New Media is a means of mass communication using digital technologies such as the internet. This includes more recent developments such as VR (Virtual reality) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) that consist of an augmented reality.
A notion of CHANGE & TRANSFORMATION as a way of thinking about NEW MEDIA which can be linked to the key ideas of a media syllabus. For example,
the transformation of social interaction (audiences);
the transformation of individual identity (audiences and representation);
the transformation of institutional structures (industry); and the changes in textual content and structure (language).
The transformation of audience consumption
In summary, this could be described as the changing nature of symbolic interaction and a lot of the work on this blog is essentially discussing this concept.
The main differences between physical and digital is the access that we have to resources, they are no longer linear. New information can also be spread faster, its more immediate which creates more of a demand for an answer.
Key Terms:
Speed
Share
Time
Feedback
Access
Storage
Space
Connectivity
Participation
Discover
Retrieval
Knowledge
Process
share
active
creative
host
example or comment
Technology has allowed me to share information that i know with other people
There are more tools and resources such as photoshop to be able to nurture creative ideas
story
re-connect
personalise
stream
example or comment
I can now connect withy people that i used to know that i may no longer be in touch with through social media
experience
store
scale
immerse
example or comment
interface
live
adapt
binge
example or comment
Media has created a sense of impatience and people can access things immediately – for example netflix programmes can be watched in a whole sitting
conversation
re-perform
circulate
endless
example or comment
people can control how they appear on social media, their profiles, almost performative like – creating their own identity
Marshall McLuhan – The Medium is the message:
This means that the the technology (medium) is more important then the content.
“Societies have always been shaped more by the nature of the media by which men communicate than by the content of the communication”
ROLAND BARTHES – Concept 1: Denotation and Connotation
Barthes’ tells us by using a ‘denotative reading’ is how viewers decode media products. This occurs when a reader recognises the literal and physical content, e.g. an older man with his fist in the air, the style and colour of clothing. After this, readers quickly move beyond the recognition of the product and engage with what he calls ‘cognitive decoding.’ This refers to the deeper understanding prompted by advertisers to the emotional, symbolic/ideological significances, e.g. the older man’s fist may suggest defiance or aggression, the clothes may suggest a class.
WHEN LOOKING AT A MEDIA TEXT:
Image Features:
Look out for:
POSE (Subject positioning, stance or body language)
Breaking the 4th wall creates: confrontational/aggressive or invitational feel. Off screen gaze: Right side – adventure/optimism. Left side – regret/nostalgia. Body language: strong/weak/passive/active/open/closed Subject Positioning: Where the person/people stand. Proxemics: Their distance from people/things.
MISE-EN-SCENE (Props, costume and setting)
Symbolic Props: rarely accidental Pathetic fallacy: weather connotations to add meaning – character’s thoughts/tone Costume Symbolism: Stereotypes help to decipher a character’s narrative function
LIGHTING CONNOTATIONS
High-Key lighting: no shadows – positive and upbeat with a lighter feel Low-Key lighting: Serious/ sad/moody connotations. Chiaroscuro lighting: contrast lighting (light sharply cuts through darkness) – hopelessness/mystery Ambient: infers realism
COMPOSITIONAL EFFECTS (Shot distance, positioning of subjects in the frame)
Long shots: dominated their environment Close-ups: intensifies emotions/impending drama Open/closed frames: open- freedom, closed – entrapment
POSTPRODUCTION EFFECTS
Colour control: Red- anger, white – innocence High saturation: Vibrant colours – cheerful Desaturation: Dull colours – serious/sombre
Barthes’ recognised that text also gave meaning. He says it helps to ‘anchor’ image meanings in advertisements. Without anchorage, media imagery is likely to produce polysemic connotations (multiple meanings).
“a vice which holds the connotated meanings from proliferating”
Concept 2: The media’s ideological effect
Barthes’ suggests media replaces/replicates functions of myth making. The press, television, advertising, radio – convey the same sort of authority as myths and induce similar ideological effects. Anonymisation of myths shows it’s a collective view rather than singular –> media replicates this.
Naturalisation: Media products present ideas as natural/fact/common sense. When a range of media texts repeat the same idea, audience believe it is a fact rather than perspective, social norm.
Media myths are reductive: Media simplifies and reduces/purifies ideas to make it more digestible. – message reduction discourages audiences to question and analyse thoroughly.
Media myths reinforce existing social power structures: “the oppressor has everything, his language is rich, multiform, supple.” Those who have power tend to control the myth making process through the privileged access – maintain illusion that the system that benefits the powerful is naturally ordered and unchangeable.
C.S PEIRCE:
Peirce did not believe that signification was a straightforward binary relationship between a sign and an object, he viewed this innovative part of his triad as how we perceive or understand a sign and its relationship to the object it is referring to. The representamen in Peirce’s theory is the form the sign takes, which is not necessarily a material or concrete object. Peirce theorised that we interpret symbols according to a rule, a habitual connection. ‘The symbol is connected with its object because the symbol-user and a sign exists mainly due to the fact that it is used and understood. Peirce’s triad of signs concludes of:
Icon – A sign that looks like an object/person, e.g picture of a lamp.
Index – A sign that has a link to its object, e.g smoke and fire.
Symbol – A sign that has a more random link to its object, e.g colour, shape
FERDINAND DE SAUSSURE:
According to Saussure theory of signs, signifier and signified make up of signs. A sign is composed of both a material form and a mental concept. The signifier is the material form, i.e., something that can be heard, seen, smelled, touched or tasted, whereas the signified is the mental concept associated with it. C.S Peirce based his research off of Saussure.
Lara Croft is the dominant signifier on the front cover
Paradigm of signifiers relating to action, adventure and violence
Iconic signs such as a gun, rope, gloves and a backpack create connotations of a more masculine woman which counteracts the stereotype of women and femininity. – the gun also implies the basic stock types of ‘Good guy vs Bad guy’
Use of the colour gold could be a symbolic sign linking towards treasure and wealth whilst also implying theft
The coding engraved into the stone on the back cover could be representing a different language – typically a non-English speaking country This also creates the sense of ‘the other’ without specifically othering a specific country
The age rating is a denotation as it warns customers the game may be inappropriate for ages younger
Language links to Roland Barthes, C.S. Pierce and Ferdinand de Saussure
Representation:
The dominant signifier is a reactionary representation of women as the lack of clothing worn represents the over-sexualisation of women and women in all media platforms. Her features are also exaggerated and accentuated through the use of tightly fitted clothing which creates unrealistic standards and ideologies of women for both genders to look up to. This can increase anxieties around body image and be damaging for young girls growing up. This also teaches girls and women to base their worth off the validation they receive from their body appearance, as both genders will learn that is socially acceptable to objectify women and to compare women to others. Furthermore, this will create and even bigger gender divide as it creates a lack of understanding for other connections other than physical. Camera positioning also contributes to the way in which women are perceived, women within video games are often seen with their features in shot at all angles whilst men are not. The characteristics also vary as women are seen to ‘saunter’ with some sassy walk and men are seen to walk ‘normally’ which shows that even within a video game woman are ‘seductive’. (Feminist frequency videos) However, Tomb Raider also provides a contrasting representation of women as the dominant signifier is female rather than male. Which countertypes to the usual ‘damsel-in-distress’ stereotype of women in video games- or even sometimes they are the ‘trophy’.
Representation links to Laura Mulvey (Male Gaze) and John Berger (Ways of Seeing) + (Feminist critical thinking)
Genre:
Tomb raider’s genre consists of action and adventure. Steve Neale talks about the repetition and differences within genre and weather they follow the typical conventions. Whilst Tomb Raider does follow the typical genre conventions featuring themes of violence however it does challenge the stereotypical male lead by utilising a main character as female, which serves to maintain interest in an evolving genre. The game utilises a third-person perspective which allows the audience to look around the character without her moving.
Narrative:
Perhaps the most poignant action code is the fatal battle between Lara and Larson. In this quick time event, the player takes limited control of the character and follows the on-screen prompts to shoot Larson. Each button press seems more intimate than the last. It’s clear from the softer music and Lara’s facial expressions that she regrets having to kill the henchman.
While these hermeneutic and proairetic codes provide the internal chronology of the narrative, the representation of the hero and villain is the most obvious example of Barthes’ definition of a symbolic code. Of course, Natla is dressed in a black suit – the colour code connoting her evil intent – and Lara is in her blue top. This simple binary opposition is also established by their different hair colour and accents.
When the player takes control of the avatar we are already in the disequilibrium stage. The player must overcome obstacles, puzzle and fight beasts in order to repair the disequilibrium and create a new equilibrium linking to Todorov’s narratology theory.
Audience:
Albert Bandura’s investigations demonstrated a link between young people watching violence on television and then expressing deviant behaviour in real life. The psychologist called this process symbolic modelling “Tomb Raider: Anniversary” is an action-adventure game which rewards violence because the players use their weapons to overcome the obstacles and save the planet. That final conflict with Larson is quite direct and emotional because it is performed as a quick time event where you make a clear and conscious decision to kill the character.
We can also link this to George Gerbner and his cultivation theory and mean world index as Tomb Raider exposes players to a series of violence. Where children may be at risk of perceiving the world as more violent then reality.
Industry:
[The original “Tomb Raider” was the first game developed by Core Design. The independent company was acquired by Eidos Interactive 1996 who helped finance their projects. After further mergers and acquisitions, Eidos Interactive is now a British subsidiary of Square Enix – a Japanese entertainment conglomerate.
This level of consolidation is typical of the concentration of media ownership identified by David Hesmondhalgh who was eager to highlight how the cultural industries were dominated by a very small number of firms. Although this gives the conglomerates incredible power, some critics would also argue this business model enables the creation of increasingly complex and financially risky games. For example, Core Design needed substantial funding to complete “Tomb Raider” or the game would never have left the design board.
It is also worth noting Eidos and Sony worked together to make “Tomb Raider” exclusive to the new PlayStation console rather than developing the game for the Nintendo or Sega platforms. This marketing strategy, which Hesmondhalgh called artificial scarcity, certainly helped the PlayStation brand to dominate the industry.
The computer game industry is one of the largest sectors in the entertainment business. It might be bigger than Holywood, but there are still lots of financial and legal pressures. “Tomb Raider: Anniversary” is a good illustration of the three formatting techniques used by companies to improve their chances of success.
First, it uses the iconography of action-adventure which will appeal to audiences who are already familiar with the genre. Third-person shooters are also incredibly popular with players. Lara Croft has developed into a cultural icon with her own fanbase, so the game can rely on her star power. Finally, franchises are easier to promote because the intellectual property is firmly established and there will an audience eager for the next instalment.
Square Enix reported the game sold 1.3 million copies worldwide, falling short of the return from the previous Tomb Raider games. It’s a risky business.]
Title of the game suggests themes of space and/or science fiction – Pun for ‘meteoroid’
The iconic sign of a gun, like Tomb Raider, also implies violence
The dominant signifier is a girl (Samus Aran); however, this isn’t obvious as on the main cover she is disguised in an over-sized space suit.
Indexical signifiers such as mathematics related coding, numbers and diagrams and shapes, create a myth that displays links to action, suspense and a quest.
The symbolic sign of the white-like highlight that contours the dominant signifier, could symbolise innocence or power and goodness. – connotating to the fact that she is the ‘Good guy’
Language links to Roland Barthes, C.S. Pierce and Ferdinand de Saussure
Representation:
This character counteracts the stereotypical representation, demonstrating a radical presentation of women and video games. The character’s appearance is not revealed until the last part of the game which helps to enhance a sense of freedom from the player as they can imagine/perceive the character to fit themselves. It is also implied the relationship between fictional characters and our factual lives are to do with the influence of media from a young age. Alike Tomb Raider, the dominant signifier is female which is a radical representation of women as it shows women in a more masculine dominated area. It helps to break the stereotype of women being the weaker gender or at least less capable in comparison to men. However, at the end of the game, Samus Aran is revealed wearing a blue body suit, in which, her body is majorly exaggerated and enhanced. Presenting an idealistic and non-realistic body type. This refreshing presentation is snatched away and the game, like so many others, fall into the archaic ways of appealing to the Male Gaze as a sales strategy.
Representation links to Laura Mulvey (Male Gaze) and John Berger (Ways of Seeing) + (Feminist critical thinking)
Genre:
Metroid is a hybrid genre due to its feature of action and adventure, horror and sci-fi. Steve Neale says there’s an ‘interplay of codes’ which refers to all the features connoting to a genre which help to convey attitudes and beliefs on an ideological world. An example in Metroid is ‘If you weren’t afraid of the dark before, you will be.’ which was a tagline used in marketing the game. It is reassuring for the audience to be able to recognise these codes within the game, such as violence, fictional worlds, powers, and parallel universes are all genre conventions of sci-fi and action. However the differences within this game also helps to entice/engage audiences.
Narrative:
The main character, Samus Aran, serves as the stock character of the hero as she goes on a rescue mission to find her missing troops. Here we can see Todorov’s narratology theory containing the structure of equilibrium, disequilibrium, recognition, resolution and new equilibrium. The threat posed by the bad guys is the disequilibrium, she then flies across three planets to collect a light and return it to it’s rightful place which serves as the repair that will create peace and a new equilibrium. The game also shows Levi Strauss’ binary oppositions between the characters. As in order to have Samus Aran as the hero that foreshadows there must be a villan which interweaves with Propp’s stock characters.
Audience:
Scanning through the game, most people would assume the target audience is mainly male because of the stereotypical representations of male and female games and the symbolic link between colours such as blue and pink that are associated with gender. An advert that was used to market the game also only featured two young boys playing the game, this also connotes that the primary target audience is male. Nintendo also called their controller the ‘Game Boy’ which would also suggest a gender bias. However, an industry historical review reported that more females were becoming “video game fans” and that 27 per cent of NES players in 1988 were female. The video game is regulated by PEGI and rated a 12 due to the features of violence.
Although we are exploring a virtual world full of ridiculous signifiers, audiences are still learning values and behaviours from a game which celebrates violence. In the development of his cultivation theory, George Gerbner included cartoon depictions of violence in his research because they resonated with the audience. He says the more someone is exposed to something the more they start to recognise it and believe the world is a far more dangerous place then it really is which links to his second theory of mean world index. Aether is a fictional planet. There was no catastrophic meteor. But the violence in the game feels real to a player immersed in that experience especially as it is played through first person which still creates the same tension and adrenaline as someone living in that experience. Here we can see the links to hyperreality and simulation that connotes to Baudrillard’s theory. Albert Bandura also drew attention to television as a socialising agent. Through a process of symbolic modelling, we copy the behaviour we see on the screen, especially if there is positive reinforcement. “Metroid Prime 2: Echoes” rewards players for their skill, gaining power ups and bonus content to defeat the bosses.
Industry:
As a Nintendo game Metroid is the product of one of a handful of conglomerates which dominate the video games industry, a context which means that the study of the industry raises issues which are central to contemporary media studies: • The structure of Nintendo as a company and its control of production, distribution and circulation • The use of digital platforms to expand the output and reach of the games demonstrates how institutions have responded to the impact of new technology. • Regulation of games through PEGI • Cultural industries including Hesmondhalgh
Social and Cultural contexts:
Metroid is a Japanese, sci-fi, action adventure video game developed by Nintendo. It is one of Nintendo’s most successful franchises with 11 games available across all of the company’s platforms. Metroid is a culturally significant game in the gaming universe due to its mix of style and tone which combines Super Mario Bros style platforming with darker content, but also due to the representation of the central character, Samus Aran. Aran is a bounty hunter whose gender identity has been the subject of controversy and debate, leading some commentators to identify the character as transgender reflecting contemporary social and cultural contexts.
Article:Why Diversity Matters – Links as to why media should include more diversity in their representations. These quotes are referring to the gaming industry.
‘ The industry traditionally projects an image that is young, white, straight and male’
‘Most games feature white protagonists’
‘A scene in Pakistan displays shop signs written in Arabic, even though Pakistani people speak English and Urdu, not Arabic’
Postmodernism: Postmodernism is largely a reaction to the assumed certainty of scientific, or objective, efforts to explain reality. It is the idea that we copy previous work to express ourselves, and that new ideas are just a new reiteration of previous works.
Key Words:
Pastiche: Imitating another piece of work
Parody: To re-create something with intention to mock/take the mick to create a comedic effect.
Bricolage: A French term that translates to ‘do-it-yourself’. The idea looks at how to create art from any materials that are available.
Intersexuality:
Referential:
Surface and style over substance and content:
Metanarrative:
Hyperreality: finding it difficult to differentiate reality from a simulation of reality.
Simulation: Imitation of a Situation
Consumerist Society: similar to materialistic – someone who buys things that the often don’t need but buy them because there is value in having many things.
Fragmentary Identities: The idea that we often construct different identities dependant on where we are, who we are with etc. This is fragmented.
Alienation: The idea that we are disassociated to the world we live in.
Implosion: The idea that meaning is now meaningless. Due to a combination of signs within society.
Cultural Appropriation: Taking properties and characteristics from other cultures and appropriating them to another.
Reflexivity:
“The Love Box in Your Living Room” is a parody but also a pastiche as it reiterates the work of Adam Curtis’ work. It is considered a ‘mock-umentary.’
Examples:
-Labour party leader is not called ronald mcdonald
– Doctor Who characters ‘Darleks‘ terminate children for misbehaving
As a group, we intended to create a one hour radio broadcast regarding the ethos of the BBC: to inform, educate and entertain. We will address the history of the BBC and the correlation of popularity it has with the younger demographic. We will also discuss some popular topics such as the Football world cup in Qatar which is taking place presently. The show will include four speakers and will also include music. This production will take place during the scheduled “TrashTalk” broadcast. This will then be recorded and then uploaded to soundcloud.
Crissel states the four main categories for Radio: words, sound, music and silence. We aim to include all however we know that sound will be difficult due to lack of experience. We will play different genres of music that audiences may be familiar with so that we may be more appealing to a wider audience than that if we only focused on a specific genre. Our conversations will have direction but will also include elements of spontaneous speech so that the intimacy of radio can be experienced. This will be shown through our informal register which creates the illusion that we are having a private conversation with the listeners. This also helps to create a more relaxed and natural environment rather than a strict schedule.
Radio is traditionally set in a chronological order, we will show this through the use of interrogatives which help to give the conversation more direction and particular purpose. Our broadcast could relate to Stuart Hall’s reception theory. This talks about the Encoding and Decoding of messages showing the interpretation from the audience in comparison to the intention of the presenters. Our broadcast is likely to be considered ‘narrowcast’ as our audience is not likely to be big as Hautlieu Radio is still growing in popularity.
Evaluation:
For our broadcast we had some negatives and positives. I liked our ease with conversations and I think this made it easier to listen to and highlighted the sense of intimacy which we intended. However, to make our broadcast better, I think we could have included archive sound which would have made the production replicate a professional radio show. We also should have started on the hour as we don’t quite have an hours recording.
– Owned by BBC -First Director General: Lord Reith -Multi-media/cross media -Not a monopoly – Left wing libertarian views Concentration of ownership- small number of firms own radio or tv – Paternalist approach – owned by public- Tv license
(private company, cross-media conglomerate, an example of concentration of ownership i.e. just a few companies own everything – oligopoly/cartel)
Habermas
Chomsky
Regulation
– Government is at an ‘arms length’ from the media, they don’t control it but advise and ‘look after’ the content, public.
Audience (active/passive)
Lazerfeld
Hall
New technology
Cross Media Convergance
Curran
-Theory of Liberal free press
some general ideas: 1. concerns about the commercial interest of big companies (prioritising profits over social concerns) 2. concentration of ownership – although not monopolies, the small number of big companies is not good for 3. competition 4. Diverse range of voices (plurality) 5. audience choices
Seaton
–Commercial broadcasting is based on the sale of audiences to advertisers” – Commercial broadcasters (such as ITV) need to secure long term advertising revenue to survive programming. – No adverts when watching BBC – need for an active audience. – money wins (profit-driven) – accountability –who looks after the BBC: Annan Report 1980 “on balance the chain of accountability is adequate” -independence – ie keeping free from state control “without a commitment to public service, broadcasters are increasingly vulnerable to political interference”
-Seaton talks about rise and inevitable need for competition with new technologies – which provides choice -Provides more entertainment for wider audiences -WoW targets mainstream entertainment seeking audiences maybe linking to popular culture?
the allusion of Choice– “Choice, without positive direction is a myth, all too often the market will deliver more -but only more of the same”
War of the Worlds was a special edition episode of the radio series The Mercury Theatre on the Air as a Halloween special.
It was directed and narrated by Orson Welles as an adaptation of H. G Well’s novel, “The War of the Worlds” (1898)
Broadcast live at 8pm on October 30th, 1938 through the CBS Radio Network (provides news to more than 1,000 radio stations throughout the U.S)
The episode is famously known for inciting panic from the public by convincing some members of the audience that an alien invasion was happening.
The program begins with a monologue resembling the introductory monologue in the original novel
It then follows on to the usual radio show (music/speaking) where it is then periodically interrupted by news bulletins talking about explosions on mars.
An on-scene reporter describes the crisis in a sense of panic before the feed goes dead.
After a series of news updates the presenter goes into silence where a radio operator asks “Is there anyone on the air? Isn’t there… anyone?” with no response. The program takes its first break thirty minutes after Welles’s introduction.
The broadcast ends with a brief “out of character” announcement by Welles in which he compares the show to “dressing up in a sheet and jumping out of a bush and saying ‘boo!'”
In the days following, widespread outrage was expressed in the media. The program was described as “deceptive” by newspapers and opinion leaders.
This lead to an outcry against the broadcasters and implications for a regulatory assessment by the FCC.
Welles then apologized at a news conference the next morning, and no punitive action was taken.
The broadcast and subsequent publicity brought the 23-year-old Welles to the attention of the general public leaving him with the reputation of a storyteller and “trickster”
“I had conceived the idea of doing a radio broadcast in such a manner that a crisis would actually seem to be happening, and would be broadcast in such a dramatized form as to appear to be a real event taking place at that time, rather than a mere radio play.” – Welles
Welles took inspiration from Ronald Knox’s radio hoax “Broadcasting the Barricade” which was broadcast by the BBC in 1926
Actor Stefan Schnabel recalled sitting in the anteroom after finishing his on-air performance. “A few policemen trickled in, then a few more. Soon, the room was full of policemen and a massive struggle was going on between the police, page boys, and CBS executives, who were trying to prevent the cops from busting in and stopping the show. It was a show to witness.”
Due to some listeners only hearing a portion of the broadcast and in the tension and anxiety prior to World War II mistook it for a genuine news broadcast.
Thousands shared the false reports with others or called CBS, newspapers, or the police to ask if the broadcast was real.
Many newspapers assumed that the large number of phone calls and the scattered reports of listeners rushing about or fleeing their homes proved the existence of a mass panic
The broadcast was even shown flashing in Times Square (New York)
Host Jack Paar of the Tonight Show received calls to the studio asking if the world was coming to an end. After Paar denied it listeners started to accuse him with “covering up the truth”
On November 2, 1938, the Australian newspaper The Age characterized the incident as “mass hysteria” and stated that “never in the history of the United States had such a wave of terror and panic swept the continent”. Unnamed observers quoted by The Age commented that “the panic could have only happened in America”
Media Institutions
Broadcast by Columbia Broadcasting Company – an institution still in existence (a television and radio network) today.
Radio broadcasting was seen as competition to newspapers which had previously been the only way of receiving news.
Radio broadcasting was regulated by the Federal Communications Commission
They also investigated the broadcast to see if it had broken any laws.
The broadcast provides an excellent example to considerthe effect of individual producers on media industries (known as ‘auteur theory’) as this is the work of Orson Welles.
Auteur theory is an artist with a distinctive approach whose control is so unbound but personal that they are likened to be the “author”.
Media Audiences
Gerbner: Cultivation Theory – People who are more exposed to “living” in the television world, the more likely they are to believe that social reality aligns with the reality portrayed on television
Exposure to media affects a viewer’s perceptions of reality, drawing attention to three aspects: institutions, messages, and publics – linking to mainstreaming and how viewers develop a common outlook.
Shows the traditional routine of a radio broadcast however it is available online afterwards
Newsbeat as a BBC News product with bulletins (summary of news) are broadcast on BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 1 Xtra and BBC Asian Network
Newsbeat won Gold for Best News & Current Affairs Programme at the Radio Academy Awards on 13 May 2013.
The funding of BBC Radio through the license fee – Tax
The influence of new technology on media industries – Newsbeat as multi–platform media product. eg
Website
Twitter
Instagram
The regulation of the BBC via Ofcom and the governance of the BBC
Media Audiences:
The news is specifically tailored to a younger audience (teenagers- early 20s)
The BBC’s mission is outlined, the corporation has to provide “impartial, high-quality and distinctive output and services which inform, educate and entertain”.
Accessible to the target audience through their informal mode of address, interactive games, and audience participation
The BBC has been criticised for “political bias” as they seem to reinforce a more liberal ideology
The main fifteen-minute Newsbeat programmes are transmitted live over digital audio broadcast (DAB) frequencies at 12:45 and 17:45 during most weekdays.
Presenters talk simply and use shorter words in order for it to make it easier for younger audiences to understand.
84% of their audience is age 12-15 meaning their actual audience is below their target audience
Possible exam questions:
To what extent is the BBC regulated?
Explain how the BBC attract and maintain audiences? You should refer to the CSP of Newsbeat.
Explain how the social, political and cultural contexts of media may influence how audiences may interpret the same media in different ways.
To what extent do media products target audiences by constructing an ideological view of the world?
Knowledge:
There was 9 million listeners in the first week of 2022 – shows how they reach a wide audience.
They target audiences from ages 15- 20s
Their actual audience is in their 30s
Plus, although the BBC is neutral, newsbeat covers things that might interest more left-leaning individuals, for instance, LGBT community, or more normalised modern day values.
The BBC is funded through tax.
The 21:00 bulletin was dropped in 2020 due to COVID- 19 pandemic
A satirist and broadcaster called Christopher Morris created a parody of the 1990s style of Newsbeat and called it “Radio 1 Newsbanger” Some of these parodies were actually broadcast on Radio 1, though most featured in the Radio 4 comedy series On the Hour
Women over 21 got the vote in 1928, and the BBC created The Week in Parliament, to help women navigate their early understanding of the world of politics.
My arguement:
Newsbeat have used new technologies in order to keep up and become more accessible to a younger audience.
Editing was mostly good but felt rushed towards end.
Storyline
Sometimes the plot line of each episode was weak and didn’t have much progression
Set
amazing set
sound
quality sound
props
appropriate – fine details
costume
appropriate costume – realistic
script
good dialogue
Broadcasting: To a big wide audience
Narrowcasting: To a niche audience.
The BBC
Publicly owned (funded through TV licenses by the public and overseen by government)
The BBC was founded in October 1922
Originally it started off as a radio and then developed into television
Lord John Reith was the first ‘director general’ of the BBC
He set out a mission for the BBC. This had 3 main principals; to inform, to educate and to entertain.
The BBC is regulated by the Royal charter
initially rejected by many organisations out of fear of new technologies
Their work is funded through a TV license fee from British households/companies/organisations.
Since 1 April 2014, it has also funded the BBC World Service which broadcasts in 28 languages and provides comprehensive TV, radio, and online services in Arabic and Persian
Became increasingly more popular after second world war and played a prominent role in British life and culture.
Populism = Giving people what they want.
Paternalism = Giving the people, what some people think they need.
The BBC utilises a paternalist approach rather than a populist approach. This means they provide diverse content for their audiences. Cecil Lewis said that the BBC began opening “new worlds to people” as they are exposed to new/more content.
Habermas– Transformation of the Public Sphere within the BBC
Using a paternalist approach to give their audiences more exposure to alternate content. For example in 1941 Una Marson was the first black BBC producer.
More inclusive when it comes to representation.
New technologies transformed time and space. For example in 1948 being able to watch the Olympics at home.
1955 first television show for deaf children – became more accessible to wider audiences.
Jean seaton
“One cause of the collapse of the principle of public service broadcasting has been the deterioration in the relationship of the state and broadcasting institutions. “
“essential that permission to transmit, and the matter to be transmitted should be subject to public authority.”
“it was impossible for broadcasting to be politically accountable and yet remain independent of any political influence.”
“developed the idea of broadcasting as a public service – catering to all section of the community, reaching all parts of the country regardless of the cost, seeking to educate, inform and improve, and prepared to lead public opinion rather then follow it.”
Ownership effects – James Curran and Jean Seaton
their book power and responsibility explains how media has fallen under the control of a handful of global media conglomerates.
radical pamphlets in Victorian era created by working class for working class were the engines for social and political change. Described “as an alternate value system that symbolically turned the world upside down”
