Question 1

What is NCEA AS 91490 about?

Accepted Answer

You need to pick an aspect of a real media industry (like the New Zealand newspaper industry, Hollywood films, or global music streaming) and explain how and why that aspect operates. You'll need to show you understand the industry as a whole, not just one company, and explain the impact your chosen aspect has on the industry or society.

Question 2

What do students need to do for AS 91490?

Accepted Answer

1. Identify and clearly state the specific media industry you're discussing (e.g. the New Zealand television industry, not just 'the media') 2. Choose one clear aspect of that industry to focus on—such as technology, regulation, audience demand, market forces, or organisation—and stick with it throughout your essay 3. Explain how and why this aspect operates in the industry, using current examples and evidence from real sources 4. Analyse the impact your chosen aspect has on the industry and/or society (social, cultural, political, economic, technological impacts all count) 5. Use your chosen statement as an organising framework throughout your entire response, not just in the introduction or conclusion

Question 3

What's the difference between Achieved, Merit, and Excellence for AS 91490?

Accepted Answer

Achieved: You identify an aspect of a media industry and explain how/why it operates, with some basic evidence and understanding of the wider industry context. Merit: You explain how your chosen aspect clearly impacts the industry, apply a mix of primary and secondary evidence including statistics, and address the statement throughout with a developed thesis. Excellence: You provide a sophisticated argument that interrogates the complexities of the statement, use current and relevant examples that prove genuine understanding of the contemporary media landscape, and show flexibility in adapting your knowledge rather than relying on a pre-prepared essay structure.

Question 4

What mistakes do students typically make in AS 91490?

Accepted Answer

1. Writing a history of the industry instead of focusing on a specific, current aspect—students often spend too much time on historical background rather than analysing how the industry operates now 2. Focusing on a single company (like Netflix or one newspaper) instead of discussing the industry as a whole, which limits your ability to show understanding of how the industry actually operates 3. Using the statement only in your introduction or conclusion instead of using it as an organising framework throughout your essay—this weakens your argument and shows you haven't fully engaged with what the question is asking

Media industry

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