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Institution terminology

Institution- an organization- in this case media institutions. Any


organization who produces and distributes media texts.
Cross media ownership- media across the platforms. Apply in the
exam by saying that institution is an established cross media institution
(if it is.)
Convergence- the process of media operating across all 3 platforms.
Explain what the benefits of this are.
Synergy- the process by which media institutions use a range of
platforms to promote, sell and distribute their products. Eg high school
musical the film, dvd, cd, magazine etc.
Distribution- releasing media products to the world
Media conglomerates- Big media companies
Ownership and control- who owns and controls the mass media
Hegemony- those with great power. Think media conglomerates. News
international, BBC etc ( for example, News international upholds
hegemony in the media industry.)
Powerful institutions can influence the attitudes,
interests, beliefs and desires of people on a world
scale
Mediation - Links to representation- a form of editing or selection
done by the press. Choosing which stories/media to release and which
content to include.
Dominant ideology- A commonly accepted set of beliefs/values in the
media
Western ideology- the set of values and beliefs commonly held by
the western world.
Capitalist ideology- believe in value of making money
Brand identity/ personality and image of the institution- What
personality does the institution create? Eg cool, trendy, young.
PSB public service broadcaster- publically funded through the
license fee. BBC.
Commercial broadcaster- funded through commercial gains,
advertising etc
BBC remit is EDUCATE, INFORM AND ENTERTAIN. (entertain was
deliberately placed last)
High production values
Liberal pluralism- is the dominant perspective linked to capitalismsupports competition in the mass media. Defends wealthy
organisations. Promotes freedom of expression.
Marxists could counter this and argue that capitalist society creates
class domination and a media monopoly with little regulation or
competition. They argue that capitalist societies support the elite
institutions.
Brand identity- the characteristics that define a particular brand. It is
a brands personality.
What the institution shows vs reality
Binary opposites

Preferred message
Main message
Narrative- todorov
Type of image portrayed eg positive
Ideology
Idealistic lifestyles
Brand image- what the audience will get from the vid
Brand values
What way do they promote the video/message through the text
In what ways has the text been influenced or shaped by the
instituition that produced it
Public service of commercial institution?
Institutions relationship to us as individuals

How to attack the institution question:

IBOP

An institution
Definition: any company or organisation that produces, distributes or
exhibits films. The BBC makes films with their BBC Films arm; Channel4's
Film Four produces films, Working Title also produce films, as does Vertigo
Films, etc. Some institutions need to join with other institutions which
distribute films. Vertigo Films is able to distribute its own films, Channel
Four distributed Slumdog Millionaire through Pathe. Working Title's
distribution partner is Universal, a huge US company which can make,
distribute and show films. The type of owner ship within an institution
matters as, for instance, Channel 4 and the BBC are able to show their
own films at an earlier stage than other films made by other institutions.
They are also better placed to cross-promote their in-house films within
their media organisations.
Distribution and Marketing
Definition: the business of getting films to their audiences by booking
them for runs into cinemas and taking them there in vans or through
digital downloads; distributors also create the marketing campaign for
films producing posters, trailers, websites, organise free previews, press
packs, television interviews.
Exhibition
Definition: showing films in cinemas or on DVD. Media attention through
opening nights and premieres How the audience can see the film: in
cinemas, at home, on DVD, through downloads, through television,
including premieres, the box office take in the opening weeks; audience
reviews which includes those of the film critics, ordinary people, cinemas
runs; awards in festivals, The Oscars, BAFTAS, etc.
Examples:
The Boat That Rocked opened on wide release in over 400 cinemas in April
2009. The film flopped at the box office for a number of reasons: the
critics' reviews, poor weather putting off cinema goers, and perhaps the
lack of a strong female character. The film also flopped on American
release in November 2009. However, young people and older people like
the film: sales in Morrisons and other supermarkets seem brisk before
Christmas as many are buying the DVD as a present to cheer people up
during these dark winter months. Slumdog Millionaire almost never got
distribution. Its early US distributor, Warner Independent was a victim of
the economic downturn and went out of business. The film's makers then
struggled to find a distributor! Then Fox Searchlight stepped up and "the

rest is history".
Exchange
Definition: The unintended use of an institutions media text (i.e. a film)
by OTHER PEOPLE who use the film or parts of it to form new texts. What
happens to a film, etc. after the public get their hands on it using digital
technology.
Examples:
People unconnected to the institution/ film using WEB 2.0 applications
such as YOUTUBE, Blogger, Amazon film message boards, TWITTER, FaceBook, discuss the film or edit parts of together to form a new text which
the may then put a new soundtrack to and publish on YOUTUBE, etc. When
you add a trailer from a site like YouTube on your blog you have been
engaging with exchange.
Synergy/Synergies
Definition: The interaction of two or more agents (institutions/companies)
to ensure a larger effect than if they acted independently. This is beneficial
for each company through efficiencies in expertise and costs.
Viral Marketing
Definition: A marketing technique aiming at reproducing "word of mouth"
usually on the internet and through existing social networks. YouTube
Video pastiches, trailers, interviews with cast members, the director,
writer, etc. You can find interviews of the talent trying to gain publicity
for your case study films on YouTube.
Guerilla Marketing
Definition: The use of unconventional and low cost marketing strategies
to raise awareness of a product. The aim is usually to create buzz and
word of mouth around a film. Unusual stunts to gain publicity (P.R.) on
the films opening weekend, etc.
Examples:
Sasha Baron Cohen created buzz before the release of his film Borat
by holding fake press conferences. The studio also accessed the popularity
of YouTube by releasing the first 4 minutes of the movie on YouTube, a
week before its release, which can then be sent virally across the nation.
At a special viewing of Bruno Cohen landed on Eminem butt first from
the roof MTV Awards venue, dressed in as an angel outfit with rents in the
rear end.
Media Convergence
Definition 1: Convergence of media occurs when multiple products come
together to form one product with the advantages of all of them.
Examples:
More and more films are being marketed on the Internet and on mobile
phones. You no longer need even to buy the DVDs or CDs as you can
download films and music directly to your laptop, Mac or PC. Blu-Ray DVDs

can carry more features than ordinary DVDs and can be played on HD
televisions and in home cinemas for enhanced/cinematic picture quality.
You can save films on SKY digital, Free-box digital players, etc. You mobile
phone has multiple features and applications. With media and
technological convergence this is growing year on year. Play-Stations, XBoxes and the Wii can can connect with the Internet and you can play
video games with multiple players.
Technological Convergence
Definition 2: The growing interactive use of digital technology in the film
industry and media which enables people to share, consume and produce
media that was difficult or impossible just a few years earlier.
Examples:
For instance, the use of new software to add special effects in editing; the
use of blue-screen; you can use the Internet to download a film rather
than go see it in the cinema; you can watch it on YouTube; you can use
special editing programs like Final Cut Pro to edit bits of a film, give it new
soundtrack and upload it on YouTube; you can produce illegal, pirate
copies on DVDs from downloads and by converting the films format; you
can buy Blue Ray DVDs with greater compression which allows superior
viewing and more features on the DVD; distributors can use digital
software to create high concept posters.
A Mainstream Film
Definition: A high budget film that would appeal to most segments of an
audience: the young, boys, girls, teenagers, young people, the middle
aged, older people, the various classes in society. Distributors often spend
as much or more than the film cost to make when distributing mainstream
films that are given wide or universal releases.
Example:
The Boat That Rocked was a mainstream idea and was given the
mainstream treatment on wide release. The film flopped at the UK box
office on release ( and has not done too well since mid November 2009 on
release in the USA. This was mostly because of its poor reviews,
particularly from Time-Out. However, when young and older audiences
see the DVD they generally like the film because of its uplifting storyline
and the well-chosen soundtrack.
Art House Films
Definition: A low budget independent film that would mostly appeal to an
educated, higher class audience who follow unusual genres or like cult
directors that few people have heard of. Therefore it is usually aimed at a
niche market. Foreign films often come under this category.
Ratings bodies BBFC - The British Board of Film Classification
How your institutions films are rated will affect audiences in so far as WHO
can see them. Remember that sex scenes, offensive language, excessive
violence, the use of profanity, etc. can affect the rating and certificate the
film receives and therefore affect who is able to see the film.

Past paper questions on institution


Question 1 Media Institutions (12 marks) What is the BBC hoping to
achieve by including behind the scenes footage?
Question 1 Media Institutions (12 marks) How does the trailer promote
Channel 4s brand image?
Question 1 Media Institutions (12 marks) How does the institution take an
original and positive approach to road safety advertising?
Question 4 Media Institutions (12 marks) How does i brand itself as a new
kind of newspaper in the age of online news?
Question 2 Media Institutions (12 marks) How does the advertisement
communicate brand values for John Lewis?
Question 2 Media Institutions (12 marks) How is the brand image of the
MINI Clubman promoted in the video?

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