'Industries: Ownership and control'

 1) Type up your research notes from the lesson - what did you find out about your allocated media conglomerate? Selection of companies: Alphabet, The Walt Disney Company, National Amusements, Meta, News Corp, Time Warner, Comcast. If you were absent or didn't have time in the lesson to make these notes, research any one of the companies above and find examples of all the terminology outlined in the notes at the start of this blogpost.

2) Do you agree that governments should prevent media conglomerates from becoming too dominant? Write an argument that looks at both sides of this debate.

A media conglomerate, or media group, is a company that owns numerous companies involved in creating mass media products such as print, television, radio, movies or online.  I do believe that  media conglomerates are becoming too dominant and will carry on to do so. For example, TV plays a major role in many peoples lives.

Media Magazine reading and questions

Media Magazine 52 has a good feature on the changing relationship between audiences and institutions in the digital age. Go to our Media Magazine archive, click on MM52 and scroll to page 9 to read the article 'Two Key Concepts: The Relationship Between Audience and Institution'.

1) Briefly describe the production, promotion and distribution process for media companies.

The production process provides audiences with the media products they want. The promotion process researches and identifies the target audience for the product, and uses advertising and marketing strategies to inform and persuade them of the value of the media product. The distribution process uses the most appropriate methods forgetting the product to the audience and making it as easy as possible for them to access it.

2) What are the different funding models for media institutions?

Different institutions have different models of income generation, as shown in the chart below.

For example: Because the BBC is funded by a licence fee and it has a public service remit, it is more likely to screen

3) The article gives a lot of examples of major media brands and companies. Choose three examples from the article and summarise what the writer is saying about each of them. 

ITV relies on income generated by advertisers. This means that appeal to a large audience are seen as more valuable than ones with smaller niche audiences

Sky One needs an income from subscribers and may well invest in programming that attracts a loyal audience, who are more likely to invest in a long term subscription to guarantee early access to the shows they enjoy.• 

The Mail Online receives more income the longer a reader stays on the site, so stories will feature lots of images and videos, and sensationalised or controversial

4) What examples are provided of the new business models media companies have had to adopt due to changes in technology and distribution?

Online newspapers now have people pay subscriptions in order to view their content.

The movie industry has invested a lot of money into it as a way to expand in the cinema. 

The music industry generates more hits through sponsor-ships and features.

5) Re-read the section on 'The Future'. What examples are discussed of technology companies becoming major media institutions?

Companies such as Amazon, Facebook, Google and Yahoo have now become major media institutions as Google owns YouTube, Amazon, Netflix etc. are now expanding in order to create a profit, i.e. Google made Stadia, a cloud gaming service in order to optimise gameplay for those who don't have high spec PC's or consoles.

6) Do you agree with the view that traditional media institutions are struggling to survive?

I do agree that traditional media institutions are struggling to survive as viewers have turned towards online news websites and on demand/streaming platforms.

7) How might diversification or vertical integration help companies to survive and thrive in a rapidly changing media landscape? 

It will as branching out in different areas of the industry will bring in a much larger amount of viewers which will allow them to gain more coverage and maximise profit.

 

8) How do YOU see the relationship between audience and institution in the future? Will audiences gain increasing power or will the major global media conglomerates maintain their control?

Audiences will most definitely gain power as they are the sole reason institutions are able to gain profit.