Media Economics – Advertising, Corporations, and Commercialism
Discussion Questions:
“Network” – Paddy Chayefsky’s 1976 film is one of the first Hollywood movies to take a critical look at our advertising-supported ratings-driven media system. What reactions do you have to the film after watching it? What is Chayefsky’s agenda in making the film?
I think the film illustrates the concept of the United States media content and behavior in relation to meeting the needs and specifications of the audiences. The film is brilliant in illustrating its motive and agenda in relation to the ratings guiding the performance of the media. This is essential in the demonstration of the content of the media that would appeal to the audiences thus driving the ratings higher within the media systems or industry. The motive of Chayefsky in the making of this film is to demonstrate that the media entity would do anything to upgrade the ratings thus effective and efficient performance within the media system and industry.
Lecture – List three things you learned and one question you still have after reading this module’s lecture.
I have learnt on the concept of advertisement as a crucial part of the media economics. This is one role of the media in enhancing the awareness of audiences in relation to the available products and services within the market. I have also learnt about corporations functioning under the media industry and consequences of ratings towards the performance of the media. I still have the question on the possible ways a part from angry displays towards the improvement of ratings within the media industry.
Web Sites – look at the website for this module. Pick a leading media company – AOL Time Warner, Disney, and Newscorp – and look at the long list of media entities under their ownership (Click on “Who Owns What). What are your reactions?
I am surprised at the dominance enjoyed by the six media giants or companies owning the majority of the United States Radio market. Disney owns the ABC network consisting of about 10 television stations and approximately 66 radio stations within the United States. The entity also has investments in the 12 cable stations, 13 broadcast channels outside the United States and forms part of ownership in Germany, Spain, and France in relation to television stations. The above ownership represents an ample portion of the entities under the ownership of Disney thus a reflection of dominance within the media industry.
Online Reader – What insights do Plato, Edmundson, and Miller offer with regard to deepening your understanding of media issues?
In the context of the insights from Plato, Edmundson, and Millers, it is ideal to understand the role and influence of the media on the audiences and the entire society. Every activity within the media industry seem real to the audiences, but the truth is that the demonstrations are just poor copies of crucial and real interactions within the society. This relates to the animation and role acting within the media industry in relation to the promotion of the needs and objectives of the media entities. It is essential to adopt and implement the copy of real human entities to enhance the performance and activities of the media. It is also essential to free the media from the relevant authorities with the aim of enhancing the performance of the media.
Media/Society – What concepts in the Croteau/Hoynes chapter did you find useful? What, if anything, surprised you? Be specific, and cite page numbers so we can all follow your thinking.
The concepts in the Croteau/Hoynes chapter I found useful to the study of the media and relevant economics include Conglomeration and Integration (pg 41). From these concepts, it is clear that the media industry is characterized by concentration thus the essence of few entities or corporations in the ownership of the media companies. It is also ideal to note that the concept of concentration and conglomeration occurs simultaneously in the media industry. This is an indication of the concept of large business entities incorporating media in their operations thus the essence of diversity and enhanced performance within the industry. I was surprised at the rate at which Conglomeration is growing within the United States media industry with the illustration of the merger between AOL and Time Warner (pg 41). The concept of conglomeration is expressed both vertically and horizontal thus useful to the understanding of the economics of media and the relevant industry. The media should focus on extensive concentration with the aim of minimizing the cost of operations during interactions with the audiences or the entire society. This is essential for the overall outcome or result of the media entities in meeting the needs and preferences of the audiences.
E-Digest Summary (Weekly Spin and Free Press Daily) –Summarize, In a 3-5 sentence paragraph, one story from the world of media news and public relations, based on a reading of e-media news digests, and provide the URL link to the story so we can check in for more info.
The story focuses on the increase in the level of participation of the youths in the concluded United States presidential elections, in comparison to the events in 2008. This event or feature occurs despite the lack of sufficient knowledge and experience of the youths or young voters in relation to the learning of the specifics for the voting practices. According to the data, it is ideal to note that approximately 19 percent of the voters below 30 years of age cast their votes in the presidential election, in 2012. This represents an increase from the 18 percent in the 2008 elections within the context of the United States. This result focuses on the findings of the Fair Elections Legal Network (retrieved from http://dailyfreepress.com/2012/11/08/youth-voter-participation-increases-in-2012-elections-data-shows/).
Submission: Ad Deconstruction
Advertisement: Work from Home- Make Money Online Coach (http://www.youtube.com/user/whatcoffeeshoprich/featured?v=hWk61iVqQHU)
This advertisement focuses on an opportunity available to the viewer in relation to the increase in the level of income through online operations. According to the advertisement, the individual viewers have the opportunity to work from home with the aim of increasing their levels of income. The advertisement aims at enhancing the awareness of the consumers or viewers on the opportunity to increase their income levels in case they have other needs for money. It takes the form of a lecture in which the presenter offers intriguing questions to the viewer and then directs him or her to the source in which to find the valuable information in relation to the opportunity being advertised.
The advertisement incorporates several principles in order to remain effective and efficient in relation to the viewers. The first principle is the adoption of effective visualization thus aggressive pictorial development. The advert is clear and audible thus achievement of the first principle. The advertisement does not include exaggerated cartoons thus effective in the achievement of principle two. The advert does not integrate the sex aspect into interaction with the viewers since it remains transparent and straightforward in the context of the goals and objectives. The advert offers something to think about thus the inclusion of the follow the flow principle in relating to the viewers or consumers. This also involves incorporation of estimated earnings thus something to think to consider in evaluation. The advert is uncomplicated and straightforward thus elimination of confusion essence to the viewers or prospective consumers. The presenter in the advert offers benefits in relation to working at home thus the opportunity to enhance decision-making by the viewers. There is no branding on the advertisement as it involves a brief presentation in the form of a lecture.
The advertisement is plain in the interaction with the consumers thus the opportunity to communicate the goals effectively. There are no symbolisms in the advertisement. There is also no application of humor in the presentation as the advertiser focuses on the delivery of speech in plain language. The advertisement also incorporates comprehensible language to enable individuals understand easily thus facilitation of the decision-making process. The advertisement also incorporates persuasive technique in the form of illustration of benefits and requirements for the achievement of the goals of the advertisement.
Brief Review of “The Insider” (1999)
The insider is a reflection on the 12 year old vanity-fair article in the demonstration of the extent to which the society especially tobacco industry can go despite the risks in relation to health and safety of the humanity. Despite the production of the movie, the cases and incidences of smoking continue to affect the society in the context of health risks such as cancer. The film offers an exaggerated aspect of the extent to which the tobacco industry would go in relation to the keeping the lid to their secrets in the realization that their operations are still legal. The fact that the majority of the global population continues to lose their lives from the legally sold cancer-causing product offers the timeliness to the film in tackling the problems affecting the society.
It illustrates the role of the media in enhancing the awareness of the society members despite the aspect of overlooking the demonstration of the media industry by the targeted audiences. The insider film narrates a true story of a man who saw the need to inform the world on the content known by the world’s seven largest or prominent companies. This hidden information relates to the dangers associated with the smoking habit by individuals. The film is a reflection of the distance the media is willing to achieve in order to communicate relevant information to the society or audiences. The film also underlines the role of the media in enhancing the awareness of the society members on relevant issues affecting their well-being or societal welfare.
Michael Mann directed the insider film. The insider film features prominent actors such as Diane Venora, Phillip Baker hall, Rip Torn, and Colm Feore. In the development of the plot, the director of the movie introduces Jeffrey Wigand, an employee to the Brown & Williams tobacco firm. This employee acted as a scientist thus effective in the research sector within the organization. Following his dismissal from the tobacco firm, Jeffrey meets and interacts with Al Pacino (Lowell Bergman).This encounter resulted into an organized interview for the fired employee. The organized interview went in accordance with the plan despite the essence of confidentiality preventing Jeffrey from discussing his employment position with the company.
Through the interview, the society obtains the valuable information in relation to the dangers associated with smoking. According to interview, the largest tobacco firms have this information, but continue to engage in life threatening business transaction. Following the threats by Brown and Williamson Company to file multibillionaire lawsuit against the interview, CBS had to pull the interview at the last minute. The organizers of the interview and the CBS found themselves struggling with the aspect of killing the story. This struggle left Jeffrey to be a subject of lawsuits and invaluable campaign failing to reach the target (citizens or public).
The insider film is a reflection of a media production development in relation to the documentary style. This style rarely appeals to most viewers because of non-engaging aspect thus lose of concentration while watching the film. The development of the film is highly conversational and long thus making it difficult for the viewer to maintain the required level of concentration. This makes it difficult to grasp the content of the film in addressing the issues of tobacco and relevant dangers in association with the consumption of drugs. The film achieves its objective of demonstrating tobacco entities as a bunch of greedy individuals willing to practice whatever it takes to acquire the essential financial resources.
