Section B

New and digital media offers media institutions different ways of reaching audiences.
Consider how and why media institutions are using these techniques. (48 Marks)

As technology and new and digital media advances, both the news and music industry have been forced to adapt to the changes from traditional means of distribution to digital. Both industries have employed various new methods utilising digital media to survive and remain relevant. Some would argue that new and digital media has opened an avenue wherein the audience and the institution carry a symbiotic relationship. Utilising the digital sphere offers both positives and negatives to both industries.

Firstly, it is evident in the changes that institutions are forced by new and digital media to discover different ways of reaching their audience. In recent years, news audiences have witnessed the decline of the newspapers. This especially evident as we have institutions like 'The Independent' cease their printing of newspapers and function solely as an online website. This is a prime example of the paradigm shift from traditional media, to digital media. Furthering this, many other institutions have been affected, consequently suffering. The Daily Mirror's sales fell 7.7%, Daily Mail down 7.4% and the Sun fell 9.4%. These statistics provided from June 2015, definitely illustrate the decline in the newspaper. However, it isn't just the news industry affected by ever changing means of distribution. The music industry has also seen and experienced a decline in CD sales and download. The Wall Street Journal has stated published that CD sales from 2009 to 2014, have decreased a massive 40 million sales. Furthering this, Universal Music Group's downloads figure dropped a 13% in 2015. This portrays how both the music and news industry have been forced to venture in finding a new method in distributing their content to an audience.

Interestingly, the music industry has been able to utilise the advances in technology and provide music streaming services. Applications such as Spotify, Tidal and the recent Apple Music has made the access of music easier than ever, and has also been proven to be very popular amongst consumers. In 2015, Universal Music Group published that they had made the biggest revenue in the past decade, grossing $5.6 billion. They saw a significant growth in subscription and streaming. With their streaming income going up 56%. This shows how the music industry have taken a turn away from the traditional methods of selling CD's and downloads. With the benefits of streaming, listening to music has become much more accessible for consumers which would link to the changed mind-set of consumers wanting the latest immediately, and streaming services provide this expectation.

Also, news industries have also began to employ different ways of reaching audiences. A new method used for generating revenue in recent years is paywall. This is where consumers pay subscription to access the online content. An article written by director and former journalist, David Simon, called 'Build the Wall' accentuates the importance of placing monetary value on the news we receive, and challenges the view of news being a commodity that is free. He explains that if this expectation of news being free continues, the quality of news that we receive would deteriorate, hence highlighting the importance of the paywall. Also, with the availability of new technology, the access of news has become much easier for consumers. With technological convergence, provided with the use of apps and smartphones, consumers are able to access content for numerous institutions. Previously, to do this, consumers needed to buy several newspapers, but now with the advances in technology, consumers can access different institution's content all from their smartphone.     

Moreover, with the ever increasing popularity in social media, news institutions have now began to utilise this platform to reach audiences. In recent years, social media site Twitter has been utilised by institutions to publish headlines and bring exposure to their content. Consequently, the phrase 'News on the Tweet' has been coined. With this new method utilised by news institutions, it has driven traffic to their sites, hence providing them a healthier revenue. Also, with the use of social media, it portrays how institutions are able to increase their audience demographic to the youths. As the popularity of social media amongst youngsters is ever increasing, it shows how news is becoming more available and accessible for the youth of today. Interestingly, news brands online are reliant on their previous successes, as gaining a verified account makes their posts online much more credible and trustworthy. This portrays how the traditional model institutions had has helped them in gaining credibility and shouldn't be overlooked and undermined.

In addition, the new way news institutions reaching consumers has allowed more room for them to become more active in the way they respond to news. Audience are able to comment and express their personal views on particular news stories with the aid of technology. A significant example of this is the 'I cant breathe' phenomena which arose in response to the Eric Garner case. When the footage of what happened to Garner was made public, users took to Twitter to express their grief. This therefore assisted the '#blacklivesmatter' movement previously founded in 2013.  

     

SEC A

Q1. An interesting way in which Channel 4 utelises narrative techniques in 'Educating Yorkshire' is through the structure of the narrative. In the beginning, we see our protagonist suffer from a speech impediment, but then develop into being capable in delivering a speech to his fellow peers. This would demonstrate Todorov's narrative theory of 'Equilibrium'. This would attract the attention of audiences because it presents how the Channel 4 series portrays the development of students in school. This would be a unique selling point because it informs audiences with the standard of the education system and the ethos of the teachers. Additionally, another way in which audiences are attracted is through the editing. By Channel 4 using cut a away shots of multiple students crying, it positions the audience in a sphere where they are most likely to respond emotionally. This would interest the audience as people do enjoy heart warming programmes.     

Likewise, in 'Waterloo Road' BBC 1 employ narrative techniques, namely Barthes' 'Enigma code' to attract audiences. When the character 'Gabby' arrives at school in her parents' car, there is a change in the music portraying a change in mood. Also, when she comes out the car, there is a use of a tilt movement in the camera, hence making her appearance being revealed much more dramatic. These contributing devices all create an enigma code which would attract an audience as they would be intrigued to see how the plot would resolve. 

Q2 Firstly, in Educating Yorkshire, Channel 4 presents school life as a positive experience, where teacher support the need of the student. This is specifically when the teacher aids our protagonists stammer. Thus implying that the school environment is nurturing. This positive representation would demonstrate Perkin's 'positive stereotypes. As it is commonly believes that the school is the place where the teachers cater to the needs of the students, by Channel 4 constructing the representation in the documentary to be parallel with the stereotypical vie it demonstrates Perkins stereotypes are also positive. As the student was an ethnic minority specifically from the East and the teacher helping him wa white and from the west, it portrays Said's 'Orientalism; that the West help educate the East to become un-civilised. This would therefore present the school not to be discriminating. 

In contrast, BBC 1's 'Waterloo Road' doesn't represent school life in quite the same light of positivity. Through the segregation of the groups in school, it presents how there is a binary opposition between the popular and the non-popular. Also, through the manner in which the students wear their uniform, it prestos how the students are trying to set their own agenda with the school rules. This therefore presents how school life is full of students trying to change the rules and in some instances, break them.