AQA Media Studies
A Cross Platform Approach
Cross Platform Media


AS Media focuses on the contemporary cross platform
nature of modern media
This includes a consideration of the inter-relationships
between the print, broadcast and e-media platforms
including:




the way media products are constructed
the way institutions are responding to technological changes
and changes in audience behaviours
the way audiences are using technology and how this changes
their relationship with institutions and the texts themselves
For example...
Being Human (BBC3: 2009-)




Being Human is a broadcast text with a strong on-line
presence
The Being Human home page is used to look back at
seasons 1-3 and to look forward to the 4th season which
has now been confirmed and will be broadcast in 2012
In the immediate run up to broadcasting the site will be
used to generate anticipation for the new series
During broadcast the site will most likely be used to
provide on-line access to the episodes, summaries and
updates and (potentially) additional ‘insider information’
to reward the loyal fans
Being Human
Becoming Human (BBC3: 2011)






An episode in season 3 of Being Human featured Adam a
teenage vampire
In Being Human, Adam’s story concluded in the episode
On-line, Adam’s story continued in an on-line blog
Trailer
The Becoming Human blog was updated weekly with a
variety of different media used to tell the story –
webisodes, newspaper articles, on-line profiles, voicemails,
video diaries, written diaries etc.
At the end of the Being Human series, the Becoming
Human webisodes were broadcast on BBC 3 as a single
50 minute ‘episode’
Becoming Human – a multimedia text
... and not forgetting print media
The Institution:
BBC
The Text:
Being/Becoming
Human
The Becoming Human blog was likely to appeal
to the Being Human audience as it used the
same ‘mythology’ as the original programme
Becoming Human focused on a teenaged
The blog contained different types of media so
protagonist and used a school setting – so this
the narrative was constructed in a variety of
may have had more appeal to younger
ways – the story was developed using a
audiences than the main programme whose
conventional linear narrative in the webisodes
protagonists are in their late 20s
but other media offered a number of alternative
The blog offers different types of media and
ways to tell the story and develop character
accommodates different audience behaviours
Becoming Human extended the fictional world
than the broadcast series
already established in Being Human
The web-site/blog also promotes the main
Becoming Human was created as a multi
programme and other BBC services –
media text
particularly through links to i-player
The BBC were using new technologies to
help promote an existing text and to
pilot a potential new one
The webisodes were high production value
videos whilst other materials feel ‘real’ and
some were presented as if they have been
created by the characters
Loyal audience members who returned to the
blog each week were rewarded with new
content
(The content is still available for new visitors to
the site)
Audience
The on-line blog encouraged audience
reaction/interaction through a message board
A elite community was formed
The Becoming Human audience were able
to experience a range of different
gratifications whilst accessing the blog