Mini-Lesson

Media

This mini-lesson covers the sociology of the media: media forms, ownership and control, how the media influence audiences, media representations and stereotyping, and moral panics.

Work through each screen, answer the questions as you go and collect ⭐ stars. Some questions are multiple-choice, some are sort-and-match games, and a few use simple research-methods maths (percentages and sample figures). Press Start when you're ready.

Media · basics

Old & new media

Traditional media — TV, radio, newspapers. New media — the internet and social media (interactive, global).
The media are an important agency of secondary socialisation.

Spec note (please read): Media is not a topic in the current Cambridge IGCSE 0495 syllabus (2025–2027), whose topics are Research methods, Identity, Social inequality, Family, Education and Crime/deviance. Media appeared in earlier versions of the course. This lesson teaches the sociology of the media as useful, board-general content. Check the current 0495 syllabus for what is examinable.

Quick check

Media & socialisation

?The media shape our norms, values and views. This makes the media an agency of…

Media · influence

How the media affect audiences

Hypodermic syringe model — media 'inject' messages into a passive audience.
Uses and gratifications — audiences actively choose media for their own needs.
Debate about media effects (e.g. on violence) is contested.

Sort it

Sort the model

Tap a statement, then whether it fits a passive or active view of the audience (or applies to both debates).

🔁 Part of both debates

💉 Passive audience

🎮 Active audience

Quick check

Media model

?Which model claims the media directly 'inject' messages into a passive audience?

Media · representation

Representations & stereotypes

The media represent groups (by gender, ethnicity, age, class) — sometimes as stereotypes.
Feminists note the media may reinforce traditional gender roles.
Gatekeeping and agenda-setting shape what counts as 'news'.

Calculate

Your turn — percentage

✎In a survey of 200 viewers who noticed a stereotype, 90 agreed with a statement. What percentage agreed? Give a whole number.

%

Hint: percentage = (part ÷ whole) × 100 = (90 ÷ 200) × 100.

Media · moral panics

Moral panics & deviance amplification

A moral panic is an exaggerated media reaction to a group seen as a threat (linked to Stanley Cohen's work on 'folk devils').
The reaction can cause deviancy amplification — making the behaviour worse.

Calculate

Your turn — percentage change

✎A news-coverage index rose from 40 to 58 over ten years. Calculate the percentage increase. Give a whole number.

%

Hint: % change = (change ÷ start) × 100 = ((58 − 40) ÷ 40) × 100.

Match it

Match the term to its meaning

Tap a term, then its meaning.

Statement

Answer

Calculate

Your turn — response rate

✎A researcher posts 500 questionnaires and 300 are completed and returned. Calculate the response rate as a percentage. Give a whole number.

%

Hint: response rate = (returned ÷ sent) × 100 = (300 ÷ 500) × 100.

Calculate

Your turn — percentage

✎In a survey of 250 respondents who agreed the media influenced them, 175 agreed with a statement. What percentage agreed? Give a whole number.

%

Hint: percentage = (part ÷ whole) × 100 = (175 ÷ 250) × 100.

Quick check

Moral panic

?An exaggerated media reaction to a group treated as 'folk devils' is a…

Calculate

Your turn — sample size

✎A sampling frame lists 600 people. The researcher takes a one-in-four (1/4) sample. How many people are in the sample?

people

Hint: sample = 600 × 0.25.

Quick check

Ownership

?The concern that a few powerful owners control much of the media relates to…

Recap

Media — the big ideas

Forms: traditional vs new media; media as secondary socialisation

Influence: hypodermic syringe (passive) vs uses & gratifications (active)

Representation: stereotypes; gatekeeping; agenda-setting

Moral panics: folk devils → deviancy amplification (Cohen)

You've covered the sociology of the media. Press Finish.

🏆

Mini-lesson complete!

⭐⭐⭐

You've worked through Media for Cambridge IGCSE Sociology (0495). 🎉

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