Institution terminology
Institution- an organization- in this case media institutions.
Any organization who produces and distributes media texts. Cross
media ownership- media across the platforms. Apply in the exam by
saying that institution is an established cross media institution
(if it is.) Convergence- the process of media operating across all
3 platforms. Explain what the benefits of this are. Synergy- the
process by which media institutions use a range of platforms to
promote, sell and distribute their products. Eg high school musical
the film, dvd, cd, magazine etc. Distribution- releasing media
products to the world Media conglomerates- Big media companies
Ownership and control- who owns and controls the mass media
Hegemony- those with great power. Think media conglomerates. News
international, BBC etc ( for example, News international upholds
hegemony in the media industry.) Powerful institutions can
influence the attitudes, interests, beliefs and desires of people
on a world scale Mediation - Links to representation- a form of
editing or selection done by the press. Choosing which
stories/media to release and which content to include. Dominant
ideology- A commonly accepted set of beliefs/values in the media
Western ideology- the set of values and beliefs commonly held by
the western world. Capitalist ideology- believe in value of making
money Brand identity/ personality and image of the institution-
What personality does the institution create? Eg cool, trendy,
young. PSB public service broadcaster- publically funded through
the license fee. BBC. Commercial broadcaster- funded through
commercial gains, advertising etc BBC remit is EDUCATE, INFORM AND
ENTERTAIN. (entertain was deliberately placed last) High production
values Liberal pluralism- is the dominant perspective linked to
capitalism-supports competition in the mass media. Defends wealthy
organisations. Promotes freedom of expression. Marxists could
counter this and argue that capitalist society creates class
domination and a media monopoly with little regulation or
competition. They argue that capitalist societies support the elite
institutions. Brand identity- the characteristics that define a
particular brand. It is a brands personality. What the institution
shows vs reality Binary opposites Preferred message Main message
Narrative- todorov Type of image portrayed eg positive Ideology
Idealistic lifestyles Brand image- what the audience will get from
the vid Brand values What way do they promote the video/message
through the text In what ways has the text been influenced or
shaped by the instituition that produced it Public service of
commercial institution? Institutions relationship to us as
individuals
How to attack the institution question:
IBOP
An institution Definition:any company or organisation that
produces, distributes or exhibits films. The BBCmakes films with
theirBBC Filmsarm;Channel4's Film Fourproduces films, Working Title
also produce films, as doesVertigo Films, etc. Some institutions
need to join with other institutions which distribute films.Vertigo
Filmsis able to distribute its own films, Channel Four
distributedSlumdog MillionairethroughPathe.Working Title's
distribution partner isUniversal, a huge US company which can make,
distribute and show films. The type of owner ship within an
institution matters as, for instance,Channel 4and theBBCare able to
show their own films at an earlier stage than other films made by
other institutions. They are also better placed to cross-promote
their in-house films within their media organisations.
Distribution and MarketingDefinition:the business of getting
films to their audiences by booking them for runs into cinemas and
taking them there in vans or through digital downloads;
distributors also create the marketing campaign for films producing
posters, trailers, websites, organise free previews, press packs,
television interviews.
ExhibitionDefinition:showing films in cinemas or on DVD. Media
attention through opening nights and premieres How the audience can
see the film: in cinemas, at home, on DVD, through downloads,
through television, including premieres, the box office take in the
opening weeks; audience reviews which includes those of the film
critics, ordinary people, cinemas runs; awards in festivals, The
Oscars, BAFTAS, etc.
Examples:The Boat That Rockedopened on wide release in over 400
cinemas in April 2009. The film flopped at the box office for a
number of reasons: the critics' reviews, poor weather putting off
cinema goers, and perhaps the lack of a strong female character.
The film also flopped on American release in November 2009.
However, young people and older people like the film: sales in
Morrisons and other supermarkets seem brisk before Christmas as
many are buying the DVD as a present to cheer people up during
these dark winter months.Slumdog Millionairealmost never got
distribution. Its early US distributor, Warner Independent was a
victim of the economic downturn and went out of business. The
film's makers then struggled to find a distributor! Then Fox
Searchlight stepped up and "the rest is history".
ExchangeDefinition:The unintended use of an institutions media
text (i.e. a film) by OTHER PEOPLE who use the film or parts of it
to form new texts. What happens to a film, etc. after the public
get their hands on it using digital technology.Examples:People
unconnected to the institution/ film using WEB 2.0 applications
such as YOUTUBE, Blogger, Amazon film message boards, TWITTER,
Face-Book, discuss the film or edit parts of together to form a new
text which the may then put a new soundtrack to and publish on
YOUTUBE, etc. When you add a trailer from a site like YouTube on
your blog you have been engaging with exchange.
Synergy/SynergiesDefinition:The interaction of two or more
agents (institutions/companies) to ensure a larger effect than if
they acted independently. This is beneficial for each company
through efficiencies in expertise and costs.
Viral MarketingDefinition:A marketing technique aiming at
reproducing "word of mouth" usually on the internet and through
existing social networks. YouTube Video pastiches, trailers,
interviews with cast members, the director, writer, etc. You can
find interviews of the talent trying to gain publicity for your
case study films on YouTube.
Guerilla MarketingDefinition: The use of unconventional and low
cost marketing strategies to raise awareness of a product. The aim
is usually to create buzz and word of mouth around a film. Unusual
stunts to gain publicity (P.R.) on the films opening weekend,
etc.
Examples:Sasha Baron Cohen created buzz before the release of
his film Borat by holding fake press conferences. The studio also
accessed the popularity of YouTube by releasing the first 4 minutes
of the movie on YouTube, a week before its release, which can then
be sent virally across the nation. At a special viewing of Bruno
Cohen landed on Eminem butt first from the roof MTV Awards venue,
dressed in as an angel outfit with rents in the rear end.
Media ConvergenceDefinition 1:Convergence of media occurs when
multiple products come together to form one product with the
advantages of all of them.Examples:More and more films are being
marketed on the Internet and on mobile phones. You no longer need
even to buy the DVDs or CDs as you can download films and music
directly to your laptop, Mac or PC. Blu-Ray DVDs can carry more
features than ordinary DVDs and can be played on HD televisions and
in home cinemas for enhanced/cinematic picture quality. You can
save films on SKY digital, Free-box digital players, etc. You
mobile phone has multiple features and applications. With media and
technological convergence this is growing year on year.
Play-Stations, X-Boxes and the Wii can can connect with the
Internet and you can play video games with multiple players.
Technological ConvergenceDefinition 2:The growing interactive
use of digital technology in the film industry and media which
enables people to share, consume and produce media that was
difficult or impossible just a few years earlier.
Examples:For instance, the use of new software to add special
effects in editing; the use of blue-screen; you can use the
Internet to download a film rather than go see it in the cinema;
you can watch it on YouTube; you can use special editing programs
like Final Cut Pro to edit bits of a film, give it new soundtrack
and upload it on YouTube; you can produce illegal, pirate copies on
DVDs from downloads and by converting the films format; you can buy
Blue Ray DVDs with greater compression which allows superior
viewing and more features on the DVD; distributors can use digital
software to create high concept posters.
A Mainstream FilmDefinition: A high budget film that would
appeal to most segments of an audience: the young, boys, girls,
teenagers, young people, the middle aged, older people, the various
classes in society. Distributors often spend as much or more than
the film cost to make when distributing mainstream films that are
given wide or universal releases.
Example:The Boat That Rockedwas a mainstream idea and was given
the mainstream treatment on wide release. The film flopped at the
UK box office on release ( and has not done too well since mid
November 2009 on release in the USA. This was mostly because of its
poor reviews, particularly from Time-Out. However, when young and
older audiences see the DVD they generally like the film because of
its uplifting storyline and the well-chosen soundtrack.
Art House FilmsDefinition:A low budget independent film that
would mostly appeal to an educated, higher class audience who
follow unusual genres or like cult directors that few people have
heard of. Therefore it is usually aimed at a niche market. Foreign
films often come under this category.
Ratings bodiesBBFC -TheBritish Board of Film ClassificationHow
your institutions films are rated will affect audiences in so far
as WHO can see them. Remember that sex scenes, offensive language,
excessive violence, the use of profanity, etc. can affect the
rating and certificate the film receives and therefore affect who
is able to see the film.
Past paper questions on institution
Question 1 Media Institutions (12 marks) What is the BBC hoping
to achieve by including behind the scenes footage?
Question 1 Media Institutions (12 marks) How does the trailer
promote Channel 4s brand image?Question 1 Media Institutions (12
marks) How does the institution take an original and positive
approach to road safety advertising? Question 4 Media Institutions
(12 marks) How does i brand itself as a new kind of newspaper in
the age of online news? Question 2 Media Institutions (12 marks)
How does the advertisement communicate brand values for John Lewis?
Question 2 Media Institutions (12 marks) How is the brand image of
the MINI Clubman promoted in the video?