Thursday 19 April 2012

Commmercial and Public Media( Lectures 6 & 7)

Week 7 is upon us. I'm fresh out of the mid-semester break and I've entered yet another lazy mental phase to procrastinate at all costs. I was fortunate to spend the break up the coast. This of course was great, but like all holidays, it didn't seem long enough!

 Before the Mid-sem break, Week 6's lecture covered Commercial Media. It was discussed how Commercial Media is a profit-driven system. Commercial Media survives or fails based on business success and ability to generate audiences. Examples of it include the Channel 7,9 and 10 networks. These channels create audiences through selling advertising. Bruce discussed the disadvantages of Commercial Media, and outlined how the value of profit over social responsibility equates to a lack of quality information and faulty ethic. The most interesting aspect of this week's lecture was a quote presented by C.P. Scott(Editor of the Guardian) who emphasised that the media's primary duty is to "shun the temptations of monopoly", and to preserve facts the best it can.

Week 7's Lecture addressed Public Media. As opposed to the motives of Commercial Media, Public Media's primary objective is to serve the public and not turn a profit. The ABC and SBS networks are known to embed the public service ethos. Overall public value is cherished. Its primary functions are to preserve a national heritage and support democratic processes. Perhaps the most interesting point Bruce raised was the need for the ABC and SBS networks to remain impartial in the face of political matters.

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