1. A2 MEDIA
EXAM Section B
“To what extent is
human identity
increasingly
mediated?”

2. How does the Media shape
our identity?
How do we use it to construct
identities?
Focus: Youth culture

3. Why “increasingly mediated?”

4. Mediation “a negotiation to
resolve differences”
 Audiences are not passive but active
 They understand texts in context
 They filter through their own experiences

5. Thomas de Zengotita
“Mediated”
Information, values, news and
role models come through the
media influencing our view of
life and our self-definition

6. Construction of
Identity
The Media gives huge numbers
of messages about identity and
acceptable forms of self-
expression, gender, identity
and lifestyle.
The public has a strong set of
diverse views on issues.
The power relationship
between the media and the
public involves a bit of
both………..in fact a lot of
both!
Postmodern ideological view.

7. Louis Althusser-Post-marxist critic
 Society reinforces stereotypes and
discrimination through ideological
“agencies” like……….religion, education,
family, mass media and popular culture.
 Interpellation. Althusser believed ideology
treats us as “subjects”, part of a group,
and that group members abide by sets of
rules removing individuality.
 Fairly extreme left-wing ideological view.

8. Folk Devils and Moral
Panics-Stanley Cohen
The Media construct then perpetuate these
identities.
Why did Dan Gardner (“Screenwipe”) say this
happens?
Don’t forget makers of media texts may also have
an ideological agenda.

9. Mediated Collective Identities
Mods v’s Rockers
Fashion,Pop Music, The
Who, Italian scooters
Motor bikes, Black
leathers, Elvis, rock ‘n’ roll

10. Identities are often constructed and
groups demonised by the media…….
 Remember to quote the experts… Stanley
Cohen’s folk devils and moral panics????

11. Owen Jones “Chavs”
research……..

12. Chavs
 Watch the extract from “Misfits” for an
example of “Chav” identity

13. “The Hoodie”
 It could be argued that the Media gave us the
“hoodie”, the scary youth by giving them a high
profile in the news, then perpetuating the
stereotype in fictional texts like “Eden Lake”
“Attack the Block” and even “Misfits”
 How was representation in“Bullet Boy” different?

14. “Skins” Parties
 Read the hand out and watch the clip
about the “Skins” parties Media
phenomenon

15. Editing
 Editing can have huge significance in
constructing and perpetuating Media
identities – watch the “Screenwipe”
extract.

16. David Gauntlett Web 2.0
 “Audiences are becoming producers”
 Due to the democratization of the digital
media, we can use the media explicitly to
create identities
 Facebook,Youtube, Twitter etc.

17. Section B requires debate!
 “To what extent” requires you to explain
how much and in what ways you agree
or disagree with the statement.
 Use experts and textual evidence!