Resources for this unit including an exemplar essay, theorist handbook, are on the blog:http://mediastudiesnwcc.blogspot.com/search/label/A2%20Media%20Collective%20Identity

Contemporary Media Representations of Young PeopleHow are young people represented in different media? You must refer to at least two types of media in your answer. [50]

Explanation / analysis / argument (20 marks)Candidates make connections in order to present a coherent argument. The answer offers a clear, fluent balance of media theories and knowledge of industries and texts and informed personal engagement with issues and debates.Use of examples (20 marks)Examples of contemporary texts and industry knowledge are clearly connected together in the answer.Use of terminology (10 marks)Throughout the answer, material presented is informed by media theory and the command of the appropriate conceptual and theoretical language is excellent.

Introduction State your argument (e.g. Media representations or young people are often very negative.) Link your argument to a relevant theorist (e.g. As Henry Giroux argues, these

representations are constructed by adults, and reflect adults anxieties). Introduce the texts you will be focusing on.

Newspapers ‘Hoodies and Altar Boys’ study – key findings, examples of negative stories Discuss the implications Link to theory, e.g. Gerbner, Cultivation Theory, Acland, Ideology of Protection

Television ‘Young, Dumb, Living Off Mum’ – give examples of how young people were represented Discuss the implications of these representations, in relation to relevant theory, and other

media texts ‘Misfits’ – representation/theory/other texts

Film ‘Hoodie cinema’ refer to The Guardian article; link to other media representations (e.g.

newspapers) Consider significance of social class to these representations (e.g. ‘Eden Lake’, ‘Harry Brown’)

and relate to concept of hegemony ‘Attack the Block’ – how does it relate to other media representations, how does it try to

challenge these representations? Link to Dyer and Utopia.

ConclusionReturn to your argument – what are the key points you have demonstrated? Link the different texts you have discussed.What is your view of these representations and the key theoretical approaches?

Relevant theorists: Gramsci (hegemony), Hebdige (style, resistance to hegemony), Giroux (media representations of youth as empty category), Acland (representations of deviant youths reinforce hegemony, ideology of protection), Cohen (moral panic), Wood (normality and monsters), Dyer (entertainment and utopia), Gerbner (cultivation theory)