AQA A Level Media Studies (7572) Past Papers 2026
Download free AQA A Level Media Studies 7572 past papers, mark schemes. 6 exam sessions from 2019–2026.
June 2024
Latest Session
6
Sessions
2019–2026
3
Question Papers
12
Mark Schemes
400% coverage
0
Inserts
4
Specimen Papers
Components & time pressure
Marks per minute shows how fast you have to work — the higher the number, the tighter the time pressure in that paper.
| Paper | Component | Marks | Duration | Marks / min | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | 7572/1 — Media Messages | 84 | 2h 0m | 0.70 | Moderate |
| Paper 2 | 7572/2 — Evolving Media | 84 | 2h 0m | 0.70 | Moderate |
Component structure extracted from 4 official AQA documents (2022–2023). Timings and mark totals are taken from the papers themselves.
Yearly Exam Sessions
Topical Past Papers
AQA Media Studies questions organised by specification topic — perfect for targeted revision.
How is AQA A Level Media Studies (7572) examined?
AQA A Level Media Studies is examined through 2 paper components. Understanding each component helps you allocate revision time effectively.
Paper 1
84 marks7572/1 — Media Messages
Duration: 2h 0m
Paper 2
84 marks7572/2 — Evolving Media
Duration: 2h 0m
What AQA examiners say about Media Studies
Verbatim quotes from 4 official AQA examiner reports (2022–2023). Every quote is attributable to a specific paper and session — these are the things AQA markers flag year after year.
Drifting onto representation when the question demands…
Some students unwittingly rehearsed question two by spending too much time on issues of representation. In addition, this focus often drew in unnecessary amounts of theory around Feminism and gender representation.
Failing to address the unseen text in the linked-text…
Disappointingly a relatively large number of students referred only to the CSP, Score and not to the unseen text.
Indiscriminate name-checking of theorists and…
Even here, though, theorists were often name-checked, although there's clearly not time (let alone need).
Most Common Mistakes — Media Studies (7572)
Based on analysis of 4 official AQA examiner reports (2022, 2023). Avoid these errors to maximise your marks.
Drifting onto representation when the question demands media language (or vice versa)
Paper 1 · June 2023, Paper 1 Q1
Failing to address the unseen text in the linked-text question
Paper 1 · June 2022 and June 2023, Paper 1 Q2
Indiscriminate name-checking of theorists and pre-prepared theory
Paper 1, Paper 2 · June 2022 and June 2023, Paper 1 and Paper 2
Misreading hyperreality / postmodern enabling ideas as 'unrealistic' or 'fantasy'
Paper 1 · June 2023, Paper 1 Q3
Misreading the question framework — answering an industry question with representation, or vice versa
Paper 2 · June 2023, Paper 2 Q3
Topics Students Struggle With Most
Hyperreality and Baudrillard's simulacra
On Paper 1 June 2023 Q3, 'there appeared to be few students who were comfortable dealing with hyper-realism in the way required by the question' and many produced lay readings of realism rather than simulacra and ideological significance.
Paper 1
Gilroy's double consciousness and the Black Atlantic
On Paper 1 June 2022 Q4, 'students who made most headway with the theoretical challenge offered by Paul Gilroy in the question were those who saw Double Consciousness... in the context of Gilroy's specific arguments about the Black Atlantic and the diaspora'.
Paper 1
Cultural imperialism (Section B knowledge term)
On Paper 1 June 2022 Q5.2 'remarkably few students were able to give a sufficient definition' of cultural imperialism, despite the report having flagged this as a mainstream rather than marginal enabling idea.
Paper 1
Vertical integration vs conglomeration
On Paper 1 June 2023 Q5.2 'inevitably some seemed to mix up vertical and horizontal integration' and 'it was more difficult to reward those students who confused vertical integration and conglomeration'.
Paper 1
Free press and media regulation
On Paper 1 June 2023 Q7 'some students interpreted the term free press to mean free (as in free of charge) newspapers' and 'many students had difficulty engaging in what is a fundamental discussion around media and democracy'.
Paper 1
Shirky's end-of-audience and prosumer theory
On Paper 2 June 2023 Q2 the only real issue was when 'students argued that the need to target an audience meant that the audience became a producer, dictating the content of the media' — a misreading of Shirky's actual claim.
Paper 2
Postcolonial theory and bell hooks's intersectionality
On Paper 2 June 2022 Q2 'weaker responses tended to display confusion about the theory as well as the wider issues of representation' and were unable to evaluate postcolonial theory's validity beyond simple description.
Paper 2
Distribution, consumption and peak TV (industry contexts of television CSPs)
On Paper 2 June 2023 Q3, the contexts question on television CSPs, 'this was the question where students did less well overall' because students answered with representation and audience response rather than the economics of distribution.
Paper 2
AQA A Level Media Studies (7572) — Full Archive 2019–2026
This page contains all 27 AQA A Level Media Studies (7572) past papers available for free download — 6 exam sessions from 2019 to 2026. Each session includes question papers (QP), mark schemes (MS), and where available, insert materials (INS). No registration or payment required.
AQA A Level Media Studies is graded A*–E. The A* grade requires achieving an A on the overall qualification and 90%+ on the A2 units. AQA is the UK's largest exam board, making these past papers the single most relevant resource for your revision.
AQA A Level Media Studies has no tiers — all students sit the same papers. Papers are split into components (Paper 1, Paper 2, etc.), each testing different areas of the specification. Focus on components where you score lowest to maximise grade improvement.
AQA mark schemes use a clear notation: M marks are for method (your working), A marks are for accuracy (correct answer), and B marks are awarded independently. Understanding this system helps you maximise marks even when you don't reach the final answer — showing clear working can earn method marks. After attempting each Media Studies past paper under timed conditions, mark it against the official scheme and categorise every dropped mark as a knowledge gap, method error, or misread question. Target your remaining revision at the category where you lose the most marks.
Media Studies 7572 at other levels
Questions, answered.
PapersDaddy provides 27 free AQA A Level Media Studies (7572) past papers from 2019–2026. Download question papers and mark schemes as PDF — no registration needed.
We have 27 papers across 6 exam sessions for AQA A Level Media Studies (7572). This includes question papers and mark schemes, plus 4 specimen papers.
AQA filenames follow the pattern AQA-[CODE]-[TYPE]-[SESSION]. For example, AQA-75721H-QP-JUN19 means: specification 7572, Paper 1, Higher tier, Question Paper, June 2019. QP = Question Paper, W-MS = Mark Scheme, INS = Insert, SQP = Specimen Question Paper.