PUPILS looking to a career in the media have come up short in a new exam.

Figures from the Scottish Qualifications Authority reveal four out of 10 candidates failed the National 5 exam in media studies – even though the pass mark has been lowered to 43pc.

And while success rates varied from subject to subject, the overall figure for National 5 was 81pc.

Some Scottish schools maintained that students who had been expected to pass the exam had failed while the SQA said it had “robust mechanisms” in place to ensure candidates were challenged at the right level.

The new National 4 and 5 qualifications were introduced this year in Scotland to replace Standard Grades.