A LEVEL MEDIA STUDIES: Actual May 2025 PAST PAPER 1: Media Messages. All Assessment
Questions & Mark Scheme [OCR H409/01]
Exam Resource Summary
The A Level Media Studies May 2025 Paper 1: Media Messages (OCR H409/01) combines the full
official examination paper with its complete mark scheme to create a focused and accessible revision
resource. This paper assesses students’ understanding of how media products construct meaning, shape
representations, and reflect social, cultural, and historical contexts across formats such as newspapers,
magazines, advertising, and online media. By presenting each question alongside its marking criteria, the
resource offers clear guidance on analytical depth, theoretical application, and the structural expectations
required for higher-band responses. This integrated format supports efficient revision, self-evaluation, and
the development of strong critical and analytical skills, making it a valuable tool for preparing for the
May 2026 OCR A Level Media Studies Paper 1 examination.
Turn over
, 2
Section A
News
Study Sources A and B in the Resource Booklet.
1 Analyse the media language used in Source A and Source B in relation to political contexts.
Use Barthes’ theory of semiotics to support your answer. [10]
2* Source A and Source B cover the same news event from two different online news sources, one
from a left-wing broadsheet newspaper and one from a right-wing broadsheet newspaper.
How far do the representations in the sources convey values, attitudes and beliefs?
In your answer you must:
• explain how representations in news sources convey values, attitudes and beliefs
• analyse the representations in the sources
• make judgements and reach conclusions about how far the representations in the sources
convey values, attitudes and beliefs.
[15]
3 Explain how social contexts influence the production and circulation of print and/or online news.
Refer to The Guardian and the Daily Mail to support your answer. [10]
4 Evaluate the effectiveness of one of the following theories in understanding how audiences
interpret online news.
EITHER
• Bandura’s Media Effects theory
OR
• Shirky’s ‘End of Audience’ theory
[10]
© OCR 2025 H409/01 Jun25
, 3
Section B
Media Language and Representation
5 Study Source C in the Resource Booklet.
Explain how magazines represent issues, individuals and/or social groups through processes of
selection and combination.
Use Source C to support your answer. [10]
6 You should have studied two music videos: one from List A and one from List B below.
List A List B
Corinne Bailey Rae – Stop Where You Are Radiohead – Burn the Witch
Lil Nas X – SUN GOES DOWN Sufjan Stevens – Sugar
Emeli Sandé – Heaven David Guetta – Titanium
Analyse how effective the use of intertextuality is in creating meaning in both music videos you
have studied.
In your answer you must:
• analyse the media language in both music videos in relation to how intertextuality is used to
create meaning
• make judgements and draw conclusions about the effectiveness of the use of intertextuality.
[15]
END OF QUESTION PAPER
© OCR 2025 H409/01 Jun25
, GCE
Media Studies
H409/01: Media messages
A Level
Mark Scheme for June 2025
Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations
Questions & Mark Scheme [OCR H409/01]
Exam Resource Summary
The A Level Media Studies May 2025 Paper 1: Media Messages (OCR H409/01) combines the full
official examination paper with its complete mark scheme to create a focused and accessible revision
resource. This paper assesses students’ understanding of how media products construct meaning, shape
representations, and reflect social, cultural, and historical contexts across formats such as newspapers,
magazines, advertising, and online media. By presenting each question alongside its marking criteria, the
resource offers clear guidance on analytical depth, theoretical application, and the structural expectations
required for higher-band responses. This integrated format supports efficient revision, self-evaluation, and
the development of strong critical and analytical skills, making it a valuable tool for preparing for the
May 2026 OCR A Level Media Studies Paper 1 examination.
Turn over
, 2
Section A
News
Study Sources A and B in the Resource Booklet.
1 Analyse the media language used in Source A and Source B in relation to political contexts.
Use Barthes’ theory of semiotics to support your answer. [10]
2* Source A and Source B cover the same news event from two different online news sources, one
from a left-wing broadsheet newspaper and one from a right-wing broadsheet newspaper.
How far do the representations in the sources convey values, attitudes and beliefs?
In your answer you must:
• explain how representations in news sources convey values, attitudes and beliefs
• analyse the representations in the sources
• make judgements and reach conclusions about how far the representations in the sources
convey values, attitudes and beliefs.
[15]
3 Explain how social contexts influence the production and circulation of print and/or online news.
Refer to The Guardian and the Daily Mail to support your answer. [10]
4 Evaluate the effectiveness of one of the following theories in understanding how audiences
interpret online news.
EITHER
• Bandura’s Media Effects theory
OR
• Shirky’s ‘End of Audience’ theory
[10]
© OCR 2025 H409/01 Jun25
, 3
Section B
Media Language and Representation
5 Study Source C in the Resource Booklet.
Explain how magazines represent issues, individuals and/or social groups through processes of
selection and combination.
Use Source C to support your answer. [10]
6 You should have studied two music videos: one from List A and one from List B below.
List A List B
Corinne Bailey Rae – Stop Where You Are Radiohead – Burn the Witch
Lil Nas X – SUN GOES DOWN Sufjan Stevens – Sugar
Emeli Sandé – Heaven David Guetta – Titanium
Analyse how effective the use of intertextuality is in creating meaning in both music videos you
have studied.
In your answer you must:
• analyse the media language in both music videos in relation to how intertextuality is used to
create meaning
• make judgements and draw conclusions about the effectiveness of the use of intertextuality.
[15]
END OF QUESTION PAPER
© OCR 2025 H409/01 Jun25
, GCE
Media Studies
H409/01: Media messages
A Level
Mark Scheme for June 2025
Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations
