Unit 1 REVISION

Television

Public Service Broadcasting (BBC)
Remit → Responsibility of a programme
BBC's Remit To enrich people's lives with programmes and services that inform, educate and entertain. 

Vertical and Horizontal Integration

Vertical - In which a media company has the ability to control the production, distribution and exchange (consumption) of a product.

Horizontal - In which a media company has a number of subsidiary companies that are used to support the marketing of its products.

Commercial Television
The aim of commercial stations (ITV, 5, SKY) is to provide popular shows that attract an audience - therefore leading to higher prices when advertising is sold.

All commercial terrestrial stations (ITV, 5) are funded by advertising.

Regulatory Bodies

BBFC (age classifications and warnings to films)
IPSO (print media)
ASA (advertisements)
OFCOM (all forms of communication, social media, tv)
PEGI VSC (video games)

Marketing and Distribution 

Advertising
Traditional advertising
Digital advertising 
Above-the-live advertising (in your face, billboards, mainstream)
Below-the-line advertising (subliminal, hidden, niche)
Technological convergence
Black box (phones, laptop, anything with a internet signal) 
Simulcasting (same show through various platforms)
Narrowcast Channels (niche)

Impact of Online Distribution
Music and television can now be downloaded, streamed or simulcasted at the click of a button - without ever having to leave your armchair. It is available to you whenever, wherever. 

Netflix vs Blockbuster (2004-2010)

Film Case Study: FROZEN

Initial marketing focused on Olaf in the print campaign also, with the central characters, such as Elsa and Anna seemingly more peripheral. 

Traditional print advertising - Billboard

Note the original poster's focus on Olaf as the central character - using the "false undersell"

Blumler and Katz - Uses and Gratifications

An audience wants to be:

1. Be informed and educated

2. Identify with characters of the situation in the media environment

3. Simple entertainment

4. Enhance social interaction

5. Escape from the stresses of daily life/Escapism

The production process

Pre-production, Production, Post-production

Radio Platforms

AM (Amplitude Modulation)
FM (Frequency Modulation)
DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting, available via a DAB radio)
Dedicated station's website 
SW  (Short Wave)

Radio Ownerships

TalkSport (AM) = NEWS UK
Virgin Radio (FM) = NEWS UK

Capital (FM) = Global
Heart (FM) = Global
SMOOTH (FM) = Global
Absolute (FM) = Global

BBC R1 (FM) = BBC

GLOBAL

British media platform 
Founded in 2007
Largest commercial radio company in EuropeOwns 7 core radio brands

Analyse how mise-en-scene contributed to the construction of stereotypes in a media product you have studied (12)

One way the media product has imposed a narrative is through the use of camera language. The camera displays a tracking shot following the protagonist through the streets in 'Luther'. The protagonist is notably walking through the main road during broad daylight, with the camera following the character displaying a sense of suspense in the situation. The audience feels discomfort in the fact something tense appears to be instructed in the narrative, following the physical violence from the main character and the character who appears to be in the alleyway in the street. The use of physical violence from the black male character imposes the sense of stereotypes challenging the idea that black males are aggressive. This links to Strauss' theory of binary opposition with the black male protagonist against the white male character. 

Another way 'Luther' constructs the narrative of stereotypes is through the use of props. Through the equipment used in the scene, such as the black sunglasses and hood-typed hat, the main character is seen to use these props as a form of disguise and concealment. This alerts the audience that the main character is in the attempt to disguise and mask his own identity. With the main character being black, the consideration of stereotypes is made clear here as this use of mise-en-scen challenges the view of black males reluctancy to be recognised/known. This creates a link to Barthe's action and enigma codes, challenging the audience to think about the narratives of this scene and what could possibly happen next, knowing the protagonist aims to hide his identity. 

One final way which mise-en-scen is used to challenge stereotypes is through the use of sound. In 'Luther' the media product includes both diegetic and non-diegetic sound. Diegetic sound is shown through the protagonist walking through the main busy street, with the sounds of footsteps highlighted here. This is followed by the use of ominous music, non-diegetic sound illustrating music that builds suspense and tension. The use of diegetic sounds to highlight the walking motion of the character, as well as the tense soundtrack, challenges a stereotypical view of black males being intimidating towards other people. This links to Todorov's theory portraying a character who can be initially attached to the label that is 'The Villain'. 

Analyse how genre conventions have been used to create meaning in a media product you have studied (12)

Get Out (2017) 

In the opening scene of "Get Out" (2017) genre conventions are constructed to comment on meaning. The protagonist is the victim of the attack which occurs at night time, the location being set in a white neighbourhood. This challenges the genre convention of a thriller because a black character is being attacked in a white neighbourhood and is seen as vulnerable, conforming to the nature of a night time crime. The scene is being set at night presents an ominous tone which challenges the view of the genre conventions being based on a 'thriller'. As well as this, it links to Strauss' theory of binary opposition, with the idea of a protagonist against an antagonist, a common narrative in movie genre thrillers. 

Another way genre conventions are used in 'Get Out' is through the mise-en-scen elements of sound. The opening scene uses non-diegetic sounds of suspenseful music soundtrack to build the tensions of a the scene, fundamentally seen in thriller movies. This is untypical of the visual elements of the opening scene, where the audience would imagine a quiet, near silent sounds of the protagonist's footsteps walking through the white neighbourhood. This challenges the genre conventions of a thriller genre movie where you would often hear non-diegetic sounds of soundtracks that add to the tension in the scene. This links to the theory of action and enigma codes, leaving the audience to imagine what would happen next to both the protagonist and antagonist. This is common in thrillers and genres of the suspense sort. 

Gauntlett Theory

The effects model tackles social problems 'backwards'
The effects model treats children as inadequate
The effects model is selective in its criticisms of media depictions of violence
The effects model assumes superiority to the masses
The effects model is not grounded in theory