New and digital media offers media institutions different ways of reaching audiences.

Consider how and why media institutions are using these techniques. (48 marks)

The development of new and digital media means that institutions can reach audiences much more easily, and they can form a closer relationship with the groups of people they are targeting. There are many innovations which have allowed this to happen.

Firstly, in general, the internet has allowed institutions to interact with audiences. They can gain feedback about their creations, and realise what their target audience actually wants. A great example of this is as follows: the director of the 2011 film Bridesmaids took to Twitter during the filming period, after reports that his new film was just going to “another comedy film”- nothing special. The director was able to gain feedback from his target audience, and they were able to tell him what they wanted from the film. This way, when the film was released, it was tailored to the audience’s needs and became a great success.

This links to my next point of social networking. There are so many young people on the internet using social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. This allows institutions to advertise on such websites, and target their marketing towards teens. Their product consequently reaches a much younger audience. The interactivity of these sights also allows the institution to directly communicate with the audience through comments and “likes”, and the audience feel much more powerful. They feel important- like a priority. There are examples for this point all around us, e.g.: down the side of any person’s Facebook homepage lies a strip of advertisements. A variety of companies advertise there, and use slogans such as “Attention ___ fans!” This draws the audience in and makes them feel included.

Another way which the audience can feel like a priority, and important to their favourite film (for example) is through fan sites. Email subscriptions have become more and more popular. It is possible for audiences to receive email newsletters from institutions for example. They can also follow fan groups on Twitter, or join a independent fan site.

Once audiences are signed up to fan sites, social networking sites, or email subscriptions, institutions have their details forever. This brings everyone so much closer, and helps institutions with new creations in the future.

Websites in general have become more interactive, not just social networking sites. I have researched the marketing of the film Bridesmaids, as previously mentioned, and their website is particularly good at creating a new type of relationship between company and viewer. For example, there are links to social networking sites which links to the point I previously made.

It isn’t just the institutions who gain from new and digital media. The audience gain massively. They have so much more freedom in how they access media. Companies like Love Film have brought this to life. They enable the viewer to have choice in what they watch: the audience is now much more active. A film is not just put in front of them. Furthermore, innovations such as ITV player and 4OD mean that audiences aren’t even restricted to the times they can watch film or television. Apps enable them to watch their chosen film, at a chosen time, on either the TV, computer, phone, iPad or iPod. There is so much more variety. The audience narrative has changed. They are now able to digest a very specific menu of films or television programmes which they are interested in.