SEVENTH BLOG ENTRY- Media Audiences: Television, the Emotional Attachment ...continues

METHODOLOGY

THE research perspective and your past, present, or possible future points of view. Which will be looked at this study be guided by the following points - The active audience, The emergence of audience reception analysis  and next steps for audience reception research

 The active audience

Czikszentmihalyi's research on the television audience confirms our common sense interpretation that television viewing is a dull and soothing experience,  television when it first began was astonishing and innovative, it has quickly become 'moving wallpaper' in most homes.

Having said that certain studies television audience contradict this view and argue instead for active, knowledgeable and always interested audiences.

The emergence of audience reception analysis

The emergence of audience reception analysis highlighted the role of active viewers in a vigorous process of assigning the significances of television.

Next steps for audience reception research

The blanket notion of reception theory appropriate or do we want to retain the specificity of different approaches to reception? Where are the gaps in the empirical research (for example, Could we study male soap opera viewer, or female sports support, surely it could be necessary if we are to sustain and decorative the argument for gendered viewing. Which viewer is more emotional the male or the female?

Primary research

Secondary research

Qualitative research

One of the main differences between primary and secondary research is Primary research is new research that is done for a particular purpose.

Doing a survey in the shopping malls, interviewing people over the phone and running a focus group are all examples of techniques used to undertake primary research. Secondary research involves the use of data and information that has already been published or is already available within an organisation. Looking in books, journals and on the Internet for information that already exists are all examples of secondary research. Television stations and Television advertisers will also use information that has already been collected and evaluated by others.

The most viable research method will be a the Secondary Research

There is a lot of information and research data already available which can be used. Many books and journals have already data that can be used to conduct the research.

When undertaking this kind of a research it is important that you clearly know what the first research was about. What was its purpose, who requested it and when it was accompanied?

LITERATURE REVIEW

·         Television, Audiences and Cultural Studies - David Morley

Brief description of the Study

Television, Audiences and Cultural Studies presents a multidimensional examination of audience research, in which David Morley pulls on a rich body of empirical work to observe the emergence, development and future of television audience research.

In addition to providing an preliminary impression of the growth of audience research from a cultural studies perspective, David Morley questions how class and cultural differences can affect how we interpret television, the significance of gender in the dynamics of domestic media consumption, how the media construct the ‘national family’, and how small-scale ethnographic studies can help.

·         Television and the active audience - Sonia Livingstone

Brief description of the Study

Television and the active audience look at the viewer as an active audience this study also critically evaluates the viewers as n passive participant, when watching television.

·         Relationships between media and audiences: prospects for audience reception studies

Brief description of the Study

This paper sets out to ask 'what next' for audience research. Audience studies currently face a contradiction in which many interesting studies, especially those recording empirical observations, are being published, while simultaneously there exists a body of criticisms which have largely gone unanswered. This then seems an appropriate moment to consider the achievements, problems and future direction of audience reception studies.

RESEARCH ASSUMPTIONS

The history of audience research is characterised by a division between powerful media and powerful viewers: that is between understanding the media as capable of influencing and therefore affecting the media. This study will show that the viewers are affected the their emotions while watching, therefore affecting the way they wish to live their lives.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS

The findings of this study will clearly reveal the relationship between television viewing and viewers emotions while watching. The findings should give us   the understanding how audience emotional engagements with television helps them to make choices about life. These choices could include living standards or how people what to live based on what they see on television. 

CONCLUSIONS

 We can conclude from your findings that audience emotional engagements with television helps them to make choices about life. These choices could include living standards or how people what to live based on what they see on television. 

The findings does support my initial assumptions, this study has argued  recent researches on emotional encounters while watching television and its affects allowing us to think a bit more about television and its meaning to audience.

LIMITATIONS

The limitations of the study was the use of the methodologies perhaps, we could have explored more research methodologies. The methodology chosen was limiting as it relied on current and recent studies.

POSSIBLE FUTURE STUDIES

Other studies which can come about after this study has been concluded could be the studies about a distinction about television watching practices versus cinema watching practices. Do viewers use the two media in the some way? These type questions should be asked after the conclusion of this study.  

Another research methodology should be used as the one used for this study was inappropriate for accurate findings. The methodology was used for this study was very limiting and more methodologies should have been explored.

References

1.       Relationships between media and audiences: prospects for audience reception studies - 2008 – Sonia Livistone

2.       Three approaches to media reception and audience reception studies – 2010 – C Reinhad

Media Audiences: Television, Meaning and Emotion – 2009 – Kristyn Gorton 

SIXTH BLOG POST TITLE Media Audiences: Television, the Emotional Attachment

SIXTH BLOG POST

TITLE Media Audiences: Television, the Emotional Attachment

PROBLEM STATEMENT

How emotion could be understood as a visual quality that made for good television? Speaking to some viewers of popular South African soapies, these viewers revealed how emotionally connected they are to their favourite characters on the soapie programme. One viewer described how she couldn’t handle the emotional blackmail of Lucas Nyathi towards Mmaletsatsi Khumalo. Although she stayed glued to the screen she was crying when it was revealed that Lucus slept with Mmaletsatsi. These moments are familiar to many television viewers and signal an emotional connection with television.

This research is interested in such encounters with television, How they tell us something about television visuals the audience and the notion of emotions.

BACKGROUND

Television remains the most accessible mode of communication in the world. Television offers visuals and sounds at the sometime and therefore is extremely important medium to understand and study. There are many when that we are very engaged on what we watch.  These moments are driven by our emotional responses to the television programme. Some People use Television as an anchor point and as something to shape their lives around. Is this due to the emotional connection to television? Is it good for people to live their lives based on what they see on Television? The way in which viewers acquaint themselves towards what they watch and these emotional encounters that resonate with personal and cultural experience are intimately linked. This research proposal shall argue that emotion is an important territory to be considered within the study of Media audience.  

In a special edition of Cinema Journal (2005) Horace Newcomb argues that we should ‘ask questions that help explain to others why television continues to be so important.’ Newcomb argument is very important one as it is necessary for television studies to reveal how audiences reflect on their lives using television as their yardstick. Newcomb argument also helps to consider whether you should be now concerning us with more specific issues like emotional encounters with television.

Watching television is often viewed as or synonymous with doing nothing or just killing time. People tend to feel guilty for watching television more than doing something productive. Because some television programmes are so compelling and showing either the viewer’s everyday living or filling their emotional fantasy life-style people will continue to watch television.

These days watching television is no longer a family affair. Although some families will still watch one particular programme as a family. Social  Media platforms available for almost every television programme demonstrate the way in which audiences connect over their favourite television programme. What then does it mean to bond over television?

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to analyse How emotion could be understood as a visual quality that made for good television? The emphasis in this study is both on audience and emotional engagements. This study will seek to analyse the notion of audience are immovable and manageable and not concentrate on ways in which television is part of most people’s everyday lives.

This research is will prove that there is connection between with television, How they tell us something about television visuals the audience and the notion of emotions.

SIGNIFANCE

The significance of this study is the understanding how audience emotional engagements with television helps them to make choices about life. These choices could include living standards or how people what to live based on what they see on television.  

This study is important to television producers and campaign planners and marketing agencies. This study will assist them to shape their messaging on television.  

Bad messaging could created on television if such a study is not done. Audience could be exposed to bad messages which do not talk to their emotions.  

Fifth Blog - Public Service Broadcasting Now and in the Future - Audience Attitudes

FIFTH BLOG ENTRY

TITLE: Public Service Broadcasting Now and in the Future - Audience Attitudes

The title of the research project does accurately describe the research project. The entire document does talk about the public service broadcasting now and in the future. On the Executive Summary on of the points which are to be discussed in the report project is the role of broadcasting and the importance of public service broadcasting.

INTRODUCTION:

The research introduction does it make the purpose of the research project clear. When looking at point 3.2 Research objectives it does make the purpose clear it outlines research objectives clearly  

 This statement from the project “The overarching aim of the research was to understand audience behaviour and attitudes in relation to public service broadcasting and plurality” gives clarity on the purpose of the research.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

This research project does not properly introduce the research problem. It only indicates the objectives and purpose of the research.  What comes closely to the research problem is the statement in the background information “The purpose of the research is to help inform the BBC’s submission to Ofcom’s second” this is not a clear research problem.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY:

The reason for conducting the research is been explained in the research project. The statement in the research project, “The purpose of the research is to help inform the BBC’s submission to Ofcom’s second review of public service broadcasting, currently underway.” explains the reason for conducting the research.

THE RESEARCH QUESTION:

1 The research question is not clear. The author only has a research purpose and not research question.

2 Because there is no clear research question, author couldn’t justify the importance of this question to the scholarly community?

LITERATURE REVIEW:

There is no clear evidence of the fact that the has  author examined the relevant literature on the topic and persuasively explained why the research question posed has not yet been satisfactory answered?

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Point 3.3 Research methodology describes theoretical framework of the research, the framework of the research is that It was decided that a two-stage methodology best suited the needs of the research: The research will be conducted in two phase.

RESEARCH APPROACH:

There is no clear evidence of how does the author explain and justify the contribution s/he will make with the research.

The research will be conducting the research in two phases.

The first phase would explore, in depth, attitudes held on a broad range of issues relating to public service broadcasting and plurality. It would also seek to understand the reasons underpinning any stated views.The second phase would then take forward the key issues with a view to generating statistically robust findings.

In this first phase research, the deliberative workshops ran for four hours per session. Six workshops were conducted, each comprising 20-22 participants, with the sample across all six workshops totalling 126, this statement from the research indicates that sampling was involved

The population of the sample is draw from the following dimensions

Age

• Gender

• Socio-economic grade

• Amount of TV watched

• TV platform

• Attitude to the BBC

• Internet access

• Ethnicity

With most researches a data collection instrument is needed. Data was collected by using quantitative research technique which comprised of a face-to-face and an online questionnaire survey, using the questions for almost a month. The data from the two techniques was merged

 Reliability and validity was not accounted for, the researcher went straight to interpreting data once data was collected.

RESULTS:

The results are fairly presented clearly in the text, tables and figures. The stats are clearly explained and they do make sense.

DISCUSSION:

 They are results explained in relationship to the theoretical framework but not in relation to research questions, but there is a relation to the significance to media studies.

CONCLUSION:

There are no clear recommendations for future research and policymakers. The research does share new information that can be used by future researchers.

Fourth Blog - Techniques in studying Media Institutions and Media Audiences

FOURTH BLOG ENTRY

THE RESEARCH TECHNIQUES ONE CAN EMPLOY WHEN STUDYING MEDIA INSTITUTIONS AND MEDIA AUDIENCES

 When studying media institutions and Media Audiences one needs to focus on object of analysis. There generally three research techniques that can be used to study Media Institutions and Media Audiences. These are the interview, Participant observation and Oral history

The interview

The interview as a research technique in media institutions and media audience research helps to find out about people's ideas, opinions and values. The interview can be used as a primary technique or as a secondary research technique. The disadvantage of using the interviews is that Interviews are laborious and can be a complete waste of time for the interviewee and interviewer.  Interviews should be used only for sourcing personal attitudes and opinions of Media audiences. Interviews can be conducted by face to face, telephone, or e-mail.  

An advantage of face-to-face interviews is that there is no major time delay between question and answer; the interviewer and interviewee can directly react interpersonally. An advantage of this immediate communication is that the answer of the interviewee is spontaneous.  Du one of the advantages of telephone interviewing is the extended access to interviewees, compared to Face-to-face interviews, geographically one can reach more interviewees with telephonic interview. With e-mail interviews you one can also reach more interviewees geographically.

Participant observation

One of the methods of understanding the Media usage by media audience and Media institutions is through observing participating by both Media audiences and Media Institutions. In participant observation, the researcher encroaches in the atmosphere. Participant observation is a technique which originates from anthropology and is used by scholars conducting fieldwork, usually living among the participants. Researchers have used the  participant observation technique in the past to observe the decision making process at work, the professional standards  of media workers, and how the ideology behind their work gets translated into media content. It has the advantage over interviews that you are observing as it happens, and not relying on your research participants’ narration of their behaviour

A major obstacle in commission this kind of research is access. Some media house might not allow a researcher to observe anything of any value to the research assignment. Participant observation requires a high level of cooperation on the part of both Media institutions and Media audiences; therefore it is highly important to receive the full cooperation from both when using this technique.

Oral history

Oral history involves interviewing people about their previous knowledge and experiences.  An oral history study of the Media Institutions will be useful if the researcher have access to people who have witnessed significant developments in the history of the media. Mark Williams, for example, interviewed Monty Margetts, a veteran presenter of an early television cooking show, using o the techniques oral history. The principal struggle of using this technique is in getting access to knowledgeable people in the industry to interview about the past. However researchers’ participants in oral history do not need to be well known people to assist with a trip down memory lane.

REFERENCES

Nordicom Review, Jubilee Issue 2007, pp. 149-167 Media Institutions as a Research Field

Nick Lacey. 2002 Media, Institutions and Audiences. Palgrave Macmillan

Mytton, G. 2007. Handbook on radio and television audience research. (Web edition). Paris: UNICEF and UNESCO.

Stokes, J. 2003. How to do media and cultural studies research. London: Sage

THIRD BLOG ENTRY - Studying Media Institutions and Media Audiences

THIRD BLOG ENTRY

STUDYING MEDIA INSTITUTIONS AND MEDIA AUDIENCES

1.    Purpose of studying media institutions

Different media institutions have different goals, mission and visions and have different audiences or are in competition the same audience.

 Over the years, the exploration of media institutions has often been ignored while academic attention has focused on the media products and consumers of the Media products. Many of the product which are used by consumers be it a newspaper article, television programme or Radio news bulletin are shaped by the Media Institutions that has produced it.

 When studying Media Institutions, it is important to remember that economics and profits are the most important factors determining what is produced. Even the community media like community radio stations needs money to survive, obtaining funding and advertising revenue is crucial part of these institutions.  The economics applies to every organisation, and there are no media institutions   which operate outside these forces. One needs to have an understanding of the balance book and an understanding how organizations make their bread and butter to carry on a good study of Media Institutions.

In most countries including South Africa, governments take an active interest in the media institutions. Here in South Africa government has an active interest in the South African Broadcast Cooperation (SABC). The political influence on public media institutions should be further explores to understand how these intuitions produces there products for consumption.

2.    Purpose of studying media audiences

  When analysing the purpose of studying media audiences it’s very important to look at who a media product is communicating with. ? It is also important to consider the Media Institutions who produce the media products that are consumed by Media audiences.  Different media institutions have different media audiences. For example, Metro FM Radio has a different ‘target Audience’ to Talk Radio 702, the two Radio stations below to the different media institutions.

 Different media products can also have a different Media audience. For example SABC 1 produces news in intervals from 17:30 on weekdays but the media audiences are clearly different. Media audiences can be segmented into different groups.  Segmentation of Media audiences can be done by age, race, gender, social class, education, location and language.

Studying Media Audience is also concerned with Media audience responses. Media Audiences also respond to the media products they watch, read and listen in a different way.  Most of the time audiences identify with certain products, like the youth may enjoy SABC 1 programme Skeem Saam because they identify with the characters on the show, they can even desire to be like them, or can associate with the story lines or action. Audiences also respond by participating like when they vote in the current IDOLSSA reality show on MNet.

In conclusion

It is difficult to study media institutions with having a full understanding of the following:

Ø  Media Products

Ø  Economics in the Media

Ø  Politics and Government influence.

REFERENCES

Nordicom Review, Jubilee Issue 2007, pp. 149-167 Media Institutions as a Research Field

Nick Lacey. 2002 Media, Institutions and Audiences. Palgrave Macmillan

Mytton, G. 2007. Handbook on radio and television audience research. (Web edition). Paris: UNICEF and UNESCO.

Stokes, J. 2003. How to do media and cultural studies research. London: Sage

Assignment 01 for COM4802 -15 -Y1 - Second Blog

FIVE credible sources that a student could reliable use in developing research project with a qualitative research design.

1.       Source One - www.andrews.edu/leaderpart/RoundTable/2004/workshops/2b/AU-Qual-071504-jwc-vpc.pdf

Authors - John W. Creswell, Ph.D.Vicki L. Plano Clark, M.S.

At the end of our study, what interpretations can we make? (Discussion section of studies) • Interpretation is stepping back – asking what all of this means; it is not neutral • Options: – We can give our own personal reflection (based on our experiences, history) – We can compare our findings with the literature – We can summarize in a general sense what we found.

Vicki L. Plano Clark (Ph.D., University of Nebraska-Lincoln) is an assistant professor in the Quantitative and Mixed Methods Research Methodologies concentration of Educational Studies at the University of Cincinnati.  Her teaching focuses on foundations of research methodologies and mixed methods research, including a two-semester mixed methods sequence and special topics courses. 

As an applied research methodologist, Vicki also engages in research and evaluation projects on a wide array of topics such as the management of cancer pain, the identity development of STEM graduate students, the professional development of teachers of Chinese, and the effectiveness of school reform initiatives.  Before joining the University of Cincinnati, she was the director of the Office of Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research, a service and research unit that provides methodological support for proposal development and funded projects at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.  Originally trained in physics, she spent 12 years developing innovative curricular materials for introductory physics as the Physics Laboratory Manager at the University of Nebraska–Lincol.

2.       Source Two - Listening beyond the echoes: media, ethics and agency in an uncertain world

Author - Couldry, Nick

In this book Nick Couldry, media and cultural theorist from the London School of Economics, asks what are the priorities for media and cultural research today - at a time of the intensified mediation of all fields of social life, threats to democratic legitimacy, and serious instability on the global political stage. The book calls for a "decentered" media research that rejects easy assumptions about media's role in holding societies together and instead looks more critically at the difference media make on the ground to the material conditions of our lives.

Nick Couldry is Professor of Media, Communications and Social Theory in the Department of Media and communications at LSE. As a sociologist of media and culture, he approaches media and communications from the perspective of the symbolic power that has been historically concentrated in media institutions.

Nick Couldry’s PhD (1995-1998) explored background assumptions about the status of media institutions through a study of non-media professionals’ encounters with sites of media power: The Place of Media Power: Pilgrims and Witnesses of the Media Age (2000). He developed this into a theory of media rituals which has provided insights into various media forms, from talk shows to reality TV, and from media events to celebrity culture: Media Rituals: A Critical Approach (2003).

3.       Source Three - Qualitative research in education. An introduction to theory and methods

Author -  Bogdan, Robert C.; Biklen, Sari Knopp

This introductory level text provides a background for understanding the uses of qualitative research in education, its theoretical and historical underpinnings, and specific methods of educational research. This revised edition places qualitative research into the context of current discussions of research methods and alternative ways of knowing.

Dr. Sari Knopp Biklen, Laura and Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence in Cultural Foundations of Education, was a specialist in popular culture, qualitative research methods, and youth culture. She directed the Institute on Popular Culture and Education at Syracuse University.

As a University Scholar for the American Association of University Women, Biklen researched the culture of university life for college women investigating how college women talk about race, and how their consumer practices impact their educational careers. In 1996 she won Syracuse University's Outstanding Teacher Award.

4.       Source Four - The dance of qualitative research design: Metaphor, methodolatry, and meaning.

Author - Janesick, Valerie J.

The Book discuss the essence of qualitative research design [using the metaphor of dance] / the design serves as a foundation for the understanding of the participants' worlds and the meaning of shared experience between the researcher and participants in a given social context.

Valerie J. Janesick (Ph.D. Michigan State University) is Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa.  She teaches classes in Qualitative Research Methods, Curriculum Theory and Inquiry, Foundations of Curriculum, Issues in Curriculum, Ethics and Educational Leadership.

Her writings have been published in Curriculum Inquiry, Qualitative Inquiry, Anthropology and Education Quarterly and other major journals.  Her chapters in the Handbook of Qualitative Research 1st edition and 2nd editions use Dance and the Arts as a metaphor for understanding research. She is completing oral history interviews of female school superintendents as part of a larger project on women leaders.

5.       Source five – Qualitative Research: A Guide to Design and Implementation

Author - Sharan B. Merriam

The information age is changing the dynamics of many relationships, including mentoring. This article defines traditional mentoring according to its function and effectiveness and then expands the definition of mentoring to include computer-mediated communication (CMC), or “e-mentoring.” We propose that e-mentoring holds promise for redefining mentoring relationships and changing the conditions under which mentoring is sought and offered.

Sharan B. Merriam holds an Ed.D. in Adult and Continuing Education from Rutgers University.

Sharan B. Merriam rawing from a long tradition in anthropology, sociology, and clinical psychology, qualitative research has, in the last twenty years, achieved sta-tus and visibility in the social sciences and helping professions.

ASSIGNMENT 01: QUALITATIVE RESEARCH,TEXTUAL ANALYSIS AND ETHICS IN MEDIA RESEARCH - First Blog post

I have been involved in the media industry for more than ten years; I have worked as media Liaison officer for various government intuitions. These intuitions include the Department of Public Works and Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature. I was one the first Editors of the Peer Help Newsletter of the Unisa Bureau for Student Counselling; my interest in the Media started when was I was still young, because my father worked for the SABC. I have studied Journalism, but never worked as a journalist. I am currently a Media Officer for one of the Department of Transport entities. My current work requires me to do extensive media research, media monitoring and media analysis of the South African Media landscape in all media industry print, radio, and online. I think this course will assist me in all my future work.          

Research is important because it provides you with lengthy knowledge and information about a particular topic. To me research is important because we are able to learn about new things, like people and events.  Media is the most powerful tool of communication. It helps promoting the right things on right time. The media interpret the past to us and show us what has gone into making us the way we are today. The media help us to understand the workings of our immediate world, and our individual places in it. The media are major sources of modern culture and entertainment. I think this course will require me to learn and it will also help me to think critically. I also want to study and learn the media is a major industry and its involvement in the commercial world, I will like to understand how the media help define how we communicate with one other.

 The media and technology in media is something that still needs to be explored to the fullest by adopting the leading edge of modern technological innovation, the media also explain to us how things work in general terms.

Blogging is becoming more and more popular tool used to communicate new ideas and people’s philosophies. Many blogs are written to help people who may be going through similar situations that the blogger has experienced. As new blogger I will be trying to establish myself as an expert in a field or topic of Media Studies. As blogger I will provide information to sway people's thinking in a certain direction, therefore the purpose of my blog will be my online journal that will be used in a throughout my studies in Hon Media Studies. In an academic sense, I and fellow students in the Media Studies will keep track of each other throughout the course of our studies by posting to our blogs. My posts, will give our students an opportunity to add their comment underneath the post, and so forth. As one of the lectures has said this blog will be only an opportunity to stay connected to my fellow students.  

Qualitative research is often presented as an essentially model through which we study the social world. This model act as instrumentalist to which sets of epistemological assumptions, theoretical approaches and methods are attracted. This paradigmatic claims have a tendency to resurface from time to time, manifesting itself in the effects of different cultural traditions upon intellectual styles of research.

We live in a world of multiplying media devices, ever-increasing social media usage, media conjunction and kinesis. In a culturally diverse world, the globalisation of media calls for an understanding of the legal and ethical issues that are confronting the user and the practitioner in their unique social context. Using different national examples from around the world, Legal and Ethical Issues in the Media offers a much-needed discussion of contemporary social issues and ramifications of media interaction around the world.

My five core principles of Qualitative research are as follows

– Qualitative research strategy

– Role of the researcher

– Data collection procedures

– Data analysis procedures

– Strategies for validating findings