The TV and Film Industry: Technologies, ownership and funding.......

The TV Industry

Technologies.........

Television has changed dramatically in the 21st century and it could be argued, that more than ever, consumers have more choice, better quality programmes to choose from and more ways of accessing programming.

Broadcasting companies have been at the cutting edge of technology, technology that allows consumers to access their favourite programme, whenever and however they want.

Task 1: Using the questions below to help you structure your essay, answer the following question.............

How have advances in technology effected the TV industry and how have audiences changed as a result? (P1, M1, D1)

Which channels currently still broadcast on analogue and are available to everyone who buys a TV set?
Most TV sets now come with freeview, what is this and who are the service providers?
Satellite TV is becoming more and more common, what is this and what percentage of this countries population now have satellite TV in their homes?
When will Digital TV eventually replace analogue?
What devices are currently available that enable consumers to record or watch programmes at a time that suits them. (TIVO Sky Plus Virgin on demand etc..)
How do audiences interact with television? Think about types of programmes, the 'red button', purchasing, voting, entering debates, setting up forums, music channels, babe station etc.......
How can consumers watch TV on the internet?
Is it free to watch TV on the internet?
Can consumers purchase TV on the internet?
What has happened to those mass audiences of the past, why are audiences more fragmented now?
Consider the uses and gratification theory (scroll down the page),is it more relevant or less relevant today, when we consider the advances in technology?
How can we access films through digital TV?
How can we access film through the internet?
How have advances in technology helped film makers?

Don't forget to use relevant quotes, clips, links etc; to help you formulate a varied and detailed piece of work. You must footnote your information and list the websites used at the bottom of the section.

Task 2: Choose a TV broadcasting organisation, such as, Sky, BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and create a short case study on how your chosen organisation uses technology at the moment and how it is looking to use technology in the future. (P1, M1, D1)

The TV industry in Britain

Public Service Broadcasting
British Television

The BBC

ITV
Channel 4
Channel 5
Sky TV

The Big Six Media Organisations

Media Ownership

Using the resources below, answer the question.......

Task 3: How is the TV industry funded and how does this effect programming?(P1, M1, D1)

Public Service Broadcasting

The BBC is always considering the future of PSB, have click on PSB to examine the thoughts of Stephen Fry amongst other, on what PSB is and what might happen to it in the future.
What is PSB and why is it important?

Stephen Fry Lecture summarised....
OFCOM's thoughts on the future of PSB...

Should ITV continue with PSB remit?

Five

Subscription:

Which companies encourage you to subscribe to their format of broadcasting and what different types of subscription are available to consumers?

What else do companies encourage you to subscribe to once you are a subscriber?

How does subscription to TV Channels work in the US and in the rest of Europe?

Can You subscribe to TV on the internet? How? With Who?

Pay-per-view:

Consumers can also choose to pay one off fees or a monthly or annual fee, in a way another form of subscription.

What kind of events might people pay-to-view?

Pay-per-view is more popular in the US, what kind of events are broadcast stateside?

Sponsorship:

Many companies now sponsor programmes or films or strands of programming.

What examples can you think of?

Why do certain businesses associate themselves with specific companies?

Friends and Appletize, Coronation Street and Cadbury's, Extreme makeover and Black and Decker.

Advertising:

TV companies cannot guarantee advertisers huge audiences in the same way they could 20 years ago but they can offer them audiences that are linked to a genre, in turn allowing advertisers to know more about their demographic.

Why are niche audiences attractive to advertisers?
How have advertisers taken advantage of a variety of formats through which TV companies now broadcast?
TV advertising
Has TV Advertising been effected by a changing media landscape?

Product Placement

Product placement - disturbia
by mediafun

Product placement is common place in the US but is still illegal in Britain.

How can product placement help fund a TV programme and advertise a product?
ITV reject product placement
Product placement agency

OFCOM rules

Task 4: Produce a short documentary or presentation, which covers the following points......(P1, M1, D1)

The difference between mainstream and independent cinema.
What is Bollywood?
The studio system in Hollywood, who are the big players and what other film studios do they now own?
How have the Big Media conglomerates used horizontal and vertical intergration, in order to become the major players in the film industry?
How does the British Film Council help fund the British film industry?
Why is it dangerous that a few companies provide us with the majority of our media?
A breakdown of British TV, who owns what?
The big six media conglomerates and their involvement with TV across the world.
Why is it dangerous that only six companies provide the vast majority of the world's media?