Sunday, 6 November 2022

BIG ISSUE QUESTION 1 - UNSEEN TIMED ESSAY - 15 MARKS (25 MINUTES) - INTERTEXTUALITY


 
 
 
Source C shows four politicians’ heads on the bodies of the members of the group Abba. The words are taken from famous Abba songs. The issue was published before the British referendum on remaining in or leaving the European Union. From left to right, the politicians are: Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister, David Cameron, Britain’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage, both prominent Leave campaigners.
 
QUESTION:
Analyse why The Big Issue magazine has used an intertextual approach to the referendum on its front cover.
 
 
In your answer you must:
  • Analyse the use of intertextuality to create meaning in the source
  • Make judgements and reach a conclusion about the advantages of this use of intertextuality to The Big Issue magazine.
    [15]
MARKSCHEME
11 - 15: A comprehensive response to the set question.
  • Comprehensive application of knowledge and understanding of the media theoretical framework to analyse Source C.
  • Convincing, perceptive and accurate analysis of why The Big Issue magazine has used an intertextual approach to the referendum which consistently provides logical connections and a good line of reasoning.
  • Highly developed and accomplished judgements and conclusions regarding why The Big Issue magazine has used an intertextual approach to the referendum.
6 - 10: An adequate response to the set question.
  • Adequate and generally accurate application of knowledge and understanding of the media theoretical framework to analyse Source C.
  • Adequate and generally successful analysis of why The Big Issue magazine has used an intertextual approach to the referendum which provides some logical connections and lines of reasoning, although may be descriptive in parts.
  • Adequate and generally well-reasoned judgements and conclusions regarding why The Big Issue magazine has used an intertextual approach to the referendum.
1 - 5: A minimal response to the set question.
  • Minimal application of knowledge and understanding of the media theoretical framework to analyse Source C.
  • Analysis of why The Big Issue magazine has used an intertextual approach to the referendum, if present, is minimal and/or largely descriptive and may not be relevant.
  • Judgements and conclusions, if present, are minimal with limited support.

MARKSCHEME (SIMPLIFIED)
Answer the question:  
Clearly (3), Fairly Well (2), Vaguely (1)
Uses examples:
Judiciously (3), Fairly Well (2), In a limited way (1)
Analyses and interprets:
Every Example Explained (3), Some Explanation (2), Vague (1)
Coherent argument:
Throughout (3), Some Sense of Coherence (2), Vague (1)
Terminology:
Clearly (3), Probably (2), Possibly (1) : A Media Student
 
Terminology - Media Language 
Review PowerPoint + Encode/Decode, Construct, Connotation/s, Connote/s
Terminology - Representation
Stereotype/Stereotypical, Countertype/Countertypical
Terminology - Audience
Preferred Reading, Negotiated Reading

EXAMPLE RESPONSE: 520 WORDS - APPROX

Intertextuality allows media producers to acknowledge a respectful relationship and shared cultural understanding with their audience. It allows them to promote a variety of more subtle readings of a text and to approach more contentious issues in a humourous way. For The Big Issue, it allows them to identify themselves as a niche publication that offers perspectives outside of the mainstream.

The selection of mise en scene, editing candid images of political figures onto the bodies of pop group Abba, identifies The Big Issue as a magazine that has clearly approached the referendum in an unusual way. This is reinforced by the construction of cover lines to resemble speech bubbles with puns on Abba lyrics. In doing this, the publication clearly identifies itself with less mainstream publications and encourages its readers that they can expect a more nuanced and perhaps provocative approach to the subject inside.

The representation of the politicians as pop musicians also helps to position the magazine as informal and witty. The lyrics in each cover line have been selected to reflect the viewpoint of each politician. The magazine’s audience is 72% ABC1 and 43% AB, which indicates that they are likely to be educated professionals with a sophisticated understanding of the intertextual reference to Abba, and the subtle way that the lyrics connect to the political figures. By using the intertextual approach in this way, The Big Issue has cleverly managed to satirize the event and the politicians involved yet remain politically impartial. This helps the magazine to offer a variety of negotiated reading, offering balance for their readership. This is important because, as a charity, The Big Issue wouldn’t want to alienate readers for fear of disadvantaging the street vendors who sell the magazine.

The intertextuality also allows the magazine to imply party-political neutrality, while still conveying a critical political position. The selection of mise en scene, with foolish facial expressions on the heads of Johnson and Cameron and their placement on female bodies helps to ridicule them. There is a preferred reading that the political leaders are not taking the issue seriously. This is encoded by the juxtaposition of the glitter ball globe (connoting a frivolous approach to a globally impactful event) with the black and serious representation of the ballot box. This same message, that the ‘song and dance’ of politics is overshadowing the serious political ramifications is also present in the typography of the sub headline. In red, connoting danger, and a serious san serif font, it reads ‘decision time.’ This is the only non-intertextual language on the cover, and its seriousness is overshadowed by the capitalised headline “THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL.” This intertextual reference to the Abba song, subtly encourages their readers to question the motives of the politicians involved, implying that they are more concerned with victory and fame than the socio-political ramifications of their viewpoints.

So, the use of intertextuality on the cover has allowed The Big Issue to promote the identity of the magazine as intelligent, witty and both politically and culturally relevant, appealing to its educated and intelligent target audience. 



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