"Commercial media sells eyeballs and ears to advertisers."
 |
-Freeview: channels 9, 7, 10 and their digital counterparts GO!, 7mate, Extra etc.
-Pay TV: Foxtel, Austar.
-The news companies: News Limited, Fairfax.
Public media in Australia includes ABC 1,2,3 & 24 and SBS etc.
For commercial media, the viewing, reading, and listening audience aren't really the customers, despite what the commercial companies may want you to think. Commercial media is not funded by the government, making it business dependent, therefore; commercial media is profit and share-holder driven. The three forms of funding it uses are sponsorship (normal Freeview commercial stations 7, 9, 10 etc.), subscription (pay TV-Foxtel etc.), and subsidised (partly government funded). It has three essential focuses: commercial (making a profit), social (informing and entertaining the public), and propaganda (influencing the consumer). *On the topic of propaganda, I was amazed to learn that Fox News is considered the most trusted news in America. o_O
*The topic of trust is actually rather interesting, as the commercial side of things facilitates the social side, but if there is too much slant on the news, the viewers will not trust that station or news. Just think of Nine News' "You can trust us..."-and that just sounded so creepy out of context.
The media has a social responsibility in democracy as a:
1. truthful, intelligent, and comprehensive account of the day's events
2. forum for the exchange of comments and opinions
3. representation of societal groups
4. presentation of the goals and values of society
"The first duty [of the media] is to shun the temptations of monopoly. It's primary office is the gathering of news. At the peril of it's soul it must see that the supply is not tainted. Neither in what it gives, nor in what it does not give, nor in the mode of presentation must the unclouded face of truth suffer wrong. Comment is free, but facts are sacred." -C.P. Scott (Editor/Owner of The Guardian)
To make sure that everyone is behaving themselves, the ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority) and the Australian Press Council enforce broadcasting guidelines. The 'ethical wall' ensures commercial-social functions are upheld, a separation of Church and State, if you will (Simons). The ethical walls should balance the pressures of profits and public interests (social responsibility). However, over-regulation is also detrimental to reliability in the media, as seen with Steven Conroy's bid to sensor the internet. This is fraught, as the regulations are dependent on someone's opinions, and thus, is subjective.
Do the pressures on commercial media make it favour profit over quality and social responsibility? Are these pressures to blame for the atrocities of tabloidisation: A Current Affair and Today Tonight?
*If it isn't already obvious, I prefer to watch non-commercial TV-ABC- which is due in a big way to over-dramatised and conspiracy hype programs like ACA and TT. Tabloidisation also means that commercial media is somewhat 'dumbed down'.
 |
So how does commercial media continue from here?
"The only way to sell something here [programs in Australian TV] is by being able to sell it overseas."-DR BR
*I, would watch commercial stations if they had better quality programming. I would like to add that if the advertising was were more targeted, I would not be put off quite so much. Being bombarded with life or funeral insurance plans while eating lunch in front of the TV isn't anyone's ideal chilled-out lunch. Oh, not to mention being visually assaulted by the ridiculously dark tan "ahhhhhmazing Zumba-ahhhhhhbs" a particular advertisement features.
With that, I leave you to chew over the content of week 6 lecture; and don't worry, this deal will not require 3 instalments of $39.95.
-Bon
No comments:
Post a Comment