Section B Institutions and Audiences Key Areas

Section B: Institutions and Audiences

Candidates should be prepared to understand and discuss the processes of production, distribution, marketing and exchange as they relate to contemporary media institutions, as well as the nature of audience consumption and the relationships between audiences and institutions. In addition, candidates should be familiar with:
• the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice
• the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing
• the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange
• the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences
• the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences
• the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions
• the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour

This unit should be approached through contemporary examples in the form of case studies based upon one of the specified media areas. Examples may include the following:

Film
A study of a specific studio or production company within a contemporary film industry that targets a British audience (eg Hollywood, Bollywood, UK film), including its patterns of production, distribution, exhibition and consumption by audiences. This should be accompanied by study of contemporary film distribution practices (digital cinemas, DVD, HD-DVD, downloads, etc) and their impact upon production, marketing and consumption.




Revise:
Film Production
Distribution
Exhibition
Consumption
Working Title and The Boat That Rocked
Film 4 and Slumdog Millionaire
Warner Bros and The Dark Knight
20th Century Fox and Avatar
3D And Impact
IMAX Technology
HD And Impact
DVD And Impact
BluRay/BD Live And Impact
Hardware Proliferation
Viral Marketing
Cross Media Convergence
Technological Convergence
Synergy
Piracy
DSN (Digital Screen Network)
UK Film Council
UK and Global Audience Targeting
Audience Patterns (Cinema etc)
British Film Industry
Hollywood Film Industry

January 2009 Exam Question

Discuss the ways in which media products are produced and distributed to audiences, within a media area, which you have studied.
Candidates must choose to focus on one of the following media areas though you may make reference to other media where relevant to your answer.
• Film
• Music
• Newspapers
• Radio
• Magazines
• Video games

June 2009 Exam Question

How important is technological convergence for institutions and audiences within a media area which you have studied?

Candidates focus on ONE of the following media areas though you may make reference to other media where relevant to your answer.
• Film
• Music
• Newspapers
• Radio
• Magazines
• Video games

January 2010 Exam Question

“Media production is dominated by global institutions, which sell their products and services to national audiences”. To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Candidate focus on one of the following media areas, though they may make reference to other media areas, which they have studied:
• Film
• Music
• Newspapers
• Radio
• Magazines
• Video Games