📚 AS Cambridge Media 2026 Exam Changes and Trends | AS剑桥媒体研究：2026年考试变化与趋势
As the Cambridge International AS Media Studies (9607) syllabus reaches its final examination session in 2026, students and educators are keenly aware of the subtle but significant shifts in assessment style, content emphasis and the broader media landscape. This article maps out the key changes and emerging trends to help learners tackle the 2026 exams with confidence.
随着剑桥国际AS媒体研究（9607）教学大纲进入2026年最后一次考试周期，学生和教师都敏锐地察觉到评估风格、内容重点以及更广泛媒体格局中微妙而重大的变化。本文梳理了关键变化和新兴趋势，帮助学习者自信应对2026年考试。
1. Syllabus Overview for 2024–2026 | 2024–2026教学大纲概览
The Cambridge International AS Level Media Studies syllabus (9607) for examination in 2024, 2025 and 2026 builds on a tradition of critical engagement with media, but introduces refreshed content and assessment criteria. The syllabus is structured around two compulsory components: Component 1 - Foundation Portfolio (coursework, 50%) and Component 2 - Media Texts and Contexts (written examination, 50%).
剑桥国际AS级媒体研究教学大纲（9607）适用于2024、2025和2026年考试，它继承了批判性媒体参与的传统，但引入了更新内容和评估标准。该大纲围绕两个必修部分构建：组件1 - 基础作品集（课程作业，占50%）和组件2 - 媒体文本与语境（笔试，占50%）。
While the overall framework remains stable, the 2024–2026 cycle marks a deliberate pivot towards digital convergence, global media flows, and the ethical challenges of an always-online culture. For the 2026 exam, learners must be prepared to analyse media texts from both legacy and new media, demonstrating an understanding of how production, distribution and consumption are intertwined in the twenty-first century.
虽然整体框架保持稳定，但2024–2026周期标志着有意识地向数字融合、全球媒体流动以及永远在线文化的伦理挑战倾斜。对于2026年考试，学习者必须准备好分析来自传统媒体和新媒体的文本，展示他们对二十一世纪生产、发行和消费如何交织在一起的理解。
2. Changes in Assessment Structure | 评估结构变化
Component 1 remains a coursework portfolio, but the 2024–2026 syllabus mandates a cross-media production that includes an audio-visual or print element alongside an online platform, supported by a Statement of Intent and research evidence. This change demands that candidates show integrated production skills and self-reflective evaluation.
组件1仍然是课程作品集，但2024–2026大纲要求必须提交一项跨媒体制作，其中包含视听或印刷元素以及一个在线平台，并附上意图声明和研究证据。这一变化要求考生展示综合制作技能和自我反思性评估。
Component 2 is a 2-hour exam now consistently divided into two sections. Section A requires a close analysis of an unseen media text, which could be a moving image extract, a print advertisement or a digital interface. Section B comprises a choice of two extended essay questions on a pre-set topic, which changes annually. In 2026, the pre-set topic will likely focus on contemporary issues such as 'Media and Power' or 'Media Ecology', directly testing candidates' ability to synthesise theory, context and academic debate.
组件2是一场2小时的笔试，现在固定分为两个部分。A部分要求对一个未见过的媒体文本进行细致分析，文本可能是动态影像片段、平面广告或数字界面。B部分包含两道论述题选一，基于一个每年变化的预设主题。2026年预设主题很可能聚焦于诸如 "媒体与权力" 或 "媒体生态" 等当代议题，直接考查考生综合理论、语境和学术辩论的能力。
The assessment objectives have been recalibrated to give greater weight to AO2 (Analysis and Evaluation) and AO3 (Research and Production Skills), while AO1 (Knowledge and Understanding) remains foundational. This signals a move away from simple recall towards higher-order critical thinking.
评估目标经过重新校准，赋予AO2（分析与评估）和AO3（研究与制作技能）更大权重，而AO1（知识理解）仍是基础。这表明考试从简单记忆转向更高层次的批判性思维。
3. Updated Portfolio Requirements | 作品集要求更新
The Foundation Portfolio now explicitly requires learners to produce a cross-media product, such as a short film sequence plus its social media campaign, or a magazine cover coupled with a companion website. The Statement of Intent must outline the target audience, brand identity and theoretical rationale, while the creative critical reflection should demonstrate how decisions were shaped by feedback and research into real media institutions.
基础作品集现在明确要求学习者制作跨媒体产品，例如一段短片序列加上其社交媒体宣传活动，或杂志封面搭配配套网站。意图声明必须概述目标受众、品牌认同和理论依据，而创意批判反思则应展示决策是如何根据反馈和对真实媒体机构的研究形成的。
For the 2026 submission, candidates are strongly advised to embed evidence of audience testing, digital analytics (even simulated) and iterative design. The use of industry-standard software and a clear understanding of convergence are rewarded. Portfolios that merely replicate traditional formats without a digital dimension risk falling short of the new standards.
对于2026年提交的作品，强烈建议考生嵌入受众测试、数字分析（即使是模拟的）和迭代设计的证据。使用行业标准软件和对融合的清晰理解会获得加分。仅仅复制传统格式而缺乏数字维度的作品集可能达不到新标准。
4. Shifts in Examination Focus | 考试重点转移
The 2026 exam paper will continue to prioritise the analysis of media language, representation, audience and institution, but with a sharper lens on ideology and power relations. Section A unseen texts are increasingly drawn from viral social media content, streaming platform interfaces or interactive news stories, forcing students to apply semiotic and narrative theory to ever-changing formats.
2026年试卷将继续优先考查媒体语言、表征、受众和机构，但对意识形态和权力关系的审视更为锐利。A部分的未见文本越来越多地来自病毒式社交媒体内容、流媒体平台界面或互动新闻报道，迫使学生将符号学和叙事理论应用于不断变化的格式。
Section B essays now routinely ask candidates to debate issues such as the impact of algorithms on cultural consumption, the role of citizen journalism in democratic processes, or the tension between global media conglomerates and local identities. The shift rewards students who can move beyond textbook definitions and engage with up-to-date case studies and critical perspectives.
B部分论文现在经常要求考生辩论诸如算法对文化消费的影响、公民新闻在民主进程中的作用，或全球媒体集团与本地身份之间的张力等议题。这一转变奖励那些能够超越课本定义、接触最新案例研究和批判视角的学生。
5. Digital and Convergent Media | 数字化与融合媒体
One of the most significant trends is the integration of digital convergence into every aspect of the syllabus. Henry Jenkins' concept of "convergence culture" – where old and new media collide, and grassroots and corporate media intersect – is now a core framework. Students must analyse how a television drama unfolds across broadcast, social media, and fan forums, or how a news story is remediated through citizen videos, memes and official reports.
最显著的趋势之一是数字融合已融入大纲的方方面面。亨利·詹金斯（Henry Jenkins）的 "融合文化" 概念——旧媒体与新媒体碰撞、草根媒体与企业媒体交汇——如今成为核心框架。学生必须分析一部电视剧如何通过广播、社交媒体和粉丝论坛展开，或一则新闻故事如何通过公民视频、模因和官方报道进行再媒介化。
Platformisation is another keyword for 2026, as TikTok, YouTube and Spotify reshape distribution and monetisation. Exam questions may require candidates to discuss how platform algorithms influence the visibility of independent creators versus major studios, linking to theories of gatekeeping and cultural industry.
平台化是2026年的另一个关键词，因为TikTok、YouTube和Spotify重塑了发行和盈利模式。考题可能要求考生讨论平台算法如何影响独立创作者与大型制作公司的可见度，并结合把关理论和文化工业理论进行分析。
6. Audiences and Participatory Culture | 受众与参与文化
The passive audience model has long been replaced by active, produsage-oriented frameworks, and the 2026 syllabus fully embraces participatory culture. Learners are expected to apply reception theory, fandom studies and David Gauntlett's notion of "making is connecting" to contemporary media phenomena, from fan edits and reaction videos to collaborative wiki entries.
被动受众模型早已被主动的、以生产性使用为导向的框架取代，2026年大纲全面拥抱参与文化。学习者要能将接收理论、粉丝研究和戴维·冈特莱特（David Gauntlett） "制作即连接" 的理念应用于当代媒体现象，从粉丝剪辑、反应视频到协作式维基条目。
This trend also intersects with ethical questions: how much power do audiences really hold when their contributions are monetised by platforms? The 2026 exam could invite critical debate on the blurring line between consumer and producer, encouraging students to reference scholars like Christian Fuchs and his critique of digital labour.
这一趋势还与伦理问题交织：当受众的贡献被平台货币化时，他们真正拥有多少权力？2026年考试可能引发关于消费者与生产者界限模糊的批判性辩论，鼓励学生引用克里斯蒂安·福克斯（Christian Fuchs）等学者及其对数字劳动的批判。
7. Global and Local Media Contexts | 全球与本地媒体语境
Glocalisation – the interplay of global and local forces – has become a key perspective in media studies. The 2026 syllabus demands that candidates explore how transnational media corporations adapt content for regional markets (e.g. Netflix producing local-language originals) and how local media can resist or rework global formats. The tension between cultural homogenisation and heterogenisation provides rich essay territory.
全球在地化——全球与本地力量的相互作用——已成为媒体研究的关键视角。2026年大纲要求考生探讨跨国媒体公司如何为区域市场调整内容（例如Netflix制作本地语言原创剧），以及本地媒体如何抵制或改造全球格式。文化同质化与异质化之间的张力提供了丰富的论文论证空间。
Case studies from Bollywood, Nollywood and K-pop illustrate how non-Western media industries are shaping global tastes. Exam questions might require an analysis of how a K-pop group's music video constructs a hybrid identity or how a local news outlet uses WhatsApp to distribute information in a diasporic community.
来自宝莱坞、瑙莱坞和K-pop的案例研究表明非西方媒体产业如何塑造全球品味。考题可能要求分析一个K-pop团体音乐视频如何构建混合身份，或本地新闻媒体如何利用WhatsApp在侨民社区中传播信息。
8. Media Ethics and Regulation | 媒体伦理与监管
In an era of misinformation and algorithmic bias, media ethics has moved to the centre of the exam. The 2026 session will test students on regulatory bodies such as Ofcom and IPSO in the UK, or equivalent international bodies, but also on the limitations of self-regulation in digital spaces. Concepts like "fake news", filter bubbles and the attention economy are likely to appear in Section B prompts.
在错误信息和算法偏见时代，媒体伦理已走向考试中心。2026年考试将考查学生对英国Ofcom、IPSO等监管机构或相应国际机构的了解，同时也考查数字空间中自我监管的局限性。如 "假新闻"、过滤气泡和注意力经济等概念可能出现在B部分的题目中。
Data privacy and the ethical use of artificial intelligence in content creation are emerging topics. For example, discussions around deepfakes and synthetic media invite application of both philosophical frameworks (utilitarianism, deontology) and media-specific codes of conduct, rewarding students who can bridge ethics and media theory.
数据隐私和人工智能在内容创作中的伦理使用是新兴议题。例如，围绕深度伪造和合成媒体的讨论，需要运用哲学框架（功利主义、义务论）及媒体特定行为准则，能够连接伦理和媒体理论的学生将获得加分。
9. Data Analytics and AI Impact | 数据分析与人工智能影响
Algorithms are no longer just technical background processes; they are central to media distribution, personalisation and even storytelling. The 2026 syllabus encourages students to analyse how data analytics drive recommendation systems on YouTube or Netflix, linking to Stuart Hall's encoding/decoding model or the uses and gratifications approach.
算法不再仅仅是技术后台进程；它们是媒体分发、个性化甚至叙事的核心。2026年大纲鼓励学生分析数据分析如何驱动YouTube或Netflix的推荐系统，并将其与斯图亚特·霍尔（Stuart Hall）的编码/解码模型或使用与满足理论联系起来。
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney raise new questions about authorship, creativity and intellectual property. Although AS Media Studies does not require technical expertise, an awareness of how AI-generated content challenges traditional media categories will set high-achieving candidates apart, especially when discussing the future of media industries.
像ChatGPT和Midjourney这样的生成式AI工具引发了关于作者身份、创意和知识产权的新问题。虽然AS媒体研究不要求技术专长，但意识到AI生成内容如何挑战传统媒体类别，将使优秀考生脱颖而出，尤其是在讨论媒体产业未来时。
10. Applying Key Theories | 关键理论应用
Propp's narrative functions, Todorov's equilibrium model, Barthes' enigma and action codes, and Levi-Strauss' binary oppositions remain staple tools for textual analysis. However, the 2026 exam expects sophisticated application – for instance, showing how interactive narratives on streaming platforms disrupt Todorov's linear structure, or how binary oppositions in advertising reinforce dominant ideologies.
普罗普的叙事功能、托多洛夫的平衡模式、巴尔特的谜码与行动码，以及列维-斯特劳斯的二元对立仍是文本分析的基本工具。然而，2026年考试期望高水平的应用——例如展示流媒体平台上的互动叙事如何打破托多洛夫的线性结构，或广告中的二元对立如何强化主导意识形态。
Furthermore, feminist, postcolonial and queer theoretical lenses are increasingly valued. Students who can unpack representation of gender, race and sexuality using bell hooks' "oppositional gaze" or Judith Butler's performativity will demonstrate the critical independence that examiners seek. The syllabus no longer treats these as niche options but as integral to a full analysis.
此外，女权主义、后殖民和酷儿理论视角越来越受重视。能够运用贝尔·胡克斯（bell hooks）的 "对抗性凝视" 或朱迪斯·巴特勒（Judith Butler）的操演性来解构性别、种族和性向表征的学生，将展现出考官所寻求的批判独立性。大纲不再将这些视为小众选项，而是视为全面分析不可或缺的部分。
11. Trends in Exam Preparation | 备考策略趋势
With the increased emphasis on analysis and evaluation, rote memorisation of case studies is no longer sufficient. Successful candidates in 2026 will build a curated media journal throughout the course, collecting contemporary examples with diverse ownership, platform and genre. Timed essay practice that integrates theory with real-world contexts will be crucial for the high-stakes Section B.
随着对分析与评估的重视程度提高，死记硬背案例研究已远远不够。2026年成功的考生将在整个课程期间构建一份精心策划的媒体日志，收集具有不同所有权、平台和类型的当代案例。在计时条件下进行结合理论与真实语境的论文练习，对高风险的B部分至关重要。
Peer discussion and active deconstruction of viral content, news routines and platform updates form an effective revision strategy. Digital literacy – including basic understanding of SEO, data tracking and copyright – should be woven into portfolio work and exam answers, reflecting the professional media environment that the syllabus now mirrors.
同伴讨论以及对病毒内容、新闻常规和平台更新的积极解构形成有效的复习策略。数字素养——包括对搜索引擎优化、数据追踪和版权的基本理解——应融入作品集和考试答案，反映大纲所映射的专业媒体环境。
12. Looking Ahead | 展望未来
While 2026 marks the culmination of the current 9607 syllabus, the skills developed – critical thinking, cross-media production and ethical reasoning – will remain central to any future iteration of Cambridge Media Studies. Emerging trends such as immersive media (AR/VR), blockchain in content verification and the creator economy point to the trajectory of the subject.
尽管2026年是当前9607大纲的终点，但所培养的技能——批判性思维、跨媒体制作和伦理推理——将始终是未来剑桥媒体研究任何版本的核心。沉浸式媒体（AR/VR）、内容验证中的区块链以及创作者经济等新兴趋势指明了该学科的发展方向。
Learners who embrace the 2026 changes as an opportunity to engage deeply with the media that shape their lives will not only excel in the exam but also become informed, empowered participants in an ever-evolving digital world. The foundational knowledge from this course will prove indispensable regardless of syllabus updates.
将2026年变化视为深入参与塑造自身生活的媒体之机会的学习者，不仅能在考试中脱颖而出，还能成为这个不断发展变化的数字世界中知情且有能力的参与者。不论大纲如何更新，这门课程的基础知识都将不可或缺。
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