GCSE Media Studies AQA

Close Study Products (CSPs)

Understanding Close Study Products (CSPs)

• Close Study Products (CSPs) are specific examples of media that help to deepen your understanding of the media industry.
• You will study a range of CSPs that span different media sectors — including broadcasting, print, and digital.
• The main focus is to understand how these products are created to reach and engage audiences.

Analysing CSPs

• It's important to dissect each CSP to examine how different elements like camera angles, lighting, and sound are used to create meaning.
• Undertake a detailed investigation into the narrative structure and character development within CSPs.
• Remember that analysis extends beyond textual features — pay attention to elements like the mode of production, dissemination, and regulatory considerations.

Cultural and Social Contexts of CSPs

• CSPs are not created in a vacuum. They usually reflect or respond to the wider culture and society in which they are formed.
• When studying a CSP, consider its cultural, social, geographical, and historical contexts.
• Different audiences may interpret and respond to the same CSP in different ways, depending on their own context.

Representation in CSPs

• Consider representation — how people, places, events and issues are portrayed — when studying a CSP.
• Think about whether the CSP delivers a stereotypical portrayal of these elements or seeks to challenge these stereotypes.
• Decode how combinations of media language contribute to representation.

Audience Interpretation of CSPs

• It's useful to consider how various audiences might interpret a CSP. This includes responses, emotional engagement, and possibly the intended effect on the audience.
• Think about how factors such as platform, mode of address, and technical aspects might influence audience interpretation.
• Reflect on your own interpretation of the CSP as well as potential audience responses; consider diversity in interpretation and the role played by personal experiences and worldview.

CSPs and the Wider Media Landscape

• Remember to place each CSP in the context of the wider media landscape.
• Explore the conventions of the medium and the genre to which the CSP belongs.
• Investigate its position in the marketplace, its competitors, and how it seeks to differentiate itself. If possible, also consider the CSP's commercial performance and reception.

Knowledge and understanding of these key points will strengthen your ability to engage critically with CSPs. Always apply key media concepts — media language, representation, audience, institution — to your analysis.