Media institutions include the people and companies involved in producing, distributing, and marketing media texts. They influence media texts through economic, industrial, and institutional processes. These processes include securing funding, using various technologies and roles to produce content, and distributing texts through appropriate channels to reach target audiences. Advances in digital technology have impacted how media content is produced and consumed.

1. Key concepts – media institutions
Media Institutions
Definition – the people who have a role in the production process of media
texts, the companies/organisations they represent and the processes of
production, distribution and marketing.
• There are many roles within the media production process, such as directors,
editors, producers, script and screenwriters.
• There are also issues of ownership relating to media institutions: who owns
Hollywood? You will need to conduct research into who owns companies such as
Time-Warner, Sony or Ginger and what their area of production is.
To show your understanding of institutions you will need to be able to discuss:
• Media texts as products of institutional, economic and industrial processes and
how this affects the text produced.
• The production, distribution, exhibition and consumption of media texts.
• The advancements in media technologies and how this affects the processes of
production and consumption.
Institutional processes
• These are often fraught with difficulty and very time consuming!
• Example: a TV drama begins life as commissioned or non-commissioned.
• If non-commissioned, the writer has to approach a production company; one
that either has a history of producing this type of drama, or one that is willing
to speculate on its success.
• The production company will offer the programme to a television station for
broadcast. The success of the sale depends on factors such as the station’s
history of broadcasting this type of programme, audience desire for the
product and even whether or not there is an available and appropriate
scheduling shot.
Economic processes
• Any new media product has to prove itself - ££££££££££££
• If production costs are more than the potential return, either in viewing
figures or revenue, then the product is unlikely to begin production.
• Generating financial backing for a product is often extremely difficult.
Industrial processes
• How a text has been created.
• Example; a pop video is created using camera and editing technologies.

2. Key concepts – media institutions
• When you look at a media text, try to consider what kinds of technology
produced it.
• The type of industrial process used to create a media product will affect the
text produced. It will have an impact on how and where it will be consumed and
the way the audience will be able to consumer it.
Production
• Awareness of different roles within the production process
• Consideration of what technology each person is required to use and the
control they have over the ‘look’ of the final product.
• Production processes use people and places together. A newspaper editor will
liase with advertising managers, art directors and the publisher to ensure that
the product is cohesive.
Distribution, consumption and exhibition
• The distribution of a media text is a vital element in its success.
• The distributor needs to consider the context for the product’s exposure
(such as a film’s screening) and access to the target consumer.
• Example: For a film distributor, choices have to be made about where the film
is first screened, whether the place allows for consumption by the target
audience, or whether the film is worthy of release to the cinema or goes
straight to video and DVD. Marketing is also a consideration and institutions
have to consider such areas as posters, trailers, teaser campaigns, Internet
sites and so on.
New media
• Digital explosion!
• Radio, television, the music business and print media can all now take
advantage of digital technology.
• We can watch a film on video, DVD or digital television.
• We can listen to music on CD, mini disc, mobile phones, MP3 players or via a
PC.
• The technology available and the ways we consume media texts are more
varied than they have ever been.
• What is the effect on the consumer?