TV And Film Industry Essay

To what extent has the internet changed the TV and film industry?

The use of the internet has had huge, negative effects on the film and television
industry; as well as some positives.

How The Internet Has Affected The Television Industry

Crowdsourcing

What is Jeff Howe's Definition of Crowd Sourcing?
Jeff Howe posted the first definition of "crowdsourcing" in a blog post to his June 2006 'Wired' magazine article: "Simply defined, crowdsourcing represents the act of a company or institution taking a function once performed by employees and outsourcing it to an undefined (and generally large) network of people in the form of an open call. This can take the form of peer-production (when the job is performed collaboratively), but is also often undertaken by sole individuals. The crucial prerequisite is the use of the open call format and the large network of potential laborers."

What does the video believe is the key to successful crowd-sourcing?
The video suggested that the key to successful crowd-sourcing are the communities, as these communities are the 'building-blocks' of crowd-sourcing; helping to manage and create more content.

Why do "crowds" form on the internet? Are you part of an online crowd- if so which?
Popular topics create crowds on the internet, such as fanbases. It allows fans to talk to other fans from across the world.

What are the crucial terms in Jeff Howes idea of crowd-sourcing? why is this crucial?
The crucial terms are open-call and undefined. They mean that the most qualified may not be the best or most suitable.

Name two reasons why this type of crowd-sourcing is now possible?
The internet and socialnetworking sites.

What do you think is the motivation behind it?

For people who share interests to express their views, and to use the long tail theory in businesses through miniture donations. 

How effective do you believe it to be?
Crowdsourcing has many chances to be effective, for example; Tim Schafer is legendary in gaming circles for titles including Psychonauts and Brutal Legend, but he had still found it hard work to secure funds through traditional means. So the idea of going direct to his fans had obvious appeal. Within 24 hours of seeking pledges over the internet it had bagged more than $1m (£630,000), overshooting its initial target of $400,000. By the campaign's end it had reeled in a total of $3.4m from more than 87,000 supporters for its point-and-click adventure game.

Name advantages and disadvantages of a crowd sourcing?
It is a great marketing tool, helps create communitites and benefits the public.However, you are also unable to know whether the information you are receiving is true.

Does Web 2.0 Exist?

Web founder Tim Berners-Lee has just weighed in on the Web 2.0 question in a podcast interview for IBM, and he's not big on the term. In fact, Sir Tim has some really big doubts that Web 2.0 is different from Web 1.0 at all. the biggest problems for Web 2.0 are excessive hype and the lack of a real definition.Most analysts define Web 2.0 in terms of the tools that foster online participation in content creation and social interaction. This tends only to produce lists of new software applications or claims of ‘we are the web’, ‘web 2.0 is people’ etc etc. the average user to organize online information in such a way that is useful, meaningful and personally relevant. They help people navigate the virtual world and find what they are looking for. 

Internets Effects On The Film Industry

Positives and negatives of internet on the film industry

Positives

• It makes it easier for film companies to promote their films (websites, YouTube, pop-up’s, etc.)
• Films made available to download on iTunes/Netflix, etc.
• Free downloads for audiences.
• Audiences can view films from the comfort of their own home.
• Opens films to a wider audience.
• The audience is in control of the film, not the producers.
• Easier to get independent films promoted.

Negatives

• Free but illegal downloads are harming the jobs of those in the film industry.
• The cinema industry is in decline and struggling with ticket sales.
• Criminals benefit from Internet piracy.
• Illegal downloading forces cinema chains to increase ticket prices.

Development Of The Internet

Tim Berners-Lee, a scientist at CERN, invented the World Wide Web in 1989. The Web was originally conceived and developed to meet the demand for automatic information sharing between scientists working in different universities and institutes all over the world. The first website ever created was on the 6th of August 1991, and was http://info.cern.ch.

In 1994 Wired.com, then known as HotWired, invents the web banner ad. In Feburary 2005 YouTube was launched. Google was registered in 1998 and  Amazon.com was founded in 1994. The term Web 2.0 was coined in 1999, however it did not resurface until 2002. Broadband became widely available in the year 2000.

David Gauntlett on Web 2.0

David Gauntlett is a Professor of Media and Communications, at the University of Westminster. He focused on the way digital media is changing in general. In 2007, he published a online media article Media Studies 2.0; this is a term reflecting the changing focus of Media Studies due to web 1.0 changing to web 2.0. Web 2.0 is defined as 'harnessing collective intelligence'. He says that Web 2.0 allows faster, more collaborative creavitity, and creativity is linked with desire to be connected.

Wikinomics

Don Tapscott and Anthony Williams published ‘Wikinomics’ in 2006. It is the ‘big idea’ about business and commerce in the online age. There are arguments about distribution, consumption and exchange (such as buying and selling) and human behaviour. Web 2.0 has brought cultural studies and economics together.

5 stages of wikinomics:

• Peering is the free sharing of material on the internet.  This cuts distribution costs for businesses, which is one bonus. However this is bad for people who create creative material who want to protect it as intellectual property (IP).
• There are positive outcomes due to wikinomics, such as free creativity (for example people creating remixes or YouTube videos). Creative Commons provide licences to protect IP, but also allowing others to remix material within limits.
• Wikinomics means journalism is produced by the public, such as on blogs and social networking sites.
•  There is a lot of global communication due to Web 2.0, making cultural and national boundries inevitably reduced.
• Technology, demographics (those bought up around the digital world) and economics (businesses online) are there for an internation market. Media compnay's would be lacking if it wasn't for Web 2.0.

Critics believe that things are not changing as quickly as Tapscott and Williams believed.  Many young people feel alienated by Web 2.0. Wikinomics ignores inequality, as a lot of the world isn’t able to access broadband, so think globally is a luxury to those who are richer. 

Ross/Brand Hoax Phone Call

Russell Brand was forced to resign while Jonathan Ross was suspended after calling Andrew Sachs on a radio show; which lead to them harrassing and humiliating him in regards to his grandaughter. 

What in your opinion, was the problem with this broadcast?
I believe that the main problem was the fact a eldery, and highly regarded actor, was attacked and humiliated publicly. Sachs probably felt targeted as he was the only person they rang. Also, because it was previously recorded and the BBC chose to air the radio show adds to the problem.

Why was this particular case of blatant disregard of OFCOM regulations highlighted?
As a consequence, BBC was fined £150,000 by Ofcom following the prank phone calls. Their actions 'exposed an unforgivably cavalier attitude to editorial standards in some parts of the BBC'.

What was hoped would be gained?
Ross and Brand thought they were being humourous, in a bid to entertain their audience and gain some comical popularity through impressing their listeners. 

Was it right to punish Brand/Ross? Why?
It was right to punish Brand and Ross, as they are responsible for their actions. However, the BBC had the chance to remove it off air, as it was previously recorded. Ross reveals that they believe that this is not offence during the radio show, so therefore they believe what they were doing was funny and unoffensive.

What do you think should have happened to Brand/Ross?
A public apology to Sachs and his grandaughter, as well as pay a fine personally.


Does this case highlight the need to regulate the media?
Yes as many people can be offended and feel targeted as victims due to the media.