and analysis will provide a good basis for progression to this Level 3 qualification. Some learners will have already gained knowledge, understanding, and skills through their study of GCSE media studies .

Why choose Eduqas?

• A choice of options for production
• A choice of options for the set products/texts
• Topics and products/texts chosen to appeal to students
• Creative work which is central to the course
• Unlimited access to free resources
• Face-to-face professional learning courses
• Uniform design across GCSE, AS and A level to allow for coherent progression
• Flexibility for teachers to choose relevant and appropriate texts/products
• Direct access to Subject specialists
• Support from our  Regional Representatives

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A-level  MEDIA STUDIES

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Thank you for visiting this free A-level Media Studies revision site; constructed for the modern Media student, to supply them with relevant, engaging and accessible content to study the important, contemporary and exciting subject that is Media Studies. 

No login or registration is required but please consider clicking on our ad banners to keep the site running.   Teachers : use and adapt resources and content for lessons HERE using a collaborative Google Drive Link and become part of the Facebook Group.  Bookmark this page and share it with your media classes!  It is growing and will continue to grow.

MEDIA STUDIES IN THE NEWS

Check the twitter feed to see what case studies and resources are circulating the web right now.  If you have a good one that you want to share, DM @alevelmedia and get yourself known...

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We've got everything you need for starting Media Studies in Year 12 to finishing off in Year 13 and beyond (and VERY soon, everything for GCSE Media Studies and Film Studies).

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Media Studies 9607 AS and A Level Past Papers

12/01/2023 : media studies 9607 october november 2022 past papers of a levels are updated., 15/08/2022 : media studies 9607 past papers of feb march and may june 2022 are now available. .

Cambridge International AS and A Level Media Studies (9607)

Papa Cambridge provides  Cambridge International AS and A Level Media Studies (9607) latest past   papers  and resources that includes  syllabus, specimens, question papers, marking schemes, resource booklet, FAQ’s , Teacher’s resources and a lot more. Past papers of Cambridge International AS and A Level Media Studies (9607) are available from 2002 up to the latest session. It’s the guarantee of Papa Cambridge that you will find the latest past papers and other resources of Cambridge International AS and A Level Media Studies (9607) before any other website. All the content offered here is absolutely for free and is provided in the most convenient way so that you don’t face any issue.

Moreover, we have taken convenience to another level now. Just login and you will be able to browse content faster and in a convenient way. You can now favourite, share, download entire session papers together and do much more by simply registering. It is absolutely free. 

Not only do you get yearly unsolved past papers of Cambridge International AS and A Level Media Studies but there is a lot more at Papa Cambridge now ? Click on the links below to find more stuff of CAIE Cambridge International AS and A Level Media Studies .

05 October 2019  : Cambridge International AS and A Level Media Studies (9607) past papers and other resources are now available.

22 April 2020 :  All content for Cambridge International AS and A Level Portuguese Media Studies (9607) has been updated.

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20 August 2021 :   Feb / March   2021  and  May / June   2021  Media Studies (9607) Past Papers are updated.

20 January 2022 : Oct / Nov 2021  Media Studies (9607) Past Papers are updated.

Cambridge International AS and A Level Media Studies (9607) Yearly Past Papers

Cambridge International AS and A Level Media Studies offers learners the chance to develop an understanding and appreciation of the place of media in our everyday lives. The syllabus enables learners to take a hands-on approach to the subject. 

Through the coursework components - the Foundation Portfolio for AS Level and the Advanced Portfolio for A Level - they create their own media products from planning through to execution. Learners also consider and analyse examples from existing media, examining production processes and technologies and the effects they achieve.

Resubmitting moderated coursework from 2020 onward

From 2020, we are changing our policy on the resubmission of moderated coursework. You will no longer be able to resubmit moderated coursework for a future series. Find out how this will impact Cambridge International AS and A Level Media Studies (9607)

You may find the part useful :p  

If you don’t want to mess around here between notes, slides, ebooks etc and just want to have past papers of Cambridge International AS and A Level Media Studies. Check out : Cambridge International AS and A Level Media Studies Past Papers. PastPapers.Co only has past papers available to give you clean and smooth experience for browsing past papers.  Get Media Studies 9607 Past Papers here.

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Coursework must be submitted following the instructions provided in the samples database and the Coursework Assessment Summary Form (CASF). A summary is provided here:

• An Individual Candidate Record Cards (ICRC) must be completed for each candidate entered. On this form the URL (web address) for the candidate’s blog, or the centre’s blog hub, must be entered in the relevant section.
• Once completed, all forms (the CASF and an ICRC for each candidate, plus a copy of the internally assessed marks) should be sent using Submit for Assessment.

From 2020, we are changing our policy on the resubmission of moderated coursework. You will no longer be able to resubmit moderated coursework for a future series.

From 2020, if a candidate would like to re-sit the syllabus and take forward their coursework mark, you will need to enter them for an option that includes the coursework component as a carried forward mark. To help you to do this, we have created new entry options for Cambridge International AS and A Level Media Studies (9607). These new entry options allow candidates to carry forward their AS coursework as a single component.

An overview of the entry options available for 9607 is below. To confirm what entry options are available for a syllabus, refer to the Cambridge Guide to Making Entries for the relevant series. This guide is available from the 'Support Materials' section of  Cambridge International Direct.

An overview of the entry options available for 9607 from 2020 onward

Candidates for Cambridge International AS Level certification take Papers 1 and 2. Candidates may either:

• take Papers 1 and 2 in a single exam series, or
• carry forward their mark for Paper 1 to a future series, subject to the requirements set out in the Cambridge Handbook.

Candidates who have received Cambridge International AS Level certification and wish to continue their studies to the full Cambridge International A Level qualification may:

• carry forward their AS marks and take Papers 3 and 4 in the exam series in which they require certification, or
• carry forward their mark for Paper 1 and take Papers 2, 3 and 4 in the exam series in which they require certification.

Candidates taking the full Cambridge International A Level qualification at the end of the course take all four papers in a single exam series. The Cambridge International AS Level forms 50 per cent of the assessment weighting of the full Cambridge International A Level qualification.

Can candidates use copyright/non-copyright music in their productions? (Components 01 and 03)

Candidates may use non-copyright or royalty-free music within their productions. If candidates wish to use copyrighted music, they should attempt to gain permission from the copyright holder, and record this in their blog. The use of copyrighted music for academic/non-published work is not normally withheld.

Can candidates use found material, especially institutional idents, within their coursework? (Components 01 and 03)

The use of found material for film production/distribution institution idents may be appropriate if the genre reflects the use of a large institution. Of course, the genre might be such that a small independent (and entirely fictitious) production/distribution company might be more appropriate. In any event, candidates should be discouraged from including more than 1 of these idents (unless they are very short), and will significantly be impacted if production idents take up a significant amount of the allotted time.

Can candidates use a website template rather than a blog?

We recommend that candidates use blogging software, as this automatically orders posts chronologically. This is something which the Principal Moderators have repeatedly commented on in previous Principal Examiners Report for Teachers. Candidates would not be penalised for using website-creation software, however they must make sure that it is very clear to the moderator when specific items were completed, so as to better understand the journey the production has taken.

Can you provide us with the extracts used in paper 2? (Component 2)

Unfortunately, owing to copyright restrictions, we are unable to provide centres with access to the DVD extracts directly. However, we provide all the relevant information within the mark schemes to allow centres to identify the specific clip used within any paper.

For more information and materials on this syllabus, please visit our School Support Hub  here .

Can candidates make web-pages rather than official social media pages? (Component 3)

The syllabus states that candidates are required to complete an official social media page as part of the minor task for each of the set briefs. The use of social media plays an increasing role in the promotion and marketing of media products in the current media landscape, and for this reason the syllabus states that for Component 3 candidates are expected to produce a media campaign, including a social media page. This could be for an existing social media platform such as twitter or Instagram, or an imitation of one. However, candidates may use a website builder in order to make this page, as long as the finished product meets the requirements of the brief.

We are looking for candidates to show us the importance of social media within a marketing campaign, and the use of a brand or theme. We would expect candidates to have researched social media pages beforehand, so centres may need to grant temporary access to these pages on the their own networks, although candidates are also free to complete research in their own time as well. Candidates will have to consider whether a specific page relating to their product is appropriate, or whether a social media presence for a media institution (such as Marvel/BBC etc), or perhaps the franchise within that institution (such as Avengers) with a specific page that focuses on their product within the wider social media account is more likely. This will be driven by their research.

📑 Update(s):

11/01/2024 :, may / june 2023 and oct / nov 2023 past papers are updated., 24/08/2023 :, caie a levels, o levels and igcse 2023 past papers of march and may /june are updated, 24/03/2023 :, caie a levels have new 2022 updated topical past papers with answers. exclusively available on papacambridge, 12/01/2023 :, october and november 2023 past papers of caie are updated., 2022 and 2023 updates :, 17/10/2022 past papers section is upgraded., may june 2022 and feb march 2022 past papers are updated..

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GCSE Media Studies

2021 exam changes The Government announced that it won't be possible for exams to go ahead as normal this summer. Read more

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Gcse media studies: 2026 close study product booklet now available, gcse and a-level media studies: submitting nea sample files in summer 2024.

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AQA GCSE Media Studies: Past Papers

Browse our range of AQA GCSE Media Studies Past Papers and Mark Schemes below. Testing yourself with GCSE Media Studies past papers is a great way to identify which topics need more revision, so you can ensure that you are revising as effectively as possible to help you get ready for your GCSE Media Studies exam.

Visit all of our AQA GCSE Past Papers here .

Boise State Online

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What can I do with an online communications degree?

The communications field is incredibly broad, offering many possibilities across various industries. The good news is, a degree in communications opens up a world of exciting opportunities. Boise State University’s online Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Strategic Communications is here to help you navigate these possibilities and set you on the path to a fulfilling career.

Why choose Boise State’s online communications degree?

Boise State has a stellar reputation for academic excellence and innovative learning. Our online Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Strategic Communications is a flexible and comprehensive program designed for the modern digital world. Whether you’re fresh out of high school or a working professional looking to advance your career, this program has the tools and knowledge you need to succeed.

Career paths with an online communications degree

So, what can you do with a communications degree from Boise State? The options are diverse and exciting. Here are just a few paths you could take:

Public Relations Specialist: Imagine yourself shaping and maintaining a company or organization’s public image. As a PR specialist, you’ll craft press releases, manage media inquiries and develop strategic communication plans.

Marketing Manager: Drive the marketing strategies that promote products or services. Use your understanding of consumer behavior and digital marketing trends to help businesses achieve their goals.

Social Media Manager: Manage an organization’s social media presence. Create engaging content, analyze performance metrics and implement strategies to grow and engage with audiences.

Corporate Communications Manager: Handle both internal and external communications for businesses. Develop strategies, write corporate communications and manage crises when they arise.

Content Strategist: Plan and create content that aligns with a company’s brand and marketing goals. Ensure consistency across various platforms and measure the effectiveness of your strategies.

What makes the online communications degree stand out?

Boise State’s online Bachelor of Arts in Integrated Strategic Communications offers several standout features.

Flexibility: The online format lets you complete coursework on your own schedule, letting you balance studies with work or other commitments.

Expert Faculty: Learn from seasoned professionals and academics who bring real-world experience and insights into the virtual classroom.

Hands-On Learning: Engage in practical projects and internships that provide real-world experience and prepare you for the job market.

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Electrical and Computer Engineering

College of Engineering

MS in Artificial Intelligence

The Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence–Electrical and Computer Engineering is a three-semester (97-unit) program that offers students the opportunity to gain state-of-the-art artificial intelligence knowledge from an engineering perspective. Today, AI is driving significant innovation across products, services, and systems in every industry, and tomorrow’s AI engineers will have the advantage.

ECE students within the program will learn how to design and build AI-orchestrated systems capable of operating within engineering constraints. At Carnegie Mellon, we are leading this transformation by teaching students how to simultaneously design a system’s functionality and supporting AI mechanisms, including both its AI algorithms and the platform on which the AI runs, to produce systems that are more adaptable, resilient, and trustworthy.

Students pursuing the MS in AI will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of artificial intelligence methods, systems, tool chains, and cross-cutting issues, including security, privacy, and other ethical, societal, and policy challenges
• Apply ECE concepts and tools to enable AI systems and produce AI tools
• Be informed practitioners of AI methods to solve ECE and related problems, applying ECE domain knowledge whenever possible to enhance AI effectiveness
• Understand the limits of AI systems and apply these techniques within these limits
• Evaluate trade-offs involving technical capabilities and limitations, policy, and ethics in artificial intelligent systems

Admission Requirements

Students with a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering or a related discipline with an interest in the intersection of AI and engineering are encouraged to apply to this program.

Interested students should be able to demonstrate proficiency in:

• Programming (Python preferred) for data analysis
• Probability/statistics such as probability distributions, joint and conditional probability, independence, marginalization, Bayes rules, and maximum likelihood estimation
• Linear algebra topics such as matrix operations, linear transformations, projections, matrix derivatives, and eigendecomposition

Curriculum Requirements

The goal of the MS in Artificial Intelligence–Electrical and Computer Engineering degree is for students to gain exposure to the three domain pillars of artificial intelligence:

Producers —develop tools that go beyond black box and align with physical systems Enablers —develop infrastructure needed to realize AI-engineered systems Consumers —use and analyze AI/ML for domain applications

Students will achieve this via the following curriculum:

• 42 units of ECE AI Core Courses
• 36 units of ECE AI Domain Courses
• 18 units of General Elective Courses
• 1 unit of Introduction to Graduate Studies  ( 18-989 )

A. ECE AI Core Courses

• 18-763  Systems and Tool Chains for AI Engineering (12 units; Enablers )

Machine Learning

• 18-661  Introduction to Machine Learning for Engineers (12 units; Producers )

Deep Learning

• 18-780 Introduction to Deep Learning Part I (6 units; Producers )  OR
• 18-790 Introduction to Deep Learning and Pattern Recognition for Computer Vision Part I  (6 units; Producers )
• 24-784 Trustworthy and Ethical AI Engineering (12 units)

B. ECE AI Domain Elective Courses

Consumers Domain Elective Coursework (12 units required)

• Data Analytics for the Semiconductor Industry ( 18-663 )
• Advanced Digital Signal Processing ( 18-792 )
• Image and Video Processing ( 18-793 )
• Speech Recognition and Understanding ( 18-781 )

Remaining AI Domain Elective Units (24 units required)

• Foundations of Computer Systems ( 18-613 , Enablers) 
• Hardware Arithmetic for Machine Learning ( 18-640 , Enablers)
• Optimization ( 18-660 , Producers)
• Principles and Engineering Applications of AI ( 18-662 , Producers)
• Advanced Probability & Statistics for Engineers ( 18-665 , Producers)
• Algorithms for Large-Scale Distributed Machine Learning and Optimization ( 18-667 , Producers)
• Applied Stochastic Processes ( 18-751 , Producers)
• Estimation, Detection, and Learning ( 18-752 , Producers)
• Information Theory Measures for Artificial and Natural Intelligence Systems ( 18-753 , Producers)
• Deep Generative Modeling ( 18-789 , Producers)
• Special Topics - Graph Signal Processing and Learning ( 18-898D , Producers)
• Data Analytics for the Semiconductor Industry ( 18-663 , Consumers)
• Advanced Digital Signal Processing ( 18-792 , Consumers)
• Image and Video Processing ( 18-793 , Consumers)
• Speech Recognition and Understanding ( 18-781 , Consumers)
• MS Graduate Project - AIE (18-985, no domain)*

C. General Elective Courses

18 units of General Elective Courses must be taken as follows.

ECE Technical Elective 

• 6 units must be fulfilled by any 18-6XX course or above. 

General Technical Elective

• 12 units must be fulfilled by any course that is 600 level or above from the following approved departments.

*Please note: A maximum  of 12 units of undergraduate coursework (XX-300 to XX-599) can qualify to be substituted toward the 18 units of General Elective Courses. Qualifying coursework must be offered by the same departments approved below.

• Electrical and Computer Engineering (18)
• Carnegie Institute of Technology (CIT) (39)
• Biomedical Engineering (42)
• Chemical Engineering (06)
• Civil & Environmental Engineering (12)
• Engineering & Public Policy (19)
• Information Network Institute (14)
• Integrated Innovation Institute (49)
• Materials Science & Engineering (27)
• Mechanical Engineering (24)
• CMU–Africa (04)

Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences

• Statistics (36)
• Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition (86)
• Heinz School of Information Systems (95)
• Heinz College-Wide Courses (94)

Mellon College of Science (MCS)

• Biological Sciences (03)
• Chemistry (09)
• Mathematical Sciences (21)
• Physics (33)

School of Computer Science (SCS)

• Computational Biology (02)
• Computer Science (15)
• Entertainment Technology Center (53)
• Institute for Software Research (08)
• Robotics Institute (16)
• Human–Computer Interaction Institute (05)
• Language Technologies Institute (11)
• Machine Learning (10)
• Software Engineering (17)

Tepper School of Business (TEP)

• Tepper School of Business (45)

Additional courses outside of these programs that are approved to be counted toward General Technical Elective Coursework:

• 46-926, 46-929
• 47-830, 47-834
• 57-947, 57948
• 85-705, 85-777
• 90-756, 90-808

For students interested in pursuing a summer internship, 3 units of Internship for Electrical and Computer Engineering MS Students ( 18-994 ) may be used toward the 18 units of additional MS coursework.

D. Introduction to Graduate Studies

1 unit of Introduction to Graduate Studies (18-989) must be taken.

This course must be completed in your first semester. 

E. MS Graduate Project coursework

MS AI–ECE students may take up to 27 project units that can count toward their degree requirements. Only 15 units of MS Graduate Project can be taken in any given semester.

A maximum of 12 project units can be applied to the ECE AI Domain unit requirements. Students must get approval from the instructor that a project is sufficiently AI-focused for it  to fulfill domain unit requirements. Students can use the Student Project Tracker (SPT) website to apply for a project and work with their primary advisor for course approval and registration. 

*Please note that the Intensive Project Option is not available for ECE AI Students.

Helpful links

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Maximum units allowed

Endless Opportunities

Whether pursuing academia or industry, this degree uniquely positions students for the future of research and high-demand careers with a mastery of integrating engineering domain knowledge into AI solutions.

For additional information about this college-wide initiative, please visit the College of Engineering's  MS in AI Engineering website .

‘An amazing story’

Gerald Early, who served as a curatorial consultant for a new exhibit on Black baseball at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, discusses The Souls of the Game .

It was April 1976 and the Pirates needed a spark. Right fielder Dave “The Cobra” Parker strolled into the clubhouse. “If you hear any noise,” read the custom T-shirt he’d had printed at a nearby record shop, “it’s just me and the boys boppin.”

The Pirates finished nine games behind the Phillies that season but Parker’s wordsmithing gained a life of its own. In 2022, MLB.com called it “the most legendary baseball T-shirt of all time.” The episode also speaks to deep ties between baseball and Black popular culture. Parker, known for his quick wit, was riffing on lyrics to “Mothership Connection (Star Child),” the Afrofuturist classic released a few months earlier by funk icons Parliament.

“The story of Black baseball is important social history,” says Gerald Early, the Merle Kling Professor of Modern Letters in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. “That’s unavoidable in part because of racism. That is why there were separate leagues. But it is important to connect the players to elements of Black culture. For instance, the interaction between Black baseball and jazz, Black baseball and hip hop. That is vital to understanding how Black baseball is part of the fabric of Black cultural life.”

Early is discussing The Souls of the Game: Voices of Black Baseball , a new exhibition that opened May 25 at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Over the last several years, Early has served as a curatorial consultant for the exhibit, which unfolds through artifacts, interactive displays and — critically — through extensive quotations from players, managers, team owners and fans.

“We didn’t want a curator voice-over,” Early says. “The idea was to have people who were in the game relating their own experiences of the game.”

“My skin is against me. … The race prejudice is so strong that my Black skin barred me.” — Bud Fowler, circa 1880s, widely considered the first Black Professional player

Establishing the line

One of the exhibit’s earliest voices belongs to Bud Fowler, widely considered the first Black professional player. Fowler, who was raised in Cooperstown, played for the mostly white Lynn Live Oaks in Massachusetts, as well as for the Keokuk Hawkeyes, the Topeka Capitals and Terre Haute Hoosiers, among many others.

In late June 1887, Fowler was hitting .350 for the International League’s Binghamton Bingos when nine white teammates petitioned for his removal. Just weeks later, league owners barred new contracts for African American players, a move soon followed by the American Association and the National League.

Baseball’s color line was firmly in place.

“We used to have a lot of fun, and then there were some sad days, too, but there was always sun shining someplace.” — William Julius “Judy” Johnson, who played 17 season in the negro leagues from 1921-1937

They persevered

One impetus for creating The Souls of the Game was Major League Baseball (MLB)’s decision, in 2020, to recognize seven different Negro leagues, spanning the years 1920 to 1948, as major leagues. Just days after the opening, MLB announced that it had formally incorporated available statistics for more than 2,300 Negro league players.

The effects were profound. Josh Gibson, the power-hitting catcher for Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords, overtook Ty Cobb as MLB’s all-time batting leader. Satchel Paige, who had a 1.01 earned-run average for the 1944 Kansas City Monarchs, is officially credited with the third-lowest single-season ERA. Minnie Miñoso, who spent three seasons with the New York Cubans before going to Cleveland in 1949, at last joined the 2,000-hit club.

“Black people — here in the United States, in the Caribbean, and in Latin America — were really committed to playing this game,” Early says. “Black Americans created leagues to play this game, a challenging thing to do. That’s an amazing story.” Black or white, sports fan or not, “that commitment, that dedication should mean something to you.”

“Today, and every day, we come together as brothers, as equals — all with the same goal — to level the playing field.”  Andrew Mccutcheon, five-time all-star playing in his 16th MLB season

Confronting modern challenges

Back in Cooperstown, “Souls of the Game” dedicates its largest display to Jackie Robinson, whose 1947 debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers — nearly 60 years after Fowler’s banishment — finally reintegrated baseball.

At Early’s suggestion, the exhibition features Robinson’s Spingarn Medal, the NAACP’s highest honor, which he received in 1956. Also included are photos, newspaper clippings, a Dodgers jersey and — further underlining links between baseball and popular culture — pages from a comic book illustrating Robinson’s life. (Early personally donated a complete run of that series, released by Fawcett Publications between 1949 and 1952, to WashU’s Olin Library.)

Souls of the Game also confronts recent challenges. It highlights Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutchen, who, in July 2020, after months of protests following the death of George Floyd, spearheaded a league-wide racial justice “moment of unity.” It highlights Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts, who, in 2022 — the 75th anniversary of Robinson’s signing — became the talk of the All-Star Game thanks to a T-shirt proclaiming, “We need more Black people at the stadium.”

“It was important to capture the post-George Floyd world,” Early says, and to address “the issue of Black people not being as engaged with the game as they were 50, 60 or 70 years ago. Understanding that estrangement is crucial.”

Bookending the exhibit are a pair of multimedia displays. The first tells the story of the 1955 Cannon Street All-Stars, an African American Little League team from Charleston, South Carolina, that, thanks to strategic forfeits by white competitors, was denied a chance to play in that year’s World Series.

The second display features more than 30 contemporary interviews on a variety of themes, from “Facing Racism” and “Representation Matters” to “Passing the Torch.”

“It’s not just players,” Early says of the latter, “but Black parents, Black students, young people playing the game. That was something I really emphasized. You need to get ordinary Black people to talk about the game.

“I said, ‘You need to have the voices of Black children in the exhibit,’” Early says. “I am happy that the curators did just that.”

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• Indicative Content

Introduction

For the non-exam assessment, often known simply as coursework, you will be asked to devise and develop a cross-media product for an intended audience. Although the briefs change each year, they remain linked to the Close Study Products so you can expect to use the following forms:

• Print media: newspapers, magazines, advertising and marketing materials.
• Moving image: television programmes, music videos, film trailers.
• Online, social and participatory media: websites, blogs, social media advertisements and posts.
• Radio broadcasts.
• Video games.

The exam boards provide an outline of the context and aims of each brief, specifying the length, amount or duration of the texts. They will also give you a clear definition of the target audience. If you would like to know about the minimum requirements for each media form, read through the sections below that are relevant to your coursework.

Following the codes and conventions of newspaper design, your front cover should contain a masthead with the date and price. Research the difference between a tabloid, broadsheet and a blacktop newspaper because they will be branded differently to suit their target audience. There will also be incentives, such as competitions and coupons, positioned close to the title.

The audience will expect to see a main story, which is often called the splash. The image, of course, should grab the reader’s attention. However, the requirement often stipulates that this dominant image should not be used inside the newspaper.

Make sure you include a headline and byline for the main the story. Many newspapers often format the first paragraph differently to the rest of the copy. Known as the standfirst, the font is usually in bold and with a larger size.

Don’t forget to create an off-lead that will also appeal to the readership.

House Style

Importantly, you need to establish a clear house style with an appropriate register and mode of address . In other words, make sure your language suits the relevant demographic. For example, a tabloid might opt for a controversial and provocative headline compared to the more formal approach taken by a broadsheet.

For more information on the structure of a newspaper, read our guide to the  codes and conventions of front pages . The glossary might help to clarify some of terminology used on this page.

Related Pages

The design of the inside pages should reinforce the brand established on the front page. Put simply, you need to be consistent with your use of columns, headings, subheadings, colours and font choice. If size of the font on the front page is 10px, tracking is 0 and the lead is 10px, make sure your copy inside the paper is the same.

The brief might insist on at least 500 words of original copy and six other images. Of course, the mise-en-scène of the images must be appropriate to the style of the newspaper and engage the target audience. Be careful with the representation of people, social groups and places.

Finally, text and images should be combined into a suitable layout because you want to encode appropriate values and construct a clear point of view.

You will need to submit three or four pages. A cover page, content page and a two-page spread are probably the best options because you will be able to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the full range of magazine layouts. The right combination of text and images will achieve the top marks.

Front Cover

The first page should reflect the codes and conventions of the genre of magazine specified by the brief – a horror film fanzine will have a very different look and feel to a text targeted towards DIY enthusiasts. The values and ideology of the institution should be apparent in the choice of stories and representation.

Be sure to design a good title and masthead and position it appropriately on the page. You should also include the cover price and dateline. The exam boards often request at least three cover lines on the cover of the magazine so try to invent other relevant stories that might interest your audience.

Obviously, the main image is incredibly important because it will be the first thing that captures the audience’s attention. However, the brief might also stipulate two further smaller images or illustrations are required to demonstrate your understanding of the genre.

Arrange the headings and subheadings around the dominant image and make sure they are legible by choosing an appropriate font colour. Black text will only really work against a white background, so experiment with a range of colours. The font size needs to large enough to ensure readability.

Check out our guide to magazine covers for more information regarding their layout and form.

Internal Pages

The other pages should follow a suitable house style so use the same font size and weight for the main copy. If your columns are a certain width and are left aligned with a ragged right edge, make sure this format is repeated throughout the articles. The tone and style of the writing, or the mode of address, should also be consistent. Choose your words carefully – you will need at least 400.

Lots of candidates use an interview format, but make sure the responses communicate a clear point of view. A well-written article, such as a review or news report, with an appropriate ideological message is probably a better idea.

Detail is important. Include the folio and, perhaps, the magazine’s logo at the top or bottom corners of each page.

Finally, your seven or eight images should be original and fit the style of the magazine. Again, the mise-en-scène for a model train magazine with be very different to the glamorous shots needed for a bridal magazine.

Our  guide to a two-page spread  will introduce to the terminology used to define the different elements of a magazine.

Print Advertising

The shape and size of print advertisements will depend on their placement. You might be tasked with creating inserts for magazines, billboard posters, brochures, flyers and even fill the advertising space on the back of a bus. Therefore, the context will influence the layout and design of each text.

You will need to create at least three adverts which raise awareness of a brand, service or product. Although branding and identity are both important, each text should have a distinct marketing strategy or unique selling point. The exam board may ask for each advert to target a different demographic so think carefully about tweaking the representation and mode of address to suit the audience and context.

If you are going to encode a clear message and get the audience to engage with whatever you are promoting, you must exercise deliberate control over the connotations of the words and images you use on the print advertisements. Spend time getting the best shot of your celebrity who is fronting your campaign. Think carefully about the location and background. Create a mock-up of the product if necessary. The mise-en-scène and style of the images will help establish the brand and position the audience’s reaction to your promotional materials.

The lexical codes also need careful attention. Make sure your headlines and taglines are memorable. Use appropriate choices of font, type sizes and colour codes to create meaning.

Click the following link and learn more about the conventions of  print advertising .

Websites and Blogs

You will probably need to publish three pages. A homepage is essential because it will help define your values and point of view.

If the brief asks you to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the key media concepts by creating a website or online blog, you will need to follow some well-established conventions. There are a few obvious features a user will expect to find when they visit a webpage. For example, you should include a navigation menu at the top of the page, or in a sidebar, with links to the other important pages. The website logo and title are often integrated into this header.

At the top of desktop browsers, the title and site icon should appear in the tab to let users identify your site more easily, especially if they are switching between a number of sites. Users also expect a footer to conclude each page.

To establish a convincing house style, each page should share various design elements. Make sure the headers, fonts, colours and layouts are consistent otherwise you message will get lost in a confusing user interface. Here, at media-studies.com , we use the typeface Arial for most writing, sized 16px and with the very specific hex code of #2b2b2b. This style is repeated on each to page to deliver a consistent experience no matter which section you visit.

User generated content (UGC) is another important part of the user experience. Incorporate interactive elements and some multimedia content, such as embedded audio and video files, to engage the audience. SoundCloud and YouTube offer effective streaming solutions. Social media links are another typical feature and allows the user to share your stories.

Comment forms and comment sections are a great way to connect with your users because it gives them an opportunity to voice their opinion on the subject matter. In this way, it will help position them to feel they belong to a community who share an interest in whatever you are selling.

In terms of information, you need to write at least 400 words and include around eight original images or illustrations. Remember, the representation of people and places must be appropriate and relevant to the content of your site. The mise-en-scène must be related to your subject matter and target audience.

Moving Image Advertisements

Developing an overall concept for a campaign is really challenging so spend some time researching the specified industry context and evaluate how existing products target their audience. This detailed knowledge and understanding of the media landscape will help inform and shape your own products.

The length of footage will depend on which platform the advertisements are being broadcast. For example, television slots are usually 30 seconds and TiKTok videos can now be a minute long.

The exam boards might also stipulate at least two filming locations are used and each text should have a specific USP or audience segment. Original footage only.

Before you point your camera at your fake celebrity and press record, think carefully about how the audience will consume the texts because the way we hold our phones to watch a TikTok video is very different to the widescreen of a television programme or a typical YouTube upload. This relationship between the width to the height of the image is known as the aspect ratio.

Clear communication of the brand or message is vital so make sure your audio-visual choices are deliberate and appropriate. Persuasive strategies, such as celebrity endorsement. For more information about appealing to the audience and why people consume the media, read our guides to the  Uses and Gratifications Theory  and  Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs . The lines of appeal listed by Gillian Dyer is also incredibly useful because they draw attention to the fantasies advertisers use to promote their products.

In order to construct a point of view that conveys the right attitude and belief for your campaign, think about the story. The use of narrative codes, such as  Propp’s character types  and  Todorov’s theory of storytelling , will improve your understanding of how texts are structured.

The best products will contain a wide range of shots and effective mise-en-scène, including props and costumes. In other words, do not limit your filming to your school. Use a logo within the advert in a way that promotes brand recognition.

Dialogue will be your biggest challenge. If you have a friend or family member talking to the camera, they need to stand close to the microphone so their voices are not lost in the wind. Dubbing dialogue to match the words with the actor is incredibly difficult. Fortunately, the microphones on most modern phones are excellent so you will have no trouble recording voice overs for your advertisements.

Finally, be aware that most free online editors will place a watermark the footage and charge you a small fee for removing their logo. Your school might have access to Adobe Premiere and After Effects, but do not be daunted by the software. Get stuck in.

For the top marks, you will need to demonstrate your awareness and skill of continuity editing. Check out this  guide to continuity editing  for six essential tips about working with your footage.

It is impossible to expect students to create a feature length film or an entire television programme. However, trailers and opening sequences are an excellent way for you to demonstrate your awareness of genre and form.

The minimum requirements will include at least two filming locations and the full range of camera shots, angles and movement to support the narrative.

You will also need to consider the mise-en-scene of each shot, including props, costume and lighting.

Although all the footage must be original, you can use existing music for the soundtrack.

The  narrative codes  need to be appropriate for the genre and form, so research the conventions of trailers and opening sequences. Watch lots of examples to increase your understanding of how these texts engage the audience.

Choose and combine signifiers that create the right representation for your story. The use of titles and graphics should reinforce your message and the action codes need to be appropriate for the target audience.

Finally, your texts should position the audience in relation to the characters and situation. Put simply, your villain should look like a villain.

Radio and Podcasts

The style of your text will depend on the brief. Factual broadcasts and news reports will have a different tone to a “behind the scenes” feature of a red carpet event. The target audience will also influence the rhythm of the piece.

You will probably need three minutes of content and at least three different voices to meet the minimum requirements. Use appropriate language and mode of address throughout.

Listen to a range of podcasts and tune into various radio stations. What conventions do these broadcasts follow? How do titles and non-diegetic sound help create meaning? What narrative codes are used to engage the target audience?

A narrator, interviewer or presenter can help establish the structure of the broadcast. They can also help anchor the listener’s interpretation of the situation or product. The use of different voices helps create interest, but pay attention to representation.

• Statement of Intent

You must also complete a Statement of Intent which outlines the connections between your knowledge of the key concepts and your own media texts. If you would like some suggests how to approach the Statement of Intent , please visit our guide. It is also important you are aware of the mark scheme so you should also read our outline of the coursework assessment objectives .

Further Reading

Rule of Thirds

Negative Space and Media Form

Continuity Editing

Images and Resolution Settings

Research and Preparation

Thanks for reading!

Recently Added

The Classification of Advertisements

Narrative Functions

Key concepts.

Measuring the Audience

Paradigm and Syntagm

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Media Studies

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• Quest Plots
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Rising high schoolers getting hands-on experience during JSU’s Media Studies Boot Camp

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Some Jackson area high school students have decided to spend part of their summer vacation in boot camp.

However, this isn’t just any boot camp; it’s Jackson State University’s first Journalism and Media Studies Boot Camp.

It features rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors getting hands-on experience in things like video production, storyboard and camera basics, creative writing, interview techniques, and much more.

For these young and bright students, it’s a chance to explore their possible career choices.

“One thing that I learned is law and ethics,” said Maya Worsley, who’s one of the students taking part in the bootcamp. “It was a really great presentation on that. I was able to learn how the two correlate with each other and why it’s so important in the field of journalism.”

“I learned how to set up the camera, set up the tripod, how to run the camera, how to edit, how to report,” said MiKayla Chancellor, who’s one of the students enrolled in the boot camp. “Also, I was trying my hardest not to read off my phone because when I’m in class, I’m always reading off my teleprompter. So, it helped me a little bit.”

JSU’s Department of Journalism and Media Studies put on the free 10-day workshop for the students.

The camp wraps up this Friday.

Leaders with JSU plan to host the boot camp again next year.

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UTLA’s Cecily Myart-Cruz to labor studies class of 2024: ‘The movement is now placed at your feet’

The powerful labor leader delivered an impactful commencement speech

Citlalli Chávez-Nava and Lesly Ayala | June 24, 2024 

The spirit of celebration and remembrance was in the air at the 2024 Labor Studies Commencement ceremony. The event brought together a class of students that withstood a global pandemic and saw them witness mass social uprisings and unrest amid a series of domestic and global challenges. 

On Saturday, June 15, labor studies faculty and staff honored this unique class, inviting them to join the ranks of change-makers across the nation. 

“You, graduates of 2024, are also a new generation of leaders,” said Tobias Higbie, director at the UCLA’s Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (IRLE). “We make the road by walking together across generations, and today you walk across this stage into a world that needs your skills, ideas and energy like never before.”

Gathered among an audience of over 250 attendees, students wore neatly-pressed graduation regalia paired with blue and gold sashes, a diverse array of decorative leis and carefully-embellished mortarboards displaying students’ “first-generation Latina” pride, among others. 

In his opening remarks, Higbie acknowledged civil rights champion and labor studies faculty member the Rev. James Lawson Jr., who passed away days before the commencement ceremony. Named “the leading strategist of nonviolence in the world” by his close friend Dr. Martin Luther King, the labor and civil rights leader co-taught the program’s “Nonviolence and Social Movements” course for over two decades with Kent Wong, UCLA Labor Center director for labor and community partnerships. 

“The Rev. James Lawson, Jr.’s prophetic voice for social justice and sharp analytical mind inspired all of us to rise to the challenges we face through strategic and disciplined nonviolence. We will miss his wise counsel,” said Higbie. 

Wong spoke of Lawson’s immense impact on the civil rights movement and the labor studies community, before introducing a commemorative video that featured a 2021 speech by Rev. Lawson at the naming ceremony of the UCLA Labor Center’s historic downtown Los Angeles building in Lawson’s honor. 

Fittingly, keynote speaker Cecily Myart-Cruz, a teacher, activist, and the first woman of color to serve as United Teachers Los Angeles’ (UTLA) president, delivered a memorable, passionate address that resembled a civil-rights era sermon. 

“I am honored to stand before you today, as you prepare to live out the embodiment of our ancestors’ wildest dreams. I don’t have to know you personally to know that the road to today was not an easy one. Many folks in this room cared for siblings, parents, grandparents and had to work and help out to pay the bills and make do,” she said. 

“We were surrounded by loss and grief so profound that it moved like the ebb and flow of the waves. And yet — We survived. You survived,” she declared.

Myart-Cruz also spoke about the harsh injustices the pandemic laid bare, and how they served as a historic galvanizing force to bring people together.

“George Floyd. The pandemic gave everyone a chance to peer into the belly of the beast to see what Black, brown and Indigenous folks knew existed just beyond the shadows. There was anger, fear, resentment and disbelief. A moment that became a movement, a rallying cry for justice, action and hope,” she said. “We could no longer sit idly by waiting for change, because we must be those change makers. That’s a testament of who is sitting in this room before us today.”

The labor leader welcomed the class of 2024 into a movement that is embracing vibrant, militant approaches to organizing that “can be full of joy in the struggle.”

“Graduates: the movement is now placed at your feet,” she said. “I welcome you to stand alongside us, and stand alongside our family … This is the time. This is the moment. We will fight. We will win.”

The ceremony’s student speakers reminded their classmates of the responsibility bestowed upon them through their newly-minted degrees. 

Sherrod Session, deeply interested in history, politics and organized labor, discussed the resurgence of organized labor during a time of disproportionate inequality and corporate greed. He urged his peers to continue to fight for a better future, and he hopes to rectify the struggles facing working families as a future law student. 

“I am full of pride, faith and grace to stand alongside the most passionate and unflinching group of students that this country has seen, [we witnessed] the insatiable appetite for taking on the campus administration, and the contemporary geopolitical developments —an appetite that will continue to grow in proportion to this dreadful cost of living and to the lives being sacrificed at the altar of capital,” he said.  

Micaela Aragon, born and raised in Lima, Peru, conducted community-engaged labor research and taught their own class for the UCLA Department of Spanish and Portuguese. In their speech, Aragon reflected on how their family persevered through hardship when they immigrated to the U.S. and the responsibility to use one’s platform to speak out against injustice.

“When I talk of responsibility, it is a responsibility to use our platforms, whenever they are given to us. A responsibility to stand up for what we believe in and speak up against power — no matter how scary, no matter how much your voice shakes, by any means necessary. It is a deep responsibility to fight to build a world we want to inhabit,” they said. 

Saba Waheed, UCLA Labor Center director, delivered the closing remarks reminding students to continue fighting for justice as they move on to the next stage of their careers. 

“Graduates, you have a path before you that has been paved by visionaries like Rev. Lawson. Let’s continue his fight for justice with fearless courage — with our life force, and as he would call it, our ‘soul force,” she said. “We hope that we have taught you well, in and outside of the classroom, and that you will now guide us into a better future. You are now our teachers. You are the architects of the future we want to see. May your journey be one of purpose, passion and profound impact.”

In total, the interdepartmental program conferred 58 bachelor’s degrees and 52 academic minors upon the labor studies class of 2024. 

The ceremony was also attended by faculty members: Caroline Luce, Chris Newman, Gilda Haas, Victor Narro and Trevor Griffey. UCLA Labor Center Project Directors and labor studies lecturers, Janna Shadduck-Hérnandez and Gaspar Rívera-Salgado led the certificate presentation. 

UCLA Labor Studies is the first major of its kind at the University of California. Renowned for its commitment to engaged student learning in community worker settings, rigorous hands-on research and courses that explore some of the most pressing labor and social justice issues, the program became a major in 2019 after being established as a minor in 2014.

View our Labor Studies Commencement 2024 photo album here .

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Citlalli Chávez-Nava [email protected]

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Crushing creativity? That’s one way to think different

An emoji is squeezed by an industrial press in a still from Apple's controversial new ad. Courtesy Apple

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By Joe Arney

As a college student 20 years ago, Steven Frost had a poster of Apple’s “Think Different” campaign hanging in their Alfred University dorm room.

That campaign touted the company’s quest to be something other than a tech titan. It was about supporting creatives like Frost, who saw computers as tools to unleash their artistic potential. Advertising to support the campaign highlighted icons like Bob Dylan, Pablo Picasso and Amelia Earhart to celebrate the “crazy ones” whose vision and determination set them apart from the rest.

For Frost, one of Apple’s latest ads is threatening to undo a lot of the goodwill the “Think Different” campaign created in the artistic community.

The “Crush!” ad is 68 seconds of watching symbols of humanity’s creative achievements—sculpture, paint, music, film, video games, novels, photography—destroyed in an industrial compactor, which then opens to reveal the company’s shiny new iPad Pro.

“I can see the logic behind the ad,” said Frost, assistant professor of media studies at the College of Media, Communication and Information at the University of Colorado Boulder. It looked to them like an attempt to play off the viral videos showing everyday objects crushed under car tires—“but in the current climate, this was a bad idea, and super tone deaf.”

“Everything exists in a context, and in the context of a place where A.I. is literally replacing creatives, this was not the moment for this ad.” Steven Frost, assistant professor, media studies

The current climate, of course, is one where artists are forced to ponder a future where generative artificial intelligence can create screenplays, images, designs and so on with just a few user prompts. In May, the company took the unusual step of apologizing for the ad and reportedly canceled plans for a national television campaign.

“What’s interesting is, less than two months after the ad comes out, Apple announces they’re integrating ChatGPT into iOS,” Frost said. “Everything exists in a context, and in the context of a place where A.I. is literally replacing creatives, this was not the moment for this ad.”

Seeing the use case for A.I.

Frost is not only an expert in media studies, they also are a creator who works in both digital and physical media . They are an accomplished textile artist who brings a passion for weaving to classes as well as Slay the Runway , an annual fashion creation and exhibition event for Boulder-area LGBTQ+ teens.

Notably, exhibit creators Frost and Joel Swanson—a faculty affiliate at CMCI—fed the chatbots text, rather than engage in the wide-scale scraping OpenAI and others have used to teach their chatbots.

“There are definitely reasons to be suspicious of it,” Frost said. “But while I know it’s a really unpopular opinion, in order to stay relevant, we all need to evolve. Otherwise, what happens to artists when we can just ask a machine to make a postcard, a poster? Those people are going to have to learn new skills, learn how to be part of a collaborative process with those machines.”

Transparency on teaching models

Part of that, of course, involves those technology companies being more honest about the tools they’re creating—their potential to displace creatives, yes, but also how they were trained. Frost envisions A.I. as a collaborative tool in line with The Jetsons or Knight Rider , as opposed to Black Mirror . It’s no surprise, then, that they want companies to be more collaborative, as well.

“What if tech companies were transparent about how and where their chatbot was trained?” they said. “It’s like if I’m buying junk food—if I see sugar free, I know it’s unhealthy, but it makes me consider that it was manufactured, that there was a process. So, for an A.I. model—what’s in it? Is it soy? Where was it grown?”

Collaboration with companies is also important, they said, because relying on regulation is not the only option.

“At this point, it’s more like thinking of different ways of approaching how those models are trained, and making sure that creatives whose works are getting pulled into these learning models get paid for the work they’ve done,” Frost said.

Perhaps that’s what most troubles them about that Apple ad. Because its tone reminded Frost of another commercial that seized the public imagination 40 years ago.

“The ‘1984’ ad was a breakthrough in that it reimagined what computers could be used for, and a literal breakthrough in that there’s violence and destruction at the center of it,” Frost said. “This ad is clearly referencing ‘1984.’ In a sense, they’re showing how far they’ve come and that they do all these things right, but the tone couldn’t be further from the young, upstart artist protagonist in the original ad.”

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