Newsbeat
| 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 focuses on current issues, to fulfil their purpose, but makes it more creative and exciting to appeal to audiences EG focus on political matters – ‘Rishi Sunak Speaks’ (25th Oct 2022) – but also pop culture events -‘Adidas drops Kanye’ (25th Oct 2022). 84% – 12-14 age broadcasts last on average 15 minutes – more digestible for young audience have a website, Instagram and twitter to broaden their audience HALL producers encoded meaning and values into their texts which was then decoded by the audience, but our reactions are shaped by our individual frameworks of knowledge many factors which may influence one’s interpretation of the programme: age, ideology, upbringing, gender etc 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 MCQUAIL AND BLUMLER recognises the decision-making process of theory audience, highlighting how they seek specific uses and gratifications when consuming media active consumption young audiences will seek to inform themselves: on politics ‘Rishi Sunak Speaks’ (25th Oct 2022), events occuring 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 media |
| INDUSTRY | radio station on the BBC/ part of the BBC news BBC is a PBS – funding through TV licenses (hypothecated tax) according to OfCom – PSBs are tasked with “delivering impartial and trusted news, UK-originated programmes and distinctive content” There is an expectation that the BBC will be a reliable source of accurate reporting in the context of rising concerns about fake-news – they aim to inform, entertain, and educate 1.54B uk plays of radio, music, podcasts on BBC across 2021/22 newsbeat was launched in 1973 newsbeat is an example of a transnational media product traditional broadcast times as well as being available to listen after broadcasting regulated by OfCom DISTRIBUTION: Newsbeat programmes are transmitted live over digital audio broadcast (DAB) frequencies at 12:45 and 17:45 during most weekdays – can tune into entertainment gossip and sport headlines after the show by tuning into Radio 1, 1Xtra and the Asian Network SEATON investigates PBS claims they “bringing public awareness the whole range of activity and expression developed in society” (Pilkington Report 1962) BBC does this through broadcasting a range of topics which aim to educate and inform the masses HABERMAS new forms of media transformed the public sphere which enabled ordinary citizens to be more actively engaged in society and in critical political discussions the BBC is government 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 |
War of the Worlds
| AUDIENCE | famous for convincing some of its listeners that a Martian invasion was actually taking place due to the “breaking news” style of storytelling employed in the first half of the show created mass hysteria within U.S. – The New York Times reported “a wave of mass hysteria seized thousands of radio listeners” provides a terrific introduction to the debate surrounding the media’s ability to influence the audience and shape our behaviour and beliefs “dressing up in a sheet, jumping out of a bush and saying, ‘Boo!'” – Welles states at the end of the broadcast warned against using the original names of places – eg Princeton Observatory rather than Princeton University Observatory – This blurring of boundaries between fact and fiction could be one of the reasons why members of audience believed produced on a background of war hysteria – tensions were rising within, fear of a foreign power and their weapons of mass destruction audiences nowadays would not have reacted in such a way due to having a higher exposure to fake news LAZARFELD GERBNER examines the lasting effects of media – Looking primarily at the relationship between violence on television and violence in society long-term exposure to media causes individuals to adapt mainstream ideologies and to believe what they see is a reality 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 HALL suggests producers encode specific messages within media for consumers to decode – reaction depends on personal knowledge and understanding of self 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 COHEN suggests moral panic occurs when a “condition, episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests.” MToA presented a broadcast which threatened societal interests – sent listeners into moral panic |
| INDUSTRY | first broadcast on 30th Oct 1938 over the CBS Radio Network – a trusted network Orson Welles adaptation of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds on Mercury Theatre on the Air radio broadcaster produced during the golden age of radio – radio was the only form of domestic media radio was a direct competition to newspapers – but example of institutions always searching for ways to attract audiences the argument can go both ways: either people did believe Martians had invaded NJ, or newspapers exaggerated the damage the broadcast caused so to defend their market share 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 provides an interesting study of the power and influence of radio as a form during its early days of broadcasting radio was s regulated by the Federal Communications Commission and it investigated the broadcast to see if it had broken any laws. In the 1930s there were concerns over the power of radio to cause distress ce hooper rating survey – 98% of listeners of the CBS were not tuned into mercury theatre on air, and the 2% did not believe it was news – indicating it was the news papers who exaggerated https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2013/10/30/241797346/75-years-ago-war-of-the-worlds-started-a-panic-or-did-it HESMONDHALGH |
