NDM: The key concepts of audience and institution

MM52 - Page no.9 "Two Key Concepts"

1) What was the relationship between audience and institution in the pre-digital age?
The relationship between audience and institution in the pre-digital age is shifting and they are inevitably connected - they rely on each other to exist. Audiences now have more choice and freedom to access media products, when before they were often "told". Mobile technological developments enhance this opportunity for audiences to carry TV programmes, films, music and the internet on tablets or smart phones. Also, modern audiences are able to directly communicate with institutions and able to construct their own media products themselves (e.g.citizen journalism).

2) The article gives a lot of examples of major media institutions. Choose three examples from the article and summarise what the writer is saying about each of them.
- The movie industry - they have invested enormous sums of money into three dimensional technology, to encourage audiences to cinemas. 
- The BBC - they have reconsidered their funding structure as "on-demand" viewing is becoming increasingly popular. 
- Google - they now own YouTube and have revolutionised the way we access music and moving-image entertainment and information. 
- Amazon, Netflix and Yahoo - create, produce and 'broadcast' their own TV shows, such as, 'Transparent', 'Orange is the New Black' and 'Community'. 

3) The article ends with a section on the digital age. Summarise this section in 50 words.

The article concludes by addressing the fact that as time goes on, traditional mediums are obliged to adapt with new technologies to target the upcoming dominant audience. This is in terms of cinemas, newspapers and television. Some of the most successful adaptations have currently been ‘Google’, ‘Amazon’ and ‘Netflix’, through the way they have channelled new technological developments, through the internet to attract and maintain audiences. Therefore, the more traditional forms, need to do the same otherwise they will end up extinct, due to a lack of audience interest.

4) How do YOU see the relationship between audience and institution in the future? Will audiences gain increasing power or will the major global media institutions hold sway?

I see the relationship between audience and institution in the future to be very audience dependent, as ultimately only the most prestigious and establishes media conglomerates and institutions will be able to maintain power, if they ensure to adapt to new and digital technological developments. Therefore, it leaves the niche and less established institutions at a disadvantage on the sole basis that they will have to rely on attracting audiences in the best way, to maintain them and then become establishes. Thus, it is clear that audiences will be at the forefront in the future as they will chose where and who to consumer their media from. Although, one could argue, that if the leading conglomerates continue to re-establish their brand identity to cater for the mainstream audience, and if this continues to be consumed by the audience, it could be that in fact the institution maintains all power as they will be holding the bait for the mass public.