Media debates — AS & A Level Media Studies (9607) questions by topic
Media debates questions offer a choice of essay topics, such as assessing the effectiveness of sanctions imposed by media regulators, analysing how media representations reflect power differences in society, or explaining why certain texts can be called postmodern. To what extent, explain, assess, analyse and how far are the top command words, and each essay must draw on one or more media forms referenced across your course of study.
Worth 15 marks each, this page gathers 30 real questions from papers set from 2023 to 2025. Because the reports repeatedly flag primary texts that are too old for the syllabus's recency rule, draft your essays and submit them for instant marking to check both your argument and your choice of contemporary examples before relying on them in the real exam.
What examiners look for
- A recurring criticism, repeated across multiple reports, is using primary texts older than approximately five years before the examination year, which the syllabus does not permit as primary examples.
- Strong answers engaged critically with up-to-date media issues, using contemporary case studies such as Barbie, the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements, or a 2020 IKEA advert.
- Reports praise essays that drew on subject-specific academic work, including theorists such as Barker, Livingstone, Petley, Baudrillard, Lyotard and Jameson, discussed and analysed rather than simply namechecked.
- The best responses took a sharper critical approach to regulatory bodies using well-sourced examples, and offered good discussion of the differing levels of media freedom across countries, including pressure from dictatorships.
May–June 2025, Paper 41
Media regulation EITHER 'Media regulation is in chaos.' To what extent do you agree with this statement? [15] This is one of three optional Section A questions; candidates answer…
Answer this question and get it marked →Postmodern media OR Explain the relationship between postmodern media texts and their audiences. [15] This is one of three optional Section A questions; candidates answer two…
Answer this question and get it marked →Power and the media OR Explain how the media use rhetoric to influence their audiences. [15] This is one of three optional Section A questions; candidates answer two questions…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 42
Media regulation EITHER Assess the effectiveness of the sanctions imposed by media regulators. [15] This is one of three optional Section A questions; candidates answer two…
Answer this question and get it marked →Postmodern media OR 'Postmodernism in the media is simply parody and pastiche.' To what extent do you agree with this statement? [15] This is one of three optional Section A…
Answer this question and get it marked →Power and the media OR Explain the relationship between the media and democracy. [15] This is one of three optional Section A questions; candidates answer two questions from…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2025, Paper 43
Media regulation EITHER Assess the effectiveness of the sanctions imposed by media regulators. [15] This is one of three optional Section A questions; candidates answer two…
Answer this question and get it marked →Postmodern media OR 'Postmodernism in the media is simply parody and pastiche.' To what extent do you agree with this statement? [15] This is one of three optional Section A…
Answer this question and get it marked →Power and the media OR Explain the relationship between the media and democracy. [15] This is one of three optional Section A questions; candidates answer two questions from…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2024, Paper 41
Media regulation Explain why media regulation is necessary. [15] This is one of three optional Section A questions; candidates answer two questions from Section A. Candidates…
Answer this question and get it marked →Postmodern media 'The postmodern media text requires a media-literate audience.' To what extent do you agree with this statement? [15] This is one of three optional Section A…
Answer this question and get it marked →Power and the media Evaluate the arguments for and against trusting the media. [15] This is one of three optional Section A questions; candidates answer two questions from Section…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2024, Paper 42
Media regulation 'Media regulation is just censorship by another name.' To what extent do you agree with this statement? [15] This is one of three optional Section A questions;…
Answer this question and get it marked →Postmodern media Explain why certain texts can be called postmodern. [15] This is one of three optional Section A questions; candidates answer two questions from Section A.…
Answer this question and get it marked →Power and the media Analyse the ways in which media representations reflect differences in power in society. [15] This is one of three optional Section A questions; candidates…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2024, Paper 43
Media regulation 'Media regulation is just censorship by another name.' To what extent do you agree with this statement? [15] This is one of three optional Section A questions;…
Answer this question and get it marked →Postmodern media Explain why certain texts can be called postmodern. [15] This is one of three optional Section A questions; candidates answer two questions from Section A.…
Answer this question and get it marked →Power and the media Analyse the ways in which media representations reflect differences in power in society. [15] This is one of three optional Section A questions; candidates…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2024, Paper 04
Media regulation Explain how media regulators are influenced by wider social issues. [15] This is one of three optional Section A questions; candidates answer two questions from…
Answer this question and get it marked →Postmodern media 'All contemporary media texts rely on the codes and conventions of postmodernism.' To what extent do you agree with this statement? [15] This is one of three…
Answer this question and get it marked →Power and the media Assess the extent to which public discourse is controlled by the media. [15] This is one of three optional Section A questions; candidates answer two questions…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 41
Media regulation Evaluate the benefits of media regulation. [15] This is one of three optional Section A questions; candidates answer two questions from Section A. Candidates…
Answer this question and get it marked →Postmodern media 'There is no difference between "high" and "low" culture in postmodern media.' To what extent do you agree with this statement? [15] This is one of three optional…
Answer this question and get it marked →Power and the media 'Now that everyone has a voice in the media, everyone has equal power to influence.' How far do you agree with this statement? [15] This is one of three…
Answer this question and get it marked →May–June 2023, Paper 42
Media regulation Assess the idea that media regulation is always designed to prevent harm. [15] This is one of three optional Section A questions; candidates answer two questions…
Answer this question and get it marked →Postmodern media 'The key characteristic of postmodern media is complexity.' To what extent do you agree with this statement? [15] This is one of three optional Section A…
Answer this question and get it marked →Power and the media 'Only a few people get to decide what is "true" in the media.' How far do you agree with this statement? [15] This is one of three optional Section A…
Answer this question and get it marked →October–November 2023, Paper 04
Media regulation 'Media regulation is getting more and more liberal.' How far do you agree with this statement? [15] This is one of three optional Section A questions; candidates…
Answer this question and get it marked →Postmodern media Analyse the relationship between postmodern media and realism. [15] This is one of three optional Section A questions; candidates answer two questions from…
Answer this question and get it marked →Power and the media 'Media institutions have to meet the demands of the consumer, rather than the other way around.' To what extent do you agree with this statement? [15] This is…
Answer this question and get it marked →Other AS & A Level Media Studies topics
- Media contexts (14)
- Media texts (11)
- Media ecology (10)