Busisiwe
“Mabusana” Shibambo
Media
Research Blog
Studying
media institutions versus studying media audience
Unique
No: 857075
Entry
Blog No 4
1.
INTRODUCTION
This blog post will focus on the
techniques used in studying media institutions and media audience. Furthermore
the blog elaborate on the different foci and purpose of the techniques for
studying media institutions as opposed to studying media audience. Wagner, C
(2012:100) identifies that the method one chooses to collect data is directly
dependent on the type of information one wants to gather.
2. THE RESEARCH TECHNIQUES THAT CAN BE EMPLOYED WHEN STUDYING MEDIA
INSTITUTIONS AND MEDIA AUDIENCE
Studying media institution and media audience often require different
methods, however methods are unique according to a particular study. Media
institution and media audience are different yet their need each other for
their existence. The other is a source institution maybe considered a source
and audience will be referred as the receiver, therefore the two will be
investigated differently.
In studying media audience I will use qualitative research method
because I want to study human behaviour. Qualitative research is designed to
reveal the target audience range of behaviour and the perception that drives it
with reference to a specific topic. Furthermore qualitative research method is
interpretative and its aim is to provide in- depth understanding by use of
words, feelings and perception rather than numbers (Wagner, C et al 2012:100).
Investigation requires experiments, interviews, focus groups and questionnaires
with open ended questions. Studying people requires intensive interviews to get
detailed information such as why people prefer to watch a specific program, why
do they prefer to read a specific magazine, newspaper and so forth.
The study of media institution will require quantitative method as it
will be relevant. Institutions are in a business of making money hence it is
important for the institutions to know the numbers whether their product is
well received and consumed by the consumers. Mytton, G (2007:13) states that in
order to answer the question of “How do we know how many
listeners or viewers does SABC has for any of its programmes or services”
requires quantitative or survey methods.
This
method is mostly used to gather data from large groups of people in a
relatively short space of time. In this case finding out how many people
listens and view SABC can be a doting task however through the use of survey it
can be achievable. There are various types of research that can be applied to
gather data such as questionnaires, interviews in a face to face environment or
setup or in a form of telephone interview or online via the email.
strokes (2007) reports that survey method is used mainly to research modern media use, however the same methods can be used as a means of researching the past use of media and culture within oral history. After
all, we are still talking about researching people, and some of the same ground
rules apply whether the people we are investigating are producers or consumers.
Strokes
(2007) contends that methods of interview and survey, for example can both be
used effectively to research media production or consumption. Thus although the interview for example, is perfectly
legitimate method of interviewing both producers and viewers, the exact way to go
about interviewing each different group may well differ. We use different methods
for studying producers and consumers because they constitute different
analytical objects and they have distinct relationships with the media. Asking
what producers think of a particular television programme, for example, will
elicit different kinds of answers than asking viewers.
Producers
creates the product they don’t consume and therefore their response will
completely vary from that of an individual who actual watch the program. The
thinking of the two is affected by different view. The producer had an idea but
he cannot be objective enough about his own product than the person who will be
watching it as a final product.
3. STUDYING MEDIA INSTITUTIONS VERSUS STUDYING MEDIA AUDIENCES.
Studying
media institution varies to studying media audience because the two play
different roles though they both depend on each other for their existence. Media
institutions are the producers and distributors of artefacts and information. Media
audience are the receivers of the artefacts and information and entertainment. Without the audience the media institution
won’t survive and the audience will also have poor communication when it came
to information sharing and being informed.
4.
CONCLUSION
It
very important to understand the techniques you have to employ when studying a
particular topic because that informs the end results of the research. The
comparison between media institution and media audience differ in many ways yet
both of them need each other for survival.
The institution has to make money
while the audience need to be informed about the happenings of the world,
others want to be entertained. The media institutions are mostly privately
owned and they deal with different business other that focusing of media
production.
The institution generate more profit through advertisements and
popular program therefore the control what should the audience see and what
they cannot see or hear. Audience have little or no control on the content that
is being provided by the media institution. Hence it is important that when
conducting the research on both media institution and media audience the right
the techniques should be correctly selected. In most cases government are seen
to have influence on media institutions more special on the public broadcasting
services which leads to propaganda and denying the audience factual reporting
or content.
LIST OF SOURCES CONSULTED
Strokes,
J. 2003. How to do media and cultural
studies research. London: Sage
Accessed
2017/07/30
Wagner, C, Kawulich, B & Garner, M. 2012. Doing Social Research: A global
context. 1st edition. Berkshire: McGraw Hill Higher Education.
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