Impact of New and Digital Media Case Study

3. What impact has there been on how the media institution now has to produce the texts and the way in which the texts/products are distributed and exhibited?

The main insitution , Apple has tried to make its products more user friendly, as the app store includes millions of apps under different categories, therefore the audience can search and select which app to purchase and are able to purchase apps for free or for a fee.

In contrast to its rivals such as Blackberry and Google, the Apple App store is more sophisticated in terms of the quality of its applications and also the fact that the applications in the app store are varied, in terms of thier uses. Unlike the Ovi store or Windows' HTC marketplace, the app store is more organised and is gives more gratifications to the audience. The HTC marketplace is reliable, though it is less sophisictated, as there are not a wide range of apps to choose from and are not divided in terms of categories.

In terms of adveritising, Apple's App store exhibits its products across different platforms such as internet advertisements, viral marketing, billboard posters, tube posters as well as on the broadcast platform in the form of advertisements. By doing this, the audience would be more reluctant to experience what Apple apps have to bring. Though, other competitiors such as the Ovi store and HTC marketplace have also tried to appeal to the audience, yet the app store is more successful in terms of its reinvention and the fact that applications are being developed or new apps are available on different Apple products such as the recently released Apple iPad or even the latest Apple iPhone 4.

Impact of New/Digital Media Case Study

2. What impact has there been on the way in which the audience now consume the media products/texts involved in your case study? How does it differ from what went before?

Nowadays, the audience have the chance to purchase apps which seem to help the consumer and make their life easier, for example , certain apps such as 'Mind Your Business' is aimed at businessmen and allows them to take their business with them. Similarly, apps are also more converged and allow the consumer to be more organised and confident, as apps are aimed at public speaking.

The apps on offer at the App Store are more sophisticated terms of graphics and the interface, as rival companies such as Google and Nokia, which launched the OVI store offered apps, but were more basic in terms of graphics and were not as successful as the Apple's app store which has apps in different categories. The app store offers the audience a chance to be more active in terms of thier choices and can choose to purchase apps based around thier main interests, for example apps dedicated to sport, 'Sky Sports' App.'As well as this , certain apps are useful to different audience groups such as the C2/D and E socio economic group, as apps are useful for measuring, e.g the spirit meter app aimed at construction workers and people who do DIY. Though there are other apps, which encourage UGC, for example the microphone recorder app, where the audience can record sounds and edit them.

The gradual emergence of the App store in the global market was hugely successful, with 10 billion downloads reached earlier in 2011. Thus, the app store is a huge hit amongst audiences as there a thousands upon thousands of apps which have different uses , ie from games to productivity apps.

Impact of New/Digital Media Case Study

1. Has new and digital media had an impact upon ownership and control of the media insitutions involved in your case study? Explain in detail any impact and what exactly has changed.

In regards to my case study on the Apple App Store, the institutions or certain companies may find that through the app store,they can promote their products and make it easier for the audience to purchase their products.

Horizontal Integration leads to companies competing , for example Sainsburys and Tesco may compete on smart phones and have apps which offer cheaper prices for groceries

The apps seem to be effective in reaching out to a wider audience, as institutions may turn to technology to promote their products, for example The BBC app makes it easier for audiences to watch exclusive content of news, sport via their smart phone devices.

Also, the apps on the app store seem to give more power to Apple,as they get $17million in revenue and also have the power to accept or reject applications by companies. They may reject an app on the basis of usefulness, if two apps do the same thing, one of the apps may be rejected.

Apps such as the successful game app 'Labrynth', science apps such as 'Pocket Universe' and music apps such as 'SoundHound' are hugely successful amongst the audience,as they can use them on a daily basis, and are useful to the consumer.

The Impact of New and Digital Media Case Study

Theories/ Issues and Debates and quotes

• Hegemony- Antonio Gramsci

" ... the systems of power cannot be maintained by force alone. People have to do things, willingly and happily to keep the powerful people on top".

http://www.suite101.com/content/hegemony-and-media-studies-a52278

- Hegemony and Media Studies, Naomi Rockler- Gladen

"... a process of moral and intellectual leadership through which dominant or subordinated classes consent to their own domination by ruling classes ".

http://www.english.emory.edu/Bahri/hegemony.html

- Hegemony and Antonio Gramsci , Dominic Mastroianni, 2002

• Marxism- Karl Marx

" The class which has the means of material production at its disposal has control at the same time over the means of mental production".

http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/marxism/marxism03.html

- Marxist Media Theory, Daniel Chandler, 2000

• Liberal Pluralism

"There are multiple independent, sometimes competing sources of authority over our lives"

" Liberal democratic theory and the media are crucial to pluralism and a public sphere in which public opinion may be independently formed".

http://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/samples/cam033/2001043917.pdf

- Liberal Pluralism, The Implications of Value Pluralism for Political Theory and Practice, William Galston, University of Maryland, Cambridge University Press, 2002

• Globalisation- Manuel Castells

" ... results from deliberate human choice by a powerful group of nations, transnational corporations and international organisations".

" The new communications and information technologies have provided methods for large corporations to maximise profits by entering foreign markets".

" Globalisation has been largely driven by the needs of the developed world" (Grieco and Holmes 1999)

http://www.eurojournals.com/ejsr_29_1_08.pdf

- Globalization of Media: Key Issues and Dimensions, Mirza Jan, 2009

• The medium is the message - Marshall Macluhan

"... personal and social consequences of any medium result from the new scale that is introduced into our affairs by each extension of ourselves, or by any new technology"

http://individual.utoronto.ca/markfederman/article_mediumisthemessage.htm

- What is the Meaning of The Medium is the Message? Mark Federman, 2004

" In the electric age ,when our central nervous system is technologically extended to involve in the whole of mankind and to incorporate the whole of mankind in us, we necessarily participate... in the consequences of our every action.

http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Students/bas9401.html

- Marshall McLuhan's 'Global Village', Benjamin Symes, 1995

• Althusserian Marxism- Louis Althusser

"... represents the imaginary relationship of individuals to their real conditions of existence"

"... a determining force shaping consciousness, embodied in the material signifying practices of 'ideological state apparatuses', and enjoying 'relative autonomy".

http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/marxism/marxism09.html

- Marxist Media Theory-Althusser, Daniel Chandler, 2000

• Political Economy Perspective in the Media

"... a political economy of new media insists on examination of the circumstances that give rise to any given distribution of power and of the consequences to consumers and citizens".

http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/762/1/NMISsnt2.pdf

- Political Economy, power and new media, Robin Mansell LSE, 2004

• Homogenisation

"... in developing countries most of the people participate to global culture through embellished images of carrying consumption dreams that won't ever be reached."

"Consumerism generates hunger for material status symbols, new material needs".

http://www.krepublishers.com/06-Special%20Volume-Journal/JHE-00-Special%20Volumes/JHE-12-Soc-Respons-Life-Sci-Web/JHE-SI-12-28-235-239-Firouzeh-N/JHE-SI-12-28-235-239-Firouzeh-N-Text.pdf

- Globalisation and Homogenisation of Culture: The Role of Mass Medias in Developing Countries, Nahavandi Firouzeh, 2004

• Convergence/ Technological Convergence in the media

" Established companies will find in convergence and opportunity to operate more efficiently, increase returns on technology investments and realise other business benefits".

http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/youngminds/2007/essays/PapadakisSteliosYM2007.pdf

- Technological Convergence: Opportunities and Challenges, Stellios Papadakis

"Technological convergence also leads to devices that are designed specifically to replace a number of different devices. "

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-technological-convergence.htm

-What is Technological Convergence? Brendan McGuigan, 2011