COMPARISON
| NEWSBEAT | WOTW | |
| OWNERSHIP | BBC is a PSB – fulfils interests of the people, could imply left-wing ideology | CBS, private company concentrated ownership – owns many other smaller companies, only one of two radio broadcasters at the time |
| REGULATION | OfCom – PSBs are tasked with “delivering impartial and trusted news’, populist approach BBC charter – sets out the BBC’s Object, Mission and Public Purposes, mission for BBC is ‘ inform, educate and entertain’ (lord reith) | Federal Communications commission – private company does not necessarily have the interests of the people ie aims to primarily entertain, paternalist approach to broadcast |
| NEW TECHNOLOGY | New technologies mean BBC faced with more competition: free streaming services other streaming services – Netflix, Disney plus none require TV license | radio was the new technology WOTW created during the golden age of radio – only form of domestic media radio was a direct competition to newspapers – but example of institutions always searching for ways to attract audiences lack of exposure to this medium could provide reason as to why people misinterpreted the broadcast, plus lack of exposure to fake news |
| TARGET AUDIENCE | target audience of BBC – 30 years old target audience of newsbeat- 16-25 year olds appeal to audience by – bringing in younger hosts, less formal, use of social media platforms (twitter, Instagram | mainstream entertainment seeking audiences |
| INDUSTRY THEORY – HABERMAS | transformation of the public sphere created a new public engaged in critical political discussions – the BBC is publicly owned, paid for by TV licenses, accessible to the entire country, available to the poor, uneducated, lower class – “opening up new worlds to people” Cecil Lewis | WOTW transformed the public sphere – created discussion on the power of radio to cause distress newspapers were drawing attention to the dangers this new media posed to the harmony of American society and calling for greater regulation of the industry |
| INDUSTRY THEORY – SEATON | Seaton highlights that many broadcasters sell products to audiences rather than programmes Newsbeat contradicts this notion no adverts produce informed, trusted knowledge | ironically, lack of adverts in broadcast commercialised the broadcast further – made it seem real, therefore more entertaining for audiences lack of truth in the broadcast |
| AUDIENCE THEORY – MCQUAIL, BLUMLER (ACTIVE) VS GERBNER (PASSIVE | MCQUAIL AND BLUMLER young audiences will seek to inform themselves: on politics ‘Rishi Sunak Speaks’ (25th Oct 2022), events occurring around the world ‘Seoul’s Party Crush’ (31st Oct 2022) young audiences will also seek entertainment: incorporation of popular culture ‘Adidas drops Kanye’ (25th Oct 2022) this highlights how their audience actively seeks uses from medi | GERBNER wotw audience were convinced that an alien invasion was occurring due to the media having a heavy focus on the intense atmosphere in Europe which had been threatening war for quite some time – people were anticipating an invasion and therefore believed one was actually occurring could link to LASSWELL – hypodermic needle theory, involves receiver just accepting an idea being presented to them rather than engaging with it audiences supposedly took the broadcast literally |
| AUDIENCE THEORY – HALL | preferred: producers hope to keep younger generation up to date about latest events negotiated: some listeners will be interested in the more digestible stories but will turn to other sources for stories oppositional: reject the encoded message and construct their own meanings, maybe the focus is irrelevant to their own situation changes in in the contemporary media landscape | preferred: gain entertainment from the broadcast and would understand its trivial but amusing nature negotiated: understand that the broadcast is not a real depiction of what is occurring but may not feel appreciate its amusing aspects oppositional: feel terrified by what is being broadcasted and believe that what is its depicting is a reality |