Ownership and control

1) Why did Facebook buy Instagram for $1bn in 2012?

Facebook brought Instagram in 2012 because It proved that Facebook could build multiple products at the same time, and also sent a message to other entrepreneurs that Facebook was the best place in Silicon Valley to drive massive growth.

2) What are the benefits for media companies of vertical integration?

The benefits for media companies of vertical integration is having control over the supply chain and the ability to offer lower prices while increasing market control.

3) What are the benefits for media companies of horizontal integration?

Benefits for media companies of horizontal integration is that they can help companies increase in size, reduce competition and expand into new markets. It can also allow  to boost profit and allow companies access to consumers.

4) What is a subsidiary?

Subsidiary is a smaller company that is owned or controlled by the conglomerates.

5) Give three examples of media companies that have used synergy to maximise the profit from a brand 

Three examples of media companies that have used synergy to maximise the profit from a brand are Disney which makes movies but then also has related stage shows, theme parks, merchandise, soundtracks and events. Frozen has songs, toys, and the film. Lastly for toy story there's toys, the film, theme songs, and merchandise.

6) Read this BBC article on Disney buying 21st Century Fox. List 10 companies that are part of the Disney media empire

10 companies that are part of the Disney media empire is ABC, Touchstone Pictures, Marvel, Lucasfilm, A&E, The History Channel, Lifetime, Pixar, Hollywood Records and Vice Media. 

7) Why did Disney buy Fox - what are the benefits?

Disney’s acquisition of Fox will enhance its portfolio with popular franchises and branded content. 

Industry and audience power essay

Essay question: “The internet has given audiences much more power than ever before.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?

It is evident that the internet has given consumers much more power than before. Examples to support this is now that because we are in the new digital media age and more creators become smarter, they have come up with ways for the audience to watch television on demand. This means that the audience could catch up with their shows instead of watching it live on TV. One disadvantage is that the more people aren’t viewing the TV, they might have to shut down programs on the TV.

Changes that happened in the music industry is that now days, the audience could access music anywhere instead of the radio such as YouTube, Spotify and more. Also, people are now making albums at home on their computers that sound as good as studio albums. One advantage for this is that it could cost less for consumers and that you don’t need to pay rent on huge studio space. Another advantage is that you could go viral without a promoter. That means your music is able to have a potential reach of half of the world with a click of a button, and the best part is, it’s free. One disadvantage is that people get addicted to it and spend more time on their technology listening to music or making music that they won’t spend as much time going outside and spending time with families. Another disadvantage is that the business side of music is struggling to generate enough revenue because of the new technology. Most of the people who are part of making a record are paid in royalties, and anytime music changes hands without money being involved, those royalties can’t be paid—which is why so much has been done in recent years to try and reduce music piracy.

Changes that happened in the film and TV industry is that you can watch your favourite programs in colour which was introduced in the 1960’s. One advantage is that it saves time and makes the audience leave their work to go home and watch TV not on a scheduled time but to open up their laptop and watch it freely whenever you want. Another advantage is that you can also watch your shows anywhere such as Tablets, laptops, phones and more, and in any websites such as 123movies and Putlocker. One disadvantage for this is that people get addicted to it and kids wouldn’t do their homework but just go on their phones and watch their show. Another disadvantage is that because there are so much illegal streaming websites that thousands of people use to watch movies, such as 123movies, the movie company won't get paid that much. 

Changes that happened in the newspaper industry is that some people are no longer reading newspapers, but are now accessing their technologies in order to read the news instead of going on TV. One advantage for this is that people don’t have to wait for the news to come on at a certain time but can now search it up. Another advantage is that Reader can read news any time whenever he wish and able to read information again and again.One disadvantage for this is that print industries are slowly dying and losing money. This has a huge impact on them because maybe in the near future there no longer will be newspapers. Also, people could put fake news online and anyone would easily believe what it says but if they watched the news on TV they would know if it’s real or not.

In conclusion, I agree with the fact that the internet has given consumers much more power than before and that the audience have quicker access to watching shows, listening to music, reading the news and any other form of entertainment. This is because I think, and other people think, accessing stuff online is easier and quicker.

Audience Effects Theory

1) Write a definition of a passive audience: 

Passive audience- is an audience that observes an event rather than actively responding it.

2) Write a definition of an active audience:

Active audience- argues that media audience do not just receive information but are involved in making sense of the message within their personal and social contexts.

3) Write a definition of the hypodermic needle theory: 

Hypodermic needle theory- is a model of communication suggesting that an intended message is directly received and accepted by the receiver.

4) Write down a media product for each category of Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory and WHY it fits that particular audience use/gratification:

INFORMATION/SURVEILLANCE: BBC NEWS

>Why: In the BBC News, you learn new things everyday with information you didn't yet know

IDENTITY: MEAN GIRLS

>Why: In The Mean Girls, the audience that gets bullied can relate to it and also how it's set in a Highschool some girls get pushed into caring about being popular

DIVERSION/ENTERTAINMENT:  COOKERY SHOWS

>Why: Shows like cooking can make people feel like they're competing and they would feel the tension because they would want to know who wins

RELATIONSHIPS: TVD

>Why: In The Vampire Diaries, both brothers like the same girl

5) Re-watch the clip from Blue Planet above and write a paragraph analysing how elements of the clip offer the audience pleasures or gratifications

It gives the visceral pleasure. This is because of the music and how calm it is, also because when they show the waves and water it's so peaceful. Another pleasure is voyeuristic pleasure. This is because of how the camera is underwater catching all the sea creatures underneath.

Reception theory

1) What is the preferred reading of a media text?

The preferred reading of the Harry Brown trailer is that young people are portrayed to be dangerous and in gang related activities. Also, always out with their friends doing stuff they're not meant to be doing. e.g. drugs, violence 

2) What is the oppositional reading of a media text?

The oppositional reading of a media text is that young people are usually because of the environment they've been brought up in and their families, and also the clothes they wear such as tracksuits- they might be seen as threatening.

3) How does the Harry Brown trailer position the audience to respond to the teenage characters in the film?

The Harry Brown trailer position the audience to respond to the teenage characters in the film as all teenagers are violent and are in gangs when some of them aren't. They are mostly portrayed as the trouble makers.

4) Why might young people reject this reading and construct an oppositional reading of the trailer?

Young people reject this reading and construct an oppositional reading of the trailer might be because they think that not all teenagers are related in violence and some of them are really good people who were brought up in a friendly environment.

5) Write a 150+ word analysis of the McDonald's advert using preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings.

The preferred reading of the McDonald's advert is that people who don't have enough money for proper food should eat this burger. The title says "a meal disguised as a sandwich" which means that if you eat this burger it would basically be like a ordinary meal and it would make you full.

The negotiated reading is that the social class would probably be lower class ranging to any age. This is clearly because if someone with a higher status wanted to eat a meal, they'd go somewhere with proper food; a burger from McDonald's isn't proper food to eat when your starving.

Lastly, the oppositional reading for the McDonald's advert is that people would tend to go for the burger meal disguised as a sandwich because of their profile status. The advert is obviously directed at people who aren't in the higher social classes and that the burger is there to fulfil people's needs and make them full quicker, that's why they called it a meal.

                         

GCSE Media assessment: learner response

1) Type up your feedback in full (you don't need to write the mark and grade if you want to keep this confidential)

Excellent work, Marianna!                                                    15/25

You need to use media terminology whenever possible!  Grade- 4

2) Read the mark scheme for this assessment carefully. Write down the mark you achieved for each question:

Q1; 1/1 - I demonstrated knowledge of the theoretical framework of media studies

Q2; 1/1 - I demonstrated knowledge of the theoretical framework of media studies

Q3;  1/2 - I didn't include an example
Q4; 2/2 - I wrote the specific demographic of individuality and group and who it's aimed at
Q5; 1/2 - I didn't reinforce the image and title
Q6; 3/3 - Effective explanation of conventions of film poster
Q7; 2/2 - I included the background setting and the child's facial expression 0
Q8; 2/4 - Some appropriate and effective references and mostly appropriate and effective use of media terminology throughout
Q9; 2/8 - Limited appropriate references to the Water Aid advert and little, if any, use of media terminology throughout

3) Re-draft your answer to Q9 and type it out in full. Use the mark scheme to identify anticipated content you can add to your response and make sure your typed re-draft is a top-level answer of at least three paragraphs.

Charities use pictures of children in their advertising because children are associated with innocence and purity which will generally appeal to the audience's emotions. Also, they add children in their advertisement because young children, who are less fortunate than others, are stereo typically associated with vulnerability so that the audience would feel sympathy and donate money to the certain charity. This would connote the fact that our generation of kids who are penurious are dying from starvation and thirst when they should be out doing normal children activities every other kids are doing, and that they don't deserve what's happening to them and their families.
Furthermore, charities are trying to aim this at the audience who are parents and have children themselves. This is because children make people want to protect them and children are seen as inferior.

Camerawork analysis

1) Three Camera Shots:

-The opening zoom out distinctly shows a full view of a young boy jumping into the swimming pool. This shows that it's probably the summer holidays and that he's having fun.

-The dolly shot at 0.04 shows a view of a bunch of people having fun in the pool and the calmness of the scene.

-The backwards tracking shot at 0.39 evidently shows the intensity of the scene because Billy is made to seem as the superior character because all eyes are on him, This leads the audience to wanting to know why eyes are on him?

2) Two Camera Angles:

-The middle shot at 0.54 shows Billy and the girls in the background in full view. This scene perfectly shows that most females are staring at Billy because they find him attractive, and shows that Billy doesn't really care if they find him attractive because he's used to the stares.

-The extreme zoom in at 1.01 shows how intense the scene is. It shows that Billy is angry at the same kid that jumped into the pool because he was running. The extreme zoom on the boy also shows that Billy is specifically aiming it at the boy and that the boy feels scared and intimidated by Billy.

3) Analyse the Camera Movement:

-The camera movement at the start is calm, slow and relaxed and fits the perfect atmosphere for summer. This shows that summer is meant to be a relaxed and stress free  holiday.

-This all changes when the women at the sunbed start waiting on Billy to come. The camera movement starts moving even slower and the scene intensifies.

-Coming close to the middle of the scene, the camera starts to go between the little boy and Billy which shows that Billy and the little boy are in a form of communication and that Billy is telling the young boy off.