Sample essay approach

1. A2 Media Studies Constructing a Written Response

2. Advanced Warning! Tomorrow… Short test on representations theory / Public Sphere theory / Hegemony – everything from the blog so far. www.cheneya2media.blogspot.com Learn Narrative theory for next Thurs

3. MEDIA DEBATE OF THE DAY! Media Debates Starter: - point to support Evidence / Example - point to deny Evidence / Example

4. Review – what are the other applications mentioned by ALAN RUSHBRIGER ?

5. Learning intention We are learning to: - Understand the features of good quality writing in Media Studies exams

7. What are We-Media? We-Media describes any media that is homegrown, organic, produced by the audience rather than by an established media institution.

8. Dan Gillmor 2004

9. What is democracy? Democracy is the situation where the people - ‘demos’ - are able to vote for and make decisions about the direction of the society in which they live. It is strongly connected with ideas about liberty, freedom and choice. Many believe that a requirement for democracy is to have informed, educated citizens – the media therefore plays a key role.

10. Wikipedia on Democracy Majority rule is often listed as a characteristic of democracy. However, it is also possible for a minority to be oppressed by a "tyranny of the majority" in the absence of governmental or constitutional protections of individual or group rights. An essential part of an "ideal" representative democracy is competitive elections that are fair. Furthermore, freedom of political expression, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press are considered to be essential, so that citizens are adequately informed and able to vote according to their own best interests as they see them. It has also been suggested that a basic feature of democracy is the capacity of individuals to participate freely and fully in the life of their society.

11. Assess the claim that the media is becoming more democratic.

12. Assess the claim that the media is becoming more democratic.

13. Assess the claim that the media is becoming more democratic. Prepare a response to this question by next Thursday (October 6th)

14. How are we marked? Explanation, analysis, argument (20 marks) Use of examples (20 marks) Use of terminology (10 marks)

15. Planning Pair share – come up with points you could make What examples would you use?

16. Case studies – find examples of UGC from the following media areas… Politics TV Advertising Music For each one, prepare a presentation which gives examples and suggests if the media is becoming more democratic, ie is it resulting in more freedom, liberty, individual choice?

18. http://www.labour.org.uk/home

20. Learning intentions We are learning to... - Understand the key features of successful exam answers in A2 Media Studies

21. Think-Pair-Share What are the key indicators of success for essay writing? What are the examiners looking for?

22. How are we marked? Explanation, analysis, argument (20 marks) Use of examples (20 marks) Use of terminology (10 marks)

23. Also – show understanding of...

24. Possible Intro According to Alan Rushbriger, writing in the Guardian in 2009, We-Media have caused the ‘... greatest explosion of democracy ... the world has ever seen.’. In this essay, I will explore evidence to support Rushbriger’s views, giving the case for ‘digital optimism’ is assessing the impact of we-media. However, I will also consider things from a ‘digitial pessimist’ point of view, by exploring ways that the growth of we-media could be said to have reduced genuine democracy in the media.

25. Is the Media becoming more democratic?

26. Create a clear, simple structure for your essay

27. Clear, simple structure

29. News Paragraph What points would you make, and what examples would you give, to suggest that we-media has made news more democratic?

30. How do we know that we are doing it well?

31. Social networking – skilled planning More democratic as allows people to talk to each other without government interference Some campaigns are done on Facebook

32. Social networking – excellent planning Allows unregulated discussion – freedom of expression and information Facebook – influence on Arab Spring – Syria, Egypt – allowed ‘the people’ to bypass old media - unstoppable Also Facebook for social campaigns, eg student protests/ current Wall Street protests – easy to get together and arrange protest However, also can be undemocratic – eg BBM in London Riots – meant that liberty and freedom was reduced for many – Twitter and privacy with Ryan Giggs affair

33. The Paragraph - Point and topic established – topic sentence Relevant evidence provided Increasingly detailed explanation and discussion

34. How do we know that we are doing it well?

35. Social networking One way in which the media can be argued to have become more democratic is through the use of social media to organise and enable political protest. A recent example of this is the ‘Arab Spring’ unrest across the Middle East in early 2011. In Syria, for example, news of an individual protest in a small town was quickly carried via Facebook across the country, resulting in lots of copy-cat protests, riots, and eventually to the downfall of the King. In the past, any such individual protests would have been prevented from appearing on Syrian state television, and therefore prevented from spreading. However, the rise of social networking meant that democratic forces such as access to information and freedom of speech were given a place where they could flourish.

36. Annotate the strengths here One way in which the media can be argued to have become more democratic is through the use of social media to organise and enable political protest. A recent example of this is the ‘Arab Spring’ unrest across the Middle East in early 2011. In Syria, for example, news of an individual protest in a small town was quickly carried via Facebook across the country, resulting in lots of copy-cat protests, riots, and eventually to the downfall of the King. In the past, any such individual protests would have been prevented from appearing on Syrian state television, and therefore prevented from spreading. However, the rise of social networking meant that democratic forces such as access to information and freedom of speech were given a place where they could flourish.

37. Social networking One way in which the media can be argued to have become more democratic is through the use of social media to organise and enable political protest. A recent example of this is the ‘Arab Spring’ unrest across the Middle East in early 2011. In Syria, for example, news of an individual protest in a small town was quickly carried via Facebook across the country, resulting in lots of copy-cat protests, riots, and eventually to the downfall of the King. In the past, any such individual protests would have been prevented from appearing on Syrian state television, and therefore prevented from spreading. However, the rise of social networking meant that democratic forces such as access to information and freedom of speech were given a place where they could flourish.

38. Social networking One way in which the media can be argued to have becomemore democratic is through the use of social media to organise and enable political protest. A recent example of this is the ‘Arab Spring’ unrest across the Middle East in early 2011. In Syria, for example, news of an individual protest in a small town was quickly carried via Facebook across the country, resulting in lots of copy-cat protests, riots, and eventually to the downfall of the King. In the past, any such individual protests would have been prevented from appearing on Syrian state television, and therefore prevented from spreading. However, the rise of social networking meant that democratic forces such as access to information and freedom of speech were given a place where they could flourish.

39. Social networking One way in which the media can be argued to have become more democratic is through the use of social media to organise and enable political protest. A recent example of this is the ‘Arab Spring’ unrest across the Middle East in early 2011. In Syria, for example, news of an individual protest in a small town was quickly carried via Facebook across the country, resulting in lots of copy-cat protests, riots, and eventually to the downfall of the King. In the past, any such individual protests would have been prevented from appearing on Syrian state television, and therefore prevented from spreading. However, the rise of social networking meant that democratic forces such as access to information and freedom of speech were given a place where they could flourish.

40. Task Write up one paragraph / point from your essay - either about News, or just from your own thinking

43. Useful structure One way that the media could be seen as becoming more democratic is ............. Another point which supports the idea that the media is becoming more democratic is .... Thirdly, increased democracy can be seen through ...... However, it could also be argued that the media is becoming less democratic because... Furthermore, ........... In conclusion, I believe that .....................