Word limit: 2000 words
Value: 40%
Estimated return date: 2-3 weeks from submission
Using the key terms and concepts from both Critical Political Economy and textual analysis discuss
the presentation of a particular news item from the last 3 months. Your analysis must compare the
coverage of the item in two different formats (i.e.: commercial and public broadcasting; broadsheet
and tabloid newspapers; television and print, online).
Guidelines:
? Remember that the news item has to be chosen from 3 months prior to the assessment due
date.
? When choosing your news item try and pick an example that can illustrate the key terms of
CPE and textual analysis. You need to think about how the example can contribute to a productive discussion using the terms and ideas discussed in this unit. Hence some
consideration is needed in choosing the item.
? Make sure you reference all primary and secondary sources and include a full list of references, on a separate sheet, at the end of your essay. Primary sources are the media texts you are discussing (e.g. news broadcasts or advertisements).
Secondary sources are the academic texts (books, articles, unit materials) which you draw on to develop and support your ideas and arguments. (NB: for further advice on correctly acknowledging sources, see the section on Study Skills and Responsibilities in this Unit Guide). Where possible include copies of media texts used in your essay in an Appendix at the end of your paper, after the list of references.
Criteria for Marking:
In assessing written work we ask the following questions:
? Has the student understood and responded to the question?
? Has the student constructed a logical argument?
? Has the student read and understood essential readings?
? Does the student write clearly?
? Are key terms and concepts used accurately?
? Is the paper presented in the required format and of the required length?
? Has the student read beyond the essential readings?
? Has the student observed correct referencing practice?
? Has the student provided relevant examples where required?
Hi, just some notes to help with the essay, here it is:
the main point of CPE is that CPE argues that texts are shaped by wider economic and political structures. Part of this relates to the relationship between industries, governments and audiences
there are some key ideas in CPE as discussed in G & M -things such as: the priorities of commercial industries and why they produce certain kinds of media texts and not others (formulaic, risk-averse, predicatble texts that do not challenge dominant assumptions), the potential for abuse of power by media owners, or corporations protecting/promoting their own interests, the rise of corporations, the growth of the commodification of media, the role of advertising, sponsorship, the need for a diversity of texts, representations so as to create a healthy public sphere (public good), the need (or otherwise) for government run media to provide an alternative to commercial media, the degree to which the 'consumer' or audience has power in all of this, do they have access to the media, to a range of media, can they afford the technology to have access to the public sphere - these sorts of things. You can't cover all of this but you need to choose a media example that will allow you to discuss some of them - referring back to G & M when you do
CPE is basically asking why do we get the kinds of texts that we do in our society - what commercial arrangements allows these sorts of texts to be made and not others, what impact does government regulation have on this
so does a text reproduce dominant ideologies? How could we explain this in terms of CPE (that's one way to tackle this question but not the only one)
in terms of the two different formats it helps if you can find something that is presented in different ways in these formats. For instance does the tabloid press present the story in a different way to a more 'quality' format. Does The Herald Sun differ from the age, does the ABC differ from channel 10? Does a newspaper story differ from the internet - if so why? Your use of text analysis will come is handy in answering these questions.
if you are stuck for examples try looking at the ABC's 'media watch' ( you can watch online) examples which reflect CPE issues are often discussed on that show
some people have had trouble getting started as they can't think of a new item to discuss. Well there are many ways to do this topic but here is one approach - not the only one by any means.
CPE explores the relationship between industries-texts and audiences and one big analytic distinction is between the idea of the audience as market and the audiences as public. In the former the audience is merely there to consume, or as something to be sold to advertisers. In this context media industries will produce a certain kind of text, one that is designed to sell as much as possible or rate as highly as possible.
Such a text will generally be very familiar to audiences, will confirm existing stereotypes and assumptions and will not be challenging to audiences. In this sense the text will not allow for a diversity of representations and discourses something that Golding and Murdock believe is essential for the public good. ie a diverse media sphere is important to CPE.
Given this you might like to think of a news item that you can compare on a commercial/non-commercial(public) foprm of media. This is basically what you are being asked to do when comparing commercial and public broadcasting; broadsheet and tabloid newspapers etc - there are two different types of audiences in mind - and thus different sorts of text will be created for each audience.
So what you are looking for is a news item that presents differently in commercial/non-commercial (or less commercial)formats. If you think of the last couple of weeks we have had the Royal tour as well as the coverage of Anzac day. Have either of these stories been covered differently in the media - or have they all been saying the same thing. Think for instance - has there been any pro-republic discourses in play with respect to the royals - or with Anzac has there been any media reports that have been skeptical, or critical of how we now celebrate Anzac day? These would be counter discourses and they would be an example of a more diverse set of discourses. If you find anything, chances are they will be in a non-commercial format. CPE would help explain why.
Other possible topics that come to mind are global warming, the environment, the recent elections, the issue of media owbnership regulation that Malcolm Turnball is floating, recent elections, asylum seekers, terrorism, the legacy of the irag/afghan war and so on. But there are many others. You need to look for a text that works differently in different formats - commercial/public media.
please update me with the assignment, thank you! :)