NDM essay: learner response

Feedback: 

WWW: A good proportion on this essay is absolutely superb – application of theory, use of quotation, understanding of Marxism and Pluralism, examples from across the media. There is a high degree of critical autonomy and I genuinely enjoyed reading it – these are very good signs!

EBI: However, this is not a complete NDM essay that would be suitable for the exam. You don’t mention the decline in the newspaper industry, paywalls, technological convergence, Hyperreality etc. Perhaps most importantly, neither do you clearly introduce the News as your case study in the opening paragraph. In fact, it wouldn’t be clear throughout the essay which industry is your main focus. In the final exam, you’ll obviously have two case studies to work from but in this essay it feels like there are none.

It’s a little picky but you don’t use the wording from the question consistently: production yes but not consumption. I think there are potentially a range of points and discussions you could have raised exploring the consumption angle.

LR: Re-write your introduction to clearly introduce your case study of the news industry. Then write one new section for the essay – the decline in the newspaper industry would work well but anything we've covered that isn’t Marxism or Pluralism would be good. Perhaps focus on consumption rather than production?

Question: "The development of new and digital media means the audience is more powerful in terms of consumption and production. Discuss the arguments for and against this view."

New and digital media has arguably revolutionised our social climate, allowing audiences to embody a sense of power when consuming and producing products. However, there is sufficient evidence that can dispute these developments. In particular, the news industry has excelled from these developments as well as suffering extensively and this essay will explore the juxtaposing effects and how this has affected the audience. 

The newspaper industry has faced an extensive battle in response to these technological developments, which is reflected through the action that the institutions have had to take. Firstly, 'The Sun', a British tabloid newspaper owned by Rupert Murdoch, have clearly taken action through their incorporation of a paywall as part of the way in which audiences can access their online content (website and smart phone application). Through the institutions implementing a paywall as part of their online newspaper, an audience are able to recognise the extreme quality which the newspaper must hold. This is therefore a prime example in news instituions responding to the decline in print news paper by moving onto the online platform, consequently providing a more accessible and convenient experience for their target audience. In terms of the audience's power in relation to consumption, this is an idealistic approach for them to read the content that they would have initially bought in print format, thus empowering the audience's consumption experience. Additionally, through news institutions evolving their content to be accessible online, this empowers audiences when choosing where and how to consume their news. Furthermore, the technological developments such as, websites, such as,The Guardian's website, allows audiences to leave comments and share news stories, onto social media platforms, which are of interest to them. This clearly empowers audiences in terms of production as they are able to have a more prominent relationship with their consumption of news. However, through the extensive amount of surveillance that occurs on these online developments, as shown through the Metro's recent article "Your Facebook, Twitter and blogs are about to be monitored for referencing by the goverment", one could argue against this. This article can be used as evidence to support the fact that all of the comments in which audiences leave, will undergo extensive monitoring from figures within the news institutions and if anything is deemed as inappropriate or breaking out of the social norm, they will fundamentally be removed, therefore dis-empowering audiences production experience on these technological developments.