GCSE Media Autumn term index

1.) First 10 questions

2) Poster Analysis
3) Denotation and Connotation

4) Introduction to Photoshop
5) Mise-en-scene: Stranger Things
6) Camerawork - Doctor Who: Shots and angles

7) Camera Movement and Editing

8) Blog feedback and learner response

KISS Breakfast on KISS Radio: Blog Tasks

Context: Deregulation and the Evolution of Radio

 1. What is meant by the term ‘deregulation’ in the context of the UK radio industry? How does this contrast with how the UK government historically controlled the airwaves up until the 1970s?

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2. Explain how deregulation dismantled ownership laws. How did this change allow multinational media conglomerates to sweep in and build massive national brand networks?

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3. In a heavily regulated era, radio stations faced strict penalties or license loss if they abandoned local programming or dropped community news quotas. How has modern deregulation allowed Bauer Media Group to cut expensive local production costs for KISS Breakfast? 

Modern deregulation has drastically relaxed these format restrictions. This allows Bauer to strip away expensive local studio productions, standardise their music playlists nationally, and broadcast Kiss Breakfast across the entire country from a single studio hub

4. How does the regulation of traditional AM/FM radio frequencies differ from digital-only streams? Explain how this "light-touch" digital regulation allows Bauer to launch niche sub-stations instantly on apps without complex government approval.

Bauer can launch niche sub-stations (like KISS Afro beats or KISSTORY R&B) on the Rayo app instantly without needing complex government approval or strict license applications

Industry: Conglomerates, Monetisation, and Multi-Brand Ecosystems

1. Who are Bauer Media Group (BMG)? Detail their scale in the UK market and contrast their commercial intent with the public service remit of the BBC.

Bauer Media Group (BMG) is a massive, multinational cross-media conglomerate. They don't just own KISS; they operate a dominant portfolio of over 60 radio stations in the UK alone. Unlike the BBC, which is a public service broadcaster funded by the license fee to inform, educate, and entertain, Bauer is a commercial enterprise driven strictly by profit and power.

2. Rather than relying on a single radio station to capture young people, Bauer utilises a multi-brand strategy. Name the spin-off sub-brands built around the flagship product and explain the industry logic behind this network. What competitors are they trying to stop young audiences from turning to?

This network includes:

• KISS: The main flagship commercial station targeting a mainstream 15-34 music audience
• KISSTORY & KISSTORY R&B: Targeted older-skewing variants focusing on "old school" dance and anthems
• KISS Extra & KISS Dance: Targeting more niche sub-genres or club music tastes

3. What is the Rayo platform, and how does it change BMG's monetisation model? Explain how moving from standalone station apps to a unified streaming platform allows them to shift from relying solely on advertising to securing direct consumer payments.

Audience: Targeting Gen Z, Rebranding, and Media Reception

1. Define the specific age bracket, socio-economic profile, and gender bias that KISS Breakfast targets. What are the distinct media consumption habits of this core demographic?

2. Gen Z rarely consumes media via traditional schedules.

a. What percentage of Gen Z listening to Bauer stations happens strictly via digital devices?

b. How does BMG package KISS Breakfast content to satisfy the visual, short-form demands of audiences on platforms like TikTok and Instagram?

3. What interactive strategies does the KISS Breakfast show rely on to drive instant audience interaction, and how are these entries seamlessly completed by the listener?

4. Using the theoretical frameworks discussed in class, note down how a listener might interact with KISS Breakfast:

a. Give an example of a Preferred Reading vs. an Oppositional Reading of the show.

b. Apply Blumler & Katz's Uses and Gratifications Theory to KISS Breakfast. How does the show fulfil an audience's need for Diversion/Entertainment, Personal Relationships, Personal Identity, and Surveillance?

His Dark Materials: LIAR blog tasks

 

Language and close-textual analysis

1) How does His Dark Materials fit the conventions of the fantasy TV genre?

  

• Iconography including magic, mystical creatures or similar
• Often set in imagined worlds or time periods

2) Applying Propp's character theory, what character roles do some of the main characters in His Dark Materials fit into? 

The Hero: Lyra Belacqua (and Will Parry) undertake the central quest to discover the truth about Dust and ultimately defeat the oppressive Authority.

The Villain: The Magisterium and Metatron oppose the heroes, enforcing strict religious dogma and attempting to suppress free will.

The Dispatcher: Lord Asriel sets the plot in motion. He acts as the catalyst who sends Lyra on her journey by revealing the existence of Dust and opening the portal to other worlds.

 

3) What enigma and action codes (Barthes) can you find in His Dark Materials? Make specific, detailed reference to the text using media terminology (e.g. media language - camera shots, diegetic/non-diegetic sound, mise-en-scene etc.)

Early on, the concept of "Dust" is presented as a profound mystery. In adaptations, this is coded visually through a high-key, sparkling mise-en-scene of luminous golden particles contrasting against the dark, gritty backgrounds of Jordan College. The audience asks: What is Dust? Why do adults fear it?

What examples of binary opposition (Levi-Strauss) can you find in His Dark Materials? How do these create narrative or drama for the audience? You can find reminder notes on all these narrative theories here - just scroll down to narrative. 


Representations

1) How are women represented in His Dark Materials? Are gender stereotypes reinforced or subverted? Think about Lyra and Mrs Coulter here.

2) How are men and masculinity represented in His Dark Materials? Think about Will and Lee Scoresby here.

3) How is age (e.g. teenagers; adults) represented in His Dark Materials? Does the show reinforce or challenge stereotypes about young people? Think about Lyra and Will plus the abandoned children they meet. Also think about Mrs Coulter and other adults.

4) How is race and ethnicity represented in His Dark Materials? Are stereotypes reinforced or subverted?

5) What representations of the world can you find in the episode - is it like real life? A fantasy world? Something from the past or future? Give examples from the episode.

Audience

1) What audience do you think His Dark Materials is aimed at and why? Think about demographic and psychographic groups. You can revise Pyschographics here.

2) What audience pleasures are offered by His Dark Materials - The City of Magpies? Apply Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory to the episode. Make sure you provide specific examples from the episode to support your ideas.

Personal Identity: 

Personal Relationships: 

Diversion (Escapism): 

3) Thinking of the 3 Vs audience pleasures (Visceral, Vicarious and Voyeuristic pleasures), which of these can be applied to His Dark Materials? Refer to specific scenes or moments in the episode to explain your answer. 

4) How did fans react to Season 2 of His Dark Materials? What about critic reviews? You can find some possible answers for this in this BBC website article on the critical reception for His Dark Materials and watch the fan reaction video above.

5) What might be some of the preferred and oppositional readings for His Dark Materials? Why did some fans love it? Why have other people criticised it? 

Industries

1) Which companies produced this His Dark Materials series?

2) What were the UK viewing figures for A City of Magpies? How did this compare to season 1 of His Dark Materials?

3) What was American network HBO's role in making His Dark Materials and why is this important? Look at the notes above for more on this.

4) What famous stars are in His Dark Materials and why do you think they were selected for the show? Watch the Comic Con panel video in the notes above to see the stars talking about the show.

5) Who are Bad Wolf and what do they produce?

Comparison: Doctor Who - An Unearthly Child and His Dark Materials - The City of Magpies

1) How are the technical conventions different between 1963 Doctor Who and 2020 His Dark Materials (e.g. camerawork, editing, sound and mise-en-scene)?

2) What similarities and differences are there between Doctor Who and His Dark Materials in terms of genre and narrative?

3) How are representations of people, places and groups similar or different in the two shows?

Radio 1 Launch CSP

 Historical, Social and Cultural Contexts

1) What radio stations were offered by the BBC before 1967?

BBC Radio Light (1945-1967) broadcasting mainly light entertainment (comedy / drama) and music. Replaced by Radio 2.

2) How was BBC radio reorganised in September 1967? What were the new stations that launched?

  On 30 September 1967, the Light Programme was split into Radio 1 offering continuous "Popular" music and Radio 2 for more 'Easy Listening'.

3) What was pirate radio and why was it popular?

This led to the growth of ‘pirate’ radio stations who could produce these shows for young people, 

4) Why did pirate radio stop broadcasting in 1967?

Pirate stations did not have these restrictions imposed on them because the law was difficult to apply offshore

5) How did the BBC attract young audiences to Radio 1 after pirate radio stations were closed down?

they could only play five hours of music per day. 

6) What was 'needle time' and why was it a problem for BBC Radio?

 This was called ‘Needle Time’ and in 1967 meant they could only play five hours of music per day. They were, more popular with young people than the BBC.

7) How did BBC Radio 1 offer different content to previous BBC radio stations?

Radio 1 also developed better content more suitable to the target audience as it became more popular. In the 1970s and 1980s, Radio 1 became the most listened to station in the world with audiences regularly over 10 million. 

8) Who was the first presenter for BBC Radio 1 and why did these new Radio 1 DJs cause upset initially at the traditional BBC?

Tony Blackburn was the first presenter to broadcast on BBC radio1 when it launched on September 30, 1967. The new DJs, many of whom were poached from illegal offshore pirate stations, caused significant upset among the traditional BBC establishment. 

9) Listen to excerpts from the Tony Blackburn's first 1967 broadcast - how might it have appealed to young listeners

It may have been considered cool and exciting to them as it may have been more modern to them

10) How was Tony Blackburn's radio show more like pirate radio rather than traditional BBC radio content?

The music was fit for a younger audience and was seen as cool to them.

Audience and Industry

1) What was the target audience for BBC Radio 1 in 1967?

the BBC Radio 1 target audience is 15-29 year olds

2) Why did Radio 1 initially struggle to attract young listeners?

 The median age for a Radio 1 listener is 32 and only 41% of the audience today are aged between 15-29.

3) What audience pleasures did Radio 1 offer listeners in 1967? (Use Blumler and Katz Uses and Gratifications theory).

Entertainment & Diversion: Listeners sought pure enjoyment, upbeat music, and escapism from the daily routine through the station's lively presentation.

4) How is the BBC funded?

  The tv license fee 

5) Applying Stuart Hall's Reception theory, what would the preferred and oppositional readings have been for BBC Radio 1 in 1967?

preferred

The Audience: Mainstream teenagers, young adults, and families who missed pop music after the pirate stations were outlawed.

oppositional

The Audience: Hardcore fans of offshore pirate radio and members of the late-1960s counter-culture.