Shifting new media: from content to consultancy, from heterarchy to hierarchy

This is a detailed case history of one of London’s iconic new media companies, AMX Studios. Some of the changes in this firm, we assume, are not untypical for other firms in this sector. Particularly we want to draw attention to two transformations. The first change in AMX and in London’s new media industry more generally refers to the field of industrial relations. What can be observed is a shift from a rather heterarchical towards a more hierarchical organized new media industry, a shift from short-term project networks to long-term client dependency. The second change refers to new media products and services. We want to argue for a shift from cool content production towards consultancy and interactive communications solutions

COMMODITY AUDIENCE, COMMODITY EVERYTHING: INTERROGATING T-COMMERCE IN THE UNITED STATES CABLE INDUSTRY

This thesis is a theoretical and historical investigation of interactive television commerce (t-commerce). T-commerce lets viewers buy the commodities appearing in advertisements and program content. Additionally, t-commerce utilizes advanced advertising formats that target consumers precisely with customized advertisements. This thesis is grounded in theories of the audience commodity. It is argued that t-commerce is consistent with the historical trajectory of advertiser-supported television in which profits are generated by producing audiences of consumers. The business of commercial television has always been structured to produce consumers as economic and social products. The linchpin of their value as commodities is their capacity to consume. T- commerce increases the value of audiences of consumers by situating viewers in a marketplace that exhorts impulse buying and monitors consumption-related behaviour

Sport New Media

One of the dominant strategies currently used to address increased complexity in competitive business environments is to adopt technology at all levels of the enterprise. New media is a dimension of technology that is being adopted almost universally by sport enterprises worldwide. The purpose of this paper which is based on meta-analysis, secondary sources, technical reports and interviews, is to build on current knowledge related to sport new media to discuss: (1) new media technologies relevant to the sport industry and (2) considerations for developing and implementing sport new media projects. Within the complex global business environment, sport managers should be prepared to identify: (1) sport new media resources and technologies relevant to and appropriate for their enterprise and (2) benefits and potential opportunities offered by new media adoption

Impact of gambling technologies in a multi-media world

In many countries there appears to be a slow shift from gambling being taken out of gambling environments and into the home and the workplace. Historically, what we have witnessed is a shift from destination resorts (such as Las Vegas and Atlantic City) to individual gaming establishments in most major cities (e.g., betting shops, casinos, amusement arcades, bingo halls). More recently there has been a large increase in single site gambling opportunities (e.g., slot machines in non-gaming venues, lottery tickets sold in mainstream retail outlets), to gambling from home or work (e.g., Internet gambling, i-TV gambling)

Strategic questions in the development of interactive television programs

The aim of this research was to identify questions that a person developing interactive television programs could ask himself. The topic was chosen because it is currently an emerging issue in many of the countries launching digital television. The previous research in this field was reviewed including academic research, field trials in Finland, selected field trials abroad, consumer attitude surveys and expert panels. As it turned out, not much academic work had been done in the subject. The most promising work had been done in the fields of distance education and interactive narration. Five other fields were surveyed as potential sources for suitable ITV development strategies. These fields were linear drama, infomercials and homeshopping, multimedia production, www-production and virtual communities. A group of potential strategies were identified from these fields. Several methodological choices were considered. Among them were predicative methods, scenario analysis, case study method, action research, knowledge brokering and Zetterberg’s method. Finally a combination of knowledge brokering and the Zetterberg’s method was found most suitable for this research. The initial strategies were picked by the researcher from the above mentioned fields. They were then tested with a survey form that was presented to persons involved with the ITV industry. The respondents were identified from various sources and also the snowball method was applied to gather more respondents. Altogether 103 responses were received from persons in significant posts in key companies and institutions of the field. The research can be considered valid and reliable. The main conclusion of this study is that it pays in ITV-development to use the questions that have been found useful in developing film and TV scripts, www-applications, multimedia productions, virtual communities or home-shopping advertisements. Different sets of questions are useful for different ITV-genres. A useful set of questions could be identified for six different ITV genres. These genres were ITV advertising, computer game type of ITV applications, News on Demand applications, Electronic Program Guide (EPG), distance learning applications and background information for TV programs. Other results were also discovered. The following three questions were found important for all genres: 1) How can we make the program aesthetically appealing as possible? 2) How can we make the program visually compelling? 3) What type of an interface should the program have? Another result was that the following two questions that are central in film industry were not considered important for any of the ITV genres: 1) How can we have a three act structure in the program? 2) How can we arrange a happy ending for the program? The identified sets of questions will provide a good starting point for a person developing a program in the respective genre

Interactive TV and gaming

Despite substantial investment by the television industry in interactive services, the predicted financial boom has yet to materialise. With companies continuing to invest, particularly in the gaming sphere, Professor Mark Griffiths of Nottingham Trent University assesses the latest developments

The BBC's role in the changing production ecology of pre-school television in Britain

This paper examines the changing production ecology of British pre-school television in light of developments since the mid-1990s and the specific role played by the BBC. Underpinning the research is the perception that pre-school television is characterised by a complex set of industry relationships and dependencies that demands content which needs to satisfy a wide range of international circumstances and commercial prerogatives. For the BBC this has created tension between its public service goals and commercial priorities. Pre-school programming began in Britain in 1950, but it was not until the mid-1990s that Britain emerged as a leading producer of pre-school programming worldwide with government/industry reports regularly identifying the children’s production sector as an important contributor to exports. The rise of pre-school niche channels (CBeebies, Nick Junior, Playhouse Disney), audience fragmentation and the internationalisation and commercialisation of markets have radically altered the funding base of children’s television and the relationships that the BBC enjoys with key players. The international success of much of its pre-school programming is based on the relationships it enjoys with independent producers who generate significant revenues from programme-related consumer products. This paper focuses on the complex and changing relationships between the BBC, independent producers, and financiers, that constitute the production ecology of pre-school television and shape its output. Within the broader setting of cultural production and global trends the paper investigates the following questions: 1) In the light of changes to the sector since the mid-1990s, what makes pre-school television significant both generally and as an ideal public service project? 2) What is the nature of the current funding crisis in British children’s television and what implications does this crisis have for the BBC’s involvement in pre-school television? 3) How is the Corporation reacting to and managing the wider commercial, cultural, regulatory and technological forces that are likely to affect its strategies for the commissioning, production and acquisition of pre-school content