Industries: Ownership and control

 Media conglomerate research

1) Type up your research notes from the lesson - what did you find out about your allocated media conglomerate? Selection of companies: Alphabet, The Walt Disney Company, National Amusements, Meta, News Corp, Time Warner, Comcast. If you were absent or didn't have time in the lesson to make these notes, research any one of the companies above and find examples of all the terminology outlined in the notes at the start of this blogpost.

• Conglomerate ownership: Google, Youtube, Fitbit, Waze.

• Vertical/Horizontal integration: 

Horizontal - Google drive for cloud storage, Google docs for working with documents and spreadsheets, Google picture storage systems, music, software shops, book distribution, and on and on. 

Vertical - Google is almost completely vertically integrated. They have their own technology or own infrastructure pretty much every step of the way. Let's work from the client machine to the search results.

1. The person searching can use a Google web browser, chrome.
2. The client can be running on ChromeOS, a Google-owned operating system. Or, on android, a Google-owned mobile operating system.
3. The client's network connection can travel through the Google gigabit end-user fiber, to and transit to a google data-center entirely over Google infrastructure.
4. The Google data-center is owned and operated by Google. Google employees watch over it. Inside, Google servers (probably consumer hardware and linux, but perhaps with some Google-esque twists) have used Google proprietary software to crawl and index the web, and store the index and snippets.
5. When the search query is satisfied, advertising is selected from the Google-owned search advertising system, and assembled along with search results.
6. The results transit back to the source, who happily consumes the search results and grudgingly accepts the advertising. Money and fun are had by all!

• Convergence and synergy: Youtube, and Google can pretty much be fully accessed through web browsers and apps.

• Diversification: 2022 acquisition of Raxium to establish microLED tech operations and expand companies augmented realities. Also, Google AI, Gemini, C.AI.

• Cross media regulation: The government's lawsuit, filed in 2020 in federal court, alleges these deals were intended by Google to be "exclusionary," denying rivals access to search queries and clicks, and allowing Google to entrench its market dominance.

2) Do you agree that governments should prevent media conglomerates from becoming too dominant? Write an argument that looks at both sides of this debate.

I agree with the fact that governments should prevent media conglomerates from becoming too dominant because it prevents them from developing too much economic power. This is because there won't be a chance for other media companies to compete as there is one extremely powerful and dominating company already. This is essential because it's important to maintain a balanced media landscape.

Media Magazine reading and questions

 

1) Briefly describe the production, promotion and distribution process for media companies.

.The production process provides audiences with the media products they want. It needs to consider the audience's desires and should provide the gratifications the audience expects.

.The promotion process researches and identifies the target audience for the product, and uses advertising and marketing strategies to inform and persuade them of the value of the media product.

.The distribution process uses the most appropriate methods for getting the product to the audience and making it as easy as possible for them to access it.

2) What are the different funding models for media institutions?

.BBC is funded by a license fee and it has a public service remit, meaning it is more likely to screen programmes with a regional interest than other broadcasters.

.ITV relies on income generated by advertisers. This means that appeal to a larger audience is seen as more valuable than ones with smaller niche audiences.

.Sky One needs an income from subscribers and may well invest in programming that attracts a loyal audience, who are more likely to invest in a long term subscription to guarantee early access to the shows they enjoy.

.The MailOnline recieves more income the longer a reader stays on the site, so stories will feature lots of images and videos, and sensationalised or controversial headlines will be constructed to 'tempt' readers to 'click through'.

3) The article gives a lot of examples of major media brands and companies. Choose three examples from the article and summarise what the writer is saying about each of them. 

.ITV relies on income generated by advertisers. This means that appeal to a larger audience is seen as more valuable than ones with smaller niche audiences.

.The MailOnline recieves more income the longer a reader stays on the site, so stories will feature lots of images and videos, and sensationalised or controversial headlines will be constructed to 'tempt' readers to 'click through'.

.Sky One needs an income from subscribers and may well invest in programming that attracts a loyal audience, who are more likely to invest in a long term subscription to guarantee early access to the shows they enjoy.

4) What examples are provided of the new business models media companies have had to adopt due to changes in technology and distribution?

.BBC is reconsidering its funding structure now on-demand viewing is becoming more popular.

.The music industry has invested enormous sums of money into 3D technology, in order to encourage audiences into cinemas.

.Some online newspapers now require audiences to subscribe to access their content or provide premium content to those who pay for mobile apps

5) Re-read the section on 'The Future'. What examples are discussed of technology companies becoming major media institutions?

.Google owns Youtube and has revolutionised the way we access music and moving-image entertainment and information.

.Amazon, Netflix and Yahoo now create, produce and 'broadcast' their own TV shows such as 'Transparent, Orange is the New Black and Community.'

6) Do you agree with the view that traditional media institutions are struggling to survive?

I somewhat agree with the view that traditional media institutions are struggling to survive because they need to be able to maintain their place in the media marketplace and in order for them to do so, they would need to adapt. This is because audiences are now rejecting traditional TV programming, newspapers and cinema exhibition.

7) How might diversification or vertical integration help companies to survive and thrive in a rapidly changing media landscape? 

Vertical integration may help companies to survive and thrive in a rapidly changing media landscape because  it significantly reduces the company's costs and gives the company more control over its products. This ultimately increases the company's profits, which is an advantage.

Diversification may help companies to survive and thrive in a rapidly changing media landscape because it helps a company to spread its risk across different areas which reduces dependency on a single market or product. This can ultimately lead to increased revenue and improved long-term sustainability.

8) How do YOU see the relationship between audience and institution in the future? Will audiences gain increasing power or will the major global media conglomerates maintain their control?

I think that both audience and institution are reliant on one another because in order to have a successful company, you would need to fulfil the expectations of the audience. This means that both institution and audience are powerful. However, institutions can use the media to make audiences consume their content to the point where the audience only has one perception of something.