15. Online auctioning

Technology
-What is it? Ebay website
-What is it replacing? Physical auctions, physical advertisements, shopping,
-Why is it relevant? It is an example of the success and popularity of the virtualisation of a traditional activity such as high street shopping or an auctioning event.
-Technologies involved: broadband internet

Audiences
-Which social groups are relevant and why?
-Small businesses are able to run at a minimum cost, from home; and are able to market their products to a world-wide audience.
-Consumers use the site product-specific search system and categories to find the items that they want easily
-What are they doing with it?
-Small businesses are using the site to market their goods to a worldwide audience, through pictures and descriptions of the product.
-Consumers are using the site to find and purchase with their credit-card, products that are either difficult to get hold of, or generally too expensive first-hand
-What are they doing differently?
-Small businesses are able to receive feedback on their products, so that their business can acquire a reputation, and they understand what they can do to please their consumers more easily; they can also hold communication with their buyers so that brand loyalty is set up
-Consumers are able to access a proliferation of products, so that they have a wider range of choice; they also have more control, in that they are able to watch products over a period of time, and see if there is much competition, before bidding. They are also able to check the seller’s reputation. In setting up their own account they are able to keep an account of their bids, watches, and best offers, and check recommendations based on their latest search.
-In the consumer becoming more active and controlling, shopping itself has become a business rather than just a passive activity

Institutions
-Who is involved? eBay
-How are they using the technology? Broadband internet has enabled anyone who has a computer to sign up as either a buyer or seller. The faster connection speeds mean that images of the products can be uploaded, while the virtual aspect of the auction means that an inexplicably high range of products can be marketed. The simplicity of eBay has enabled its success- it is easy to us- guaranteeing a wide user base, yet it still provides all the information needed to make a purchase
-What benefits has it brought them? eBay now has an extremely wide user base, and is now turning over such a big profit it can afford to advertise through television, and now functions in much the same way that a traditional media brand would, rather than the home enterprise it set out as
-Distribution: Although the products are sold using new media technology, they are still distributed to their buyers through the old fashioned means of postage, showing a convergence between new and old media technologies, and the virtual and traditional industries.
-Exhibition: The internet means that products have the potential to be exhibited to a world-wide audience, which is why eBay is said to have “something for everyone, and someone for everything”
-Marketing: eBay has recently used a range of TV marketing- with each campaign hgihlighting a key appeal of ebay...

1. Proliferation

2. Immediacy and ease of use


3. The interaction between buyer and seller, without a commercial brand intercepting

Media
websites: www.ebay.co.uk
games: Sega Megadrive
bands: Cat Stevens
albums: 1969 UK Fontana (rare LP)
films on DVD: Iraq War: Deception and Reality
TV programmes: Sex and the City Shoebox
Trailers: The eBay advert

Key Concepts
Proliferation: The virtual arena that the eBay site provides means that a huge proliferation of items is accessible to consumers, meaning the consumer range of eBay has few boundaries
Global reach: eBay and other auctioning sites, as well as amateur film sites, have enabled home-spun businesses to market their products to a global audience
Democratisation: Anyone can now set up a business, without racking up any expenses, and still selling a huge proliferation of products to a very wide audience.
Immediacy: The immediate feedback that the internet enables, means that communication between buyers and sellers can be regular and immediate, and that products can be purchased, if necessary, in a couple of minutes. However the fact that the products have to be sent means that the products are not obtained until days later
Online surveillance: If you have your own account, the site is able to track your spending patterns, and build up a map of your taste and preferences. It then offers products based on these results.

14. A newly released media technology

Playstation 3

Technology
-What is it? Playstation 3
-What is it replacing? Playstation 2
-Why is it relevant? An example of the rapid updating of new media technologies
-Technologies involved: playstation, television, computer, HD,

Institutions
-Who is involved? Playstation Inc.
-How are they using the technology?
-Play Station3 boasts High Definition Blue-ray Disk Playback: The huge amount of data storage offered by Blu-ray makes it ideal for High Definition. The ability to access more data means that game makers can embrace the demands of next generation development
-Play Station3 has lots of storage space for storing music, pictures, videos and other files
-PS3 can be connected to broadband so that you can play online games, or play against other online gamers
-High processing speeds means the different components of a PS3 game - the graphics, sound, physics, and so on - are worked out as events in the game as they actually happen - in 'real time'.
- With vast processing power, huge data storage and High Definition imagery, games on PS3 are produced with a level of polish and imagination more traditionally associated with big-budget Hollywood movies.
-What benefits has it brought them?
- PS3s convergence of technologies such as HD, computer storage and connection to the internet means that the PS3 can cater to most entertainment needs, and so eliminates competition from other products which only offer the services of one technology
-The Playstation brand is shown to be at the forefront of technology through it’s introduction on relatively new technologies such as Blue-Ray, which with it’s huge data storage, allows room for the PS3 games to evolve in the future

Media
websites: www.uk.playstation.com/ps3
games: “Sword of Truth”

Key Concepts
Convergence: The Playstation3 is an example of extreme convergence of many different technologies into one “box”, but although it features other medias, it’s main preoccupation will always be gaming.
Quality: The use of technology such as HD, as well as the use of actors to base game characters on, means that games will soon reach an incredibly high quality that is similar to movies, and eventually as near as possible to the spontaneity of reality
Reach: The proliferation of uses that the playstation3 offers will mean that the product will appeal to an audience that is wider than just gamers

13. One activity involving new media technology

Social networking

Technology
-What is it? MSN
-What is it replacing? Email, text, telephone,
-Why is it relevant? Example of people using technology to interact, rather than to consume- not based around the product itself, as much as it’s ability to connect people
-Technologies involved: broadband internet

Audiences
-Which social groups are relevant and why? All groups are able to use msn, and its audience reach is enormous due to the fact that the product offers a completely personal experience, depending on who you want to interact with. However, saying that, the main consumers are teenagers, as they have the time to use MSN frequently. Their preoccupation with status and popularity, and having an active social life, also means that they feel the need for MSN a lot more than other age groups.
-What are they doing with it? They are using MSN to communicate online, involving the sharing of music and picture files, and the sending of emoticons and winks, although most of the experience centres on the basic dialogue of instant messaging
-How are they using it to consume the media? They can share media by playing games with each other or sharing pictures, videos and music
-What are they doing differently?
-They are communicating virtually with more than one person at once, and can even be in one conversation with up to ten people.
-The fast internet connection speeds also means that messages are received instantly so communication is able to be as quick as it would offline.
-Their conversations are incorporating medias such as videos, music, pictures and games which they are consuming through a shared experience
-What does it offer? The opportunity to communicate virtually with others at a high speed

Institutions
-Who is involved? Windows messenger
-How are they using the technology? Windows Messenger have used the immediate connection that broadband internet offers to enable anyone using the internet to communicate through their instant messaging service
-What benefits has it brought them? Almost everyone in the UK now has an MSN account, as is the case with most developed countries, in which most homes have the internet
-Distribution: They are offering ways to communicate with your contacts, through your mobile, or phoning with video using your internet connection
- They are providing an integrated experience through their brand, increasing audience reach and usage
-Exhibition: As with most internet phenomenon msn has spread by word of mouth, but once you create an account you are offered access to all branches of MSN, such as a homepage, a mobile setting, a hotmail account, an MSN space- so the main product acts as a window to the other branches of the brand
-Marketing: Using the msn homepage of each person to promote media such as bands, radio stations etc, and is being paid by the brands to promote their products

Media
websites: www.msn.com
games: minesweepers
bands: Elton John
videos: “Best animal videos on the internet”
Blogs: Msn Spaces

Key Concepts
Interactivity: MSN enables people to interact and communicate with each other instantly, in a virtual dimension
Immediacy: Faster broadband connection rates means that sent messages are received immediately, enabling people to have conversations instead of just sending individual messages
Vertical integration: The MSN service can now be accessed on your mobile, and from any computer- not just the computer you made your account on, meaning that msn has a wider reach, and is more convenient to access
Personalisation: MSN enables consumers to create a personal experience that is not centralised on the technology they are using
Convergence: The convergence of technologies means that media such as video, pictures and music can all be shared over the internet through programmes such as MSN. Webcams can also be used and their footage shared.
Reach: MSN is accessible to all, and is free, as well as offering the simple but necessary service of connecting people. All this means that it has an enormous reach.

11. An independent fansite

The killers fansite

The Killers Unofficial Fan site is extremely informative and well-executed, as well as being lots of fun to explore, and the haven of any Killers fan.

Unlike professional sites the consumer is safe from having purchases and deals on every page, and does not have to pay to download songs from the band, or to watch music videos, as is often the case on official band sites.

The site is graphically very professional, with photos from the album “Sam’s Town” on the top of every page of the site, while the colour scheme of grey, black and white reflects the image of the band, as well as not showing up the common deficiency in graphic know-how that most fan sites demonstrate.

The site is very user friendly and easy to navigate, and unlike professional sites you don’t have to become a member to get the most out of the site. For example there is a comment box on the homepage that allows anyone to leave comments on the site, while underneath is an archive of previous conversations that you are able to join in.

The fan site has a huge number of features based around the Killers, many of which use a variety of media:
Latest
Gallery

Download

The Killers

Interact

Articles
Videos
Lyrics
links
Calendar
reviews/setlists
Tour Dates
Contact

Fans are able to:
-Listen to Killers tracks from their albums
-Create a Killers playlist
-Find out lots of information about the Killers from the archives, and from the “Latest” section
-Watch Killers videos
-Look at pictures of the Killers

The site is also extremely interactive and encourages a lot of fan feedback:
-You can comment on the lyrics they have written up
-You can comment on pictures of the Killers
-You can comment on videos of the Killers
-You can enter a forum discussion
-You can purchase tickets
-You can contact the makers of the site: Tiffany and Steven, and ask them questions or give them your opinions

However the site does not meet the standards of an official band site, in that a lot of the information given is outdated, and a lot of information, such as the lyrics is very disputable, and lots of comments can be seen questioning their accuracy.

The tone of the blogs and biographies is also very colloquial and are filled with extreme opinions and quirks, which would not be seen on a brand site. However it can be argued that this is a good side to the fan site, as it emphasises that this is a site made by normal people, who are interacting with others through their interests and hobbies.

The fan site can not escape being from the perspective of a fan- no personal insights into the band are available, as are no blogs or home videos by members of the band. Whereas professional band sites are relatively successful in making a fan feel closer to the band, and thus becoming more loyal, a fan site can not offer this experience, and is much less exciting because of it.

10. Podcasts

SLAMIDOL Poetry podcast

Technology
-What is it? Podcast
-What is it replacing? Radio, Audio cassettes, CDs,
-Why is it relevant? An example of technologies having to adapt to survive
-Technologies involved: MP3 players

Audiences
-Which social groups are relevant and why? Niche audiences who have specialist pursuits are able to fuel their interests with podcasts, as they are played on MP3s, so offer a very personal experience
-What are they doing with it? Audiences are downloading and playing podcasts on their MP3 players
-How are they using it to consume the media? Audiences are listening to a range of media, from films to books, to music, and mainly radio programmes
-What are they doing differently? They are downloading clips of sound-enabling them to control when they wish to hear the recording, rather than listening to the radio which relies on a central audio stream

-They are downloading and transmitting content worldwide

-They can subscribe to blogs, meaning they recieve the programmes automatically from the broadcasters
-What does it offer? The podcast offers the chance to consume interesting programmes, and sound clips other than music, on MP3 players, which are replacing CD players and radio. You can listen to whatever you wnat, whenever you want, without even having to download constantly

Institutions
-Who is involved? broadcasters
-How are they using the technology? They are using the internet to distribute their programmes worldwide, in a form that can easily be played on MP3s- a technology that is quickly replacing radio and CD players, which were previously used to broadcast the programmes.
-What benefits has it brought them? Podcasts have not only enabled audio programmes to be downloaded and consumed in larger quantities, it has reinvented the old-fashioned image of audio programmes, and created a nice for them in new media technologies.

-The podcasts can also gain a constant audience through subscriptions, which mean a subscriber automatically recieves the programme

Media
websites: http://slamidol.btpodshow.com/
bands: Skin
albums: Slam Idol: The poetry
singles: Take That’s Patience
TV programme: Karl

Key Concepts
Vertical integration: Podcasts can be used as just another form of a brand, in terms of marketing brands. This technique is used by programmes such as Skins, as a branch of their brand
Convergence: audio technology has now converged onto the internet, so that it is easily accessed and downloaded- the process that all media products are having to be distributed by if they want to sell.
Reach: Podcasts are easily accessible worldwide via the web, meaning radio shows can reach a much wider audience than just their own region. Podcasts can also be played on MP3 players, a very popular form of technology, so they have increased the reach of many audio programmes
Flexibility/Convenience: Audio programmes can now be downloaded more easily and radio shows can be accessed at any time of day by the consumer, rather than having to be listened to at a certain time. They don't even have to download the podcasts, but can recieve them automatically
Narrowcasting: The proliferation of podcasts, and the relative cheapness of uploading them has meant that lots of niche interest groups of consumers have emerged, and that the usual radio-listening audience has been fragmented

9. Vlogging

Technology
-What is it? A Vlog
-What is it replacing? Diaries, films, home videos
-Technologies involved: broadband internet + cheap cameras, editing programmes and simple software

Audiences
-Which social groups are relevant and why? All social groups are relevant as anyone can post a vlog and it appeals to a vast range of people. However those that have access to the internet doesn’t often include pensioners or young children.
-What are they doing with it? They are using vlogs to publish their thoughts, record good times, create mini-films and videos, and show off their personal talents, i.e. singing, dancing, beat-boxing,

-most vlogs fall into two categories: either vlogs of the post-reality television world, that consist of people documenting their lives, or grass roots journalism of events or issues not broadcast by traditional media.
-How are they using it to consume the media? Mainly vlogging is about consumers publishing videos that they have created for the global internet community, but by watching a blog you can consume a huge variety of home-made media, that is noticeable alone for its proliferation
-What are they doing differently? They are creating media, as well as consuming it
-What does it offer? The chance for everyone to get in on the act of video-making, without the need of expensive equipment or fame

Institutions
-Who is involved? YouTube
-How are they using the technology?
-YouTube acts an archive and search engine for most vlogs and independent videos.
-Users can upload, view and share clips
-The site is praised as one of the most user friendly sites on the internet. Unregistered users can watch most videos on the site while registered users have the ability to upload an unlimited number of videos. Related videos, determined by the title and tags, appear to the right of the video. In the second year, the site gave users the ability the post responses and subscribe to any registered user
-However with the democratisation of vlogs YouTube is quite slack at controlling media output and isn’t keeping up with the proliferation of vlogs that are inappropriate or infringe copyrighted content
-What benefits has it brought them?
-Currently staffed by 67 employees YouTube was started by just 3 ex-collegues, the company was named TIME magazine's "Invention of the Year" for 2006.
In October 2006, Google Inc. announced that it had reached a deal to acquire the company for US$1.65 billion in Google's stock. The deal closed on 13 November 2006

Media
websites: www.YouTube.com
bands: Mia Rose
singles: Still the One
TV programme: LonelyGirl
music videos: Justin Timberlake: “What goes around”

Key Concepts
Regulation: With such a proliferation of new media on the internet it is becoming increasingly hard to censure the media that becomes available to public consumption
Interaction: Vlogs enable consumers to interact with eachother through comments and even video replies
Reach: The online community is global, completely massive, and growing every day, meaning that vlogs have the opportunity of being exhibited to an unimaginably wide audience
Democratisation: Anybody is able to post a vlog, meaning that they are being sed to start many careers, and have also been exploited to create fake characters and situations
Proliferation: Democratisation has lead to prolific amounts of vlogs being produced and exhibited on the internet through sites such as YouTube

Convenience/ Flexibility: users can subscribe to a vlog's RSS feed so that it will automatically check for new content at regular intervals and show information about content when it becomes available, such as the title and a short summary

THE RISE AND RISE OF MIA ROSE...

8. Blogging

-Blogging is an extremely interactive form of new media technology as it enables consumers to create their own media as well as consume it.

-Through the global access that broadband internet has lead to, consumers are able to communicate with, and present themselves to, the rest of the world. In creating their blogs they are becoming an entirely active audience and centralising the use of media technology around themselves. While Blogs are thought of as very personal medias, a blog is also useful for work projects as it can keep everyone in the loop, promote cohesiveness, and provide an informal "voice" for a project.

-This new level of interaction means that the line between producer and consumer is becoming more blurred, as is the barrier between audience and institution. Consumers are now producing their own media and exhibiting it to other consumers who respond and give feedback. The democratisation of this new media technology is evident, in that everyone is now able to produce blogs, from institutions, to celebrities, to the everyday consumer. Blogging gives a voice to groups who are unable to be heard elsewhere- and while this means that the quality of some blogs is poor, others have been found to have a great impact, especially politically- as bloggers are not confined by the restraints and politics of comercial medias.

-In a Blog the consumer can take centre stage and present their thoughts and opinions to a global audience, a service that older media technologies such as television and radio could not provide as they required a more passive audience. But now the audience has the chance to be watched and listened to, and convergence of technologies, and higher broadband speeds means that making a blog can be a creative, as well as quick and easy thing to do.

The easiness of blogging means that it is extremely attractive to social groups that are not as media savvy as the target audiences of other technologies.
You can now create your blog in three easy steps

You can customise your blog in a variety of different ways
-changing the page layout
-changing the template, the colours of the template, the pattern of the template
-changing the font
-creating links so information can be found easily

You can customise your posts to include most types of media:
-adding a picture
-changing the font and font colour
-adding HTML links
-adding a video

-The Blog is a strange mix of personalisation and global interactivity- while the experience of creating a blog is hugely personal and the whole idea is based around the individuality of the person who has created it, the audience of global consumers means that the blog creator is able to gain the feedback and recognition that they craved when making their blog. The two advertisement icons on the blogger.com page say it all:

7. Webpage for a magazine

Technology
-What is it? Cosmo girl website
-What is it replacing? Advertisements on TV, in other magazines,
-Why is it relevant? An example of old and new technology helping eachother to bring in more consumers, rather than the one replacing the other
-Technologies involved: broadband internet

Institutions
-Who is involved? The CosmoGirl brand
-How are they using the technology?
-Using the technology to encourage interaction with their readers- through games, polls, competitions, comment boxes,
- The website is more of a taster of the magazine to encourage subscription, as it does not offer many articles, and encourages subscription on every page.
-What benefits has it brought them? The brand is able to use old and new technology to further their brand. The new technology develops the interactive side of the magazine but is much less detailed and expansive than the actual issues; thus acting as a taster for the magazine and bringing in more customers
-Exhibition: CosmoGirl are previewing their magazine to a wider audience through the web, so that the magazine will gain more buyers and subscribers
-Marketing: advertising subscriptions to the magazine, advertises articles, competitions etc that are inside the magazine, has slots for advertisements from other companies that target the magazine’s audience

Media
websites: The CosmoGirl webpage
games: Guess the Celeb Baby
bands: McFly
TV programmes: High school Musical
Webzines: The CosmoGirl webpage
Blogs: Celebrity Blog: Alex M

Key Concepts
-Narrowcasting: Both the website and magazine specifically target the early teen girl audience- as their tastes are very distinguishable and easy to categorise
-Vertical integration: Brand loyalty is encouraged through the consumer being able to fluidly go between magazine and website for an integrated experience
-Reach: The website makes the CosmoGirl brand accessible to the online community
-Interactivity: The website is a lot more interactive than the magazine, making it quicker and easier to feedback to, and contact, the company.
-Non-linear: The website offers a non-linear experience, in that the consumer can access individual sections, then individual articles/games/blogs rather than having to read through the magazine from cover to cover

5. Radio show webpage

Technology
-What is it? The Xfm Breakfast Show with Lauren Laverne homepage
-What is it replacing? phone-ins, text-ins
-Technologies involved: broadband internet,

Audiences
-Which social groups are relevant and why? Teenagers, indie music fans
-What are they doing with it? Using it to keep up with the show, to enter competitions, to win gig tickets, to write in to Lauren Laverne, to learn about Lauren Laverne, to play music-related games
-How are they using it to consume the media? Listening to music from bands that have been on the show, watching YouTube videos or looking at pictures that have been discussed on the show
-What are they doing differently? Consuming lots of different types of media through music and the radio show, able to access the show more easily in order to enter competitions or write in comments- this is progress for the Xfm institution as it enables listenrs to feel closer and more involved with the show, encouraging brand loyalty.
-What does it offer? Chance to interact with the show, as well as entertain yourself with the games, videos and music on offer

Media
websites: the Xfm breakfast show with Lauren Laverne
bands: The Magic Numbers
singles: Keep it running
videos: Kiiiii’s “4 little Johnnies”
Blogs: The Lauren Laverne Biog
Podcasts: the Xfm breakfast show archive

Key Concepts
interactivity: viewers are able to interact with the show on a much more personal level- writing in, reading up on presenters/bands, even seeing pictures of their holiday
convergence: Video, music, pictures are all able to converge on the internet to create a more diverse experience
democratisation: anyone can send in videos, ideas, play music on the show, and generally become a more active part of the show through the website
convenience/flexibility: the site can be accessed at any time, so listeners can catch up on the latest news, or hear a replay of the programme on podcast through the site

brand image: as an institution, Xfm is put across an image through their site of being at the forefront of technology, and with this, at the forefront of the music scene. Through their site, they are able not just to market their radio show, but to market the lifestyle associated with it.

marketing: despite the site's multi-faceted and multi-ranging activities, it's main purpose for the institution, other than informing listeners, is to market the "Lauren Laverne Show" through a range of platforms, including the internet- this process is known as vertical integration

4. Radio Station Website

The Xfm website

Technology
-What is it? The Xfm website
-What is it replacing? Radio shows, music channels, magazines, booking phone lines
-Why is relevant? Example of using the net to create a huge virtual archive, enabling the consumer to have a proliferation of choice
-Technologies involved: broadband internet,

Audiences
-Which social groups are relevant and why? Teenagers, indie music fans- previously niche audience that has recently become quite mainstream, and spans various generations
-What are they doing with it? Listening to tracks, keeping up to date with the radio show, researching bands that are supported by the show
-How are they using it to consume the media? Listening to radio shows, booking tickets, reading interviews, reading the latest music news, playing and rating random live tracks (i.e. creating their own playlists), watching music videos, reading interviews on albums, listening to bands lives, previewing albums, listening to podcasts, sharing the media with their friends through social networking
-What are they doing differently? Able to access a much greater archive of media, able to access lots of different media through one platform

Institutions
-Who is involved? Xfm, record labels,
-How are they using the technology?
-Using the convergence of media technologies to enable consumers to experience any media activity around music
-Using the virtual aspect of the internet to archive huge amounts of media
-Using the immediacy of the internet to post news
-Using the interactivity of the net to gain feedback and publicity for new bands
-What benefits has it brought them?
- A wider audience base
- A trendy image of devotion to music and to the underground music scene
- Chance for labels to market up-and-coming acts much more easily

Media
websites: Xfm website
bands: The Good Shoes
albums: "The Deep Blue" by Cathering Hatherly
singles: "When Tom Cruise Cried" by the Rakes
TV programme: the Xfm advert (director’s cut)
music videos: "Standing In the Way of Control" by The Gossip
webzines: Reviews section on the site
blogs: Message board on the site
podcasts: The Xfm Session: Skin

Key Concepts
Proliferation: great archives of bands, films, music, reviews, podcasts, radio broadcasts meaning a proliferation of choice for the consumer
Convergence: the convergence of TV with the internet means music videos and TV programmes can be played that are visually as well as musically stimulating
Immediacy: The news section is able to give immediate updates and headlines from the music world that can not be immediately reported on air
Flexibility/Convenience: The songs and programmes can be accessed at any time from the site, and the shuffle playlist means that you can practically listening to the radio whenever you want
Non-linear: songs, interviews, podcasts from radio shows can all be accessed from different areas meaning that listening to the radio can also be experienced in a non-linear format

3. webpage for a TV programme

Exclusive Party Trailer

Add to My Profile More Videos

Skins Website: Focus on marketing
Intro:
-“Skins” is marketed as a lifestyle not just a programme
-The webpage appeals to the teenage online community, giving the programme a wider reach
-The image of channel4 and “Skins” is exhibited as young and cool, and underground, marketing the brand to an audience of middle class indie teenagers
-The “Skins” community tries to reflect the lifestyle of its target audience

Features:
“get involved with Skins Series2”:
-offers the chance for viewers to give feedback on series1
-encourages interactivity and brand loyalty, ensuring an audience for the second series

featured background:
-designed by the “background competition” winner
-encouraging interactivity and an active audience, gets the audience more involved with the band, feel more loyalty towards the programme
-colourful and vibrant: youth orientated
-brick walls/ hearts/ neon: typical scenester iconography to promote a “cool”, underground image, and to target the niche audience

“unseen skins”:
-non-linear entertainment, aside to the narrative
-gets the audience more involved with the characters and the show
-offers a more personal experience through vertical integration, so that there is a proliferation of choice around how the programme can be experienced, associating the brand with cutting edge entertainment and the non-linear experience

episodes:
-all broadcast episodes can be watched at any time
-flexible and convenient for viewer, so Skins has wider reach- appealing to a wider number of the teenage audience who are often busy socialising or on-the-go
-future episodes are not broadcast, so that the scheduled programme does not lose its audience

free downloads:
-by signing up you able to download wallpapers, logo, theme tune
-chance to feel part of “Skins” community, encourages interactivity
-chance to distribute merchandise
-chance for audience to interact, and feel closer to the brand
-chance for exposure to potential consumers- through wallpapers, ring tones etc.

competitions:
-able to redesign the logo, style the characters for a shoot in More magazine, compose the music which will accompany a scene in episode 5, and create a short film based around one of the characters
-encourages interactivity, and makes the consumer feel that they have helped create the "Skins" brand, and followed it's production- encourages strong brand loyalty

forum:
-able to discuss the programme with other members of the Skins community

-encourages interactivity

-enables social networking, another media activity- "Skins" brand shown as a lifestyle, and key to entertainment

-encourages rumour, hype, and word-of-mouth low-key marketing around the brand

“Us” section:

-blogs, vodcasts and pictures of the characters to view
-makes Skins a lifestyle, not just a programme
-“cool” image that teenagers want to get involved in
-design imitates myspace and blogs of teenagers in online community

-wider reach/encourages interactivity/narrowcasting- in that it targets the emo online mySpace community

12. Converged, portable technology

Sony Ericsson w200

Technology
-What is it? Sony Ericsson w200
-What is it replacing? Camera, game consuls, MP3s, organisers (blackberry), internet, TV
-Why is it relevant? Example of complete convergence of most areas of technology into a portable form
-Technology involved: Mobile phone

Audiences
-Which social groups are relevant and why? Teenagers, Office-workers
-What are they doing with it? Teenagers are being entertained: taking pictures on the camera, listening and downloading music (playing radio), playing music on speakers, picture messaging, gaming, surfing the net, social networking,
Office workers are using the Organiser to manage their time, manage and carry files, make conference calls, send emails, listen to music (possibly when commuting)
-How are they using it to consume the media? Downloading and listening to music, watching videos- film/ TV clips, surfing the net on websites, Downloading and playing games.
-What are they doing differently? They are able to access most Medias and technologies through one platform, which is also portable. They are now also able to share Medias such as pictures and music through messaging and through the portable speakers. However overall, the emphasis is now on the personal experience, while miniaturisation is also now a key factor when looking at new technologies.

Institutions
-Who is involved? Sony and Ericsson
-How are they using the technology? Combining the specialities of their two companies into one form of technology, the Sony Ericsson phones combine Sony's consumer electronics expertise with Ericsson's technological leadership in communications
-What benefits has it brought them? Been able to create a better-rounded, better quality technology, which can be seen to be at the forefront of technology in its convergence of almost all technologies, giving access to all Medias
-[Distribution]: The companies were able to distribute the phones quite widely, as both world-wide companies stopped producing their own phones, so their customers had to look to their new combined range for new products

Media
websites: channel4.com,
games: Jigsaw,
bands: the Killers- Sam’s Town, When You Were Young video
video clips: home-made
trailers:3000
films clips: Lord of the Rings
TV clips: Scrubs
webzines: channel4
blogs: mySpace
podcasts: Ricky Gervais

Key Concepts
convergence: all different technologies are being converged into a platform for most medias

portability: this platform is portable, so that it can be carried round at all times, and for this reason has to be small, and so each of the medias are miniaturised onto the small screen.
flexibility/convenience: portability means that the medias can be consumed, and services accessed whenever and wherever is convenient for the consumer, meaning the main appeal of the phone is to teenagers and office workers, who are always on the move.
personalisation: the convergence of so many technologies gives the consumer a proliferation of choice and enables them to create their own personal experiences, as well as personalising the technology with wallpapers, ring-tones etc
non-linear: the emphasis on the personal experience, along with the minaturisation of media times, and screenings means that the phone presents consumers with non-linear experiences such as film clips and music downloads.

2. TV genre sub-section from a broadcaster website

Audience and institutions:

The "entertainment" section of the channel4 website is overwhelmingly devoted to teenagers and young adults, and allows them not only to consume different Medias, but to witness and be part of a certain lifestyle or movement.

The “entertainment” label of this sub-section encompasses a range of different types of media consumption, which all play a part in the average young adult’s daily life. The range of Medias on offer includes music, TV, film and games, all accessible on one page, and each media playing a part in defining the lifestyle of teenager-dom. This range of technologies allows the Channel4 institution to expand from being just a channel, to becoming a brand of lifestyle- an image of youth and innovativeness.

In the music section is a picture of Patrick Wolfe, an up-and-coming underground musician who is identified with the “scenester” scene, while the film review focuses on “Factory Girl”, a film about the art house trend-setters of the 1960s who have become style icons for the present generation of teenagers. Even the “Games” section allows consumers to win prizes for their X-Box 360- a piece of extremely modern technology. All these factors point to extreme narrow-casting on Channel4s behalf, not only focusing on young adults, but directing their medias at a concentrated group of middle class “indie” teenagers, who can be seen to be reflected in programmes such as “Skins”, and who Channel4 are now furiously targeting as their main consumers.

The benefits of this narrow-casting are numerous- Channel4 are able to recommend new programmes that they would enjoy, based on the programmes they are already watching; advertisers are able to market products they know are in the price-range of the target group, and that would appeal to their tastes; and Channel4 are able to distribute other medias which they know fit in with the lifestyle of their target consumers.

1. Mainstream broadcaster website

The Channel 4 website
Replacing?: TV guides/magazine articles/TV,
Relevance?: popular new media technology that’s quickly becoming more sophisticated
Technology?: broadband internet,

Audience
Social group: young/trendy/cultured,
Why?: want entertainment, associate with young casts in programmes made by young people, aspire to the lifestyle channel4 associates with, i.e. fun, trendy, rich, etc
What are they doing?: using it to catch up on episodes, be entertained, find out more information about programmes, TV schedule, network socially, get more involved with programmes through interactivity,
How are they using it to consume media?: watch TV programmes, films, fInd out what’s on channel4 and it’s spin-off channels, watch trailers and video clips, play web-games, write blogs on the forum, read articles on food, cars etc,
What are they doing differently?: being able to access lots of different media in one place, being a lot more involved with programmes through interactivity, social networking through shared hobbies, likes and dislikes etc on the forums,
What does it offer?: a way into a lifestyle- access to “trendy” music, programmes, food, cars, games- fulfils all entertainment needs,

Institutions
Who is involved?: Channel4
How are they using the technology?: converging the technology, vertical integration through web, TV, mobiles,
What benefits?: to stay on the forefront of technology, to reach a wider audience for distributing their products-through mobile downloads, music downloads, etc, to create an image of the institution as trendy and innovative, to market their media successfully by creating a complete narrative image- wallpapers, character interviews, quizzes, to give their media products as much exposure as possible through downloads, games, advertisements

Media
Media involved:

channel4 website

games- “flashtron”

music- “ash” (the band)

video clips- “skins”

webzines

podcasts- “shipwrecked”

Key Concepts
Good example of convergence: lots of different technologies come together- TV, Broadband, mobile phones,
Vertical integration: the marketing of a product through a range of technologies and medias- games, music, social networking,
Interactivity: games, downloads, votes enable the viewer to feel closer to the media

6. Online Film Marketing Website

The home page of the “Sin City” website acts as an effective interactive poster for the film. The narrative image is set out clearly, through iconography such as guns suggesting the thriller genre, while the familiar distinct logo distinguishes “Sin City” as a brand outside of being a film. Scrolling over the screen produces rain and lightning, keeping the potential audience entertained and giving them a taster as to what the rest of the sight will be like if they enter.

The trailers on offer are a traditional marketing medium that help construct the film’s narrative image, while maintaining its enigma. The clips from the film take this promotion a step further by giving you an example of a scene from the film so that potential audiences are able to identify with characters or appreciate the filmic style, but they do not give any plot insight, so that the enigma around the film is maintained, and the potential audience remains intrigued.

The “Behind the scenes” section of the website draws the audience into the process of making the film, and enables them to identify with the directors, actors, and others involved, so that they feel that they, as allies, share the vision that the film encompasses. The audience would also be enticed to go and see the effects of all the hard work and effort, and judge for themselves whether the film has been a success. The “Behind the Scenes” section also shows the process in each shot of moving from comic book sketch, to shot of the actors, to the final digitally restructured and coloured, which results in merging reality with the larger-than-life graphics of the iconographic comic-book imagery. This interactive addition would definitely appeal to the target audience of the film, who would probably have an artistic interest in graphics and comic books- as this style is such a major part of the film’s overall narrative image.

The games on the site also target the film’s audience, as they are “shoot-outs”, mostly preferred my teenage boys, who would also be the target audience of thrillers, action adventures, and comic books. The games available are an audience attraction to the website itself, and the main source of entertainment from the site. The games compel the players to associate the site and the “Sin City” brand with fun and amusement, and the fact that players are encouraged to take on the personas of characters, allows them to identify more with the protagonists of the film, increasing their enjoyment of the film when they watch it.

The Downloads are probably used to market “Sin City” as a brand, rather than to promote the film, as the Downloads would only really appeal to those who have already seen the film. However the Downloads are vital in that they allow the website to self-fund, and make viewers who have seen the film act as serious fans by allowing them to download merchandise such as wallpapers, screensavers etc. This brings the viewer a lot closer to the film and helps the film to attract a larger following, possibly eventually achieving a cult status.