The basics
Your chosen industry: Film
Your chosen case study (i.e. text/institution etc.): Netflix streaming (Tv series) (The Crown + 13 Reasons Why)
Have you received approval for this case study from your teacher? Yes
Audience
1) How has new and digital media changed the audience experience in your chosen industry?
A lot more audiences now stream films through the internet or through streaming services like Netflix or Amazon Prime, those that are now more legitimate whilst some who stream film through other sites. Audiences experience has become more worthwhile and comforting at their own homes, they have more access to what they want to watch, whenever and wherever too. Now its just not getting to see films in the cinema but more on the internet for free. New and digital media has allowed audience to access film in various new platforms, opening new discussions and allowing film to become interactive.
2) Has new and digital media changed the way the audience consume your chosen product?
Yes, as mentioned above, films are now becoming more accessible on the net, for free hence why not many people now go to cinemas to watch the movies. Digital media has become more apparent and an easier access to anything online esspecially films. I think this has been done because people, the users of the internet can put on content and getting away with posting links of downloads for people to see the movie for free or at least at a lower price which of course is beneficial but risky at the same time.
3) Has the size of the audience changed as a result of new and digital media?
The size of the audience is becoming more dramatic and increasing as the days go on. In the olden times it was very selective people who could go to the cinemas and watch the movie they wished too (mostly the rich and middle class.) But now, it doesn't matter on what the demographic audience it is, and what platform the film is accessible in, a wide range of more audience now are accessible to it. The convenience of film is becoming much more apparent to any audience through any platform of new and digital media.
4) What are the positive changes new and digital media have brought to the audience of your case study?
Audiences now have much more greater choices, they have a choice to where they want to watch the film, it can be either watch it in a cinema or wait till it comes out on DVD or now which is much more the way of watching the movie online either streaming it on official websites and streaming services or through the internet for free on certain websites. Each different platform of new and digital media is becoming an easier to access for a large audience now, the convenience and the availability is much more in the benefit of the audiences rather than the industry because it does limit down their profits that the movie will make. The movies also last very long online, giving the audience choice till when they want to watch it and when by, there is no date of taking the movie down but through traditional media like going to the cinema, most of the time the audiences would be given a limit amount of time they could access the movie in the cinema at certain times whilst the online doesn't. Having to access the film online free would be the biggest benefit for the audiences.
5) What are the negative changes new and digital media have had on your chosen audience? (E.g. quality of product etc.)
Sometimes, if audience do not watch the movie online through official streaming services but decide to watch the movie on online websites for free or download a link to watch a movie, it can be the case that sometimes the quality of the movie can be very poor but because it isn't legitimate or official, this can be the case of watching a movie through the internet. Another downside of new and digital media have had on film is that sometimes the websites would say in the title of the movie a user would like to watch but when going actually on the page, the movie isn't there and its something else, so it can be seen that some people would just 'clickbait' a page for making money. In my opinion, I think that the biggest disadvantage of new an digital media on film is that the audience never know if the link of the internet website is legitimate and trustworthy, mostly not but since official streaming services cost which some people cannot afford, some peoples choices would be then to count on the internet link for the movie they want to watch whether the quality is good or bad.
6) What about audience pleasures - have these changed as a result of new and digital media?
The audiences pleasures have changed through the results of new and digital media is because audiences enjoy the avaliablity they have through watching the movies online whenever they want and wherever, most of the time within streaming services like Netflix or Amazon Prime audience can watch the most updated but also then a "throwback" movie of their choice (if still available) on the services whenever they want. Both tv series or films, the availability is there for audience. Through the results of new and digital media, in films, they have also now discussed or mentioned the impact of new and digital media in films directly, the audiences pleasure can be increased here because audience could feel somewhat more connected and create identifications because it is what they also use and understand of. The issues or matters discussed which wouldn't normally would have done traditionally but i think now since the times have moved on, people are becoming braver to what content they create, and proving much better entertainment but also informational content to the audience such as the original Netflix series "13 Reasons Why."
7) What is the target audience for your chosen case study? Write a demographic/psychographic profile.
Netflix have said "demographic targeting is irrelevant", they have said their streaming service is for everyone and anyone - "interest is what matters most." Although the shows they create originally i would suggest that they would target more of B,C1,C2,C1,D, and E, the range is quite various and thats purely because what they create can fit for anyone because of the board issues or drama series they produce. For films though, I would feel though as if only C2,C1, D and E would still watch them on Netflix rather than go to the cinema to what i think A and B would do, they wouldn't mind paying money to watch a new film at a cinema.
- [Mainstreamers - seek security - follow latest trends, "family brands", mostly likely younger audience (teens/young adults)]
- [Explorers - seek discovery - search for new experiences + challenges. TV series on Netflix can increase their views and challenge them?, wanted to try new brands - young people]
- [Reformers - seek enlightenment - make independent judgements, accepts complexity - TV series on Netflix originals can increase that, new content on recent issues. Adults, young adults and also teens possibly]
- [Strugglers - seek escape - brand choice reflects impact and sensation - all audiences mostly likely, escape in to other characters and their own reality]
Institution
1) How has new and digital media had an impact on ownership or control in your chosen industry?
Netflix has an effect by new and digital media because it increased the chances of Netflix being allowed to be more accessible for their audiences. Netflix is available across a range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and internet enabled television. This is an example of technological convergence, where two or more technologies combine in one new device/ platform/ application. For Netflix, technological convergence offers greater audience pleasures through increased accessibility and user convenience. Netflix has able to gain control because now they are able to create and have the budget to create their own original content, With House of Cards, Netflix was not only able to establish itself as the leading on-demand television network, but also as a legitimate entertainment brand. Traditionally, original drama has been produced and distributed through television networks and institutions, and is a mainstay of television institutions.
2) What impact has new and digital media had on ownership in your chosen case study?
Netflix has been given opportunities to create their own content, which Netflix has then created their own ownerships but also put up movies of audiences all time favourites but also new releases of new movies that have came out. Netflix is more of a distributor for those movies that are up. Netflix was not only able to establish itself as the leading on-demand television network, but also as a legitimate entertainment brand.
3) How has new and digital media changed the way institutions produce texts?
Netflix now also produce their own texts, many that fit the younger audience but mostly they produce content that fits their large demographic group of audiences.
4) How has new and digital media changed the way institutions distribute their product?
Netflix is available across a range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and internet enabled television. This is an example of technological convergence, where two or more technologies combine in one new device/ platform/ application. Netflix have established a new and secure model for on-demand internet streaming of television products. Netflix have made it known that they are keen to develop their own content rather than bulk-buying in existing content; current contracts with Nickelodeon and MTV do not look as if they will be renewed.
5) How might new and digital media threaten your chosen industry?
I don't think new an digital media has threatened Netflix but new and digital media has provided the service to grow for the better and increased their opportunities they've received. A lot more audiences are using this service since it is cheap, reliant and accessible. Competitors of Netflix may be a threat but they can never be a damage to Netflix because of how it is growing and what they are creating is still in the interest of the vast majority of the audiences. They are producing tv series that will grasp that audiences attention and make them interested. Netflix understands there audiences, they know how to grow for the better through new and gorilla media.
6) How has new and digital media changed the way your chosen industry is regulated?
I don't think new and digital media has changed the way Netflix is regulated because once the users have signed up to Netflix, all of the content is provided by Netflix without giving warnings or asking the viewer the age rating permission. Netflix put the trust in the viewer and makes them in charge of what they watch on Netflix - appropriate or not, it's up to the viewer.
UGC
1) What examples of user-generated content can you find in your case study?
Netflix haven't really got any examples of user generated content because they are a streaming service, they only upload the latest movies/tv series or of their own original content but viewers are not much involved in the making or with any content that Netflix streams on its service.
2) How has UGC changed things for audiences or institutions in your chosen case study?
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Marxism, Pluralism and Hegemony
1) What would be a Marxist perspective of the impact of new and digital media on your chosen case study?
A Marxists view on Netflix would be that the elite are providing the audiences the information or entertainment they see fit to the audience or demonstrates the "reality of society" when creating their own original content. They would suggest that audience wouldn't know if it would be entertainment worth watching or actually information they should take in.
2) How would a pluralist view the impact of new and digital media in your chosen industry?
A pluralists view of Netflix would say that the content that Netflix is creating can be seen as proving informational content to the audience that is actually important to address issues like what 13 Reasons Why has done. By putting on various of different films on different categories, Netflix is its own and not controlled. Audiences are in more controlled to what they chose to watch because of the fact that Netflix allows users to create their own profile that fits what they want to watch, even Netflix would recommend to the viewers to what they may enjoy because of what they have watched.
3) Are there any examples of hegemony in your chosen industry or case study?
I don't think there are much examples of hegemony on Netflix. When it comes down to Netflix creating their own original content they either address issues that should be addressed, or they represent the current society, being modern and not narrow minded. Netflix's content is there for the audiences to pick up on and for audiences entertainment, its not demanding or dominating their particular views or state groups over others.
Globalisation
1) How has globalisation impacted on your chosen industry or case study?
Globalisation has impacted on Netflix, this American based company that is providing on-demand internet streaming media in the north and south America, Scandinavia, the Caribbean, UK & Ireland. Just like LoveFilm in the UK, in the USA they also provide a DVD-by-mail service. Netflix wasn't launched in the UK as a service until 2012. However, the brands awareness grew in their success in streaming original programming and support of independent film distribution. “the world’s leading internet television network” (that's how the institution describes themselves.) Netflix is accessible globally more or less and they are trying to be global within their accessibility.
2) In your opinion, has globalisation had a positive or negative impact on your chosen industry and case study? Why?
Globalisation has had an positive impact on Netflix but overall in films too because it is allowed audiences to access films much easily, audiences are more opened to what they watch and consume, they are more active, films are providing that. The fact that this is a global impact, its much more positive because it shows how powerful the recent developments in the media but also the technology has been in. It can also be been as this has given audience much more power because of the accessibility but the fact that how things can be accessible through such a large audiences in different countries.
3) Can you find examples of cultural imperialism in your case study or industry? (The 'Americanisation' of the world)
Netflix is an American based company, there content is created in America and the values are showed crossed to the audiences. Majority of the movies also that are put on Netflix are Americanised because simply because of locations, the characters but most important American values are portrayed.
Social media
1) How has your industry or case study used social media to promote its products?
Netflix promotes its original content by proving audiences previews or trailers of the show on their social media pages to create awareness about the show. Also Netflix also gets the cast members to also promote it to their followers online and get the word across of the new show. Most of the time through having people speak, promotes it and having actors/actress promote it themselves helps increase the promotion too. Netflix's twitter account also promotes a lot of their products, this can be simply tweeting about the latest episode of the series or sharing and re-tweeting what other audiences are saying.
2) Provide examples of how your case study has used social media and explain the impact this would have on audiences.
3) Is social media an opportunity or a threat to your industry and case study?
Social media is an opportunity to both my chosen industry and case study because not only it is free promotion and can awareness about the show much easily to a wide range of people quickly but also because it allows discussions to be opened, people talking about it themselves. Netflix isn't in a threat when they promote their own shows on social media because even through promoting the trailer of the shows for example, not other streaming service would be able to copy or use that on theirs, what makes Netflix different than other streaming service and prevents being a threat on social media is because of their original content that they are proving to such a large audience anyway.
Statistics
1) What statistics can you find to illustrate the impact new and digital media has had on your industry or case study? For example, in news, the UK newspaper industry sold more than 12m copies a day in 2001 but in 2014 it was below 7m.
2) Looking at these statistics, what impact has new/digital media had on institutions in your chosen industry?
New and digital media has impacted on Netflix in much of a positive way rather than negatively, this is because from looking at just the graph above, it shows the consumption globally that Netflix have gained through the recent years and it is contributed from new and digital media. This can be simply due to the accessibility that viewers can have through the internet to go on Netflix if not downloaded through Apps on devices or other platforms that now Netflix is available on. Netflix have gained so many subscribers throughout the years which is only a positive for them and can help them bring a larger revenue too.
3) What has the impact been for audiences? These may be positive and negative.
The impact on audiences have also been positive because they have consumed a lot of content on Netflix, from the sighers above, it shows that clearly the audience enjoy the content that is on Netflix right now because 100 million of audience audience are watching Netflix per hour and these statistics were updated at 2015. The negatives to this is that audience would be depending on the service very much, if there is a problem in the service, users would be disappointed as they wouldn't be able to access Netflix nor be able to watch their shows/movies. Audience are able to enjoy Netflix's content at their very most comfort environment on whatever device they want to watch there shows/movies on.
Theories
1) What media theories can you apply to your chosen industry and case study? Select THREE media theories and explain how they are relevant to your case study. Note: these can be ANY of the theories we have learned over the whole of Year 12 and 13.
- The increased personalisation offers the gratifications of personal identity and social interaction (Blumler & Katz), as users feel that they are able to tailor media schedules to their own tastes, while still participating in a viewing community through the rating and recommendations. The profiles will enable Netflix to gather more detailed information about its subscribers and their viewing habits. This will enable the institution to make more informed choices about films and TV programmes to offer. “The way we’re using that data is to keep [subscribers] happy. And the way to keep [subscribers] happy is to let them watch more stuff,” (Todd Yellin, Netflix). This will enable the institution to make more informed choices about films and TV programmes to offer. “The way we’re using that data is to keep [subscribers] happy. And the way to keep [subscribers] happy is to let them watch more stuff,”
- Dependency theory (Rokeatch and Defleur) : They had suggested that people rely on the media for information determine their decisions, and this can be used in movies and shows as well. Even though it is for entertainment, audience can make what they watch, fit what need to feel or what they want to get out of it, obviously this an be different for any audiences. But for example, The Crown would send out more of a political message to the audience whilst 13 Reasons Why is more of educational purpose of suicide but it also had other genre in it like romance. Audience can rely and depend on shows/movie to determine their decisions on feelings too such as fear, anxiety and or happiness.
- Levi-stauss; representation theory: they had suggested that representations in the media are informed by ideology. The set of beliefs and values of the producer of the text and this can be true because the whole point of a text being produced or the case studies that I am looking into both hold powerful message especially for 13 reasons why. The Crown can be seen as a entertainment and the audience can also get an insight to the royalty life but the texts have messages to get across to the audiences that they want to get the audience to know, hence why producers produce texts with a certain ideology.
Issues/debates
1) What media issues and debates can you apply to your chosen industry and case study? Select THREE media issues/debates and explain how they are relevant to your case study.
- Historical (S(H)EP) - in the past, streaming services weren't available and that can be due to the digital media not being so popular back then and audiences had to get DVD's or go to the cinema to watch the movies they wanted to that had recently released. Now because of the developments in the new and digital media, audiences are now recognising the opportunities online and are making a use of it, but Netflix have been already doing this since the 1997 but didn't get recognised or didn't go big till the 2000's and that was because of the digital media. Netflix now has also providing its audiences the opportunity to watch Netflix on different devices such as phones, tablets, apps on different devices etc.
- Economical (SH(E)P) - Instead of paying for cinema tickets that cost £8+ for an individual, Netflix offers its audience a free trial for a month, if its the audiences first time on the site but once the month is over, Netflix Netflix when it launched in the UK would have gotten what is now the Standard package – HD and two screens – for £5.99 per month. Since the deals are better with Netflix and cost efficiency, audience are then encouraged to go along with the streaming service.
- Social ((S)HEP) - Word of mouth is so easy to get audience to do and especially on Netflix, specifically about their original series. Many people have got wider audiences attention on Netflix because the content that they create is new and something that is entertainment to audiences, hence why Netflix is growing because they are producing content that is interesting, new and creative. Everyone then would talk about the shows, create "memes" on social media, creating the interactions between the audiences and the shows is what increases Netflix's opportunities to grow.
Wider examples and secondary texts
1) What other texts or institutions are also relevant to your case study? What would be good secondary texts or examples to use to support the findings of your independent case study?
I have chosen 13 reasons why and the crown for my in depend case study with Netflix being the same institution. But Amazon Prime can be also a institution to talk about because it is Netflix's competitor, though they don't create their own content. Amazon Prime also offers audiences movies, various different categories for there wide range different audiences, they also require audiences to pay £5.99.
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