TV: The impact of new/digital media on television

TV: The impact of new/digital media on television

The impact of new/digital media on TV: blog task

Go to our Media Magazine archive and read the article on Netflix and the Cultural Industries (MM63 - page 45). Create a blogpost called 'The impact of new/digital media on TV' and answer the following questions:

1) What does the 'industry' concept in A Level Media Studies refer to?

Companies that create and distribute media texts, the standard practices of media production, as well as the regulatory and legal frameworks in which the companies operate.

2) What does David Hesmondhalgh argue with regards to how the creative industries have changed since the 1980s?

That since the 1980s there’s been
a significant shift in cultural production:

• Cultural industries have moved closer

to the centre of economic action

• There has been an increase in media

corporations owning companies in

different sectors of the industry

• Globalisation has meant media

texts can circulate more easily

across borders reducing North

American dominance

• Deregulation has reduced

public ownership

• Advertising ‘dollars’ have

significantly increased as has

cross promotion within texts

• Digitisation has allowed the

technology sector to compete

directly with traditional

media companies

• Niche audiences are

increasingly targeted.

3) Choose the three most significant points Hesmondhalgh makes regarding the changing cultural industries. Why are these the most significant in your view?

> Globalisation, which reduces North American dominance, as the market will therefore become more diverse and varied.


> Digitisation allows for digital media to compete with traditional media, showcasing the era of technology and how it has changed the media landscape forever.


> Niche audiences are increasingly targeted. This perhaps demonstrates the shift in culture as companies attempt to appeal to certain demographics.

4) What is technological convergence? 

Digitisation of media

5) How are technology companies challenging traditional broadcasters in the TV industry?

Digitisation, and the ability to distribute texts via the Internet, meant that technology companies could compete directly with media companies and, arguably, even become media companies.

6) What budgets will Netflix, Amazon and Apple spend on original programming next year according to the article?

Netflix: $8.5b Amazon: $4.5b Apple: 1B

7) How many countries are Netflix and Amazon available in?

Netflix: 190 countries
Amazon: 200 countries

8) The global nature of modern television means producers are having to consider international audiences when creating content. What example from Netflix does the article use to explain this?

The monster in Stranger Things was named by the kids the ‘Demogorgon’ after a Dungeons & Dragons demon prince. To ensure that connection transcended language barriers, Netflix’s team dug into old D&D materials to nail down how various cultures translated ‘Demogorgon’ in the mid-1970s. This lead to it being renames in parts of the world.

9) Do you think technology companies such as Google, Facebook and Amazon will increase their interest in the television industry?

I do think that they'll increase their interest as they can expand their market for more niche shows and create opportunities for profit.

10) How do changes in technology influence the creation of TV dramas such as Capital or Deutschland 83? Try and make specific references to the two TV CSPs in your answer.

Changes in technology allowed for wider global reach, bringing in more diverse audiences. For example, Deutschland 83's popularity in other countries.