Media Studies
Rochester Indie's Media Studies spotlight
At RIC Media Studies offers an engaging exploration of modern communication landscapes. Our course delves into the dynamic intersections of media, culture, and society.
Students investigate diverse media forms, from traditional print to cutting-edge digital platforms, examining their impact on perceptions, behaviors, and power dynamics.
Through critical analysis, hands-on projects, and lively discussions, learners cultivate media literacy skills essential for navigating today's complex information ecosystem. With dedicated faculty and a supportive environment,
RIC empowers students to understand, question, and shape the ever-evolving media landscape, preparing them for careers in journalism, marketing, film, and beyond.
Media Studies showcase
The media represent a world that is more real than reality that we can experience.
What's the difference between Film and Media Sudies?
We are often asked what is the difference between ‘Film’ Studies and ‘Media’ Studies A Level and although at a first glance they may seem very similar, they are not. A key difference, although it may seem obvious, is that we study only films in Film Studies, whereas in Media Studies we study all forms of the media with the exception of films!
Media Studies includes a creative component and students have a wide range of choice about the products they want to make, from music videos and music magazines promoting new acts to television programme opening sequences and websites.
They are invited to respond to briefs set by the exam board and have to consider target audience and purpose as well as generic codes and conventions. There is a huge variety in the texts studied in Media Studies, making it a very versatile subject.
Students study old and new media, for example, the advertising of Kiss of a Vampire (1964) can be compared to the marketing of contemporary texts such as Black Panther (2018). The Eduqas specification also ensures that students study both mainstream and alternative/ independent media, for example, Vogue is studied alongside The Big Issue.
Media areas studied include TV, newspapers, magazines, online media, advertising, film industry, music video, radio and these areas are studied in terms of representation, industry, audience and context.
Exam Specifications
Assessment
30% coursework, 70% exam based (two exam papers)
Component 1 - 2 hours 15 minutes Component 2 – 2 hours 30 minutes
Component 1: Media Products, Industries and Audiences
Section A: Analysing Media Language and Representation - in relation to two of the following media forms: advertising, marketing, music video or newspapers. There are two questions in this section, one assessing media language in relation to an unseen audio-visual or print resource, one extended response comparison question assessing representation in one set product and an unseen audio-visual or print resource in relation to media contexts.
Section B: Understanding Media Industries and Audiences.
This section assesses two of the following media forms – advertising, marketing, film, newspapers, radio, video games - and media contexts. It includes one stepped question on media industries and one stepped question on audiences.
Component 2: Media Forms and Products in Depth Written
The examination assesses media language, representation, media industries, audiences and media contexts. It consists of three sections:
Section A: Television in the Global Age
There will be one two-part question or one extended response question.
Section B: Magazines: Mainstream and Alternative Media.
There will be one two-part question or one extended response question.
Section C: Media in the Online Age.
There will be one two-part question or one extended response question.
Component 3: Cross-Media Production (coursework component)
An individual cross-media production based on two forms in response to a choice of briefs, applying knowledge and understanding of the theoretical framework and digital convergence.
Curious about Media Studies?
Read
Critical Media Project
A website that analyses representations of social groups in the media. Start with: Why Identity Matters, which examines the role the media play in constructing our identities.
Henry Jenkins (2008) Convergence Culture , NYU Press.
Jenkins discusses how audiences use new media to become prosumers, responding to media texts and creating their own content
Watch
Black Mirror
Charlie Brooker’s TV series exploring modern society and new technology. Start with: San Junipero, a postmodern, time-travelling love story.
Making Media, BBC Learning Zone
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b019h6m1/clips a series of clips about making different media texts, including music videos, films and websites.
Listen
The Media Show on Radio 4
A weekly show with past episodes available online. Previous episodes have covered how British newspapers influence politics; fake news; and the appeal of Love Island.
Start with: How the media sells us gender equality.
Feminist Frequency Radio
https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/feminist-frequency-radio Anita Sarkeesian, Carolyn Petit, and Ebony Aster discuss popular culture from a feminist perspective. Topics include Black Lives Matter; horror films;
and cancel culture.