NDM LR

Feedback

Question: The development of new/digital media means the audience is more powerful in terms of consumption and production. Discuss the arguments for and against this view.

• WWW: Overall, this is a highly impressive response that clearly shows critical autonomy, research and a variety of relevant examples. I particularly like the fact that your conclusion contains a genuine summary of the debate and where your opinion is – it’s a very valid opinion too! Your use of quotes is also a real strength.

• EBI: One initial point - I think you’ve misunderstood Gramsci’s hegemony and will need to revise this again. It’s certainly not part of the pluralist perspective – it’s a Marxist view for how the elite control the masses. The idea is that they control people through consent rather than force or violence and the media is a major factor in this.

• The other crucial feedback is to always answer the question. Your essay discusses the idea of audience empowerment throughout which is excellent but I’d like to see a little more on the key wording in the question (“consumption and production”). Be careful you don’t lapse into a much more general NDM essay. You need to make sure every paragraph begins with a topic sentence that uses the wording from the question – show the examiner that ‘sharp focus’ on the question demanded by the mark scheme.

• One other more general piece of feedback is regarding your written English. This is an absolutely vital area to work on as I’m worried the lack of clarity in your written communication will restrict you to the lower levels of the mark scheme. Take your opening paragraph as an example:

This essay will explore the ways of how new and digital media empowers an audience in terms of what they consume and how they now create media products. More recently then ever has the media ever seen changes quite so dramatic.

• These are your opening two sentences and neither makes sense! Proofreading is vital, as is accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar (you mix up there/their later in the essay).
• Although you covered a fair amount of this term’s topics, there’s also more you could have included: paywalls and the future of journalism (particularly for “consumption”), hyperreality and UGC, news values etc.
• Finally, one minor point: you need to clearly introduce your case study in your introduction (impact of NDM on news).

• LR: Create a list of key revision topics from our new/digital case study work this term based on your essay and feedback above. Revise these topics over Christmas for your January MEST3 Section B assessment.
• Write at least one more well-developed paragraph on the question above as part of your revision.

Revision topics

• Gramsci's theory of Hegemony - look at what perspective it takes and examples of it
• Include more theory we have learnt in this topic- Hyper reality
• UGC 
• Look at ways to bring in Globalisation 

Introduction- 

Question: The development of new/digital media means the audience is more powerful in terms of consumption and production. Discuss the arguments for and against this view.

Old- This essay will explore the ways of how new and digital media empowers an audience in terms of what they consume and how they now create media products. More recently then ever has the media ever seen changes quite so dramatic. The Internet has now caught on and as a result pushed out older traditional media platforms like the print platform into decline. This 'new' platform has given audiences more power in terms of what they choose to consume and produce.

New-  This essay will look at whether developments in New and digital media has made audiences more powerful in terms of what they consume and produce. This is essay will focus on the impact New and digital media has had on the news industry and whether or not it has caused the balance of power to shift in favour of the audience or against it.