Commercial Media: Butts (on seats)

This post is based off the lectures given by Bruce Redman in JOUR1111: Introduction to Journalism and Communication at UQ.

Before I start this post, I should mention that I don’t watch commercial tv… at all. If you’ve read my media diary you should already be aware of this, but I’m sure it will come as a shock for some of my intrepid viewers. So when I talk to you about commercial media, I’m mostly going off hearsay and the invaluable information provided by Bruce Redman.

So what is commercial media? Why does it exist?

At this stage I had intended to give you a humourous definition of commercial media from Urban Dictionary, but all I got was a definition for bootylicious. Fortunately Bruce Redman saves the day again, with a handy list of dot points!

As I’ve suggested, commercial media is profit driven. It’s not government or license funded, so it survives or fails purely on its business success. Its

business is generating audiences, and it’s goal is to make profit by selling advertising to its audiences.

I know of no good reason for the existence of commercial media. I suspect it has something to do with the mansions and swimming pools and bikini babes the Fairfax family has in abundance.

And now for a word from our sponsors.
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After that word from my sponsor, its time to discuss commercial media’s role in a democratic society.

Oh, wait, it doesn’t have one.

I may be a little bit contemptuous of commercial media.

Is my bias showing?

The media has a responsibility in a democracy, to give/present/portray, etc:

1. a truthful, comprehensive, and intelligent account of the day’s events in a context which gives them meaning
2. a forum for the exchange of comment and criticism
3. the projection of a representative picture of the constituent groups in society
4. the presentation and clarification of the goals and values of the society
5. full access to the day’s intelligence

(taken from the Hutchkins Commission)

“The first duty of the media is to shun the temptation of monopoly. Its primary office is the gathering of news. At the peril of its soul it must see that the supply is not tainted. Neither in what it gives, nor in what it does not give, nor in the mode of presentation must the unclouded face of truth suffer wrong. Comment is free, but facts are sacred.” 
– C P Scott

That would be an example of all the things Fox News doesn’t do.

(Here’s where Urban Dictionary does come in handy:

Fox News: A pseudo-news channel catering to the bottom of the American right-wing extremist barrel - people who are deathly afraid of anyone and anything that's even the slightest bit different from them.

Also, Hitler is the founder of Fox News (according to Urban Dictionary’s users))

But it’s all very well and good to rattle off an idealistic list of requirements for the media to follow, but what can we do if the station or company doesn’t care? We create rules. Some of the strategies Bruce suggested by implemented includes formal state requirements, legal prescriptions, state oversight committees and government agencies, statutory legislation, and voluntary or mandatory intra-organisation policing.

Coming soon from the retellers of The Iliad, the next installment in the epic saga.

What challenges do commercial media face today?

Advertising revenue for broadcast media is down and continues to slide.

This loss of revenue means that investors (advertisers) are less likely to funnd the station, less money for quality productions and original content. This means Australian audiences get more repeats of US sitcoms and reality TV. And yes, that is a bad thing.

(Don’t even get me started on the sexism in shows like Family Guy)

But, I hear you say, with these challenges, problems that we see affecting commercial TV already, what sort of future does commercial media have? Does it even have a future?
Unfortunately, the answer is yes, dear reader.

But it still faces many challenges, and many questions have not yet been answered, such as:

-       How will it continue to make profits if advertising revenue is declining?

-       How does it continue to serve the advertisers, audience and the public good?

-       What kind of audience can it expect to get?

-       What cumulative effect does this have on the practice of journalism and public communication?

And that is where I shall finish today my friends. I hope I see you all in the lecture this afternoon!