G322 THE IMPACT OF MEDIA OWNERSHIP ON THE RANGE OF PRODUCTS AVAILABLE

Section B question: What impact does media ownership have on the range of products available to audiences in the media area that you have studied? (January 2013)

HOW TO ANSWER THE SECTION B QUESTION!

Look first at the OCR Report to Centres then at the guidance below that to learn how you could have organized your answer.

• State your area of debate: I have studied the film industry.
• State what you understand by media ownership and by audiences in the film industry: By ownership, I understand the various institutions that make and distribute film, such as the 'big six' Hollywood mega-franchises targeted at mainstream global as well as international audiences, the UK film industry with its different, smaller scale and national / US target audiences and independent film producers, often with national / niche audiences. 
• State what 'range of products' could include: I interpret 'range of products' to refer to the range of genres that studios produce, which tend to be limited to prequels, sequels and superhero films in Hollywood, with spectacle and narrative privileged over character and theme, which is more typical of the UK film industry.
• In addition, I interpret 'range of products' to refer also to the formats in which films are produced for a range of platforms, such as for cinema exhibition,in DVD and BluRay for home cinema, for downloading and streaming on the internet (such as Netflix offers) using portable platforms, for YouTube audiences and for IMAX screens. 
• These products include the range of distribution products used by distributors to attract and address target audiences, such as TV and in-cinema trailers, film websites with interactive features, Instagram and Twitter feeds to satisfy audience's hunger for pre-release information.
• I will also explain the way in which the mega-franchises like Disney can offer audiences a range of related products that create a synergy of cross-media ownership, through horizontal and vertical integration of products, such as theme parks, merchandise, TV shows, musical sound tracks, clothing, toys, comics and numerous sequels. 
• Whilst it may seem that the mega-franchises have the upper hand, I will provide examples that web 2.0 has been a game changer, allowing audiences to be both producers and consumers. Equally, I will argue that UK cinema looks to serve national audiences who do not necessarily demand a wide range of merchandise or theme parks, as long as they have a choice of platforms / formats.
• Cover your debate through a range of contrasting case studies.
• Remember the words "what impact" means the question invites evaluation.
• Refer to your own film viewing experience to support your case studies.
• Include an understanding of what trends are developing.