P2: Industries and Audiences
L/O: To explore the content of the unit.
Paper 2 Section A:
How and why media products are constructed across different forms to reach and address a number of audiences.
The Jungle Book
The Jungle Book (1967)
The Jungle Book is a film about a child who gets washed up in a jungle and is raised by wolves. He then goes on an adventure, scares a tiger and ends up back in the human village.
The Main Characters:
- Mowgli - The main protagonist
- Baloo - Bear
- Bagheera - Panther
- Shere Khan - Tiger, Antagonist
- King Louis - Monkey
- Colonel Hathi - Elephant
- Kaa - Snake
Themes:
- Friends
- Be with your own kind, not inclusive
-
Representations:
- British VA is Shere Khan, British people are not to be trusted?
- Women - Lack of representation
The Jungle Book (2016)
The Main Characters
- Mowgli - The main character, uses tricks
- Baloo - Still a comedic role
- Bagheera - Still the guiding hand, sensible
- Shere Khan - More malicious and violent, kills a character on screen.
- King Louis - Big Monkey, presented as a Mafia boss like figure, also an extinct genus of ape Gigantopithecus. Menacing as opposed to comedic.
- Kaa - Female, only makes one appearance.
Narrative:
- Mowgli does not return to man.
Themes:
- Acceptance - Accepting other's differences rather than being divided because of them.
Disney Research
Ownership -
The 1960s
The BBFC have stated that a film given an A rating in 1913 would probably get a PG or even a U nowadays.
During the 60s, the world emerged from a lengthy post WW2 period of conservatism and tradition into a decade that would usher in a vast socio-political revolution. The evolution was heralded by a new vibrant youth culture that moved from concerns with music and fashion to a movement of political action that used civil unrest to challenge the old ways.
The 60s was the age of the flowering of social activism, with particular emphasis on Black civil rights, anti-war protests and the Second Wave of Feminism.
Challenges to laws on Homosexuality, Divorce, Sexuality
Events
Contraceptive Pill is introduced.
Anti-war protests, recreational drugs, stereotype of the Hippy is created.
John F Kennedy is assassinated on November 22nd, 1963.
The Vietnam war becomes the first televised war.
British groups The Beatles and The Rolling Stones become massive in the US.
Cuban Missile Crisis and the Bay of Pigs Invasion
Woodstock occurs.
Civil rights movement spearheaded by figures like MLK and Malcolm X
Muhammad Ali protests the Vietnam War, is also a very good Boxer.
The Disney Audience
L/O: to compare the different audiences for both JB films and the impact on Production
Disney's primary target market of 4-12 year old boys and girls has remained unchanged for decades.
4-12 is seen to be primary as they have the greatest influence over their parents' decision-making and are most excited about the brand.
The secondary market is therefore parents (35-55) as they are the money makers and make the Disney experience available to their children. Much of the appeal to them is based on nostalgia.
Both target markets are very trusting of the Disney brand due to its longevity and the association with customer service and quality.
In 1967, the brand offered a wide array of products (TV shows, movies, theme parks, toys etc.) that satisfied both segments' needs and desires.
Children felt a strong association with the many characters; parents were confident in the wholesome values of the brand in a shifting society context.
Walt Disney's own politics were rather conservative, right-wing and undoubtably this affected the representations constructed within the film and the target market. JB seemed to ignore the black civil rights movement, as seen in the equating of black jazz music with the apish behaviour of the orangutan, King Louis, thereby reinforcing racial stereotypes. JB2016 was keen to avoid this.
How can the values, ideologies and key events of the 1960s be seen in The Jungle Book (1967)? What does a lack of some values suggest about Disney and its audiences.
Disney utilises the character of Baloo in order to criticise the hedonistic lifestyle of the emerging hippy movement of the 60s. He is characterised as lazy and carefree, living a hedonistic lifestyle which is then criticised by Bagheera, as he doesn't want to send Mowgli back to the man village. This reflects Walt Disney's own conservative, right wing views which valued tradition over progression. The hippy movement was seen negatively by right wing groups as the use of recreational drugs was frowned upon. This would've appealed to the parents of children watching the movie, as it reinforces traditional values which would've been important to a 1960s family audience.
There is also a lack of representation for other progressive movements such as the black civil rights movement. King Louis sings the song "I Wanna Be Like You", which indicative of jazz music, which is often associated with black culture as an important staple. Furthermore, the name Louis is also indicative of the jazz singer Louise Armstrong.
2016 Target Market
The 2016 film succeeded in attracting a wide range of age groups.
The success is largely due to the brand's ability to market and distribute the product and to value its audience.
The 2016 film reinterpreted the characters and narrative for a more modern age and the new technology appealed to technophiles everywhere!
The more adult themes, darker atmospheres, the action credentials of the studio and director as well as other action conventions followed appealed far more to a predominantly male audience.
The subtle hints to the original maintained the sense of nostalgia and humour for older generations.
Moreover, Disney adapted to the online age with the use of social media to promote the film triggering even more audience engagement.
Trump
Brexit
Syrian Boat Refugees
Oscars So White
Ferguson Riots 2014
Disney Context: 1960s
Despite it's age, The Jungle Book (1967) has grossed over $100 billion to date. It cost $4 million to make. It was made by Disney Studios under Walt Disney Productions, in house which reduced costs. Disney's animation studio had been responsible for developing many of the techniques and ways of working that became standard practices of traditional cel animation, pioneering storyboarding and developing the use of the multiplane to create an early 3-D like effect. The production of the film involved specialised techniques that are still part of Disney's brand identity today.
During its history, Walt Disney Studios has been considered the best animation studio in film production and, due to its success has been able to buy up other media companies known for their animations, CGI techniques and use of digital technologies. E.g. Pixar and Marvel. Disney Studios is seen as the leader in animation and art direction and the techniques it had developed has become industry standard by the 60s.
Its specialised animation processes involved highly creative film makers using labour-intensive techniques from concept to product. The JB 1967 is a prime example of such high cost and top-quality animation.
Historical Context
The film is incredibly important to the studio's history, considered one of the best ever written and including two Oscar-nominated songs. The original soundtrack was the first to achieve gold disc status in the US for an animated feature. The film credits a notable cast and production team that had been in place and worked together for a number of years.
Economic Context
When it was released the Disney Corporation was already diversifying into theme parks, TV series and merchandising deals through its distribution arm, Buena Vista. These could be a reaction to the 1950s baby boom and the fall in cinema ticket sales in the 60s, due to the increasing competition from TV. The younger generation were increasingly turning towards trends in fashion and music. The film was released in October 1967 and grossed nearly $24 million, demonstrating how Disney could generate revenue by selling a true American brand.
It was the fourth highest grossing movie of 1967. It was re-released in cinemas in US in 1978, 1984 and 1990 (unlike other film studios, Disney refused to sell TV rights to their films, maintaining the 'classic' nature of their products). It had many European screenings throughout the 1980s. It has been released a number of times to home entertainment markets.
The film's success exemplifies how Hollywood conquers all - the home market and the global one. Disney is also a great example of a company embracing technological change to exploit its product:
- In 1991, it was released as part of the Walt Disney Classics collection - illustrating the benefits of a back catalogue that can be resold to younger generations.
- A limited edition DVD was released in 1999, then a subsequent release as a two disc DVD in 2007 - marketed as a platinum edition to celebrate the 40th anniversary.
- In 2010, the film was released as a Blu-ray/DVD/digital copy combo-pack.
By periodically reviving its assets, Disney gains longevity of sales. Each time it translates a classic into the newest media format/technology, it captures the next generation who then commit to the brand loyalty.
Most recently, the film was released as a digital download via iTunes and available to stream on Amazon and Google. Now it is on Disney+.
Making money out of producing films is difficult as there are so many other media platforms the film can be sold by. E.g. Merchandising. Media companies practise vertical integration in order to control and maximise the efficiency of supply and distribution. This illustrates how media synergy can support the continuing presence of a film and so promote horizontal integration across media and business interests. E.g. Disney film characters in theme parks and Disney stores. The Jungle Book is an example of how important synergy and merchandising is to a media conglomerate as it commodifies a successful media text. Disney was an early master of synergy, Walt Disney himself developed the idea of synergy between media consumption and theme park visits in the 50s, he used the popularity of his cartoon characters to advertise his theme park. Visiting Disneyland secured customers' brand loyalty to the Disney trademark. The strategy of cross promotion has become a basis for Walt Disney's massive growth. Disney products offer many opportunities both for cross-promotional campaigns with other companies and for in-house cross-promotion marketing strategies. Exploiting the popularity of its brand is a major profit source for Disney.
Jungle Book Audience
How do the two Jungle Book movies show a shift in Disney's traditional target market? Explain how the context of the time is reflected in the JB2016
Disney has traditionally targeted the family market, specifically the age group of 4-12, with it's reliance on family values and brand loyalty to draw in the older, breadwinning audience. However with the advent of CGI, as well as changing values, the Jungle Book 2016 has shifted it's target audience. The lighter narrative of the Jungle Book 1967 is changed to be more dark than the original. The narrative shifts to contain more action, one example of this is the change of Shere Khan's character. Shere Khan is originally only represented as smug, and rude in the original. One way in which this is displayed is through his smug expression throughout the original during various scenes. This characterisation is shifted to be far more evil in the 2016 remake, as shown through Raksha confronting Shere Khan stating that he "only kills for fun". This immediately establishes Shere Khan as an evil animal, and this is further reinforced when he kills Akela in the middle of the film. This darker, more action orientated tone is aimed at a slightly older audience who are predominantly male, as opposed to both genders.
Film Industry
What was the process of making film? - Filming had an element of suspense, as they had to wait overnight for the "Dailies" to be developed.
How has it changed in the past 30 years? - LucasFilm worked with Sony to develop the first High Definition Camera, on which Attack of the Clones became the first big budget film shot on digital.
What impact has digitalisation had on the industry? - Increased possibilities for digital effects as well as removing the "Daily" aspect of developing film. Reduces time and costs.
How has changing technology effected the industry?
What's the future of filmmaking?
Explain how the production of major Hollywood films has changed since the 1960s. Refer to the two versions of the Jungle Book to support your answer.
One way in which the production of major hollywood films has shifted since the 60s is the advent of digitalisation. The shift to digital workflows (Editing, Computer Generated Imagery etc) has made the production process far cheaper. One example of this is the advent of CGI, the industry has moved onto the point that the Jungle Book 2016 is able to generate photorealistic animals, whereas the Jungle Book 1967 would have not been possible without the use of animation.
One way in which the distribution has shifted since the 1960s is the advent of social media. Advertising has become far cheaper due to the ability to share trailers online as opposed to distributing them to cinemas. This means that marketing costs go down which mean that the movie makes more profits and is more likely to reach their target audience due to the more widespread distribution of the trailers.
Vertical and Horizontal Integration
Horizontal integration is where companies own multiple companies across multiple industries. This allows for an easier use of synergy.
Vertical integration is where companies can do multiple things in one industry i.e distribution and production.
Cinema
How as the cinema experience different in the 1960s:
No multiplexes - effect?
Dominated by American films
Smoking
Movie 'theatres'
Projectors
Colour!
Intermissions
Jungle Book 2016: Production and Distribution
Directed by Jon Favreau
Production Company: Walt Disney Pictures
Director's previous big CGI based successes: Iron Man and Iron Man 2.
Estimated costs of JB2016: $175 million dollars - Above the lines costs (creative talent, actors, directors, producers etc.) Voices chosen were just as important as the original film - Below the line costs are pure production costs - Marketing budget.
In a decade where Disney had already had two expensive blockbuster flops (John Carter, 2012, & The Lone Ranger, 2013). It made sense to remake a movie wit a proven business track record and a secure audience.
Disney gave Favreau room to experiment as they wanted a create a visual spectacle that could easily translate across global markets.
It can be described as a live action/CGI film as it combines the two on screen. The animals and landscapes were created on computer by the British digital effects house MPC.
'The animal characters were deliberately created with a realistic look, and not in a cute and cuddly style as with the original animated Jungle Book film, in order to target older movie goers.' - Jon Favreau, probably
Planned by Walt Disney Studios Chairman, Alan Horn, as one of a series of remakes of their classic properties: 'Hollywood makes a lot of films for kids, but the Disney reboots may be one of the few safe bets. They revive classic characters for a new generation of kids, and their already smitten parents may be willing to shell out for related merchandise.'
The proliferation of digital technology in film had been driving film production (photorealistic rendering, computer-generated technology and motion capture), providing the most fantastical features.
They shot the opening sequence of the book with film to give it the same effect before switching it back to digital.
Disney wanted to create an 'immersive experience', demonstrating Disney's willingness to be a creative market leader with its use of digital technologies across all levels. This is what Disney does: it's business model sees the potential for media synergy and cross media products.
This is one way a studio reduces risk and offers the potential to maximise profits through the creation of additional non-film revenue streams, such as merchandising.
Distribution
The 2016 film was distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It handled the theatrical release, marketing and promotion of films produced globally.
The film was released from April to July 2016 in 70 countries, opening at different times dependng on competition and targeted school holiday dates.
JB2016 was produced in 3D as well as 2D and was one of the first films to be released in Dolby Vision 3D, although few cinemas were equipped to show it in that form. 10% of US showings were in IMAX
JB2016 opened with $103.6 million in NA, making it one of the biggest April debuts ever at the box office.
In 2016. Disney's Productions earned more at the box office than any of the other five majors.
It has subsequently been released on DVD, Bluray.
L/O: To explore the marketing techniques used in 2016
Distribution Agreements
Distributors are involved with a film before production, advising on it's marketing ability.
The distribution agreement will cover:
- The promotion in all media before and after release
- Different cuts will be necessary for different cultures or territories.
- How the income for the release will be apportioned.
- How far the distribution licence extends into other markets such as TV and home entertainment
The objective is to create visibility for an individual film and engage the audience's interest.
Because of the proliferation of films, interest needs to be built to a peak just before the film opens in cinemas.
Early release windows can create issues with substitutability but then benefit from the buzz it creates. This is why theatrical releases are now less profitable than subsequent release formats, this wasn't the case with The Jungle Book 2016.
Promotion: The Jungle Book (2016)
- John Favreau materialised in front of a Disney fan convention and showed off a sneak peak for the film in August 2015.
- Later on Disney used bloggers and entertainment news sites to promote the idea that John Favreau used sophisticated filmmaking techniques to bring The Jungle Book to life.
- The first trailer used the intense and scary parts of the movie in order to garner the attention of a teenage audience.
- Disney posted photos of the characters alongside their VAs in order to garner the attention of adults who had a vested interest in celebrity culture.
- Disney wanted to appeal to males as opposed to females with The Jungle Book (2016)
- Disney uploaded an interactive movie poster on Snapchat and users could apply a 'Jungle Book' lens, which turned their faces into the snake Kaa.
- Digitalisation is seen in the way Disney uses social media. Accounts across various social media sites (Facebook, the website formerly known as Twitter, Instagram) released teasers and behind the scenes photos and videos in the lead up to the theatrical release, they continued to do for the release on DVD and digital download.
- Disney Store sold merchandise (both online and in high street shops). Disney licensed other brands, for example Kenzo made a brand of clothing before the Jungle Book.
- Superbowl Trailer
- Marketed heavily in the Disney theme parks, with merchandise, exclusive trailers in park theatres and sculptures made of characters from the movie within the animal kingdom
- Aggressive ESPN commercials wanted to separate the brand image of Disney from Cinderella and align it more with "Pirates of the Caribbean"
Homework
Explain how the production and distribution of major Hollywood films have changed since the 1960s. Refer to the two versions of The Jungle Book to support your answer. In your answer, explain how historical and economic contexts.
One way in which the production of major Hollywood
Minecraft
Spec says discuss the production of a video game with game design and construction. How Minecraft is successful because of distribution and how it's marketed by the users themselves.
Videogames are a significant industry and in 2016 the mobile gaming market was estimated to have taken £38 billion in revenues, compared to $6 billion for the console market and $33 billion for personal computer gaming
Terminology
Sandbox Game: A game in which players have a great degree of freedom to create things as they please.
Open-Source Software: Software which anyone is allowed to work on as long as they credit the original author
Beta Version: A version of a game that comes out before it's official release, these are often incomplete and feature far more bugs than the final release.
Franchise: A general Intellectual Property which is used in marketing of various products (i.e Star Wars)
Intellectual Property Rights: Rights that mean people's creations are protected.
Different types of games: Various genres such as FPS, Platformers, Sandboxes.
Main Console Producers: Microsoft (Xbox), Sony (PlayStation), Nintendo
Main Game Producers: Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, EA, Ubisoft, 2K, Rockstar
In the US, 76% of gamers are adults and 48% of them are women.
Minecraft
Release Date: The first version released on 17th May, 2009, known as "Cave Game". After many alpha and beta iterations the official release came on 18th November, 2011.
Genre: Sandbox, Survival
Gamemodes: Survival, Creative, Hardcore, various servers online which have mini games.
Story: There is no story, you can do what you like and make your own goals.
Platforms: Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Mobile, PC
Bedrock: A version of the game made in a different programming language in order to optimise it for mobile and later allow crossplay between platforms.
Tie-in Games:
Ownership: Microsoft
Publishers
Advantages:
- Global Exposure
- Financial Backing
- QA Testing
Disadvantages:
-
L/O: To explore the initial development and features of the game
Minecraft features a randomly generated world in which you can do whatever you want.
Creative and Survival Mode.
Inspired by Dwarf Fortress and Infiniminer.
Buy once, play all updates as they come out.
Before official release in November 2011, had 4 million purchases and 16 million registered users.
Made a distribution deal with Sony in which Minecraft: Pocket Edition was released on the Sony Xperia.
Perrson wanted to keep Minecraft's concept and ethos for genuine gamers. But he also understood that distributing to multiple digital platforms in order to inevitably reach non-gamers through mobile devices.
Explain how the production and initial development of Minecraft is an example of a concept developed among a game community independent of the videogame industry.
As opposed to traditional videogame production, Minecraft was available to play in it's earliest stage, 'Cave Game', and would then see the release of many different versions, some being new features while others being bug fixes. This meant that the community could follow the game's development and provide Notch with immediate feedback, thus allowing him to iterate with changes that the game's players would actually want. This is very different to corporate game development, in which early versions may only be shown to a small sample size of game testers, which will give feedback but may not be part of the game's intended audience. This means that Minecraft could keep up with the demands of it's community to shape it into a full release that they would actually purchase. Another key way in which Notch achieved this was when the game went on sale, if you bought it once you would have access to all future versions.
Which developments do you think have transformed gaming technology and influenced the development of Minecraft?
YouTube was a big development for gaming technology, especially Minecraft. YouTube personalities such as Paul Soares Jr and The Yogscast were a massive catalyst for the "Word of mouth" marketing of Minecraft.
L/O: To explore the distribution and takeover of Minecraft
Minecraft was developed during a time when gaming went 'online', as game distribution moved more online with the advent of digital downloads and platforms like Steam. Minecraft was distributed through Minecraft.net for PC and distributed on mobile phones with Minecraft Pocket Edition, at first on the Sony Xperia thanks to Mojang and Sony's distribution deal. Digital distribution also reduced distribution costs massively as there was no need for a physical copy to be manafactured.
The minimal violence and encouragement of creativity made Minecraft massively appealing for a family market.
Minecraft was bought by Microsoft for 2.5 billion dollars, as it was seen to be a worthwhile investment due to it's at the time 15 million copies sold. Microsoft hoped to inspire brand loyalty in a new generation as well as expand Minecraft's sandbox for more practical uses, for example releasing an education edition as well as commissioning a version of their newly built campus for employees to explore while it was still under construction. They also launched the Marketplace on Bedrock Edition to allow for User-generated content to be sold by the users, benefiting both the creators and Microsoft.
Minecraft Merchandise was released under Microsoft
Minecraft: Story Mode
Minecraft Legends
Minecraft Dungeons
Clothing
USB Wristband
Toys
LEGO Sets
Fandom
Community Support has helped shape the game over the years as feedback to updates would shape the next update.
Fan reactions to Microsoft Takeover:
A prosumer is a consumer who also produces their own creative media.
Spreadable media is another term for 'viral'.
A participatory culture is where fans act as prosumers.
How did the audience contribute to the success of Minecraft?
Minecraft's success was fostered through the audience's engagement with the product. Minecraft's creator Markus 'Notch' Persson had no funds/ability to run an effective advertising campaign, so it spread through word of mouth. Jenkins idea of Fandom is a massive influence on the success of Minecraft. Part of the success of Minecraft is YouTube Let's Plays, in which creators like the Yogscast and Paul Soartes Jr would become 'prosumers', creating content for others to enjoy using Minecraft as a platform. The success of these Youtubers fostered a Fandom, which then led to the circulation of over 1 million copies before the game was even fully released. This was due to the game being released in beta, and the novelty of buying the game once and seeing it update was helpful in the game's success as fans could participate in the game's development by giving Persson direct feedback. This led to the fandom feeling that their contributions could matter. After the game's official release, the sandbox nature of the game inspired a vibrant modding community in which people could add their own features with enough dedication, meaning that the Java Edition of the game could become a platform for almost anything in the imagination. The audience becoming prosumers was a massive contribution to the game's success.
Impact on other industries
Minecraft Education Edition - A new version of Minecraft designed specifically to engage schoolchildren with education.
Minecraft VR -
L/O: To explore the marketing of Minecraft
Digitally Convergent Media is where different technologies converge into one thing.
Explain how Mojang originally, with no marketing budget, only 5 worlds and as a single player game effectively marketed the game
Mojang effectively marketed the game through the utilisation of internet forums. Minecraft's earliest versions were released to the public for free, and when a paywall was introduced, it was a one-time purchase. This meant that the audience could provide feedback and see their suggested changes occur in real time.
Realms: Payed for servers that were an attempt to give the producers more control over the distribution and circulation of the game. It's important as traditionally Minecraft servers were either paid for through fan made hosting services, or a complicated process for individuals to engage with which included the use of portforwarding their router. Servers allow people to enjoy the game together, especially on the Java version which lacks a traditional P2P networking system that the bedrock edition features.
Independent Production
Traditionally videogames are made by teams of devs for a production company. Markus Persson is an example of an indie designer making a game outside of mainstream media.
He enabled the development within the game from a 1st person perspective in a creative and imaginary way.
He wanted the game kept for the gamers and resisted takeovers. Highly unusual as most games are massively collaborative.
Proliferation of Technology
Advantages:
Control - Audiences have more control. More available when they want it. Audiences in control of scheduling.
So many more ways to watch things e.g. a film, cinema, YouTube.
Question Plan
"Video games target active audiences who interpret media in different ways". Explain this statement and refer to Minecraft.
Point 1: Minecraft as a viral hit on YouTube/Storytelling platform, earliest examples of which being Yogscast's The Shadow of Israphel and Stampy's Lovely World. Lovely World specifically being targeted to a younger audience. This also assisted with word of mouth marketing for the game. Minecraft heavily benefited from the rise of the influencer.
Point 2: Minecraft and it's modding community. Minecraft as a platform for learning new skills like programming, modding is often a stepping stone for aspiring programmers, as seen with earlier communities such as the DOOM Community. Community-led API Forge made it more accessible and understandable for newcomers, thus fostering more mods and creating a tigher community. Reinforces the idea of the Prosumer from Jenkins.
Point 3: Minecraft and it's early hardcore gamer audience. Loved being able to talk to Notch early on in dev which reinforced their ideas of by gamers for gamers.
Minecraft: Context
- Feedback for Minecraft given directly to Notch before release influenced his development cycle and made direct changes which increased audience satisfaction with the product. Reaction to Microsoft Takeover showed brand loyalty to the spirit of the brand not necessarily the brand itself.
- Online Marketplaces available on PC (Minecraft.net), consoles (Xbox Live Arcade) as well as development of Pocket Edition for Mobile devices (Exclusive Deal With Sony Xperia).
- Predominantly word of mouth marketing for the game as well as Notch's active nature on forums created a parasocial relationship in which the audiences felt they gained something. Somewhat reflects prosumer audience. One license for the game with updates meant that gamers who were resistant to paying for content felt less pressured.
Social Context
- Advent of gamer subculture which is often the subject of moral panics.
- Some users identify as gamers whilst others are fans of specific games.
- Regulation for games is statutory rather than self-regulating due to fears about addiction, violence, isolation. Needs of society to protect the most vulnerable and younger gamers.
- Most gamers don't rely on marketing for info on new games, most marketing only successful due to word of mouth communication
- Gender and diversity are now prominent issues, change in society's attitudes.
Economic Context
- Many internet users have a resistance to paying for content, will pay for microtransactions. Many object to ads in paid games but not free ones.
- The rapid and persistnet fall in the cost of computing power and is both cause and effect of developments, and role of prosumers.
- China increased economy through manufacturing which has increased access to hardware for the global stage.
Radio 1 Breakfast Show
- Need to know how the show operates within the radio industry.
Radio broadcasts on the internet don't.
The BBC needs to be a form of education, it needs to be funded by the public to keep them accountable.
Increasing questions of the BBC's fitness and suitability (bias, scandal, too commercial)
Radio 1 has a specific remit to 'entertain and engage a broad range of young listeners'
The BBC makes 3.8 billion from TV Licenses every year.
They can afford to take a hit to audiences, but a decline in quality is a whole different ball game.
Increasing fragmentation through digitalisation however like most media will ultimately lead to more change.
PSB has an important role to play in democracy/culture, it is dependent on political support.
Cultural policy suggests that PSB encourages inclusivity but also encourages a 'national culture'.
This links to Reithian origins but develops into a global framework and a debate on the whole concept of 'national television' v 'global television'.
The Radio 1 Breakfast Show airs at 07:00 through to 10:30 and regularly gets 4.3m listeners every day. Features include Yesterday's Quiz, Ten Minute Takeover, Is It Just Us and Unpopular Opinions.
Broadcast in a comedic 'zoo format' (wacky, zany, personality led)
Greg James rhetorics of presentation are important - audience identification with personality jocks.
Promoting new musical talent is another key element of the show:
- Transmissions from Glastonbury and The Big Weekend
- Utilising Live Lounge
- Promote and develop upcoming artists from a range of genres. Mainly British.
- Hosting the annual 'Sound of the Year' poll won in previous years by Adele and Sam Smith
- BBC Introducing stages across various festivals
The Radio 1 Breakfast Show targets it's audience through the variety and appeal of its online offer. For instance:
- Real time dialogue with audiences through text, email and social media.
- Podcasts of sections of the show available to download
- A dedicated YouTube channel hosting highly shareable, often celebrity-related content
- Social media links: Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, TikTok
The show has a theme tune. Seen as warm and inclusive, and brooding. Inclusiveness and diversity are potentially lacking.
Paragraph 1 - Discuss the audience of BBC Radio 1 and the historical context that led to it's establishment, always had a focus on it's audience.
JUNGLE BOOK:
ReplyDeleteExcellent notes - detailed and with excellent examples. Make sure you know about specific examples for Production, Distribution, Marketing & exhibition for both movies - 1960s in particular
MINECRAFT:
Great notes again. Detailed and comprehensive. Make sure that you understand the main differences between the production of Minecraft and how a typical game would be produced and distributed.
RADIO 1 BREAKFAST SHOW:
Good notes on the specific episode. Make sure you understand the industry e.g PSB V Commercial and the differences.