Developing Technologies and TV and Film

Over the years television and film has developed massively, from Televisions starting off in black and white, now even the basic of tv's are in colour. Now 3D TV is the newest addition. 3D television is basically two camera's close together, one alittle further back to give the illusion of things actually coming out of the screen you are watching something on. Personally I don't think 3D television is any better than just watching a programme without effects being used, I don't think it makes it anymore realistic. Maybe if there was some way you could view 3D TV without wearing the glasses then I wouldn't mind, I just think it's effort to wear the glasses in your own home as it would be a bother to do normal things like text and simple everyday things like that whilst wearing the glasses, you'd have to take them off.


Below is a YouTube clip of how 3D TV works;







3D Tv gives the illusion of whats happening on screen come out of your tv, like it's infront of you.



A few years ago, We had the digital switch over, this meant all televisions had Free view, which means you didn't need a free view box any more, free view now comes with the TV, so in a way, free view is now the new basic channels. Before the digital switch over, if you didn't have a Free view box, which adds channels such as e4 and fiver, then you just had the basic channels (channels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). I think the fact everybody has at least free view now is good as the channels shown on free view apply to all age groups.




Satellite television.
Satellite television is things such as Sky. Sky uses a satellite dish that sits ontop of your house at a specific angle and point that points upto the sattellite in the sky, then codes are sent through to the Sky box and the box then de-logs them so you can watch the chanels. If their is bad weather, the Sky can then lose signal. There is a thing called direct broadcast satellite which basically means direct to your home. Direct broadcast satellite are commonly known as mini dish systems. The signal can either be through a satellite or from the actual television service.

Cable television.

Cable television is different to sattellite television in that it doesn't use an antenna, it sends television programmes via radio frequency. Their are wires going underneath the ground to enable you to view the programmes. For example, Virgin Media does this. In a sense I definitley think cable television is better than sattellite as their is only a very slight chance that you will lose signal as the signals are all sent from underground, so obviously bad weather won't affect the signal.  

Interactive television. 

Interactive television is basically what comes with sattellite and cable television. You can access advertisements via the red button on the television remote. By doing this you can also go on internet related sites. I think interactive television is really clever as you can choose the angle to the one you want to watch the program from. For example, a football match. This will be really appealing to people who are interested in new developments in technology. You can also access television programmes via the internet. For example there is BBC iPlayer where you can type in the programme of your choice, and watch it. I myself watch Waterloo Road catch ups, I sometimes prefer watching programmes online this way as sometimes the adverts are cut out which means you don't have to wait about.


High Definition Television.
High Definition television, usually known as HDTV is basically a better quality viewing of programmes/films. The picture is clearer. In my opinion I don't think HD makes that much of a difference, I think it's slightly over-rated and hasn't really improved anything. When I view a programme in HD, I only notice a slight different in the image and I don't think it makes the programme any better.


Streaming Media and Internet Television/ on- demand viewing.
On- demand viewing on our TV is on cable and sattellite television. It's an extra service you get if you are with say Sky or Virgin. It means you are able to view programmes that you maybe couldn't watch at the time they were being aired. You can select it from your menu on your television screen and watch it at a time right for you. For example, on Virgin Media, there is a guide where you can select '4 on Demand' where you can watch any programme that has been aired on channel 4 that week. I think this is a really appealing thing as you don't even have to record the programme to watch it, you know it's already there.


Digital Recorders.
Digital Recorders let you record shows that have been previously shown on TV that you have missed. On Sky+ you can rewind and forward the programme as well. You can also do this even if it is live TV.  Sky and Virgin are different to each other when it comes to digital recording as with Sky you can forward and rewind at your free will but with Virgin Media when you watch a recorded programme it automatically cuts the adverts out with you so you don't have to. When it comes to this I think Virgin Media is slightly better as it's less hassle for the viewer. You can also record more than two programmes at a time and their is more storage available.


Pay Per View

Pay Per View is used with things such as Sky Box Office where you can buy films so you can watch them for a certain amount of time. You can order this via the phone, or you can use the interactive option of pressing the red button with your details and via the internet.

HD Ready and HDTV.

There are four types of HD; HD Ready, HDTV, HD Ready 1080p and HD TV 1080p. HD Ready means anything that is capable of previewing HD related things. However that doesn't have a built in capable HD tuner. HD TV obviously is a TV that shows things in HD already as it has it already built in.

Film based

CGI

Computer Generated Imagery, Shortened to CGI is specifically used for 3D computer graphics for things such as videos, commercials and television programs. Because of this application, CGI allows smaller based companies to create small scale videos to a proffessional standard. Technology over a long period of time has allowed things like this to be created and be a lot more advanced. The images created on the computer now look really lifelike. I think this is really good as years ago you wouldn't really have thought this possible. There are two types of CGI, 3D animation and motion capture. 3D animation is things such as disney movies like Toy  Story and monsters inc. I think Motion capture animation makes things more clearer. 3D animation to me is sometimes un-needed when it comes to some films. For example, I think Toy Story doesn't really seem any better in 3D than normal. Motion capture animation means older films for example the Jungle Book, the picture isn't as clear as it is now. Also I think you can really see the difference in the first ever toy story which came out in 1995 and the newest toy story,

Regulation of The Media Sector

British Video Association
The British Video Association (BVA) is an organization formed in 1980. BVA represents the interests of publishers and right owners of pre-recording video entertainment. This organization protects the authors rights in a way. Obviously this is a crucial thing as if you didn't have any copyright laws against it, anybody could take another persons work and label it as there own.


BBFC
The BBFC basically rate films, for example they can rate them, U, PG, 12, 15 and so on. This is done so that the right age groups see the right films for them. Obviously a 12 year old couldn't watch an 18 as it would be unsuitable for them due to violence etc.


Film Distributors Association
The Film Distributors Association basically is the company that publishes films into cinemas in the UK. The FDA works with many people, organizations and other companies. FDA's Council, or board, comprising a senior representative of each member company, normally meets six times a year and considers only matters of generic interest to film distributors. I agree and think they should do this because otherwise people would just be seeing the same sorts of films and would easily get bored and want to see something new, so I think for things like this, change is definitely good and the meetings will enable this.


Video Standards Council
Video Standards Council (VSC) is a company that puts the age limit on films that people can watch. I think Censorship is the right thing to do as if anybody could watch any film they wanted, for example, children watched a violent film rated an 18 then they wouldn't know right from wrong. I think this is why they censor swear words before 9pm etc. I think this also relates to taste and decency.


Trading Standards Central
 The Trading Standards Institute is a professional membership association formed in 1881. It represents trading standards professionals in the UK and overseas. Its job is to promote and protect the success of a modern economy, and to make sure the health, safety and wellbeing of citizens is looked after and also promotes honest business. This comes under trading standards and taste and decency. You have to comply with the regulations that are set. For example, if you weren't being looked after by your employer, you would go to the trading standards for advice. I think it's wise as if you thought you were being treated unfairly by your employer then you could go to your union and seek professional advice that you might not be aware of.


Trading Standards Nets
Trading Standards Nets is the "gateway" to advice on consumer protection in the UK. For example, if you aren't happy with the standards of a product you've purchased. This comes under taste and decency as if you as a customer aren't happy with your purchase, then there is obviously something lacking and what can be improved.


Press Complaints Commission
The Press Complaints Commission is an idependant body. It deals with the complaints made within the Editors Code of Practice.

The Commission comprises seventeen members and has a majority of public members (including the Chairman) with no connection to the newspaper and magazine industry. The remaining seven Commissioners are serving editors. The PCC enforces the Editors' Code of Practice agreed by the newspaper and magazine industry, which deals with issues of accuracy and privacy in reporting and how journalists should behave in gathering the news. When it comes to the press, they only have a certain amount of freedom of information, especially when it comes to other people's private lifes.

The Mobile Entertainment Forum

MEF is the global community for mobile content and commerce. It is the leading trade organisation for companies wishing to monetize their goods, services and digital. This relates to consumer choice and whether the goods meet the required points to be able to sell to us.

The Independent Games Developers Association

The Independent Game Developers’ Association is the national trade association representing the business and commercial interests of video and computer game developers in the UK and Europe.

British Academy of Film and Television Arts

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts, otherwise known as BAFTA'S is the UK's leading independant charity working with the film, TV and video game industries. I think this also relates to monopoly a little bit as if only one person was to own the whole of a tv network, for example, Rupert Murdoch with sky, then if sky were to win awards, he would really be the only one benefitting, However as it is now, where he only owns a certain percent of sky, others are involved too and that way it's not just one persons ways and ideas. However Rupert Murdoch also owns a part of ITV and two newspapers. Personally, I don't think his company, News Corporation should be allowed to own anymore as then I think it would be as though News Corporation are the only really main one's in the media today. The BAFTA'S, aswell as the high profile awards ceremony, BAFTA runs a year round programme that include educational events including film screenings, interviews, tribute evenings lectures and debates with industry figures.

Commercial Radio Companies Association

The Commercial Radio Companies Association basically makes sure that everything on the radio is suitable for the time it's being aired etc. For example, if a radio presenter was to swear during a radio show and before the allowed time, this would then bring in Ofcom as it's highly likely there would be a number of complaints made as they wouldn't be complying with the rules made.

The International Visual Communication Association

The International Communication Association (ICA) is a non-profit academic association founded in 1950 as the National Society for the Study of Communication (NSSC), whose members are interested in the study, teaching, and application of all aspects of human communication.  The International Visual Communication Association is the largest professional body in Europe with over 1000 production members and 1500 client associates who commission business solutions from the industry.

Worldwide Web Consortium

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is an international community that develops open standards to ensure the long-term growth of the Web.

British Web Design and Marketing Association

The UK Web Design Association was established in 2001 to encourage and promote industry standards within the British web design and new media sector. This gives us more access to know more things about the world etc.

British Interactive Multimedia Association
The British Interactive Multimedia Association tries to ensure the UK's interests are covered in the digital industry





Here is a video talking about the Rupert Murdoch hacking scandal and shows us some short clips from the court and some views of what people now think of both Rupert Murdoch and the newspaper, News of The World. The scandal also made others question News Corporations other newspapers.


Ownership
Ownership in general is when either a person or organization owns something. This will obviously have an impact on what they have ownership on as a whole as depending on the amount they own, they will have an input in what happens/changes etc.


Monopoly
Monopoly means when a person who tries to buy more than one thing, for example, Rupert Murdoch tried to buy all of sky, however as he already owns part of sky as well as Newspapers etc, he wasn't able to.


Access
Access in the media world means how much access a certain person/organization has to over something, this depends on how much of it they own and how far up they are in the media world. I'm not sure whether I agree with press having so much access to say celebrities lives. I understand that possibly without that information in the tabloids, it would be less interesting to some people and I myself read celeb stories. For example, the Wayne Rooney story about him cheating on his wife was poured all over the newspapers and magazines. However by this happening, other innocent people got brought into the story, for example his wife's parents and siblings. I think that was wrong and shouldn't be allowed.


Consumer Choice
Consumer choice is what we as the audience what to see on our television screens, this is affected by programme ratings. There need to be this as if not then programmes would just be shown on television that people don't actually want to see, the ratings could be awful and it would still be shown when a better programme could replace that.


Freedom of information
Freedom of information means freedom of communication and expression through various electronic media and published articles. However on certain things, their is still other legal protections. Personally I think this law needs to changed. I think their should be less freedom of information, especially as at the moment all it seems to do is create more stories that potentially could ruin a family. in place.

Privacy law - Example of breach

In July 2011, Rupert Murdoch and others attended a British Parliamentary committee regarding the phone hacking scandal. The phone hacking scandal happened when the News of the World newspaper hacked the phones of celebrities and well known people to get the information to publish in their papers, personal information that they had no right to have. When the newspaper was then shut down due to this, Rupert Murdoch argued that since he ran a global business of 53 employees and that the news of the world was just 1% of this; he wasn’t actually responsible for what went on at the tabloid. As an outcome of this, he announced that he had not considered resigning as he didn’t think he was fully responsible; however he admitted that it was the wrong doing of his company.
 Employees of the newspaper were accused of engaging in phone hacking, police bribery and exercising improper influence in the pursuit of publishing stories.
Investigations conducted from 2005–2007 concluded that the paper's phone hacking activities were limited to celebrities, politicians and members of the British Royal Family. However, in July 2011, it was revealed that the phones of murdered schoolgirl Millie Dowler relatives of deceased British soldiers, and victims of the 9/11 were also accessed, resulting in a public outcry against News Corporation and owner Rupert Murdoch. Advertiser boycotts contributed to the closure of the News Of the World on 10 July, ending 168 years of publication.
There were also other British newspapers by News International that were involved with the hacking scandals, although the News of The World is the main newspaper to be involved and the most talked about.

Ethical and Legal Constraint within the media sector

Ethical:

social issues and sensitivities, eg representation of gender, representation of religious beliefs, linguistic usages, accessibility; professional body codes of practice, eg BBC producers’ guidelines, Worldwide Web Consortium (W3C) accessibility standards

Legal:

Broadcasting Act 1990 (and later amendments)

Official Secrets Act 1989, Obscene Publications Act 1959 (and later amendments)

Films Act 1985,

Video Recordings Act 1984

Race Relations Act 1976 (and later amendments)

 Human Rights Act 1998

Licensing Act 2003 (and later amendments); privacy law; copyright and intellectual property law; libel law.

Legal

People who work in the creative media industry have certain rules and regulations that they must follow. An example of this is a famous case that happened this year, a footballer, Rio Ferdinand tried to get an injunction about an affair he was having however his request was denied.

Broadcasting act 1990.

The aim of the broadcasting act of 1990 is to reform the entire structure of British broadcasting. The British Broadcasting act basically restricts what is published in the UK. This act was opposed at first by people, for example the Labour Party.

Official secrets aid 1989.

This basically is a rule used in the UK, Ireland, India, New Zealand and Malaysia for legislation that provides state protection and official information, usually related to national security. More known as keeping state ‘secrets’. For example, if a member of the royal family was in a different country, there's a worldwide injunction that says nobody can publish in a magazine or newspaper where they are incase they are under threat.

Obscene Publications Act. 1959

A law that relates to the publication of a matter. This law lets things be published to a certain extent for the welfare of the public. An example of breaching this law could be if a pornographic magazine was to publish something that hadn't been classified.

Films Act 1985

To help with the financing of the film and give rules. The film must always be registered etc. A breach of this would be if the film wasn't classified yet released.

Video recording acts 1984

This means the videos made have to pass rules set by the home office before going on sale. The video recordings published must carry a classification that has been agreed on upon the Home Office. An example of breaching this law would be if you were purchasing a film that hadn't already been released or classified.


Race relations act 1976

This was basically made to stop the discrimination of race. The race relations law is a law made to make sure people aren’t discriminated again because of their race. A breach of this law is if you were to dismiss someone from an oppurtunity purely on their race.

Human rights act

To make sure everybody gets a fair say and have certain rights. Human rights means everybody has their own right to do what they like, aslong as it's not breaking the law. A breach of this would be telling people about somebodys personal  things when you had already been told not to by the law.

Licensing act of 2003.

This act only applies to England and Wales. This act is basically what you have to pass if you’re going to show something in public on tv, e.g, skysports, you also have to pass certain regulations. Premises also have flexible opening hours for the premises, consideration of the hours on the local public and local businesses. A breach of this would be if they didn't pass regulations yet still went ahead and shown skysports etc.

Privacy Laws

This law deals with a certain persons personal information to give them a certain extent of privacy if needed etc. It also deals with peoples personal information if forms of health, financial, online, communication and privacy in one's home.

Libel Law

Laws stating that no slander or detamation shall be aimed at one particular individual or group etc. Laws relating to writing something about someone that damages their reputation and isn't true.

Copyright

Copyright protects written, theatrical, music and artistic works as well as films, book layouts, sound recordings and broadcasts. Copyright is an automatic right, which means you dont have to apply for it. Copyright can protect literary works, including novels, instruction manuals and so on. A breach of copyright would be to download somebody elses music and say it is your own.

Intellectual property

IP refers to creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, images and designs used in commerce. IP results from the expression of an idea. So IP might be a brand, an invention, a design, a song or another intellectual creation. IP can be owned, bought and sold. A breach of this could be taking a design from somebody else without buying it and selling it on asthough your the original artist.

Ofcom - Ofcom stands for Office of Communication, it is the communications regulator.  They regulate the TV and radio sectors, fixed line telecoms and mobiles plus the airwaves over which wireless devices operate. For example, Ofcom were the one's who launched an inquiry into the News of The World phone hacking scandal.


BBFC

BBFC stands for the British Board of Film Classification. It basically says what age group can watch a film. For example. If a film wanted to attract the audience of 15 year olds, they would have to pass the requirements, it could only have a certain amount of sex scenes and strong language in the film. If it had more than allowed, they would have to cut parts out of the film, or the age stamp would have to be changed so it would meet the requirements.


ASA - Advertising Standards Authority, the UK's independent regulator of advertising across all meia, including marketing on websites.  They work to ensure ads are legal, decent, honest and truthful by applying the advertising codes. If they don't approve of what is being viewed by people, they will get rid of it. The ASA is a non-statutory organisation and so cannot interpret or enforce legislation. However, its code of advertising practice broadly reflects legislation in many instances. The ASA is not funded by the British Government, but by a levy on the advertising industry.


Codes of practice
A code of practice is a set of written rules that explain how people working in a particular profession should behave. For example, whether they have to wear a uniform and how they can behave towards customers and so on. A professional body writes the guidelines to it's members to help them comply with it's ethical standards.


Editors of code of practice
The code of practice makes sure people working in the industry deal with things correctly and tell you how you should behave so that it is in a correct and professional way for the envioronment you are in. Basically all the members of the press have to protect peoples rights of their home life, children, accuracy hospitals and so on.


Media representation
Media representation means the way somebody portrays somebody else and whether they do it fairly. If they don't and people think they're describing their race unfairly, then they will ring up and complain an Ofcom will look into it. Representation would be things such as age, gender, class and ethnicity. For example, there is stereotypical views when it comes to an area in Manchester, Mosside, it has a reputation for being a rough and violent area filled with gangs and guns.

Film Financing.

Films can get funding from four different types. Government grants, Tax schemes, Debt finance and Equity finance. The funding for films is thought about pre-production - before the film is made. It has to be this way so the people in charge of producing the film know who needs to be booked, e.g cameramen and so on. They also have to think about the film props and all of the people involved and starring in the film need to be paid. If the film has unknown actors and actresses starring in it then the producers will go for a Government grant as it will be seen as up and coming. Once the film is produced and money is coming in, they then repay the investors from that, also the DVD sales. However there is now ways of protecting against loss of the investors assets. As with any film, it is difficult to predict the revenue that the film will bring in, so the main way to tell is when the film comes out, will it be rivaling with more popular talked about films that are coming out in cinemas? also the public taste and the quality of the actors and cast. Tax schemes, which means selling to a wealthy individual and charging a huge amount of tax and that individual pays the producer of the film money to obtain the tax deductions. The individual with then most likely go on to become the legal owner of the film or have certain rights to do with the film but the producer will still go on to be the owner of the exploit rights of the film. In debt finance, everything still has to be done before the actual film is made but once the deal is made, the distributor can insist on delivering some of the content and cast. If a material alterisation is made, the financing could well collapse. While signing the pre-sale contract, the buyer will have to pay a 20% deposit to the films collection account. Usually tax advantaged films come with little risks, for example in equity finance, usually the money is recouped by a combination of federal and state tax incentives, which obviously eliminates most of the risks. In debt finance, a lender such as the bank, gives the person in question money in agreement that they will pay the money back in a certain amount of time. The bank will then make interest on the loan, even if the film doesn't do well.. They must still pay the bank the amount back. However the borrower does stand to make more of a profit using debt finance rather than equity finance as equity finance requires the film-maker to sell interests in either the film or the film company in exchange for funding. In every case, the investor will make far more of a profit than the lender.

Television Funding.

Television channels make their money from things such as holding competitions, the use of syndication, merchandising, license fee and subscriptions. However most of the money that is made is from commercials as they are what pretty much every channel has, with the exception of the BBC. There are three main types of television funding. Commercial, Subscription and Public service. Commercial means the channels in question(ITV) benefit mostly from the commercials shown inbetween the programmes that are on the channels. Whereas subscription TV means the companies such as Sky and Virgin get the majority of their funding from the subscription fees that their customers are charged to view their channels. Companies such as Sky and Virgin also sell merchandise and because they are subscription companies, they have to make sure that what they put on their channels is already usually well known by the public and liked, otherwise they would lose subscribers, which would result in a loss of money. Public service makes most of their money from the license fee, and then go on to hold several competitions on their channels on a regular basis etc. For example, shows such as the The X Factor get money from competitions held on their show and a huge amount of money off the votes that the audience give, they ring in to save the contestant they want. Without the audience ringing in, there wouldn't be a show. In all three types of funding, syndication is sold to other channels.. This is where you repeat the channels on a different channel or on the same channel but at a later time. Channel 4 is both commercial and public service as it gathers most of its funding from commercials and the license fee. Channels that take more risks are thought to be less benefitial, however proven by a channel like Channel 4 with things such as The Inbetweeners, risks sometime mean more money is made as an outcome. Public Broadcasting may be nationally or locally operated, depending on the country and the station.. In some countries Public Broadcasting is run by a single organization where as other countries have multiple public broadcasting organizations. The biggest public broadcaster worldwide by budget and emoloyees is the German ARD, followed by the BBC. Other large public broadcasters are channels such as; China Central Television, China National Radio and Japan's NHK. Advertisement revenue provides a huge portion of the funding for most privately owned television networks. However, some things are only allowed to be advertised to a certain extent, for example political advertisements are heavily restricted in France as it's seen as a political campaign, and some, like Norway completely ban it. Television advertisements are on between shows, between the intervals, I think this is mainly to grab people's attention, keeping them focused on the channel so they wont change the channel during the breaks. However now with things such as TiVo and DVR, these allow the audience to skip the breaks altogether, which means missing the adverts.

Getting to grips with the TV and Film industry.

Twentieth Century Fox Television.


Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, otherwise known as 20th Century fox, is one of the six major American film studios, as of 2011.The studio is located in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and is a subsidiary of Rupert Murdochs News Corporation. The company was created in May 31st, 1935, the company was the result of a merger of the two companies Fox Film Corporation which was founded in 1915 and Twentieth Century pictures which was founded in 1933. The merger was decided by Joe Schenck and Fox management, along with help from Spyros Skouras who was the manager of Fox West Coast theatres, he also later went on to become the president of the new company. Twentieth Century was the senior partner in the merger, despite it being a much smaller company than Fox. At first it was assumed the company would be called Fox Twentieth Century, however it was actually called 20th Century because despite having Schenck and Zanuck, the company was deemed more profitable and had more talent. The new company was called The Twentieth Century Fox - Film Corporation and began trading on may 31st, 1935. Some of the most popular Television shows were produced by 20th Century Fox, for example; American dad, Family guy and the simpsons. All three of these shows are shown in the UK on a daily/weekly basis. Fox brings out many different types of films every single year, from comedies like Whats Your Number? to worldwide known films such as the famous cartoon Avatar. 20th Television is Fox's syndication division. 20th Century Fox Tevelision is the studio's television production division. There was also huge controversy this year over the phone hacking scandal involving Rupert Murdoch and closing down one of the most popular newspapers in the UK, people worried that if it had affected the newspaper, then could it affect 20th Century Fox, upto now.. it hasn't affected it. However the company as a whole has taken a financial hit. In the longterm this could mean fewer new movies from both 20th Century Fox and art-film division Fox Searchlight.