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Custom writings on Researching the media

// June 20th, 2012 // No Comments » // Free essays

In reading (viewing) frequency, a respondent is asked the question “How many of the last N numbers/programs have you read/seen?” Replying to the question, the respondent has to constantly refer to his memory. Naturally, by the end of the interview his mind dulled, and he starts making mistakes. Therefore, the questionnaire has to be shorter; a variety of ways should be used to facilitate its filling; interviewers should ensure that the questionnaire is filled correctly. However, this technique allows covering quite a large period of time, which is not tied to the time the publication appeared in sale or the TV/radio show got on the air (Traudt 2005).
In practice, combined methods are also frequently used, when the questionnaire contains both, the questions on recent reading and reading frequency. The advantages of this technique are its relative cheapness and the possibility to approach specific target groups.
The method of focus groups involves a panel discussion led by a specialist (moderator). The main advantage of this method is the possibility to quickly gain so-called depth information in a small group of respondents. The essence of the method lies in the fact that respondents’ attention is focused on the researched topic in order to determine their attitude to a given problem, find out the motivation of certain actions.
Focus group research is an effective tool helping to identify the peculiarities of audience’s perception of information materials and information channels; to understand the reasons for the formation of assessments and opinions of recipients of informational influence. Focus group discussion allows understanding the peculiarities of perception of information by people, on which it is directed. This method helps to identify the actual content of perceptual and motivational aspects of the information perception, quality parameters of informational influence on people’s psyche (Bates 2005).
The essence of this method for the analysis of informational impact of the media is that the focus group interview is taking place in the form of discussion and is directed on obtainment of subjective impressions of its members on their perception of information from the media products. This makes it possible to penetrate into the inner world of values of the panellists, to understand the motivation of their behavior ratings. Focused interview unites clarifying a specific set of issues with the free form of discussion.
In contrast to other methods giving an idea about the market as a whole, specialized studies provide an opportunity to analyze some of its components in detail: study preferences of audiences, measure the strength of brands among certain social groups, test media products, analyze the effectiveness of advertising campaigns, etc. This information can be used for addressing current marketing and editorial tasks and for making strategic decisions.
In addition, this method allows the client to monitor the progress of the study himself and draw appropriate conclusions. In contrast to quantitative research methods (for example, a sociological survey) which give the answer to the questions “Who?” and “How much?”, focus group method answers questions like “In which way?” and “Why?” (Bates 2005).
The second peculiarity of focus group is the way of forming a sampling and of data collection methods. In a quantitative study, the basic method is the survey (personal, telephone survey), in which respondents presenting a particular category of consumers are questioned in a concrete scheme (the questionnaire). In a focus group, depth group interview techniques are applied allowing researchers to obtain the information, which is not lying on the surface, but showing a wide range of attitudes (Bates 2005; Murray 2003).
Focus group is a subjective method of research (as opposed to surveys). The meaning of this method is that during the panel discussion the respondent is involved into the communication with people of his own kind. Therefore, the psychological barriers separating interviewer and interviewee in a survey are removed much more efficiently; therefore, emotional reactions are much brighter (Bates 2005). Focus groups are more suitable for a wide range of reactions, opinions and attitudes, which are more or less representative with respect to the audience under research. An important advantage of panel discussions is the manifestation of poorly realized attitudes that become conscious in the communication process. (more…)

Custom essays on Researching the media

// June 20th, 2012 // No Comments » // Free essays

The professionals state that using one or another ethnographic method is most appropriate during establishment surveys where the available information about the target audience is minimal. Thus, ethnographic projects were extremely demanded in the early 1990’s, when Western manufacturers had just started entering the Eastern market. Such studies are also relevant during obvious social changes that affect consumer behavior, and interests and attitudes of society and separate social groups (Athique 2008).
Ethnography is justified while introducing new media products to the market or restarting the old ones, when a clear idea is required about how they are fit into the lifestyle of consumers. However, if the research company knows and understands the behavior of the target audience, the use of ethnography is inappropriate. Thus, it is absolutely unnecessary in brand auditing. There is no need to go to the consumer’s place to understand the brand’s strengths and weaknesses; this can be done using standard focus groups or in-depth interviews (Gunter 2000).
Projects that apply ethnography are always time-consuming. While holding a series of standard focus groups can take about a month, an ethnographic project usually requires at least two or three months. A moderator can hold two focus groups during a day, but a researcher will hardly manage to make two home visits in a row each lasting 5-6 hours and requiring the utmost concentration. (more…)

Buy an essay on Researching the media

// June 20th, 2012 // No Comments » // Free essays

The main objective of a media research is receiving a certain kind of information about media and media audiences. Most media studies are the so-called media measurements, that is, obtaining information about contacts of the audience with a specific mass media. After processing the data obtained during media measurements, one can get the indicators used for media planning and cost optimization. Apart from that, an independent direction can be a qualitative study of media audiences. Such studies can, for example, determine the viewers’ attitude to a show; evaluate a program’s design and channel’s program network. This may also include the study of lifestyle of the target audience; identification of value orientations, segmentation of media audience. Further the paper compares and contrasts the advantages and disadvantages of ethnography, survey research and focus groups methods in the research of media audiences.
Ethnographic method in relation to recent studies of media audiences is a certain set of tools in qualitative research, through which one can observe the respondents in their natural environment. The key word here is observation. The researchers rely, above all, on their own vision of a respondent’s life, behavior, values in life. (more…)

Force of Media in Music Industry custom essays

// June 8th, 2012 // No Comments » // Free essays

Basically, media attempt to present the artist to the mass audience and draw the maximum attention to his/her music and personality. In this regard, it should be pointed out that the interest of recording companies and media is mutual because media also can benefit from the promotional campaign of the artist if he/she manages to become a celebrity. Obviously, media, as it has been already mentioned above, need the mass audience. Naturally, the audience steadily grows tired if it does not receive new information and the more stir this information makes the better for media because this naturally attracts the audience. In such a way, media introduce the new artist, the audience listens and watches his/her performance, and the recording company starts sales of albums of the artist. This is the simplest scheme that is used to make an unknown artist a new celebrity.
In general, the promotional campaign is of a paramount importance because the more media and, therefore, people are talking about the new artist the more chances he/she has to become a celebrity. Consequently, the recording company can count for the larger sales rate. Such a situation seems to be profitable to all participants involved. However, this scheme perfectly illustrates the extent to which media are important in the promotion of an artist and in the creation of his/her popularity because media play the key role at the stage of promotion of the artist. At the same time, it is obvious that the talent of the artist is of little importance. Moreover, the artist does not really need to work hard to maintain his popularity. (more…)

Force of Media in Music Industry custom essays

// June 8th, 2012 // No Comments » // Free essays

In fact, the popularity of artists may be defined by a variety of factors. The modern music industry is a part of the pop culture and, therefore, music is highly dependent on the major trends in pop culture. In this respect, the modern pop culture and music promote the cult of celebrities. This means that the major goal of an artist working in the music industry is to become famous and popular. In fact, this is the ultimate goal any beginning singer or musician wants to achieve. In such a situation, many beginning artists count for their talent and inherited or acquired skills and abilities. They sincerely believe that they can achieve success and join the cohort of celebrities, which, to a significant extent, define the modern mainstream culture.
On analyzing such an approach to getting the public recognition and popularity, it is necessary to admit the fact that the belief that if a person has a talent and works hard, he/she will succeed, is a kind of myth, the famous American dream that will never come true for the overwhelming majority of artists. As the matter of fact, talent and personal qualities may be very important but they can hardly be determinant factor. Basically, what the talent and some positive personal qualities of an individual can give him/her are just larger opportunities to become a part of mainstream culture but to become a celebrity artists need to play according to the rules of modern show business.
In fact, personal qualities of an artist are mainly important for his/her personal relations with other people, including professionals that participate in the promotion of an artist. However, it is money and power of the promoters that can really define the future of an artist. In this regard, an artist cannot become popular simply because he/she has some new ideas or really great talent. The new artist needs the wide support of recording companies to convey his/her works to the mass audience. (more…)

Force of Media in Music Industry custom essays

// June 8th, 2012 // No Comments » // Free essays

Music industry occupies a very significant place in the life of the modern society. Traditionally, people highly appreciated music as a form of art that meets their aesthetic tastes and produces positive effects on their emotional and psychological state. Basically, the attitude to music in the modern society has hardly changed, though it is worthy of mention that modern music constitutes a part of the pop culture, but it has never lost its significance and its impact on the emotional state of individuals. At the same time, modern music is more than a form of art. Nowadays, it is also a very profitable business and music one of the major elements of the modern entertainment industry.
At first glance, the increasing role of music as a highly profitable industry should stimulate the development of music, appearance of new artists, new ideas and styles. Moreover, music, being traditionally the field where outstanding people could realize their talents, such as famous classical musicians and composers, could count for the appearance of new talented artists who would have larger opportunities to realize their ideas and inclinations. However, in actuality, modern music is a part of the entertainment industry where artistic talent, professional skills and abilities are secondary and can hardly influence the public recognition of artists and, instead, the overwhelming power of media determines the popularity of artists and makes them mainstream. (more…)

The Impact of Media on My Perception of the World custom essays

// June 5th, 2012 // No Comments » // Free essays

Nowadays media produce a profound impact on people and affect their perception of the world dramatically. In this respect, I should say that I could hardly have escaped the impact of media, which significantly influenced my perception of the world.
Now we are always accompanied by media and we are constantly getting informed. Often, we do not even have a choice whether to get informed or not. When I think about an ordinary day of my life I realize that I am always controlled by some media because various media from Internet, TV, and radio to printed media impose their own vision of the world. Media tend to interpret these events according to the position of journalist or certain media. Moreover, I am conscious of the fact that it is impossible to inform me about all important events that took place in the surrounding world but media decide what is significant for me and what is not. For instance, the support of some media of the US intervention in Iraq influenced me consistently so that, at first, I sincerely supported this military operation.
Moreover, media often define our values both material and spiritual. For instance, often I buy products that are currently promoted aggressively in media. Consciously or not, I get used to the lifestyle imposed by media. For instance, I wear the clothes that are promoted by media, I drive a car that I have a positive image of because of ads or information I found in media.
Thus, I am practically deprived of an opportunity to objectively perceive the surrounding world since media is the major source of information about the world. Consequently, it is media that shape my perception of the world.

The significance of media in the modern society custom essays

// June 3rd, 2012 // No Comments » // Free essays

In order to better understand the significance of media for artists and modern music at large, it is necessary to analyze the current situation in society and assess the role of media in the modern society. In this regard, the impact of media on the modern society is really enormous. First of all, it should be said that modern media have already evolved into powerful tools which could be used by their owners to shape or, at least, influence the public opinion and create new trends in culture, social life, and even politics. It is not a secret that modern media are primarily mass media that means that they are oriented on the mass audience and, therefore, they can influence masses of people. In such a situation, it is quite natural that people that are using the same media, for instance, that are watching the same TV channels, reading the same magazines, etc. have certain similarities in their views, tastes, and even lifestyle.
In this respect, it is worthy of mention that the impact of modern national media often outweigh the impact of local media and specialist argue that nowadays it is possible to speak about the formation of individuals’ identity under the impact of media (Chomsky, 87). What is meant here is the fact that cultural, political, moral and other views of an individual are shaped by media and national media tend to create a unique national culture that contributes to the formation of a specific cultural identity that can unite people living in different parts of the country, having different ethnic or cultural background. (more…)

Should Government Censor Violence in Media customized essays

// May 30th, 2012 // No Comments » // Free essays

Media play increasingly more important role in the modern world. They affect life of each individual and the entire society because nowadays media are everywhere. In fact, people are constantly bombarded with information they receive from various media which they may access twenty-four hours a day. In such a situation, it is very important to prevent possible negative impact of media on people. It is not a secret that media cannot only influence but also shape identity of an individual and, in such a situation, it is extremely important to provide a meticulous control over media, especially in relation to violence in media which may affect dramatically people, especially children. In this respect, the most effective tool of control over media is the government control or, to put it more precisely, censorship, but such a measure provokes serious opposition. The opponents of the introduction of the governmental censorship over media to control violence represented in media is argued to be a threat to the freedom of press because, along with a possible positive impact of the censorship due to the essential limitation of violence in media, it can also lead to the misuse of power by the government that may undermine basic democratic principles of the modern society.
In order to better understand the arguments of both supporters and opponents of the introduction of the government censorship of violence in media, it is primarily necessary to briefly dwell upon the current situation in media and possible effects of violence in media. In this respect, it should be pointed out that modern media are characterized by the excessive amount of violence that cannot fail to affect the audience, especially children. Specialists underline that nowadays “violence dominates television news and entertainment, particularly what we call “happy violence” – cool, swift, painless, and always leading to a happy ending in order to deliver the audience to the next commercial message in a receptive mood” (Is Media Violence Free Speech 1) At the same time, the negative impact of violence in media increased substantially in the result of the wider spread and practically permanent impact of media on people. It proves beyond a doubt that violence always exposes the audience to the risk of certain psychological problems and can increase aggressiveness of people. At any rate, the impact of violence in media may be destructive on psychological and moral development of children.
In fact, nowadays, in addition to traditional media, such as TV, children, as the part of the audience which is the most susceptible to the negative impact of violence in media, have access to Internet, they play video games which may also contain a lot of violent acts. As a result, they acquire wrong or, to put it more precisely, violent models of behavior. At the early age they cannot distinguish between such concepts as good and bad. This is why they imitate the models of behavior they learn from TV, Internet, video games, movies, etc. As a result, the violence in media contributes to violent and aggressive behavior of children and negatively affects the formation of their personality (Research on the Effects of Media Violence 4). (more…)

Media law term paper

// May 18th, 2012 // No Comments » // Free essays

The lack of a clear legal understanding of integrated content produces very important practical problem, which is the uncertainty of contractual regulation. While current relationship between advertisers and advertising agencies are based on detailed and well-developed agency contracts, the issue relating the integration of advertising to the media content requires a contract, which is in practice ill-conceived (Harker 2000).

Service contract is often used as a contract for product placement. The obvious advantage of such contract for integrated advertising is that it is familiar for both lawyers and tax specialists; therefore, the chance of recognizing it economically unjustified and retraining into another type of contract is minimal. However, the major disadvantage of such contact is the inability to address all the individual features of relations existing in practice. Integrated advertising is not just a service for advertising a product, but also the opportunity to promote it by means of the popularity of a film, publishing house or cinema hero. And it is almost impossible to fit all this into the framework of a standard service contract. (more…)