OSP ASSESSMENT: LR!

 

OSP ASSESSMENT: LR

Mr Halsey's feedback:

WWW:

• You start well: Q1 is solid and close to the top level. In Q2 you clearly have good knowledge of the CSPs but now need to add exam technique to move your mark up.

EBI:

• Question focus: In Q2 you didn't mention Hesmondhalgh once. This is a very good lesson in the evaluation of the theory question for paper 2. Your answer needs to focus on the theory, not the CSP.
• This question is basically asking you: Is the media dominated by a narrow range of values and ideologies.

3 aspects of Figure 1:

• Repetition of the word ‘home’ creates connotations of safety, warmth and comfort
• Google presenting its smart speaker as a ‘natural’ part of home life will be strongly rejected by audiences concerned with data, privacy and the power technology companies such as Google have in modern western societies.
• Negotiated readings could include an acceptance of a warm picture of family life – plus the potential usefulness of the speaker – despite concerns over how the device uses data and the growing power of companies such as Google and Amazon.

3 potential points for Q2:

• The ‘End of Audience’ that Clay Shirky writes about means that a wider, more diverse range of values and ideologies are now available to consumers. This would suggest Hesmondhalgh’s theory is not valid. Zendaya’s online and social media presence arguably supports this with her promotion of a liberal agenda that challenges attitudes toward race and gender in society and the media industries

• it could be argued that Zendaya is replicating many of the mainstream, hegemonic values and ideologies found across the cultural industries about the representation of women and the fashion industry.

• Zendaya’s online presence as primarily a marketing tool for her film and TV work would strongly reinforce Hesmondhalgh’s view that the cultural industries value profit over principle and therefore only reinforce a narrow range of values and ideologies.

Essay plan:

Into:

I find this argument valid to a certain extent. Both CSPs show their values and ideologies in different ways. Zendaya is seen as an influencer who promotes her views and ideas including her movies and shows on social media platforms whereas the voice represents the black British community through mainly the newspaper and their website.

Paragraph 1: 

It could be argued that Zendaya is replicating many of the mainstream, hegemonic values and ideologies found across the cultural industries about the representation of women and the fashion industry. Despite appearing to champion progressive causes, Zendaya’s website (before being taken down) and her social media feeds have plenty of fashion and beauty content. The central image on her now defunct website was heavily constructed in terms of mise-en-scene and almost certainly Photoshop and her social media contains many collaborations with luxury brands using her stylist Law Roach. This could reinforce the expectations placed on women about beauty and appearance and also very much promotes a capitalist ideal that encourages people – particularly women – to spend money on their appearance. This would support Hesmondhalgh’s ideas regarding a narrow range of values and ideologies and also his arguments around commodification and the demand for profit in the cultural industries.

Paragraph 2:

The ‘End of Audience’ that Clay Shirky writes about means that a wider, more diverse range of values and ideologies are now available to consumers. This would suggest

Hesmondhalgh’s theory is not valid. Zendaya’s online and social media presence arguably supports this with her promotion of a liberal agenda that challenges attitudes towards race and gender in society and the media industries.

The Voice offers an explicit Black British perspective on news stories and issues in London

and the UK. This alone sets it apart from mainstream media and suggests that

Hesmondhalgh’s view that only a narrow range of values and ideologies are available is not

entirely valid.

Paragraph 3:

The Voice should be successful due to the opportunities that are offered by digital media and the new media landscape in creating a platform for values and ideologies such as a strong Black British voice. However, the poor construction of the website and social media presence (poorly worded polls, cluttered design, low-quality photography, lack of fresh content, poor video production values, and weak sponsored content) means it is not the powerful voice in British media it should be. This may reinforce the validity of Hesmondhalgh’s ideas when it comes to a narrow range of values and ideologies.

Concl:

Overall, If we view Zendaya’s online presence as primarily a marketing tool for her film and TV work then this would strongly reinforce Hesmondhalgh’s view that the cultural industries values profit over principle and therefore only reinforces a narrow range of values and ideologies. question. The Voice arguably plays an important role in offering a more diverse range of values and ideologies in offering Black British audiences representations that more closely reflect their experience of life in Britain. Gilroy would arguably agree with Hesmondhalgh’s view that the cultural industries promote a narrow set of values and ideologies – ideologies that are dominated by white voices and a white perspective.

3 Areas for revision:

• Hesmonhalgh and his theory develop and link to the question
• Having 3 distinctive paragraphs with an introduction and conclusion
• Including more points about the unseen to be at top level.