Week 4 DS

1. Week 4 DS By Laura, Chloe, Rhiannon and Steph

2. Economic Constraints How can economic constraints affect the decision making of the media worker? • In television for example, profit demands shape programme decisions, they choose safe programmes instead of taking risks. Producers have to interpret the current mood of the audience and how appealing particular programmes will be. Those who get it wrong are at risk of losing their jobs. Examples from own work experience: • MTV don’t film their own shows anymore, they commission most programmes from independent companies because of budget reductions. They also have to commission mostly American shows as MTV USA have a bigger budget than in Europe, this is what those high up require of programmers too. • Independent label: Have to chose wisely on who they want to sign or how they release their work as there is little money but plenty of ways around it. How could you research this? • Through organisational studies and ethnographies.

3. Political Constraints How can political constraints affect the decision making of the media worker? • Government regulations in the media are mainly subject to interpretation, organisations can read regulations in ways that match their broader agendas. Also because laws aren’t enforced they can avoid and push restrictions. • Another way media workers can avoid political constraints is to pre-empt external regulation by using a public form of self-regulation, such a BBFC for film ratings in Britain. Examples from own work experience: • Head of Programming at MTV was dealing with issues of the re-launch of the MTV Russia channel because they have strict homophobic laws and are also strict on showing anything religious (other than Catholic). These constraints don’t fit in with MTV’s main content. How could you research this? • Looking at various media related laws and/or organisational studies.

4. Organisational Needs How may the organisational needs of media companies/corporations affect media content? • The media producers do not usually make decisions from scratch, they create conventional products. • If we see something that breaks conventions we think it is innovative so in some cases media producers choose to use more unique content to create more of an affect on the audience. • When media workers start at a company they have to learn basic grounds rules of a role is called socialisation. They have to learn these so they can follow the norms of the organisation. Can you think of your own contemporary example? • Organisations that target the 16-34 age group such as E4, MTV and ITV2 broadcast a lot of reality TV shows to get higher ratings as this is what is popular with their main audience. How could you research this? • Organisational study would be best.

5. Academic Research What is problematic or worth scholarship in terms of representation and media routines? • Studying representation means that you will never be able to define if the portrayal is accurate. • People’s own opinions always influence any media products. Certain media such as the news is supposed to be a reflection of society, but as the reading said even a mirror can’t show everything. This makes it hard to study academically. • Routines serve as conventions for the media, these are shaped by economic, political and organisational forces. Can you conceive of a ‘real world’ study where you would be able to study the perspectives in the key reading this week? • Focus groups and interviews • Ethnographies or online ethnographies (for news bloggers etc.)