Index

The index, as you know, is a critical way of making sure you are keeping on top of the workload and not missing any topics or concepts.

1) Introduction to Media: 10 questions
2) Semiotics blog tasks - English analysis and Icon, Index, Symbol
3)Language: Reading an image - media codes 

4) Media consumption audit

5) Reception theory - advert analyses
6)Genre: Factsheets and genre study questions 
7)Narrative: Factsheet questions 

8)Audience: classification - psychographics presentation notes 

9)October assessment learner response
10)Audience theory 1 - Hypothermic needle/Two-step flow/U&G 
11)Audience theory 2 - The effects debate - Bandura, Cohen 
12)Industries: Ownership and Control 
13)Industries: Hesmondhalgh - The Cultural Industries

14)Industries: Public Service Broadcasting 

15)Industries: Regulation

Media regulation: blog tasks

Read the Factsheet and complete the following questions/tasks:

1) What is regulation and why do media industries need to be regulated?

Very few industries leave the organisations or companies who operate in that sector to their own devices. Systems of regulation are required to provide rules and regulations to ensure that organisations operate fairly. In the media industry there are several regulatory bodies that exist to monitor the way that their industries work. Broadcast media (TV and Radio) are regulated by OFCOM – the OFfice of COMmunication and the advertising industry is regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority. Newspapers are currently regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation, which replaced the discredited Press Press Complaints Comission in 2014. Although the purpose of these bodies have some similarities, they way they operate is quite different in order to suit the needs of the industry they regulate. Regulators also provide somebody for audiences to complain to if they see something they don’t like. If you are offended by a TV show, feel that an advert is making claims that are unrealistic or a newspaper has invaded your privacy, the regulator is somebody you can turn to to take up your complaint. However, how effectivy different regulators are in carrying out these functions is a source of constant debate. Regulators must provide a set of tough consequences for media organisations that break the rules, but they do also need to balance the interests of media producers and protect freedom of expression.

2) What is OFCOM responsible for?

The OFice of COMunication (OFCOM) is responsible for regulating television, radio, telephone services and some aspects of the internet, although the areas most relevent to media students are TV and radio. There are some areas that are not the responsibility of OFCOM, such as TV Advertising which is regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and On Demand services which are regulated by the Authority for Television On Demand. (ATVOD). OFCOM is responsible for granting licences to TV and Radio stations and it is illegal to broadcast TV or Radio signals without a licence from OFCOM.

3) Look at the section on the OFCOM broadcasting code. Which do you think are the three most important sections of the broadcasting code and why?

Section 5: Impartiality and Undue Prominence of Views and Opinions

Section 7: Fairness

Section 8: Privacy

4) Do you agree with OFCOM that Channel 4 was wrong to broadcast 'Wolverine' at 6.55pm on a Sunday evening? Why?

Yes, this is due under the section 1 which Channel 4 completely violate it. I agree because children would most likely be influenced by the mannerisms of the film and may disrupt their mental well being if watched at a young age.

5) List five of the sections in the old Press Complaints Commission's Code of Practice. 

Section 1: Accuracy

Section 2: Opportunity to Reply

Section 3: Privacy*

Section 4: Harassment*

Section 5: Intrusion Into Grief and Shock

6) Why was the Press Complaints Commission criticised?

It’s critics claim that the lack of statutory powers means that when a newspaper has been found to breah the rules, the best a victim can hope for is an apology, which often does not get sufficient prominence in the paper. Critics also argue that many newspapers seem to fly in the face of the rules on a pretty regular basis and that very little is done to stop them.

7) What was the Leveson enquiry and why was it set up?

Throughout 2011 and 2012, an inquiry into the “culture, practice and ethics of the press” was held, mainly as a result of the so-called phone hacking scandal. In January 2007, Clive Goodman (the royal reporter of the News of the World newspaer) and Glenn Mulcaire (a private investigator, employed by Goodman) were imprisoned for illegally intercepting phone calls connected to the royal family. At the time, the News of the World claimed that Goodman was a rogue reporter, working alone but it emerged during the Leveson Enquiry that phone hacking was much more widespread throughout the industry. The enquiry also looked at other areas of press behaviour that were considered questionable.

8) What was the PCC replaced with in 2014?

On 8th September 2014, the PCC was replaced by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). This new body (like the PCC) has been set up by the newspaper industry itself and it’s code of practice is essentially the same as the code administered by the PCC.

9) What is your opinion on press regulation? Is a free press an important part of living in a democracy or should newspapers face statutory regulation like TV and radio?

Opinions and views matter in regards to what the public reflect upon the media.

10) Why is the internet so difficult to regulate?

Excessive use of fake accounts to lie about ages.

Public service broadcasting: blog tasks

 Ofcom review of PSB in Britain

In 2020 Ofcom published its findings from a five year review of public service broadcasting in Britain. Read the introduction to their report - pages 3-7. You'll need your Greenford Google login to view the document.

1) Look at page 3. Why is it a critical time for public service broadcasting? 

Audience viewing habits continue to change rapidly and competition from global content providers is ever-increasing.

2) Read page 4. How has TV viewing changed in recent years? 

Live broadcast viewing has declined, as audiences increasingly choose to view content at a time that suits them on global online and on-demand content services.

3) Still on page 4, what aspects of PSB do audiences value and enjoy? 

The purposes and objectives of PSB. Trustworthy news and programmes that show different aspects of UK life and culture. 

4) Look at pages 4-5. Find and note down the statistics in this section on how much TV audiences tend to watch and how they watch it. 

Live broadcast viewing has declined, as audiences increasingly choose to view content at a time that suits them on global online and on-demand content services. 

People are watching the PSB channels less, as they are no longer the only or necessarily audiences’ preferred source of content.

There is an increasing number of young people who prefer global streaming services like Netflix and YouTube.

5) Read the section on page 5 discussing the importance of PSB. Again, find the statistics and explain the value of public service broadcasting in Britain.

Collectively, PSB channels provide audiences with approximately 32,000 hours of new UK content in a wide range of subjects, including news, current affairs, drama and children’s programmes.

6) Look at the section on commercial challenges. How have revenues fallen for PSB channels?

Significant growth in third-party funding, such as co-production, and increases in portfolio channel and online advertising has offset some of this decline.

7) Read page 6. What services increasingly play a role in our media lives in the digital age? 

Commercial broadcasters, like sky, on-demand services (Netflix) and SVoD services especially those ages 16-34.

Goldsmiths report on Public Service TV

Read this report from Goldsmiths University - A future for public service television: content and platforms in a digital world.

1) What does the report state has changed in the UK television market in the last 20 years?

The proliferation (rapid increase) of channels has reduced the market share of the public service broadcasters. New technology has facilitated on-demand access to television content, and created new services and platforms. Consumer behaviour has started to change rapidly, particularly amongst younger audiences.

2) Look at page 4. What are the principles that the report suggests need to be embedded in regulation of public service broadcasting in future?

In return for public service broadcasters meeting the obligations of their licences, their content should be guaranteed to be promoted on electronic programme guides. Retransmission fees should be paid by pay-tv platforms to public service television operators to address the current undervaluation of public service content by these distributors. Ofcom should replace its occasional reviews of public service broadcasting with a regular qualitative audit of public service content in order to ensure that audiences are being served with high-quality and diverse programming. Ofcom should continue to monitor the independent production sector and take action, where necessary. 

3) What does the report say about the BBC?

It is the most important part of the television ecology. The licence fee is vulnerable in the face of  changes in technology and consumption. It has failed to guarantee real independence and is charged at a flat rate. Believe that the BBC should be encouraged to pursue networked innovation, to embrace the internet and to develop a range of content and services for the online world. The BBC should continue to provide a mixture of programming in order to cater for a variety of audiences.

4) According to the report, how should the BBC be funded in future?

The licence fee should be replaced with a more progressive funding mechanism such as a tiered platform-neutral household fee, a supplement to Council Tax or funding via general taxation with appropriate parliamentary safeguards.

5) What does the report say about Channel 4?

Supports the independent production sector and airing content aimed specifically at diverse audiences. It has moved with the times but has cut programme spending. It has also largely abandoned arts programming and has been criticised for not doing enough for older children.  

6) How should Channel 4 operate in future?

Should not be privatised and that the government should clarify its view on Channel 4's future as soon as possible. Channel 4 should significantly increase its provision for older children and young adults and restore some of the arts programming that has been in decline in recent years.

7) Look at page 10 - new kids on the block. What does the report say about new digital content providers and their link to public service broadcasting?

Television with the characteristics of public service broadcasting now appears outside the public service system: from Sky and other commercial broadcasters, on subscription video-on-demand services such as Netflix and Amazon, and through the new Local TV services.

Final questions - YOUR opinion on public service broadcasting

1) Should the BBC retain its position as the UK’s public service broadcaster?

No, as the market may turn into a monopoly due to the BBC obtaining so much money that it can crowd out competition. 

2) Is there a role for the BBC in the 21st century digital world?

Yes, if they take away the licence fee and find a different way to fund themselves. They also need to make more use of newer technology in order to keep their audience interested.

3) Should the BBC funding model (licence fee) change? How?

-

Cultural Industries: blog task

 Cultural Industries: blog task

Go to our Media Factsheet archive and open Factsheet 168: David Hesmondhalgh’s ‘The Cultural Industries’. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets or you can access it online here using your Greenford Google login. 

Read the Factsheet and complete the following questions/tasks:

1) What does the term 'Cultural Industries' actually refer to?

The term ‘cultural industry’ refers to the creation, production, and distribution of products of a cultural or artistic nature. Cultural industries include television and film production, publishing, music, as well as crafts and design. You might also consider architecture, performance and visual arts, and advertising as part of a cultural industry. Cultural industries are seen as adding value to society and individuals. As they are often focused on intellectual property, the cultural industries are knowledge-based and require a large number of people in their production, therefore as an industry it will create employment and wealth. They are also a source of cultural diversity, innovation and creativity, thus will enhance economic performance.

2) What does Hesmondhalgh identify regarding the societies in which the cultural industries are highly profitable?

Hesmondhalgh identifies that the societies in which the cultural industries are highly profitable tend to be societies that support the conditions where large companies, and their political allies, make money. These conditions being: constant demand for new products; minimal regulation outside of general competition law; relative political and economic stability; work forces that are willing to work hard.

3) Why do some media products offer ideologies that challenge capitalism or inequalities in society?

This happens because the cultural industry companies need to continuously compete with each other to secure audience members. As such, companies outdo each other to try and satisfy audience desires for the shocking, profane or rebellious. There are also longstanding social expectations about what art and entertainment should do, and challenging the various institutions of society is one of those expectations.

4) Look at page 2 of the factsheet. What are the problems that Hesmondhalgh identifies with regards to the cultural industries?

Problems:

• Risky business

• Creativity versus commerce

• High production costs and low reproduction costs

• Semi-public goods; the need to create scarcity

5) Why are so many cultural industries a 'risky business' for the companies involved?

Risky business:

• Risk derives from the fact that audiences use cultural commodities in highly volatile and unpredictable ways – often in order to express the view that they are different from other people.

• Risk stems from consumption and is made worse by 2 factors: firstly, limited autonomy granted to symbol creators in the hope that they will create something original and distinctive; secondly, the cultural industry company is reliant on other cultural industry companies to make audiences aware of the existence of a new product or of the uses and pleasure that they might get from experiencing the product. Companies cannot completely control the publicity a product will receive, as judgements and reactions of audiences, critics and journalists etc. cannot accurately be predicted.

• Cultural industries can be highly profitable in spite of high levels of risk, but it may be difficult to achieve high levels of profit for independent or individual companies.

6) What is your opinion on the creativity v commerce debate? Should the media be all about profit or are media products a form of artistic expression that play an important role in society?

In my opinion, media products should be expressed as a form of artistic expression that play an important role in society however they are twisted with lies and lack opportunities into making credible profit.

7) How do cultural industry companies minimise their risks and maximise their profits? (Clue: your work on Industries - Ownership and control will help here) 

By owning other small companies that help their profit when they are themselves unable to provide the audience with content.

8) Do you agree that the way the cultural industries operate reflects the inequalities and injustices of wider society? Should the content creators, the creative minds behind media products, be better rewarded for their work?

I do agree with the question since many opportunists have very less regard i terms of what their production of work therefore they often quit and form their own brand which happens to succeed more drastically than their previous company.

9) Listen and read the transcript to the opening 9 minutes of the Freakonomics podcast - No Hollywood Ending for the Visual-Effects Industry. Why has the visual effects industry suffered despite the huge budgets for most Hollywood movies?

Several hundred visual effects artists had protested outside the Oscars, claiming their industry was being crushed by outside economic and political forces.

10) What is commodification? 

Hesmondhalgh discusses commodification in the cultural industries (turning everything into something that can be bought or sold).

He suggests this creates problems on both the consumption and production side. For the production side, he points to certain areas of the cultural industries where people are not fairly rewarded.

11) Do you agree with the argument that while there are a huge number of media texts created, they fail to reflect the diversity of people or opinion in wider society?

In some case. I do agree since not much credibility is shown towards the workers that are indeed behind media texts that are created.

12) How does Hesmondhalgh suggest the cultural industries have changed? Identify the three most significant developments and explain why you think they are the most important.

Artificial scarcity:

Cultural industry companies will limit or control release of texts and ensure the adequate availability of goods. Vertical integration is the primary method of creating artificial scarcity, however the following are also important:

• Advertising which controls or limits the relative importance of a product – how exclusive it is deemed to be.

• Copyright, which aims to limit or prevent people freely copying texts.

• Limiting access to the means of reproduction so that copying is not easy.

Formatting: stars, genre, serials:

Another way for the cultural industries to cope with high levels of risk in their sector is to minimise the chance of a miss by formatting their cultural products.

• Star system: associating the names of star writer, performers with a text. This involves considerable marketing efforts to break a new star or writer, or to continue to maintain the star’s aura. As this is costly, it is reserved for those cultural texts that are hoped to be big hits

• Genre: genre terms operate as labels that indicate to the audience what to expect from the text. Many cultural productions are promoted through the use of genre, as audiences will be familiar with the pleasures they can expect.

• Serial: the reliance on sequels and prequels – Hollywood is highly reliant on serials, the creation of a world or universe that can be  revisited repeatedly, in the hope for continued hits.

Loose control of symbol creators; tight control of distribution and marketing:

Symbol creators are granted creative autonomy within the production process. Managers assume that big hits and creation of new stars are as a result of originality. But this carries high levels of risk. To control these risks, there is tight control over the reproduction, distribution and marketing – what Hesmondhalgh calls circulation. This is often achieved through vertical integration.

These are the most important since they are primarily what bring the whole concept of the film/media industry.