Media Producers, Synergy and Social media

Synergy Means- It is about a conglomerate having the ability to distribute a product on multiple platforms that they OWN. They can promote its products across it subsidiaries to establish a brand identity and reach a larger audience. 

Glossary: Key terms and theory

1- Video On Demand: a media distribution system that allows users to access videos without a playback device. A system in which viewers their own filmed entertainment through high speed internet. (such as Netflix)

2- Stream/Streaming: a method of transmitting or receiving data over a computer network as a continuous flow, allowing for playback whilst data is still being received. Viewing video or listening to audio through the internet without downloading content.

3- Microblogging:a form of blogging that's short and frequent. (such as Twitter)

4- Crowdfunding: funding a project by raising money from a large number of people who each contribute a small amount on the internet for a media business from a targeted audience following. 

Web 2 is known as the interactive web

5- Wikinomics: Tapscott and Williams (2006)- Web 2.0 has impacted...

a) Traditional business model (production, distribution, spending money interact with audiences) has evolved.

b) More collaborations due to access to online technologies, broadband speeds for business and prosumers. 

Globalisation: a brand being accessible/marketed all over the world due to the instant communication of the web.

We can now produce and distribute content online 

6- Globalisation: a brand being accessible/marketing all over the world due to the instant communication web. 

7- Fan Films: 'Batman vs Predator'

8- Citizen Journalists: a normal person who records/reports on news. Everyday people report on events in and around our area.  '#BLM'

9- Crowdfunding: People around the world contribute financially to your product. 'KickStarter'

Global village: the term used to describe how the Web instantly connects audiences all over the world 

Marshall McLuhan 1964 - Suggests that tv would create a global village, as a medium central to communicating ideas. He also predicted a library network accessible everywhere that would allow access to all forms of information. 

Web Utopians: Those who see the web and social media technologies as having a benefit to society as a whole. 

The concept of web utopianism fits with crowdfunding as it assumes people are nice enough to do good things. The small producer has the potential for mass funding, bypassing heavy investment and control from big companies. Kickstarter, Indiegogo etc. Allows the producers a chance to gain funding from a wider global audience in small amounts. 

An example: (kickstarter)

"Critical Role's The Legend of Vox Machina reunites your favorite heroes for a professional-quality animated special! 88,887 backers pledged $11,385,449 to help bring this project to life."

"At the start of the campaign, the target was to raise $750,000 for a one-shot 22-minute-long animated special that would serve as a prequel to the next portion of the web series. However, as reported by CNBC, it took less than one hour for the Kickstarter campaign to reach a whopping $1 million!"

They also used the reward system to encourage those to donate. 

House of ashes a horror feature film 

Electronic Agora: Online meeting spaces such as forums and chat rooms where people can discuss a range of topics and achieve collaboration. 

The Electronic Agora: (Rheingold 1991)- is the idea that the web can be used for the exchange of ideas and socialise as avatars. This has been widely adopted by the open source and e-sports communities. This concept may be harmful as people only really leave reviews that are extremely negative or extremely positive and there are 'trolls' 

Distribution- The method by which media products are delivered to audiences 

Social Media- Utilising Web 2.0 technology to allow users to share ideas, content via online communities 

Professional- a paid person working for a company to do a job

Preamble- the model of distribution of media products has changed wildly since the advent of web 2.o/social media. 

Prosumer- a user of media who both produces and consumes media.

There is currently no single body or organisation that regulates social media 

However it does fall under various laws:

- Data Protection Act (1995): 

- Libel: 

- Race Relations Act

- Criminal Justice & Public order act:

- Race & Religious Hatred Act

- Criminal Justice & Immigration Act 

IPSO: Can monitor content generated by magazine publishers or news agencies

ASA: Can monitor adverts and advertising content 

Ofcom: Can monitor some professionally produced content online 

BBFC: Can monitor and classify film content online

Individuals with social media accounts often have to agree to T&C's of employment regarding social media (UTC Staff too)

The main point is that employees should exercise self-regulation to avoid causing any damage to employers image on social media.

The idea here is that individuals (and to a lesser extent companies/organisations) make choices about what to publish as a prosumer on social media. In terms of organisations it's about how social media reflects the ethical and moral guidelines or identity of the organisation. 

In this country our social media is subject to law and some regulation by various bodies. However, there are some countries where social media is censored. 

Cultural censorship 

- China

- Turkey 

- North Korea 

These companies exercise tight control of internet access and have censored most external social media. Instead they have in some cases 'approved' social media channels and filtered search options. 

Deeper Darker Censorship 

Some companies (most notably China & North Korea) also monitor blog posting and online journalism. Dissident (those speaking out against the establishment) journalists, bloggers or activists are identified by state filters and are often imprisoned.

- QQ: This is an instant messaging software at the heart of chinas social networking scene. QQ I used for online messaging, video/voice calls, document sharing and social networking. 

-Weibo: This is a Chinese micro-blogging website, much like Twitter, TikTok or Facebook. It is known as one of the largest social media platforms in China.It also allows for shopping, advertisements and monetary rewards.  

One cultural constraint that social media marketers should be aware of when promoting products to foreign marketers is cultural censorship. These are countries (such as China, Turkey, North Korea) that exercise tight control of internet access and have censored most external social media. This means that the social media marketers would have to make sure when targeting these countries use the social media that residents would be able to see. Another cultural constraint is deeper darker censorship, this is where s

 

Introduction into Unit 6: Personal use of social media

 

In my own words, social media means: a wide range of platforms (apps and websites) that allow anyone all over the world to access the interconnected web and interact with each other. 

Social media is used for, entertainment (watching videos, looking at posts), viewing news, talking and interacting with friends wherever they are, access to personal interests, sharing content. 

User generated content (UGC) means: Prosumers and what they create. 

Grass Roots media: Conglomerates use small and local media 

Introduction into Unit 6: Development of Online Technologies

Web 1.0

Sir Tim Berners-Lee (1991) (Computer scientist) invented WWW. 

Information space for educators and scientists. A very select few. 

1995- the Web is commercialised to private business sectors. 

It was described as the 'Read Write Web'. 

In the 2000s Broadband was introduced and allowed more image and video content 

Web 2.0

Tim O'Reilly and Dale Dougherty (2004) Websites offering opportunities for:

1- Audience participation 

2- Collaboration 

David Gauntlett (2004) This is the age of the prosumer 

Audience Participation: add to a website. Comment, like, sharing, dislike, duet, retweet, subscribe

Prosumer: Compound work of producer and consumer- they use and access the web and also create content and add to the web. Youtube, TikTok, Twitch, Soundcloud. 

Collaboration: two people working together on something. Now can be done all over the world. 

Traditional model of media conglomerates or 'media gods' delivering content to the audience has been broken down. 

Known as the 'Interactive Web' 

Differences between 1.0 and 2.0 is that it's now more accessible to the general population and is less about strictly information sharing and more about entertainment. Technology is now completely converged.

Web 3.0 

John Markoff (2006) The Web is becoming more intelligent. 

Also known as the 'Semantic Web'.

Uses web searches and visits to personalise material. 

UNIT 6 OVERVIEW

Mandatory unit for the Diploma (2 A Levels)

Paper is out of 60 marks

Section A (theoretical): Ask you to demonstrate your knowledge of social media and globalisation- they ask you to name hardware, software or websites or the ways they can be used. (Mr Helliwell) 

Section B (practical): asks you to apply your knowledge and understanding and use your creativity to plan a social media marketing campaign. (Mrs Payne)

exam common words: Identify, explain, Give reasons, refer to a case study. 

Criteria

Social media and technology has created a globalised, connected society and how such tools are used by media producers to their advantage when selling products and services. 

Evaluate the positive and negative impacts of social media on businesses, individual users and producers. 

Evaluate issues surrounding censorship and regulation of social media, and the impact this has on media production and distribution. 

Investigate how media producers use contemporary social media to generate ideas, fund and plan projects with other professionals. 

Investigate how social media is used commercially to create awareness and advertise products to global audiences.