Media Mock Exam Revision

Task 2- New and Digital Media Essay

"Media institutions are right to feel threatened by new/digital media." Consider this statement and show how media institutions are reacting to technological developments

In today's society, new and digital media has managed to challenge the way traditional media institutions exhibit their products. The emergence of e media has contributed to many institutions competing against each other to advertise and exhibit their products. As well as this, the recent resurgence of smart phones and their apps have provided media institutions with another opportunity to showcase their products and compete with rival institutions, for example mobile phone tariff companies such as T Mobile and Orange compete across apps, as well as on social networking sites. The presence of social networking sites such as Facebook allows media institutions to target their audiences via advertising on side bars and banners on social networking pages.

One way in which media institutions are reacting to technological developments is through social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Myspace. By typing keywords in the search toolbar, institutions target audiences based around their preferences. Notably, companies such as the mobile tariff company Orange may target audiences to purchase one of their packages, which gives them better mobile phone minutes or texts. Media institutions therefore pay Facebook to have their adverts published on profile pages on social networking sites. The presence of the like button at the bottom of each advert on Facebook may increase the advert's influence.

Similarly, media institutions may turn to having websites in order to react to the technological developments, as broadcasting institutions such as the BBC, Channel 4, Five, Sky and other channels allow audiences to watch their favourite shows on media players such as iPlayer. By having this service, media institutions may generate more audience share and receive feedback from audiences on news stories, via comments at the bottom of each news article. The BBC's website fulfills its remit which is to inform, educate and entertain, as audiences can be updated with rolling news, educated on political issues, religion and other issues and also be entertained by watching their programmes on BBC iPlayer. Similarly, conglomerates such as News Corporation may take advantage of technological developments, by having websites, as they can entertain and educate their audience through their products such as 20th Century Fox, National Geographic Channel Worldwide.

In regards to News Corporation, media institutions may react to technological developments by exhibiting their products on latest technology, such as smart phones and PDAs. Interestingly, News Corp decision to launch an exclusive online newspaper on the iPad signifies how media institutions are reacting to technological developments, as News Corp can target a specific market and generate profit through the pay wall. The possible launch of this newspaper may result in competition between newspaper companies, as News Corp's newspapers such as The Sun are available in the form of apps on smartphones such as the Apple iPhone, Blackberry phone and HTC phones. Rival newspaper companies may have to progress onto new technologies such as smart phones and portable devices such as the iPad in order to appeal to their audience, who are updated on latest news on the go. The hegemonic influence of News Corp shows how it has means of mental production, as they can enforce a pay wall , in order for audiences to pay to view their content.

Likewise, media institutions may react to technological developments by having their products published in the form of a smart phone application. Evidently, newspapers such as The Guardian has an iPhone app which allows the audience to be informed of the latest news on the go. Similarly, BBC has a smart phone app which allows adult audiences to be updated with news, as well as entertained with programmes on BBC i Player. By having these apps on smart phones, institutions can generate profit , but also appeal to different audiences, as seen with News Corp's The Sun iPhone app. As well as this, audiences from the UK can also access news apps from the US for example, thus resulting in a global relationship and can be inundated with financial news from the Bloomberg app, as well as New York Times and ABC news which have their own apps on the Apple iPhone.

On the whole it can be seen that media institutions are reacting to technological developments, as institutions such as News Corp have launched an exclusive online newspaper on the iPad which is rejuvenating the newspaper industry and progressing onto newer technological formats. Similarly, media institutions have their own websites where they can inform, educate and entertain audiences and also promote their products on these sites. The emergence of latest technologies such as the smart phone allows media institutions to exhibit their company and provides a mobile service, where audiences can be updated with rolling news, as seen with the BBC News app.