| COMPARISION | WOTW | NEWSBEAT |
| OWNERSHIP (INSTITUTIONS) | – CBS (Columbia Broadcasting Service) – Owned by Paramount Global (“multinational mass media conglomerate”) – Funded mostly through advertising time on air – War of the Worlds episode was the 17th in ‘The Mercury Theatre on the Air’ series in 1938. – Key terms: Globalization, conglomerate, multinational, vertical integration, ‘risky business’ | – BBC (British Broadcasting Corperation) -Owned publicly by the general public of the UK – Funded through TV Licenses (paid annually – £159 per year) – Paternalist approach (giving audiences what they should have/ need) – First Director General was Lord Reith (he created original ethos) – “provide impartial, high-quality and distinctive output and services which inform, educate and entertain“ – Key Terms: Populist VS Paternalist, public service broadcasting, funded publicly |
| AUDIENCE (Demographic) | – Listeners of CBS Radio Network. Those in the USA. | – Young people – Listeners of BBC Radio 1, 1 Extra and Asian Network. – Ages 15-29 |
| HABERMAS | – Commercial broadcasting goes against Habermas’ ideas. – Commercial broadcasting focuses on profit and entertainment rather than audience. | Transformation of the public sphere. – The BBC values transforming knowledge through entertainment. They provide a paternalistic approach as a way of informing their range of audience on diverse, current and important issues. (quality programming) – Cecil Lewis said that the BBC “opens up new worlds to people”. Discussion VS Directorial – “arena of public debate” |
| HESMONDHALGH | – “the creative industries are a risky business” | |
| CURRAN – The role of public service broadcasting is to ‘diversify voices’ – Plurality | “profit -driven motives take precedence over creativity in the world of commercial media” – Perhaps CBS used the notion of a “moral panic” across the USA as a marketing approach following the broadcast. Commercial broadcasting (especially CBS lacks a public service remit – it can slightly subvert regulation/ enforcement) – Taking a risk | – Media of the “Victorian era” were “engines for social and political change” (linking to Habermas’ ideas on the transformation of the public sphere) – “peak-time television schedules are dominated by lighter entertainment formats” – The BBC is now being overthrown by the rise of social media/ commercial broadcasting due to profit. |
| SEATON | – Power of the media “commercial broadcasting is based on the sale of audiences to advertisers” – CBS were selling ‘War of the Worlds’ to listeners | “the work of broadcasting should be regarded as a public service for a social purpose” – BBC has a remit to inform, entertain and educate (a social purpose). “public service” – Something to serve the public, “social purpose” – Something to help transform our society for the better – Her ideas imply that commercial broadcasting is more of a money making product rather than important to making a change. – “to lead public opinion” “catering for all sections of the community, reaching all parts of the country” – Linking to their Royal Charter: ACCOUNTABILITY |
| REGULATION | Federal Communications Commission regulates privately. Not for interest of the public | – The BBC is overseen by the government through the ‘Royal Charter’. This agreement is proposed in parliament and is reviewed annually. First established in 1927, the Charter provides a remit that the BBC must accustom to. – As well as their charter, The BBC is regulated externally by Ofcom. Ofcom closely monitor the BBC through their Broadcasting Code. They provide a yearly report on their findings. – The emergence of new technologies/ generations today means that the BBC is challenged. Perhaps, the BBC is struggling to keep up with the needs of a changing society. |
| CHOMSKY – Manufacturing consent. | ||
| TEXTUAL EVIDENCE | War of the Worlds: – “We know now that in the early years of the 20th century, this world was being watched closely by intelligences greater than man’s” – “out of character” – “the war of the worlds has no further significance” | – Inclusion of relevant news stories, similar to ones featured on BBC News but delivered in a way that is easy to follow/ is more engaging and interactive. – Stories very much focused on ‘young people’ and how current issues are affect the youth: – ‘Young people face surge in homelessness’ – ‘The young NHS workers who voted yes to striking’ A range of articles focus on celebrities/ pop culture. A way of providing entertainment through a multi-media form that also informs. Debbie Ramsay (Newsbeat editor) said that reporters do not “dumb down” a story. They summarise it without any “airs or graces” |
| EVIDENCE (EXTERNAL QUOTES) | “Radio 1 is about giving young people a voice” – |
