Close study products (CSPs) — AQA A-Level Media Studies

Close study products (CSPs) are a core component of the AQA A-Level Media Studies specification, requiring students to analyse a carefully selected set of media texts in depth. These products span nine media forms: advertising and marketing, film marketing, magazines, newspapers, online, social and participatory media, radio, television, and video games. Each CSP is chosen to represent contemporary media landscapes, historical contexts, and diverse cultural perspectives, enabling students to apply theoretical frameworks such as representation, audience, industry, and media language. Mastery of CSPs is essential for success in both the examined papers and the non-exam assessment (NEA), as they provide concrete examples for essays and comparative analysis.

The study of CSPs goes beyond simple description; students must critically engage with how these products construct meaning, target audiences, and reflect or challenge societal values. For instance, analysing the representation of gender in the 'Kiss of the Vampire' film poster (1963) alongside the 'WaterAid' charity advert (2019) reveals shifts in media conventions and ideological messages. Similarly, comparing the newspaper front pages of The Daily Mail and The Guardian on the same day illuminates how political orientation shapes news values and audience address. By examining CSPs, students develop skills in semiotic analysis, contextualisation, and evaluation of media industries—skills that are directly transferable to the exam's unseen texts and the NEA's production work.

The CSP list is updated periodically by AQA to ensure relevance, so students must stay informed about the current set. Typically, there are 27 CSPs studied over the two-year course, with each product linked to specific theoretical areas. For example, the television CSP 'Stranger Things' (Netflix) is used to explore narrative theory (Todorov, Propp), audience positioning (Hall), and the impact of streaming platforms on the television industry. Understanding CSPs also prepares students for the 'Media in the Online Age' section of Paper 2, where they must apply their knowledge of online CSPs like 'Zoella' or 'The Guardian's website' to broader debates about participatory culture and digital democracy. Ultimately, CSPs are not just texts to memorise but tools for developing a sophisticated, critical understanding of the media's role in society.

• →Media Language: Analyse how technical codes (camerawork, editing, sound, mise-en-scène) and symbolic codes (clothing, colour, lighting) construct meaning. For CSPs like the 'WaterAid' advert, consider how the use of direct address and colour grading creates emotional impact.
• →Representation: Examine how CSPs portray social groups (gender, ethnicity, age, class) and whether they reinforce or challenge stereotypes. For example, the 'Kiss of the Vampire' poster uses exaggerated gender roles typical of 1960s horror, while the 'Score' hair cream advert from the 1960s reinforces hegemonic masculinity.
• →Audience: Apply audience theories (uses and gratifications, reception theory) to understand how CSPs target and position audiences. Consider the 'Stranger Things' opening sequence: how does it appeal to both nostalgic adult viewers and younger audiences through intertextual references?
• →Industry: Investigate the economic and institutional contexts of CSPs, including ownership, funding, production, distribution, and regulation. For instance, the film 'I, Daniel Blake' (Ken Loach) was produced independently and distributed via a social realist tradition, contrasting with mainstream Hollywood blockbusters like 'Black Panther'.
• →Context: Situate CSPs within their historical, social, political, and cultural contexts. The 'Daily Mail' front page from 2016 covering Brexit must be understood in the context of the EU referendum campaign and the newspaper's right-wing political stance.

• Ability to apply the theoretical framework to the CSPs.
• Ability to analyse and compare media products in relation to social, cultural, economic, political, and historical contexts.
• Use of relevant CSPs as evidence in exam responses.
• Demonstration of knowledge of the specific episode or version of the CSP as defined in the CSP booklet.
• Ability to construct a sustained line of reasoning in extended response questions.

• 💡Download the new CSP booklet every year in June to ensure you are studying the correct products.
• 💡Use the CSPs to illustrate your understanding of media theories and concepts.
• 💡Ensure you have an outline knowledge of the wider series if a television programme is set as a CSP.
• 💡Practice linking CSPs to the five contexts: social, cultural, economic, political, and historical.
• 💡Tip 1: Use the PEEL structure (Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link) in your essays. For example, when analysing the 'WaterAid' advert: Point: The advert uses a close-up shot of a child to create empathy. Evidence: The camera focuses on the child's face with soft lighting. Explanation: This direct address encourages the audience to feel personally responsible, aligning with the charity's goal of eliciting donations. Link: This technique is typical of charity advertising, which often uses emotional appeal to overcome compassion fatigue.
• 💡Tip 2: Always compare and contrast CSPs across different media forms or time periods. For instance, compare the representation of youth in the 'Zoella' YouTube channel (contemporary, commercial) with the 'Teen Vogue' magazine (print, editorial). This demonstrates higher-level thinking and meets the 'evaluate' command words in exams.
• 💡Tip 3: Be specific with terminology. Instead of saying 'the camera shows the character', use 'a low-angle shot positions the character as powerful'. Instead of 'the music is sad', say 'the non-diegetic minor-key score creates a melancholic tone, reinforcing the narrative of loss'. This precision gains marks in the 'media language' assessment objective.

• Treating the CSPs as products to be 'learned' in detail rather than as vehicles for applying the theoretical framework.
• Failing to use the most current CSP booklet provided by AQA.
• Neglecting to supplement CSPs with other age-appropriate media products to broaden understanding.
• Focusing on the product content rather than the theoretical framework and contexts.
• Misconception: CSPs are just case studies to memorise facts about. Correction: CSPs are tools for applying theoretical concepts. You must analyse how media language creates meaning, not just describe the product. For example, instead of listing characters in 'Stranger Things', explain how the use of 1980s iconography constructs nostalgia and intertextuality.
• Misconception: All CSPs are equally important. Correction: While all CSPs are examinable, some are more likely to appear in certain questions. For instance, the television CSPs (e.g., 'Stranger Things', 'The Returned') are often used for questions on narrative or representation, while newspaper CSPs (e.g., 'The Daily Mail', 'The Guardian') are common for industry and audience questions. Prioritise depth over breadth.
• Misconception: Context is just background information. Correction: Context is integral to analysis. For example, the 'Score' hair cream advert (1960s) cannot be fully understood without considering the post-war gender roles and the rise of consumer culture. Always link context to the construction of meaning.