Role of the media in society

    AQA
    GCSE

    Candidates must analyze the relationship between the media and contemporary society, focusing on issues of ownership, control, and the social construction of news. Study encompasses the debate between traditional and new media, the globalization of information, and the sociological significance of media representations regarding class, gender, ethnicity, and age. Critical evaluation of theoretical perspectives (Marxist, Pluralist, Postmodernist, Feminist) regarding the media's role in shaping identity and democratic processes is essential.

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    Objectives
    4
    Exam Tips
    3
    Pitfalls
    4
    Key Terms
    4
    Mark Points

    What You Need to Demonstrate

    Key skills and knowledge for this topic

    • Credit explicit use of sociological terminology such as 'folk devils', 'moral panics', and 'deviancy amplification spiral' when discussing media effects.
    • Award marks for contrasting pluralist views (consumer choice) with conflict perspectives (media as a tool of social control/ideology).
    • Candidates must link media representations to specific stratification factors: negative stereotyping of the working class ('chavs'), demonization of youth, or objectification in gender roles.
    • Responses must demonstrate application by explicitly referencing the provided 'Item' to support theoretical arguments.

    Marking Points

    Key points examiners look for in your answers

    • Credit explicit use of sociological terminology such as 'folk devils', 'moral panics', and 'deviancy amplification spiral' when discussing media effects.
    • Award marks for contrasting pluralist views (consumer choice) with conflict perspectives (media as a tool of social control/ideology).
    • Candidates must link media representations to specific stratification factors: negative stereotyping of the working class ('chavs'), demonization of youth, or objectification in gender roles.
    • Responses must demonstrate application by explicitly referencing the provided 'Item' to support theoretical arguments.

    Examiner Tips

    Expert advice for maximising your marks

    • 💡In 12-mark 'Discuss how far' questions, ensure you have one paragraph supporting the statement and one opposing it before concluding.
    • 💡Use the 'Item' as a springboard: quote a specific phrase (the 'hook') and immediately link it to a concept like 'labelling' or 'agenda setting'.
    • 💡Differentiate between 'news values' (what journalists think is important) and 'agenda setting' (what the media tells the audience to think about).
    • 💡Allocate strictly 1 minute per mark; do not over-write on 3 or 4 mark questions at the expense of the 12-marker.

    Common Mistakes

    Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

    • Presenting 'common sense' arguments (e.g., 'violent games cause violence') without citing sociological models like the Hypodermic Syringe or Copycat Theory.
    • Confusing 'new media' (interactive, digital) with traditional mass media, failing to acknowledge the shift in audience passivity.
    • Describing the content of the 'Item' without applying sociological concepts to explain it (lifting text rather than analyzing it).

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    Likely Command Words

    How questions on this topic are typically asked

    Identify
    Describe
    Explain
    Discuss how far
    Examine
    What is meant by

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