Lecture 6 - Commercial Media

In this weeks JOUR1111 lecture we learnt about the topic of Commercial Media. We delved further into the Australian media landscape and the impact of Commercial media (what is it? why it exists? and who are the major players?). We also analyzed the form and function of commercial media and the future challenges it may face. These were the notes that I took from the lecture.

The Australian media landscape

·      Commercial media

o   Channel 9, 7 and 10

o   Foxtel

o   Gem, 7mate etc

·      Public Media

o   ABC

o   SBS

o   ABC 2/3

Commercial media exists because advertisers can get access to eyes and ears

What is commercial media?

•       Profit driven media production
•         Not government funded (or license funded)
•         It survives or fails on business success
•         Its business is generating audiences
•        Create audiences to generate profit through selling advertising to them

Commercial media major players

•         News limited – newspapers, cable tv, film, magazines, books, sports
•         Fairfax media – newspapers and digital media
•        APN news and media – Regional newspaper, digital media, radio, outdoor advertising
•         Nine-entertainment co. – free to air tv, magazines, digital media, events
•        WIN – free to air tv, radio, sport, tele-comms
•        Southern cross – free to air tv, radio
•        Seven west – free to air tv, newspapers, magazines, digital media
•        TEN – free to air tv
•        Telstra – bigpond
•        Optus – telecomms, re-seller of foxtel
•        Macquarie – 87 radio stations
•        Austar – Re-seller of foxtel

Form and Function of commercial media

•        Form > Commercial

o   Subscription (Foxtel)

o   Sponsored (Channel 9)

o   Subsidised (Government $)

•        Function > Commercial

     > Propaganda

     > Social

What is commercial media’s role in a democratic society and how do we control it?

•         Can commercial media deliver on both commercial (profit) and social (‘public trust’) functions? (or is it really just about the mighty dollar?)

o   Truthful, comprehensive and intelligent account of the day’s events

o   A forum for the exchange of comment and criticism

o   Representative picture of social groups

o   Portray the goals and values of the society

o   Full access to the day’s intelligence

•         Formal state requirements
•         Legal prescription
•        State oversight
•        Statutory
•        Voluntary

News (social?) controls on commercial media

1.        Government agency – regulating content
2.         State press subsidies
3.         Licensed journalism

Results of the style of commercial media

•         Dumbing down
•         Tabloidization
•         The ‘desire to please’
•        “Mickey Mouse” news

Challenges for commercial media

•         Advertising in broadcast media is down and continues to slide
•         Loss of revenue = less investment = less money for quality production = more bought in content (less original) = more repeats of US sitcoms, more reality TV

Good news for commercial media?

•         Increased money that people are spending on digital advertising but this might just be spin

Future of commercial media

•         Quality – better, bigger, greater content
•         Greater competition

Alternative view?

•         Corporate media dominance vs an expanded public sphere

   Stay tuned for next weeks lecture on public media and more news in the media

     Hoo Roo

     Stewy