Assessment and Feedback

EVALUATION VIEWPOINTS AND NOTES ON INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS

1. A macro based viewpoint is needed to gain optimal marks. Look at everything across both front covers of which you are given, and consider that everything is as important as something else. Start a tabloid vs broadsheet comparison and not just state the features. All of the detail is vital.

2. Much of the same major issues are present with this response. The one you provided was a great one! Do some more over both covers for maximum marks on this response.

3. To be honest, this was an easy one to do. Simply give some examples. Think back to the screencasts and websites which you have viewed over the past few weeks. What is so good about being able to use the media online?

4. PLEASE EVALUATE! What is your own opinion? Excellent understanding of Shirky's points ov view, but talk about how they can relate to the media situation today.

Task 5

Licensing Act of 1662	Originally intended to run for two years, and limit the circulation of newspapers going on at the time, by limiting some of the content that can be published, such as heretical and blasphemous content.
Tax on Newspaper 1711	As of August, 1 1712, a new tax on publishers of newspapers was introduced. This tax was imposed on each newspaper sold, and increased in 1797. It generated Government revenue of £5,536 in its first year.
The Observer	It is classed as the oldest Sunday newspaper, founded in 1791, it became quickly against the government, and is published alongside the Guardian, with the same political stance.
Reduction of the Stamp Tax in 1836	Stamp tax was reduced to 1p in 1836, as a result of the ‘war of the unstamped’, and the tax on pamphlets was cleared as a whole.
‘Golden Age’ of Newspaper Publication	The rise of smartphones, internet and televised news has reduced the demand for newspapers. In the U.S, in around the year 2000, there were around 6000 newspaper firms. In 2013, there are around 4500. The newspaper decline started in the late 1990s due to the Internet.
Advertising Profits	Newspapers which are sold at a low price often times involve the sale and distribution of advertising space to help fund the paper. In 2016, The Times raised £11 million through advertising spaces.
The Press Council	Started to aid in regulation of news. Founded in 1953, the council was restricted to newspaper editors. From the 60s, 20% of the membership required 20% to not be employed by a newspaper. In 1991, due to repeated distrust from the media, it was replaced with the PCC, which was replaced by the IPSO in 2014.
The Independent	In March 2016, due to low 2015 circulation figures (58,000), the newspaper stopped publishing the print version, leaving the online versions of the newspapers, alongside the digital ones. This was down by 85% on its peak in 1990.
Phone Hacking	In 2011, the Leveson Inquiry was set up to investigate the News International phone hacking scandal, with regards to The News Of The World. Its final edition was published on 10 July 2011, alongside the cancellation of News Corporation’s BSkyB takeover.
Decline in Circulation	Since the early 2000s the Online presence of newspaper has lead to the eventual decline in newspaper circulation, with only just over two million papers being circulated by The Sun in 2016.

 The IPSO was established in September 2014 to replace the PCC after it was deemed biased and inadequate within the Leveson Inquiry. It suggested that an impartial and unbiased regulator was needed. 

Circulation and Readership

Newspaper data sheet from Great Baddow High School Media

Newspaper Terminology

News terminology from Great Baddow High School Media

Newspapers, Online and Print

Clay Shirky

2008 Election – Some concern that there may be vote suppression. Video the vote, and document the voting purposes, with citizen observations. To ensure the sanctity of the vote.

Innovation can happen everywhere, and in media, moving from one spot. Largest increase of expressive capability. Only 4 periods in 500yrs where media can ‘revolutionise’.

The Internet is the media which has native supports for individuals AND groups. Media is natively good at supporting this. All media might move to the net, and every medium is available to everyone. Groups which see/hear can talk.

In a way, we can build our own news story. The media used to come from many different places and sources. Now, the Internet can do all of this! Every time a new consumer joins, a producer does too. Reporting as it happened. No choice these days. The media allowed for many different sites during China’s 2008 Earthquake. The great firewall of China, and they can filter the news.

More amateurs than professionals

8 Ways to spot Bias in a Newspaper

https://drive.google.com/file/d/197xA-xKOWsazHUZQ0gGHNTnNykJIm8QV/view?usp=sharing

Linked Above

BFI Introduction to Media Industries and Audience

Link to Study Day Student Resource Pack: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ctHa5AFQHDu6_d5O_v5qV7oaf4GVgfVE/view?usp=sharing

FILM

The Jungle Book 2016

WHAT MAKES THIS MAINSTREAM FILM?

-          It is much more true-to-life than the original film.

-          Much more mature, very ‘dark’ and tense.

-          From a large film studio

-          Famous, familiar directors and actors. (star marketing)

-          Disney

-          We could not know that it was a Disney film. Wide and saturated distribution. (goes to a lot of U.K. cinemas)

-          Technology – More modern and live action.

-          Sound – Lots more depth. Lots of LFE used.

-          High production values. Connected to an older familiar, an already present audience.

-          Safe genre (Sci-Fi, Comedy, Action)

-          CGI used in it, it isn’t cheap.

-          ‘Geek’ appeal – IMAX, 3D

THE BIG SIX – CONSTANTLY CLICHÉ DISTRIBUTORS OF FILM

-          Warner Bros

-          Disney - They own Marvel, LucasFilm (Star Wars)

-          Paramount Pictures

-          Columbia Pictures (Sony)

-          Universal Studios

-          20^th Century Fox

KEY TERMS FOR THIS

-          Mainstream Film

-          Independent Film

-          Production/Production Values

-          Distribution and Marketing

-          Exhibition /Exchange

-          Critical Success

-          Commercial Success

-          Digital Technology

-          Convergence – This is when film is available and can be marketed on a wide range of different platforms. What DIGITAL SOCIAL MEDIA can we link to some RICH MEDIA.

-          Synergy – Several different companies and studios working together on one product, or it can be compatible and suitably marketed products. (Straight Out Of Compton – The music sold the film)

Making people aware is a vital part of this. How much do we spend on MARKETING?

What makes ‘I, Daniel Blake’ different. Why is it INDEPENDENT?

-          It is a British-made film, this is not common.

-          Low production value. Grainy mise-en-scene etc.

-          Social Realism, NOT a safe genre.

-          Real-life relationships, some audience members can relate to this.

-          This film has a different purpose.

-          Part funded by the BBC and BFI

-          CROWD FUNDING is a way that some people use to make films today. This can help get across a good deal of attention towards it.

-          Sometimes, these films are critically acclaimed to a high degree…

-          REVENUE STREAM vs REVENUE DRIP

Straight Out Of Compton

What makes this a mainstream film?

-          It has star marketing. (Screen text)

-          Big-Man vs Little-Man battle within the film.

-          Maybe the start of the hip-hop genre?

-          Big 6 and global distribution.

-          An iconic pioneering 1988 N.W.A. money.

-          Star Marketing of Compton

-          Conflict and Violence does sell, and there is a major appeal to this.

And this ended up being the highest grossing music biopic of all-time! $50mil budget (medium).

VIDEO GAMES

David Gauntlett’s Theory – Video games do not have an audience.

The idea of how audiences have changed over the years. It’s not new media! A 50/50 gender split.

People play games in all sort of places! – Smartphones and Apps. Mobile devices are getting as powerful as gaming consoles. We have access to games if we’re bored almost!

OLDER GAMERS – There is a significant growth in the older gaming demographic.

-          CASUAL GAMERS – dip in/dip out of the gaming industry.

-          SERIOUS GAMERS – someone who spends lots of time on video games.

AAA games are the big ones! Huge marketing and sales. Games in the form of apps mostly appeal to the causal gamer.

-          COD: Infinite Warfare, Battlefield 1, The Division, NBA 2k17, Madden NFL 17 etc.

Publisher vs Developer. Publishers push out and distribute the games. Developers build and make the game itself.

KEY TERMS

-          Platform

-          Publisher

-          Oligopoly – A group of companies which dominate the market.

-          Developer

-          Digital Distribution

-          Engine

-          PEGI

-          Designer

-          RPG

-          FPS

-          Event Release

-          AAA Games

-          Open World

-          DLC

Some AAA games can have up to 200 designers and programmers.

-          RPG

-          FPS

-          Action

-          Sports

-          Puzzle

-          Simulation

-          Horror

-          Strategy

-          Construction Open World

NEWSPAPERS

! This is one of the most weighted areas on the OCR exam! Pay attention!

Does anyone actually read newspapers? Physical?

            The main issue is that this figure is on a decline thanks to technology. Online will save money, be more convenient and offer enhanced, media rich multiplatform content.

Lots of news is breaking on Twitter now, and it can be described as a news platform. Some newspapers have been reporting steep print declines, and must therefore move their news platforms digitally.

NEWSPAPER HEADLINES ARE DRAMATIC, particularly if they are within tabloid newspapers. This is largely opinionated.

NEWS VALUES – How does the newspaper deliver its content? What makes it considered interesting to the audience.

THE TYPICAL CODES OF A TABLOID

-          Smaller size

-          Shorter and more brief articles for the audience

-          Very loud, opinionated and dramatic. (titles)

-          Messages hidden in the title areas of the newspapers.

-          Celebrity news, not much seriousness.

-          C2 VP

-          Restricted language code, this is helping to set the reading age. I.E. The Sun has an age of 9yo.

-          High ratio of photography to text.

-          Varying fonts, it is all over the place. Large, small, serif, sans-serif.

-          Subjective Epistemologies – Different and emotive way of reporting the story.

-          Can be known as a ‘red-top’

-          Direct Addresses

The Sun is the leading selling newspaper in the U.K, and they are all decline in print form, and each title suggests its own areas.

Advertising is the most common way for newspapers to gain a revenue stream, and this is providing the main revenue. If there are less advertisers, then there will be advertising pulling out. The main reason for this is obviously declining circulations.

THE TELEGRAPH is the last remaining broadsheet newspaper, and a lot of broadsheets are being printed in tabloid size

-          Local – Regional News

-          Broadsheet – Hard News

-          Mid-Market Tabloid – Soft with some hard news

-          Tabloid – Soft news

WHAT IS SOFT AND HARD NEWS?

This is a good way of categorising news. Soft news is lifestyle and gossip. (thanks, Carys) Sport too. Hard news is politics, things which can affect you. Boring in some cases, but vitally important. (thanks, Mia!)

VOYEURISM – The pleasure of looking at other people. The choice of imagery which can make it personal and emotive. In crime cases, it can be invasive. What can we do to create a third meaning?

WE LIKE TO READ ABOUT CRIME!

I.E. The Sun and draw a line on immigration.

The Sun is the most popular newspaper in the UK. It has a C2,D,E profiling code.

HOW DO ONLINE NEWSPAPERS DIFFER WITH THEIR VERSIONS.

Online are a lot more interactive, and you can add comments and visit social media pages about them.

Immediacy, you can see the news in a fast way. The printed version can be delayed. We Media – This is where we via smart technology report news before companies get to it. Much more advertising content available. It is much more invasive. This is in addition to newspapers.

RADIO

The BBC Radio One Breakfast Show…

The audience for the above program is declining. Why do we think this is?
- Very ‘zoo’ format. This is presenter-led content, with music, phone-ins etc all coming in for a little bit.

-          Spotify ,YouTube, iPlayer have all risen whilst this happens.

Inane chatter, playing around. It is a little bit tedious. The most competition is coming from Kiss FM’s Breakfast.

RAJAR gives us these audience figures.

PSB – Public Service Broadcasting. This must inform, educate and entertain the target audience. This is a vital and key role.