A FILM TO MAKE YOU SMILE...HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Below is a link to a three minute film made during the Summer by a mate of mine when working with students from Endeavour High School in Hull. The idea is so simple and so beautiful I defy you not to smile when watching this gorgeous narrative. Students will be expected to produce their own coursework in Jan/Feb and this is a wonderful example of how a simple idea can be so successful.

However...just watch it. It's ace. Consider it a New Year gift from that bloke that talks too much on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon. This film made me smile. I hope it makes you lot smile too.

Click on link to access 'Flowers':
http://vimeo.com/15328356

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

MLR.

YEAR 13 LESSON TWELVE [15th Dec 10]: Homework.

Students watched a section of the third episode of the BBC's The Virtual Revolution. This segment explored the significance of cookies, the arguments for and against the existence of recommendation engines, the comments of Doug Rushcoff and his view that these engines are reducing the individual to a demographic type, and the Attention Trust and their attempt to encourage internet users to own their own data trail.

The main section of the lesson was a discussion of the media issues and debates raised by Ian Midgley's article published in The Hull Daily Mail and Jeremy Paxman's interview with Russell Brand. It was extremely obvious that students had not bothered to attempt this key homework. This was most irritating. If you don't do the work, don't start whining if your grade is poor. You will not comprehend media theory by ignoring homework.YOU NAUGHTY STUDENTS.

Homework: Produce a response to the mini-coursework title....
'An exploration of the media issues and debates raised by Ian Midgley's article published in The Hull Daily Mail and Jeremy Paxman's interview with Russell Brand.'

The aim of this written work is to encourage students to produce evidence of independent research and construct a response that illustrates critical autonomy. I will provide some guidance notes via fishymedia BUT the whole point of this task is that YOU illustrate your understanding of media theory and the relevant media issues and debates that relate to the content of these two media texts. Use my notes BUT please do not simply regurgitate my ideas. I want to see evidence of your own critical autonomy. This is a very important written task.

Click on link below to access notes that will help you with this task. These notes were posted on 29.12.10:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/68091828/Potential-structure-for-mini-coursework-response-Y13-Dec-10

YEAR 12 LESSON 13 [14th Dec 10]: Homework.

Students examined the BBC Look North representation of the Beverley student demonstration on Thursday 9th December. This presentation was compared with the representation offered by an article published in the online version of The Hull Daily Mail.



The quality of the discussion was excellent. The contribution of HMc, MB, NR, KH, and the WKD man was particularly impressive.Many thanks.

Homework: Students must consider the following questions....

1. How are the students of the Joint Sixth represented in this edition of Look North?
2. Is there evidence of institutional bias within this news report?
3. Who is the target audience?
4. How are media forms used to suggest the difference/similarities between the London/Beverley student demonstrations?
5. How does the online edition of The Hull Daily Mail represent the students of the Joint Sixth Form?
6. How does the HDM/Look North coverage illustrate how digital media has changed the relationship between audience and producer?

We will discuss these questions in the next lesson and I will expect a written response after the next lesson. Our next lesson is in January so your homework for the Winter break is to consider how you will answer the questions so that we can share ideas before constructing a convincing written response.You are not expected to produce a written response over Xmas...just prepare for the written response. This is a MASSIVE piece of work so preparation is crucial.

Click on link to access The Hull Daily Mail online article:
http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/news/Final-fees-hike/article-2992076-detail/article.html

Click on link below to access the BBC Look North report of the student demonstration:
http://vimeo.com/17883706

Students might want to visit HU17.net to peruse the photographs they have published to represent the demonstration. Some of the images offer a very different representation to the representation offered by BBC Look North. I have used four of the images at the beginning of this post. Here is a link to the HU17.net article:
http://www.hu17.net/students-protest-in-beverley-against-proposed-fee-increase/

HAVE A BELTING BREAK. SEE YOU IN JANUARY. MANY THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK THIS TERM.

WIKILEAKS DOCUMENTARY/JOHN PILGER.

A2 students should be aware of the media issues and debates that surround Wikileaks. This is an excellent piece of filmmaking and explores the ethical media issues surrounding this website. Assange explains his philosophy and motivation and the film explains how Wikileaks filters material to check its credibility. This would be a topic worthy of coursework and confronts a whole range of media issues and debates.

Click on link to access documentary:

http://svtplay.se/v/2264028/wikirebels___the_documentary?cb%2Ca1364145%2C1%2Cf%2C-1%2Fpb%2Ca1364142%2C1%2Cf%2C-1%2Fpl%2Cv%2C%2C2264028%2Fsb%2Cp118750%2C1%2Cf%2C-1

Wikileaks is critical of mainstream media for failing to challenge and expose governments and corporations for their abuse of power. John Pilger is an Australian journalist who has been challenging the representations of the mainstream media for 40 years. He has made a series of powerful documentary films that all sentient human beings should digest. He has always challenged received wisdom and has always been appalled by state/corporate hypocrisy. On Friday 10th December 2010, Pilger published this article in The Guardian. Pilger questions the moral stance of media institutions and individual journalists. His new documentary ' The War You Don't See' examines the reporting of the Iraq war. Click on link below to access his article published in yesterday's Guardian:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/dec/10/war-media-propaganda-iraq-lies?INTCMP=SRCH

Click on link below to access John Pilger's website:

http://www.johnpilger.com/

Students should be aware of the arguments FOR and AGAINST Wikileaks. This links directly to the the impact of digital media at MEST3.

NO IFS NO BUTS...BEV STUDENT DEMO.

Yesterday you lot made an old teacher feel like a very proud old teacher.WELL DONE. Just why are Freddos 17p? It is an outrage. Fees absurd/Lemon curd! FANTASTIC WORK.

Click on link to access how the Hull Daily Mail online edition represented your very polite and orderly display of dissent:

http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/news/Final-fees-hike/article-2992076-detail/article.html

Is this media text a positive representation of students?

YEAR 13 LESSON ELEVEN [8th Dec 10]: Homework.

Students were introduced to the third episode of the BBC's The Virtual Revolution and introduced to an explanation of how Google makes money. Specific reference was made to ADWORDS and the significance of Behavioural Targeting.

The second section of the lesson was an exploration of the media issues and debates that link to the Hull Daily Mail article written by Ian Midgley and the Jeremy Paxman Newsnight interview with Russell Brand.

Homework: Consider the media issues and debates that surround the Midgley article and the Paxman/Brand interview. Consider Audience theories such as the Uses and Gratification theory, Marxist theory and how this relates to both articles, ideas relating to passive/active audience, the significance of Celebrity Culture and 'dumbing down' culture, Institutional ideology and how ideology shapes content, Brand's reference to 'media narratives' and why this idea is significant, Chomsky and the idea of the Bewildered Herd....Any issues that relate to media. Look through your notes and apply media issues and debates to these two texts. Use these two texts to show me that you are 'informed' media students.

This task is a 'mini-version' of the approach required for coursework. I will expect all students to produce evidence of independent study and critical autonomy when we discuss these texts in the next lesson.

Click on link below to access full Paxman/Brand interview:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/9053238.stm

VICTORIA DERBYSHIRE INTERVIEWS NICK CLEGG. THE TUITION FEE DEBATE.

I thought that I would place this on fishymedia as Victoria Derbyshire is one of Britain's finest broadcasters and if you are demonstrating tomorrow you might want to listen to this interview and make yourself aware of Nick Clegg's arguments. Click on link below and listen to the Derbyshire/Clegg interview and observe the viewer response to the debate:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00clts6

Year 12...please note...positive female representation? Victoria Derbyshire.

Channel Four's John Snow interview with Nick Clegg:

http://www.channel4.com/news/ministers-soften-tuition-fee-plans-to-stop-lib-dem-revolt

Click on link to access LibDem political broadcast from the May General Election:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTLR8R9JXz4&feature=player_embedded

YEAR 12 LESSON TWELVE [7th DEC 10]: Homework.

Students were given a brief 'media theory and terminology test' before the class shared their positive representations of women that would make Laura Mulvey smile. I'm not sure that the Mulvster would have found any reason to titter at the examples that were offered by the class today.SP provided the most positive representation via a shoe advert that avoided any sexualised objectification or gender stereotypes. This task was, in many ways, quite alarming. If positive representations of women are so difficult to identify in modern media, perhaps it could be argued that the 'male gaze' continues to be a relevant media concept.

The second section of the lesson examined the Audience/Producer debate and explored how digital technology has changed the relationship between Audience/Producer. Specific reference was made to the music industry and how the industry has responded to MP3 file sharing.This debate will be examined in more detail when we begin the CROSS-MEDIA STUDY and will relate to Documentary and Hybrid-documentary. One of our key texts will be the film MAN ON WIRE.

Click on link to access MAN ON WIRE trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIawNRm9NWM

Special mention must be made to CH...the Newcastle Utd fan with a liking for WKD. Your contribution to class discussion was outstanding. Much appreciated.

Homework: If you scored less than 10 in the test you need to read your notes. Students are encouraged to discover a positive female representation. We still need to make Laura smile. Peggy Mitchell in East Enders? Any other positive female figures within the genre of the British Soap Opera?
Students are beginning to produce some excellent creative ideas for the MEST2 coursework. You need to be thinking of ideas for this MASSIVE section of the course. Finally, consider how you would answer the MEST1 January 2009 examination paper as we may be discussing this paper next week.

CHINA AND GOOGLE.

Click on link to access BBC article:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11920616

THE WIKILEAKS STORY CONTINUES: Media and Democracy.

Y13 Students should be aware of the continuing debates surrounding the Wikileaks site. It relates directly to the impact of digital media and media and democracy. Be aware of Hilary Clinton's reaction.

Click on link below to access latest BBC story:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11907641

Special BBC report:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-11863274

ONE DAY IN HULL: A short film.

Now then media freaks.Wednesday's Year 13 lesson was butchered by the overwhelming power and sublime majesty of the natural world so I hope everybody had a massively safe and entertaining snowball fight on the Westwood. I went stumbling around my little patch of the world and made this short film. It will be used as a resource in the near snowless future. Issues relating to representation are a consideration within this text for both Y12 and Y13. Y12 might want to consider how this representation of Hull compares with the two postcards I offered the class in a previous lesson. What kind of institution would create this type of film? Audience?Media Forms?

Click on link below to access 'One Day In Hull'.

http://vimeo.com/17423592

Hope everybody is warm, safe and avoiding the fracture clinic.

MLR.

YEAR 12 LESSON ELEVEN [Tue 30th NOV 10]: Homework.

Students were introduced to the theories of John Berger, Marxism and Chomsky, Liberal Pluralism and Feminism. Reference was made to Laura Mulvey and the idea of 'The Male Gaze'.

Students were offered a series of advertisements from American magazines published in the 1970s that included incredibly crude representations of women. Contemporary representations of women were offered via Pixie Lott's alarming FHM front cover, a section of the film Ocean's Eleven, and recent Daily Mail and Guardian articles relating to the student demonstrations in London.

Homework: Find a media text that offers a representation of women that would make Laura Mulvey smile. She fell from her chair this afternoon such was the crude, simplistic and offensive nature of the sexualised representations being offered by the various media texts. Yes folks, it's the positive female representation challenge! The text can be print media, e-media or broadcast media. Happy hunting media freaks.

Students must also consider the question: ' Has the development of new technology changed the relationship between audience and producer? '

Possible approaches to this question could include a consideration of how digital technology has influenced the marketing of film.For example, most films now have e-media that helps promote the film. Who benefits most: Audience or Producer? Specific examples? Has You Tube blurred the distinction between audience and producer? MySpace? The BBC homepage? The world of advertising? Arrive next week with specific textual examples to support your opinion.

This is not a written task. I would like you to consider the question and bring some thoughts to the class next week to stimulate/provoke class discussion.

There will also be a THEORY AND LANGUAGE test next week. Students should revise the terminology and concepts relating to Audience Theory, Genre, Narrative Theory, and basic media terminology.

Now let's go and throw some snowballs!

ESSENTIAL RESOURCE FOR A2 STUDENTS: UNTANGLING THE WEB. More Aleks Krotoski.

Not content with providing AQA media students with the essential 'impact of digital media' resource that is the four part BBC documentary 'The Virtual Revolution', Aleks Krotoski has a new fortnightly series published in the Online Guardian. Every other Sunday a new topic will be discussed that will relate directly to the impact of digital media.Here is the initial link:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/series/untangling-the-web-with-aleks-krotoski

Students should visit her Tumblr and watch the video resources and generally navigate through the many relevant links that AK is sharing with the digital world.

ALEKS KROTOSKI ARTICLE IN THE OBSERVER: How the web has encouraged free speech and free thought.

Superb article published in the 28th November 10 edition of The Observer. This article links directly to any discussion of Media and Democracy and the impact of digital media. Perfect for MEST3. Aleks Krotoski is the narrative voice and media brain responsible for the production of the BBC's 'The Virtual Revolution'.Our essential text.
Click on link below to access article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/nov/28/internet-radicals-world-wide-web

YEAR 13 LESSON TEN [Wed 24th Nov 10]: Homework.

After coming to terms with the disappointment of students failing to organise some form of direct action to demonstrate their anger at the coalition hypocrites decision to raise University tuition fees and cut the EMA....the magic began....

Coming at you like a buzzard....ice flow nowhere to go...Click on link for a sip of The Mighty Boosh:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IjGNJPNyzU
Eels. PH..now this is genius:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AckvdGbk4w&feature=channel
The Legend of Old Greg. Postmodern Intertextuality?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hT-lqeZNoI&feature=related

Students were introduced to the idea of genre, intertextuality, and postmodernism.The lesson considered the Audience/Producer debate and students were informed that this topic will be explored in detail over the next couple of lessons.

Students considered the issue of teenage representation and notes were gathered to help students create a sophisticated written response. Reference was made to the films Blackboard Jungle,Rebel without a Cause, If, Quadrophenia and Juno and students were encouraged to watch all these films and consider issues of teenage representation. Students watched a documentary constructed by last year's Year 13 relating to teenage representation.Click on link below to access this documentary:

http://vimeo.com/13264330

The lesson died at 3.32 with the human landscape attempting to balance pens on the front of their teenage faces. ZQ was particularly expert at balancing her pen between nose and top lip.

Homework: Create a written response to the MEST3 question:

'Compare and contrast the two texts [Juno and Skins], with particular reference to the representation of teenagers'.

Click on link to access guidance notes for this written task.I advise all students to follow this guidance. This is a tough essay:

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/63611285/GUIDANCE-FOR-YEAR-13-MEDIA-TASK-24TH-NOV-10

Read the notes I gave you during the lesson relating to 'The Cost of Free'.

YEAR 12 LESSON TEN [Tue 23rd NOV 10]: Homework.

Students were introduced to the concept of genre, intertextuality and postmodernism. The Mighty Boosh was presented as an example of a postmodern text that defies genre categorisation and may be considered a hybrid-genre due to its mix of the codes and conventions associated with a range of genre such as situation comedy, animation and music video.

Students analysed the trailer to Juno with the aim of identifying the nature of the teenage representation.

The main task of the lesson was group work that considered the following questions in relation to the trailer for the first series of Skins and the Skins trailer used to market the second season of Channel Four's popular 'teen' drama.

Homework: Consider which brief you might use to create your AS coursework and provide a written response to the Skins' media:

a.Compare and contrast the two texts with particular reference to the representation of teenagers.

b.Who is the target audience?

c.Which is the most successful trailer and why?

Links to both trailers can be accessed in the blog entry overview of Lesson Nine.

Click on link below to access guidance notes. You must use these notes.This is a difficult task:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/63887087/skins-guidance-year-12-nov-10

CONTROVERSIAL SPANISH ADVERT.

BBC article relating to Spanish political campaign advertisement:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11795407

The same election campaign contains an incredibly offensive advertisement that involves a video game that destroys illegal immigrants:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/nov/17/peoples-party-catalonia-video
BBC article relating to this 'campaign' video:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11785863

This election is interesting as it is inspiring some interesting, offensive and ridiculous examples of representation. These campaign videos could be compared with the examples from our general election in May [see earlier fishymedia entries] or the videos created during the last US election urging young people to vote.

DON McCULLIN: REPRESENTATIONS OF WAR.

DON McCULLIN is a legendary War photographer. His representations of War are haunting. Here is a BBC slideshow accompanied by McCullin's thoughts. Click on link below:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8492000/8492777.stm

YEAR 13 LESSON NINE [Wed 17TH NOV 10]: Homework.

Students were introduced to the idea that the explosion of digital media has challenged the authority of mainstream media news. The class were offered the front page of The Daily Mail and The Independent as an example of mainstream representations of the student demonstration in London last week. Students were also introduced to personal mobile phone footage uploaded to You Tube, the representation of the protest offered by Russia Today, and the personal view of an American bloke sporting a fine beard, sat in his bedroom comparing the protest to the poetry of WB Yeats! The aim of this section of the lesson was to illustrate how digital media sites such as Vimeo and You Tube have allowed the audience to challenge the representations offered by mainstream media producers. News is now available from a range of perspectives, both professional and amateur, and the impact of digital media has been to make information available/accessible to a global audience. This links to the impact of digital media audience/producer debate and also the representation section of MEST3.

Click on link below to access an example of alternative news media. This was filmed using a mobile phone and challenges the idea that the students were 'BRAINLESS', as reported by the front page headline of The Sun newspaper, as the mass of students are clearly heard being critical of the moment when a fire extinguisher was thrown from the roof, narrowly missing the police.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAGNJMQD1rA

Below is a link to 'cveitch' who is a member of the 'LOVE POLICE' and provides his own film that captures a version of the protest that could not be considered 'mainstream'. This is an example of how You Tube has become an outlet for the reporting of news that is not mainstream and is unlikely to be broadcast by mainstream news agencies due to challenging content that fails to reflect the value system offered by mainstream media institutions. It is still a deeply subjective representation but it offers a different perspective to the representations offered by the mainstream.

http://www.youtube.com/user/cveitch

The second section of the lesson involved an analysis of the trailer to Juno and the trailer to the first series of Skins. The question the class were asked to consider was related to the MEST3 exam: ' Compare and contrast the two texts with particular reference to the representation of teenagers'.

Click on link below to access the trailer to Juno:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0SKf0K3bxg

Click on link below to access the trailer for the first series of Skins:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm0onseM1Mw&feature=related

The lesson eventually died at 3.30.RIP.

Homework: Continue to analyse the two trailers as a written response will be expected next week. Revisit Narrative Theory and apply these theories to the trailers.

YEAR 12 LESSON NINE [Tue 16TH NOV 10]: Homework.

Students were asked to analyse the trailers for the first and second series of Channel Four's Skins. The level of analysis was outstanding. This analysis is the framework for a written response that will be offered next week.

The second lesson consisted of group work that explored the representation of Hull offered via two very contrasting postcards.

Homework: Continue to analyse the two trailers connected to Skins.Research is required relating to the remit of Channel Four.Why is it that Channel Four seem to be successfully engaging with the older teenage market? Significance of E4? Furthermore, students should explore the e-media used to market Skins and consider how this relates to audience. Quality research is essential as this needs to be a very detailed written response.

Click on link below to access Skins Trailer Series One:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVposoBeOmk&feature=related

Click on link to access Skins trailer SeriesTwo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbnXnvHsOdg

YEAR 13 LESSON EIGHT [10th NOV 10]: Homework.

The main focus of the lesson was preparation for the essay: ' THE INTERNET/ WEB HAS CREATED A MORE DEMOCRATIC WORLD.' TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT?

This essay is an attempt to assess student understanding of Media and Democracy for the MEST3 section of the course. This essay will allow me to gauge student engagement with the last three or four lessons. Below is a link to a document that provides a potential essay structure. Click on link below:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/60791072/media-and-democracy-essay-A2-MEST3

The final section of the lesson involved attempting to create a multiple image via photoshop and some Boyes' soft furnishings. The results can be perused at the top of this blog. Feeling angry? You know who to call!

Homework: Complete essay and revisit basic Audience and Narrative theory.

YEAR 12 LESSON EIGHT [9th Nov 10]: Homework.

Students were provided with exemplar print media resources suitable for Brief One of the MEST 2 Coursework and also shown examples of last year's broadcast media constructed for the same brief. Students were also introduced to basic Narrative Theory and asked to apply these theories to a series of film trailers. The class were asked to consider the codes and conventions of the film trailer form and how the trailers we examined attempted to persuade an audience to visit the film. Finally students were introduced to a photography task aimed at allowing them to illustrate their understanding of how institution, representation, media forms and audience combine to create an appropriate media text.

At the end of the lesson I placed a crude backdrop at the back of the classroom and illustrated how easy it is to use photoshop to construct a multiple image. The results of this experiment have become the new album/CD cover for the famous Latin Jazz musician JUAN GONZALEZ SMITH. His new album is titled 'Me, Myself and I.' I wanted to illustrate how easy it is to produce a creative image. I think my partner's soft furnishings make quite a psychedelic and effective backdrop suitable for the Latin Jazz legend that is JUAN GONZALEZ SMITH. 

Homework: Complete the photography task. I expect a word document to be constructed and handed to me next lesson. Read the Audience Theory and Narrative Theory notes.

Good luck folks. I am looking forward to the results of your photography.

BBC WORLD SERVICE DOCUMENTARY: An isolated Nigerian village is placed online and two South Korean families agree to give up internet access.

Click on link to access a BBC World Service documentary that explores the impact on a rural village community in Nigeria when members of the village were given mobile phones that allowed them to access the internet:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/news/2010/01/100120_gitata_internet_wt_sl.shtml

Furthermore, two South Korean families agree to stay offline for one week. South Korea has the fastest broadband in the world and over 90% of the country is online. Click on link to access the outcome:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/specialreports/2010/01/100129_on_off_south_korea.shtml

ANDREW KEEN/CLAY SHIRKY INTERVIEWS.

Below is a link to an extended version of the Clay Shirky interview included in the BBC documentary The Virtual Revolution. There is a transcript of the interview beneath the video.

Click on link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/digitalrevolution/2009/10/rushes-sequences-clay-shirky-i.shtml

Below is the extended interview with Andrew Keen from the same series. Click on link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/digitalrevolution/2009/10/rushes-sequences-andrew-keen-i.shtml

This link to The Virtual Revolution site is a superb resource. There are a number of extended interviews here with a host of individuals who have many interesting views that relate to the digital revolution. All relevant for A2 MEST 3.

YEAR 12 PODCAST: Review of first half-term. The Spurn Point Podcast.

Click on link below to hear my podcast that reviews the first-half term of the course. You can create your own podcasts as part of your coursework.
http://soundcloud.com/fishymedia/podcast

YEAR 13 LESSON SEVEN [3rd Nov 10]: Homework.

Students received feedback to the MEST 3 essays. The essays were excellent.Big hand to all. Students were shown the broadcast media constructed in the final week of last term. The final section of the lesson involved a consideration of Media and Democracy.Students were shown the section of the BBC's Virtual Revolution that examines how the Chinese government attempts to control and patrol the internet and the moment when Estonia's banking system was the victim of a cyber attack.

Homework: IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT STUDENTS NAVIGATE FISHYMEDIA TO ACCESS THE RESOURCES THAT RELATE TO IRAN, WIKILEAKS, CHINA AND THE VIEWS OF ANDREW KEEN AND CLAY SHIRKY. Your next essay will be an exploration of media and democracy and your homework will be the catalyst for class discussion. Furthermore your research this week will inform the media and democracy written response that I will be cursing you with next week.

BRING A CAMERA [a device capable of capturing a still image] NEXT WEEK BECAUSE I THINK WE SHOULD ATTEMPT SOME PHOTOGRAPHY.

The resources that relate to China on the previous post are essential resources.

BF...e-mail me if you have problems with the essay. Below is the link to the essay structure that I posted last month. Click on link:

http://fishymediaresources.blogspot.com/2010/10/year-13-lesson-four-wed-6th-oct-10.html

MLR.

BBC INTERNET SEASON: Exploring the power of the internet.

Below is a link to a BBC site titled ' SUPERPOWER: Exploring the extraordinary power of the internet'. If you access this site it is possible to peruse a whole series of resources that relate to the impact of digital media. Click on link and navigate through the various resources:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/specialreports/superpower.shtml

CHINA AND THE KINDLE + BBC AUDIO DOCUMENTARY: MEDIA CENSORSHIP.

Click on link to access BBC article that explores how Amazon's Kindle is being used to avoid internet censorship in China:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11673116

Click on link to access another BBC article relating to how China's web users are attempting to leap over the great firewall. This is an excellent article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8575476.stm

Click on link below to access a BBC World Service audio documentary: 'THE OTHER INTERNET: BEYOND CHINA'S GREAT FIREWALL' :

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/documentaries/2010/03/100316_chinas_firewall.shtml

Click on link to access New York Times article relating to internet censorship in China:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/12/world/asia/12beast.html?_r=2

I will be using these resources in today's Y13 lesson.

YEAR 12 LESSON SEVEN [Tue 2nd Nov 10]: Homework.

Students were asked to produce an analysis of the front page of The Daily Mirror and the front page of The Sun.Both media texts were published on Thursday October 21st 2010 and relate to Gideon Osborne's spending cuts. Students were asked to consider the question: 'Why might the front page of these newspapers be of interest to a media student?'

Students were encouraged to consider institutional ideology and how this ideology shapes content, issues relating to representation, use of photography, and the significance of language and audience.

Students were also asked to offer ideas that may anchor meaning to the creative broadcast media produced before half-term.

Homework: Produce an essay in response to the question: 'Why might the front page of these newspapers be of interest to a media student?'

This question is deliberately broad as my aim is to gauge the level of media understanding that students have acquired thus far on the course. Click on link below to access a document designed to assist students with this task. This document is available to download:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/59235890/MEDIA-STUDIES-TASK-NOV-10

Click on link below to access and download the Audience Theory document that I gave to students today. Read for homework:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/59238243/AUDIENCE-THEORY

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TYPEFACES: Observer article.

Click on link below to access an article that explores the role of the typeface in creating meaning. All AS students will be producing print media this year so this article is significant and worthy of your attention.
ttp://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/oct/17/type-letters-typefaces-simon-garfield

WIKILEAKS ONCE MORE: Media and Democracy.

Wikileaks is creating news once more. Below is a link to a BBC News article that provides a link to the global media response to Julian Assange's latest release of classified documents.

Click on link below to access BBC article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/seealso/2010/10/see_also_wikileaks_release_ira.html

Below is a link to a very comprehensive BBC News article that explores Wikileaks and their decision to publish these documents. Click on link below:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11612731

This article from the Sunday Independent provides an overview of the issues and debates surrounding Wikileaks and the Iraq War. It is possible to access several Wikileaks related articles from this page. Click on link below:

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-the-shaming-of-america-2115111.html

Click on link below to access Daily Mail Wikileaks article:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1323277/Wikileaks-Did-British-troops-kill-8-year-old-Iraqi-girl.html

YOU TUBE RESOURCES:

The view from Russia Today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF2miwIWOE4

An AlJazeera report:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbppsACVlcE

Julian Assange interview with Russia Today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBsMK1eQ7A8

Julian Assange interview with the Economist:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_HPLHIBTtA

There is a vast amount of Wikileaks related material in the media at the moment and A2 students need to be aware of the issues and debates that surround the current Wikileaks publication of classified documents. This topic relates to MEST 3 and the impact of digital media and is specifically related to the issue of media and democracy.

YEAR 13 LESSON SIX [Wed 20th Oct 10]: Homework.

Students attempted a creative task. Students attempted to film a series of interviews with Year 13 students related to the recent recommendations offered by The Browne Report. If the government decide to follow the recommendations of this report the level of debt that students will experience if they attend University will be considerable. The aim of the filming was to create a news report suitable for BBC Newsnight.

Homework: Students should read the notes they have made over the last six weeks. When we return to school we will be discussing issues relating to media and democracy.

I will be posting a podcast that will provide an overview of the issues we have covered this half-term.

I should have the film edited by the time you lot return to media world. This film will be a stimulus for a written response. Have a great week fiends.

MLR.

YEAR 12 LESSON SIX [Tue 18th Oct 10]: Homework.

Students were asked to film a series of interviews with their fellow sixth form students with the aim of constructing a media text titled: 'How to Survive the first half-term of the Sixth Form'. This exercise was not quite as successful as the previous week's task but was still a valuable creative experience. I will show students the results of the filming when we return to school.

Homework: Students must watch the film we created last week and consider how text can be used to anchor meaning. The film requires some form of text immediately after the final frame. The film will also be used as stimulus for a written response when we return to school so students must be familiar with how media forms are used to shape content.

Furthermore, I will soon be posting a podcast that will provide an overview of the work we have covered over the last six weeks. The podcast will be recorded on a boat anchored near Spurn Point. Honest.

Click on link below to access the Year 12 film:
http://vimeo.com/16121970

Beginner's guide to internet censorship: Clip from Good Magazine.

This You Tube clip provided by Good Magazine will allow Year 13 to access a coherent and succinct two minute overview of global internet censorship. Click on link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPAvg6CU6sI

YEAR 13 LESSON FIVE [Wed 13th Oct 10]: Homework.

Students were introduced to the topic of Media and Democracy. Students were made aware of how digital media was used to report the demonstrations in Iran after the Iranian election in June 2009. Students were also introduced to Wikileaks and the issues that relate to China and their attempt to control digital media. Furthermore, students were introduced to the views of Andrew Keen and Clay Shirky.

Homework: Watch the second episode of the BBC's The Virtual Revolution; especially the section that deals with China and the Estonia 'cyber war' incident. You must use the resources offered by fishymedia to develop an understanding of how Andrew Keen's views differ from the views of Clay Shirky.

Don't forget folks, we meet at 12.30 next week to begin filming the 'student fees' documentary.

Resources to aid research:

Click on link below to access article relating to China's Green Dam Project:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/02/china-green-dam

The project appears to be collapsing.Click on link below:
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/39235/

BBC news report on the Green Dam Project [July 2010]:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10614674

The Guardian reports on internet censorship in China:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/14/internet-censorship-china

The Guardian reports on the conflict between Google and the Chinese authorities:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2010/mar/22/google-china-live

Al-Jazeera report on internet censorship in China. Click on link below to access link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quaZi5sckwE

BBC article that offers China's defence of internet censorship:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8727647.stm

BBC Timeline of China's internet censorship:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8460129.stm

fishymedia's entry from July 2010 provides a series of resources that relate to Iran and the post-election demonstrations in 2009.
http://fishymediaresources.blogspot.com/2010/07/power-of-photograph-appropriate-for-a2.html

Resources relating to Wikileaks can be accessed via the link below:
http://fishymediaresources.blogspot.com/2010/07/wikileaksresources-relating-to-media.html

YEAR 12 LESSON FIVE [Tue 11th Oct 10]: Homework.

Students were asked to produce their first broadcast media of the year. The task was to produce footage that will be included in a [hybrid] documentary with the provisional title: 'HOW TO SURVIVE THE FIRST HALF-TERM OF THE JOINT SIXTH' aimed at next year's Year 12. Students were asked to produce footage that captured the energy and reality of the school. Students produced 90 minutes of footage which I will edit into a 3/4 minute film and present to the class on Tuesday. I will explain why I have included this footage and why I have cut other material. Some of the footage was superb. Big thanks to all students for approaching the task in a mature and enthusiastic manner.

Homework: On Tuesday we will be attempting to capture the interviews that will provide the core of the documentary. Students will be expected to consider the following questions: Which three words capture your experience of the sixth form? What advice would the girls provide for BHS students to prepare them for the BGS experience? Similarly, what advice would the boys offer BGS students to prepare them for the BHS sixth form experience? What CRUCIAL piece of advice would you offer a student to ensure that they survive the first half-term of their post-16 education?

I thought you lot were fantastic on Tuesday. Much appreciated.

Ta.

MLR.