ND Creative Media Production YR 2
2014-2015
Semester 2
Unit 6: Critical Approaches to Creative Media Products
Assignment Details
Title: Just a Number?
Assessor: Jim Doherty
School: Media, Multimedia & the Arts
Programme level:3
Assignment number: 1
Issue date: 3/02/15
Due: 10/03/15
Feedback: 16/03/15
IV:
P. Mullan
IV date: 30/01/15
Evidence



Printed Powerpoint presentation
Actual presentation
Evidence of research.
Outcomes:
1. Understand how media producers define audiences for their products
Overview
1 Understand how media producers define audiences for their products
Defining audiences: quantitative audience research, eg BARB, RAJAR, ABC; qualitative
audience research, eg focus groups, questionnaires, face-to-face interviews; audience
profiling, eg socio-economic status, psychographics, geodemographics, age, gender, sexual
orientation, regional identity, mainstream, alternative, niche
Brief
A new manager has taken over the media company you work for. Sales have been falling
and advertising revenue has also dropped. The manager has found that it’s been several
years since any audience research has been done to find out who buys or uses the
production. It’s up to you to look at the kinds of research available and then plan what
you will use to turn the product around.
Working in groups of three you will apply the three audience research methods below to a
Newspaper, Magazine, Film, TV or Radio programme selected by your group in order to
identify the audience.
Quantitative audience research (audience ratings and measurement panels)
Qualitative audience research (focus groups, questionnaires, face-to-face interviews)
Audience classifications (socio-economic, psychographics, mainstream, alternative, niche).
Tasks
Pass Criteria
Learners will work in groups of 3 to:
To achieve a pass, the student must:
1. Gather statistical data on product
2. Prepare to apply the three research
methods to the product
3. Apply the research methods.
4. Each individual learner will collate
and analyse the information gathered
from each of the 3 methods.
P1 describe how media producers define
audiences with some appropriate use of
subject terminology [IE]
ND Creative Media Production YR 2
2014-2015
Semester 2
Unit 6: Critical Approaches to Creative Media Products
5. The group will meet to compare and
take notes on each other’s analyses.
6. The group will prepare and give a
Powerpoint presentation explaining:



how methods have been used
to research audiences for the
product
conclusions of research
(defining audiences in terms of
given classifications)
correlation between
quantitative and qualitative
information
Print and submit the Powerpoint
presentation to your tutor.
Merit Criteria
Distinction Criteria
To achieve a merit, the student must:
To achieve a merit, the student must:
M1 explain how media producers define
D1 comprehensively explain how media
audiences with reference to detailed illustrative
examples and with generally correct use of
subject terminology
producers define audiences with elucidated
examples and consistently using subject
terminology correctly
Guidance
Suggested Reading:
Baylis P, Freedman A, Procter N et al – BTEC Level 3 National Creative Media Production, Student
Book (Pearson, 2010) ISBN 978-1846906725
Baylis P, Freedman A, Procter N et al – BTEC Level 3 National Creative Media Production, Teaching
Resource Pack (Pearson, 2010) ISBN 978-1846907371
Baylis P, Holmes P, Starkey G – BTEC National in Media Production (Heinemann Educational, 2007)
ISBN 978-0435499198
Abercrombie N, Longhurst B – The Penguin Dictionary of Media Studies (Penguin, 2007)
ISBN 978-0141014272
Branston G, Stafford R – The Media Students Book (Routledge, 2006), ISBN 978-0415371438
Briggs A, Cobley P – The Media: An Introduction (Longman, 2002) ISBN 978-0582423466
Clark V, Jones P, Malyszko B, Wharton D – Complete A-Z Media and Film Studies Handbook
(Hodder Arnold, 2007) ISBN 978-0340872659
Gillespie M, Toynbee J– Analysing Media Texts Issues in Cultural/Media Studies (Open University
Press, 2006) ISBN 978-0335218868
McDonald K – Film and Television Textual Analysis (Auteur, 2005) ISBN 978-1903663547
O’Sullivan T Dutton B, Rayner P – Studying the Media: An Introduction (Hodder Arnold, 2003)
ISBN 978-0340807651
ND Creative Media Production YR 2
2014-2015
Semester 2
Unit 6: Critical Approaches to Creative Media Products
Websites
www.asa.org.uk – the Advertising Standards Authority
www.barb.co.uk – Broadcasters Audience Research Board
www.bbfc.co.uk – the British Board of Film Classification
www.englishandmedia.co.uk/mediamag.html – the English and Media Centre
www.imdb.com – a movie database
www.mediaknowall.com – a web guide for media students
www.mediawatchuk.org – campaign for accountability and decency in the media
www.ofcom.org.uk – the regulator of the UK’s broadcasting, telecommunications and wireless
communications industries
www.rajar.co.uk – official body in charge of measuring radio audiences in the UK
www.vlv.org.uk – the Voice of the Listener and Viewer
Other material as directed by lecturer and supplied on Moodle.