COM3703 Assignment 1 Semester 2 2024 | Due August 2024

COM3703 Assignment 1 Semester 2 2024 | Due August 2024. All questions answered with references. 1 INTRODUCTION (5) In the introduction, you should clearly identify/indicate what you will discuss in the assignment and also how your assignment is going to be structured. You should refer to all four themes/study units that you are covering in your assignment, as well as the particular topics within the theme on which you will answer questions. Furthermore, if you are using any media texts as examples in your answers to some of the questions, you need to identify those media texts by name/title in the introduction. The introduction should ideally be a paragraph of approximately eight sentences and not more than half a page. 2 MEDIA, LANGUAGE AND DISCOURSE (20) 2.1 Define and discuss the following concepts and provide examples of each: 2.1.1 Text (3 marks for the definition and discussion and 1 mark for the relevant example). (4) [25% deduction for not referencing sources] 2.1.2 Discourse or discursive practice (3 marks for the definition and discussion and 2 marks for relevant examples). (5) [25% deduction for not referencing sources] 2.1.3 Orders of discourse (3 marks for the definition and discussion and 1 mark for the relevant example). (4) [25% deduction for not referencing sources] 2.2 Critically discuss the role of language in society (4) [25% deduction for not referencing sources] 2.3 Explain the concept of polysemy with relevant examples. (3) [25% deduction for not referencing sources] 3 FILM THEORY AND CRITICISM (20) 3.1 Explain the difference between normative and descriptive film theory. (2) [25% deduction for not referencing sources] 3.2 Explain the difference between classical and revisionist film historiography. (2) [25% deduction for not referencing sources] 3.3 Discuss why revisionist film historiography is particularly relevant to the South African or postcolonial or de-colonial context. If you disagree, please explain why. (1) 3.4 Auteur theory Choose one director and, by using visual and theoretical information, explain in an essay why the person you have chosen may be considered an auteur. Use the principles of the auteur theory to substantiate your argument. The author/director of your choice may be, for example, a film, television or music video director. You must choose at least three (3) examples of your chosen director’s work to substantiate your discussion. PLEASE NOTE: You may not use Wes Anderson as your selected auteur, because his work will be discussed as an example of auteurism in the semester. 3.4.1 Theoretical discussion (5) In this section, you need to give an extensive overview of auteur theory. Concepts that need to be discussed include: • the main ideas and history of this particular theory (i.e. who were the main theorists responsible for the ideas on auteurism and how did the theory develop?) • the characteristics that make a director an auteur. 3.4.2 Application to visual examples (10) In this section, you will apply the theory that you discussed in the previous question to the three (3) visual examples (films, television programmes, music videos) of your chosen director. You will have to illustrate why your chosen director is indeed an example of an auteur by identifying the various characteristics that make a director an auteur in the visual examples directed by him/her. For this reason, it is important that you truly grasp the relevant theory and that you choose an appropriate director. We do not want a detailed description of the plot or story of your film (or television programme or music video) but rather an eloquent discussion of relevant scenes or elements to illustrate that you can apply the theory to appropriate visual examples. 4 QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEYS IN MEDIA RESEARCH (20) IEC is concerned that most South African university students no longer trust the media to provide objective news especially when covering political news. Old South African news media companies such as SABC, ETV and several newspapers note that most people trust social media platforms and influencers over media companies. You have been asked to conduct a study in order to find out the extent to which South Africans trust media companies and also to find out which media platforms they use for news. You have also been asked to investigate South African audiences’ opinions on SABC coverage of the 2024 elections. 4.1 Formulate two research questions appropriate for the scenario above. (4) 4.2 Describe the target population and the accessible population for the study. (4) [25% deduction for not referencing sources] 4.3 Describe the sampling strategy that you would use to ensure all South African class and gender groups are represented in your sample and motivate your choice. (4) [25% deduction for not referencing sources] 4.4 Describe the following types of closed-ended questions and substantiate your discussion with examples: 4.4.1 Multi-choice questions (2) 4.4.2 Checklist questions (2) 4.4.3 Rank order questions (2) 4.4.4 Likert-Type scales (2) 5 MEASURING MEDIA AUDIENCES (20) You have been asked by the leader of a new political party to design a political campaign to win the votes of individuals in rural areas and townships, as well as individuals in middle-class suburban areas. That is you have to group your audience into three groups: individuals living in rural areas, individuals living in townships and individuals living in middle-class suburban areas. 5.1 State why the measurement of media audiences is important when designing political campaigns. (2) [25% deduction for not referencing sources] 5.2 Critically discuss the following concepts that are fundamental to audience measurement: 5.2.1 Watching, listening, reading, and/or visiting. (3) [25% deduction for not referencing sources] 5.2.2 Coverage or reach. (2) [25% deduction for not referencing sources] 5.2 Describe which SU-LSM and MGM groups each of the groups in the scenario belong to and motivate your choice. (3) [25% deduction for not referencing sources] 5.3 Describe the media you will use to target each of the three groups above and motivate your choice. (3) 5.4 State the promises you will make to each of these three groups and motivate your choice. (3) 5.5 You have also been asked to design a campaign targeting social media users, but you have to first find out which age groups, SU-LSMs use the internet in South Africa, their political views and attitudes towards elections. 5.5.1 Describe the research instrument you will use to collect the above data and motivate your choice. (4) [25% deduction for not referencing sources] 6 CONCLUSION (5) Here you will present a summary of the contents of your assignment as a conclusion. The conclusion should mirror your introduction and you should never include new information or theory in your conclusion. Once again, you will refer to all the themes discussed in the assignment and refer back to media examples that you might have used for analysis, et cetera. The conclusion should ideally consist of a paragraph of approximately eight sentences and not be more than half a page long.