Week 2

In chapter six of ‘Media Studies: Texts, Production, Context’ (Long and Wall, 2012), I believe the key points of the text to be media regulation and policy, and how media organisations are regulated.

   Regulation occurs in all types of media texts and forms, and is often linked to the idea of censorship. An example of a regulatory body is ‘Ofcom’ an independent organisation that regulates broadcasting in the UK. Regulation is often seen as something being controlled or restricted, and comes in many different forms. External regulation is outside media production, internal regulation is within the process of production of a media product or text, and lastly self-regulation is where a company regulates itself.  

   My additional reading of the text ‘The Law of Photography and Digital Images’ (Michalos, 2003), discusses the laws of photography and digital images, looking at what regulation is in place. It particularly looks at the Internet and the Human Rights Act and their influence on the industry.

   Looking beyond regulation as a means to control or restrict companies, you can see that regulation has often helped smaller groups to gain media representation, as well as promoting aspects of culture or society.

   However, there are some issues with policy and regulation. You can look at the regulatory system in terms of having six parts; elements (the essential parts), regulatory verbs (what it seeks), regulatory focus (where it’s directed), form (who manages it), outcomes (achievements) and status and change (the end result).

   Radio and television has always been subject to much regulation, and this is tied to public service broadcasting. Whereas, music as an industry has always appeared to be scarcely regulated, seeming as if little rules or restrictions apply to what you can and can’t do, but this is also not the case. Furthermore it is assumed that copyright created laws to ban sharing music files, but this is not entirely true.

   These two texts made me think differently about regulation in the media, and realise that it is not in place to just simply create restrictions for a media text, but to also aid it. It also brought to my attention the rules and regulations within the photography industry in particular where my interest lies. The specialist text also challenges ideas about the media in some ways, showing that regulation in media areas such as music isn’t how we would assume it to be.

  One option for undertaking academic research would be to create a focus group that discusses the topic of regulation and whether or not it is seen as a positive thing for media companies.

Bibliography:

1.     Long, P; Wall, T (2012) ‘Media Studies: Texts, Production, Context’ pg. 204-232

2.     Michalos, C (2003) ‘The Law of Photography and Digital Images’

Week 1

   In chapter five of ‘Media Studies: Texts, Production, Context’ (Long and Wall, 2012), I believe the key arguments to be the distinction between the production, distribution and consumption of the media, as well as different ways of framing media products such as; artefact, commodity and text.

  It explores the fact that consumers of a media text rarely know its producer, simply naïve to how a text reached us or who created it, as we are simply more interested in the story. However, unlike a title screen of a film outlining who produced the text, it is sometimes hard to figure out who produced a text. For example; freelancers or smaller companies. This links to my reading of ‘Photos that sell: the art of successful freelance photography’ (Frost, 2004). A book that discusses how to be successful in your freelance photography, linking to the earlier idea that people are often blind to the producers of texts, especially in these circumstances.

   There have been approaches to studying the different levels to which we can understand media operation. The first is ‘political economy’, looking at media business as a part of economics and politics. The second is ‘organisational study’, looking into the structure and objectives of the company. Lastly, ‘workplace ethnography’, explores professionalism, creativity and skill.

   Political economy of media looks at the economics and politics behind the production of a media text, looking at where economic value lies whether that’s in where it’s generated or in its ownership. (Long and Wall, 2012: 172) Organisational study looks into the practices and decisions behind an organisation, the development and delivery of the product, both as a commodity in search of profit or a text created for meaning for its audience. To do this it looks at a company’s segments, the mapping of both divisions and staff and their roles within the company. (Long and Wall, 2012: 185-192)

   These texts have brought to my attention how little we know about the producers of many media texts, especially when it isn’t made obvious to us in the way of film. I agree that we simply believe a text appears without thinking of who is behind it. As my own interest lies in freelance photography, it was interesting for me to read how to gain the recognition of your work.

   One option for undertaking academic research is to create a questionnaire asking people if they know the producers of certain texts, and then going onto collate findings to see how many product producers they know.

  

Bibliography:

1.     Frost, L (2004) ‘Photos That Sell: The Art Of Successful Freelance Photography’

2.     Long, P; Wall, T (2012) ‘Media Studies: Texts, Production, Context’ pg. 168-203