Paper 2 Media Texts and Contexts

Section B: Media contexts Answer one question from Section B. You should make references to at least one case study in your answer. [June 2021]

EITHER 2 Analyse the ways in which technology is changing the way we consume media. [25]

• unpack what 'consume' could include
• explain that 'we' can refer to different kinds of audiences, various situations (including current trends and forthcoming changes) and various platforms, which you will discuss as you analyse film consumption 
• make a note of how your own personal consumption could be useful in illustrating your response
  
• planning: in your notes now, write down which case case studies you could use, starting with the Hollywood majors. Aim for at least 3 studios / film companies / films
  
• next to each film, make a note of the different technologies that audiences access, keeping in mind the actual question, so that each topic sentence (sentence that starts a paragraph) is expressed relevantly
• if you start with BP or CM, you can explain the different platforms that audiences use to watch the film but also the different technologies that they use to access trailers, information about the film, social media and so on
• proceed with other case studies; you could now analyse the ways in which Roma offered a range of different audience experiences
• what is the recent news about Netflix?
  
• Loach films: how did audiences consume information about IDB and SWMY?
• you can use any case study that you wish as long as you answer the question set
• can you refer to any theorists? See the post on theorists above
  
• have you used relevant terminology like convergence?

Examiner Report

Question 2 Analyse the ways in which technology is changing the ways in which we consume media. 

The question was clearly accessible to all candidates, as most had some first-hand experience to discuss, thus eliciting a wide range of answers. Most case studies tended to focus on the film and music industry resulting in some accomplished responses. The most interesting and engaging responses were from the games industry, as they were often quite personal and well supported with detailed and relevant case study knowledge. 

The strongest responses displayed direct engagement with the question, with comprehensive evidence from case studies and a diversity of texts and institutions offered. Weaker answers were merely a personal discussion of streaming services and the closure of cinemas during the pandemic, lacking any meaningfully detailed case study support, rather than evaluating the ubiquity (or not), of consumption, and deploying a limited technical vocabulary. More confident answers were able to discuss consumption of cross platform media, including the notions of an active/passive audience, prosumerism, democratisation and interactivity. In most cases, relevant media theory was largely ignored, resulting in the lack of any informed critical debate.