The term ‘cultural industry’ refers to the creation, production, and distribution of products of a cultural or artistic nature. Cultural industries include television and film production, publishing, music, as well as crafts and design. You might also consider architecture, performance and visual arts, and advertising as part of a cultural industry
2) What does Hesmondhalgh identify regarding the societies in which the cultural industries are highly profitable?
Broadcasting: radio, television (cable, digital and satellite) • Film industries: including the dissemination of film on video/ DVD/ television • Music industries: recording, publishing and live performance • Print and electronic publishing: books, online databases, information services, magazines and newspapers • Video and computer games: or digital games as some commentators refer to them • Advertising, marketing and public relations: greater functional element than other cultural industries; intended to sell and promote other texts; centered on the creation of texts and require work of symbol creators • Web design: high functionality dynamic + strong aesthetic element
3) Why do some media products offer ideologies that challenge capitalism or inequalities in society?
4) Look at page 2 of the factsheet. What are the problems that Hesmondhalgh identifies with regards to the cultural industries?
5) Why are so many cultural industries a 'risky business' for the companies involved?
• Risk derives from the fact that audiences use cultural commodities in highly volatile and unpredictable ways – often in order to express the view that they are different from other people. • Risk stems from consumption and is made worse by 2 factors: firstly, limited autonomy granted to symbol creators in the hope that they will create something original and distinctive; secondly, the cultural industry company is reliant on other cultural industry companies to make audiences aware of the existence of a new product or of the uses and pleasure that they might get from experiencing the product. Companies cannot completely control the publicity a product will receive, as judgments and reactions of audiences, critics and journalists etc. cannot accurately be predicted. • Cultural industries can be highly profitable in spite of high levels of risk, but it may be difficult to achieve high levels of profit for independent or individual companies.
6) What is your opinion on the creativity v commerce debate? Should the media be all about profit or are media products a form of artistic expression that play an important role in society?
I think media is an art so it needs to be expressed so people can enjoy it but at the same time needs to appeal to people so they gain money from doing it other wise it would be for nothing.
7) How do cultural industry companies minimise their risks and maximise their profits? (Clue: your work on Industries - Ownership and control will help here)
Vertical integration-Owning a range of businesses in the same production/distribution.
Horizontal integration-Owning a range of media companies that are largely unrelated.
Integration and Synergy-Series of media products derived from the same text or institution.
Diversification- When a media company branches out into a different area of the industry.
Cross-media regulation-When two companies merge.
8) Do you agree that the way the cultural industries operate reflects the inequalities and injustices of wider society? Should the content creators, the creative minds behind media products, be better rewarded for their work?
I agree with his because they work so hard to get the final product done and not much money for it when in reality they do most of the work and help it come together.
9) Listen and read the transcript to the opening 9 minutes of the Freakonomics podcast - No Hollywood Ending for the Visual-Effects Industry. Why has the visual effects industry suffered despite the huge budgets for most Hollywood movies?
The visual effects industry has suffered despite the huge budgets for most Hollywood movies due to Rhythm and Hughes facing severe financial difficulties.
10) What is commodification?
When Hesmondhalgh evaluates the changing social significance of the cultural industries, he considers commodification. This involves the transforming of objects and services into commodities. At its most basic level, it involves producing things not only for use, but also for exchange.
11) Do you agree with the argument that while there are a huge number of media texts created, they fail to reflect the diversity of people or opinion in wider society?
I agree to an extent because there are a select few media texts that try to accommodate minority groups however the mass media generally avoid diversity as it tends to be more expense or time consuming to cater to than just generalizing a text or advert to a majority. An example of this is the movie attack the block.
12) How does Hesmondhalgh suggest the cultural industries have changed? Identify the three most significant developments and explain why you thin
#k they are the most important.
Cultural industries are no longer seen as second to the ‘real’economy, ownership and organisation of cultural industries is now much broader, and digitization.
