EXAMINERS REPORT ON LAST YEARS EXAMS

I have cut and pasted some of the below for the questions you will do, read it !!!!

Broadcast News and Current Affairs

Candidates were asked to discuss factors that caused events to be selected for news and/or
current affairs programmes; the second question invited discussion regarding the perception that
news/current affairs struggles to be a ratings success.

This is an increasingly popular topic, perhaps populated by some refugees from soap territory.
Many outlined the inevitable Galtung and Ruge news values as an explanation of what makes
television news; better informed candidates were able to develop this further. Others referred to
the work of Golding and Elliott, Many candidates seemed to believe that producers and editors
sit at their desks with a list of Galtung and Ruge’s news values, ticking them off on a checklist as
each news item comes in. Their faith in the power of theorists over industry practitioners is
touching, but naïve. The news values theories are merely sociologists’ explanations of why
certain incidents are reported. They are not guidelines as to whether or not they should be
reported.

Far too many candidates were content to recite the news values with limited understanding of
their meaning or relevance. Thus negativity is an important determinant of news selection
‘because humans like to hear about tragedies.’

There is a widespread and worrying misconception that the BBC is ’run by the government’ and
therefore has to watch its step regarding its choice of news items.

There is plenty of recent evidence that indicates that major crises, the start of the Iraq war,
hostage taking, changes of prime ministers, etc., cause an increase in audiences for news
programmes. None of this research was referred to. There is a need in media studies to keep
updating schemes of work to ensure that recent case studies, as well as established and landmark cases are used.
This applies also to media research. Much good and important work on news values was undertaken in the 60s, 70s and 80s, before phenomena such as citizen journalism mushroomed. The most successful candidates take account of established and
current research, and case studies.



Contemporary British Cinema

One question invited candidates to consider the issue of commercial success, the other to
consider whether British film is dominated by an elite who represent British culture in a narrow
way. The phrase ‘privileged elite’ was not understood by many candidates. It was not as popular
as the first question.

One examiner noted: “A tiny minority of those who answered Q7 knew the British film industry
had just had a commercially successful year. Otherwise the well-worn prepared answer of British
social realist films and arts cinemas vs. Hollywood blockbusters and multiplexes prevailed. The
same answers were used for Q8 although some did actually briefly consider who the wealthy
and privileged elite were. Most saw it as the way to use their learning about ‘Britishness’. “

Another commented: “ The most able candidates discussed what success actually meant in the
British film industry and used many different case studies to illustrate different areas in which
British films have been successful. Interestingly only one candidate mentioned ‘The Queen’ as
an example of a successful British film.”


The Magazine Industry

Why the magazine industry has grown was the topic of the first question; how magazines target
audiences the focus of the second. Nuts, Zoo, Cosmopolitan, and others were commonly used
for textual analysis, IPC and Emap were the most frequently cited institutions. Weaker
candidates confined themselves to textual analysis. Candidates from one centre relied entirely
on the textual analysis of two publications. This is inadequate material for this area of study.
The topic now expects candidates to provide an institutional context. Many centres have clearly
prepared their candidates well for this.

‘Freebies’ attached to front covers were cited by some as a means of targeting readers. The
term ’cover-mounting’ might have served them better. It is an issue of some importance in
sections of the magazine industry currently, and has implications for reader loyalty and
production costs. Able and well informed candidates recognized this point and dealt with it well.

For the second question, only the most perceptive candidates felt able to discuss the paradox
that magazine institutions target niche audiences in an effort to maximize sales. Some
candidates are still using the cliche a ‘fast-growing industry’ – the internet opportunities have
slowed down the print side of the industry and candidates ought to be aware of this.