Firm in Media Landscape Analysis - Literature review Example

Firm in Media Landscape Analysis Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation For a long period of time now, there has been indefinite increase in the number of researches focused on ascertaining the democratic function of news media landscape. These news media have continued to be perceived as being an important aspect for the immediate provision of democratic prerequisites while the entire media research community has resulted to a highly-prioritised area focused on exploration of the immediate adequacy of news media in enhancing the aforementioned prerequisites (Hay, Grossberg & Wartella, 1996). In recent researches though, there has been extensive omissions that deal with the adoption of the news media. The focus of this paper lies in examining the different levels of new media landscapes in relation to how the disseminate such important aspects as citizen-based journalism; news media content as well as a condition of a given democracy. According to Currant et al (2009), a media analysis portrays rather complex level of relation in relation to national media systems; news media content; the civic knowledge related to the citizens in place as well as the overall condition of a democracy. It is found out that there is a direct connection trends related to news coverage as well as the degree of public knowledge so that what a media firm reports or fails to focus on directly affects that is which directly known. It has been further demonstrated that a fundamental linkage that exists between media systems as well as citizenships in a way that allows the public to thus make direct contributions to a rather egalitarian trend of citizenship (Kietzmann et al, 2011). In the determining the factors that affect how people utilise news consumption; a heuristic concept of perceived worthwhileness is basically adopted. The concept seeks to find out that people are mostly subjective, implicit or even explicit examination of whether the medium at hand is worth their while (Kietzmann et al, 2011). Factors that in its entirety results to the collectiveness of a news medium’s perceived worthwhileness involves subjectively experienced material; situational and functional instances that are used for characterising a mediums practice to utilisation. As of now, the overall perceived worthwhileness of a media’s immediate focused landscape is dependent on such factors as; time availability; affordance of public connection as well as participatory affordances (Kietzmann et al, 2011). In any given society that is characterised by news media abundance, it can only be possible to ascertain its worthwhileness of a specific news medium by assessing the news users by way of conducting an all-inclusive assessment of the entire cross-media news landscape as a distinct news system. It also involves the immediate application of the criteria used for determining worthwhileness across these news systems media (Carles, Barrio & de Lucio, 1999). It is argued that each and every medium possess a unique level of properties as the particular roles and usage of a given medium would partly depend on the overall matrix of media availability. In this regard, it can be safely being noted that one cannot examine the specific roles of a given medium independently of the underlying matrix media. Following this line of reasoning, it can easily ascertained that the commercial and social viability of a given medium are entirely based on the media landscape’s ability to secure a pertinent share of citizen’s available time and attention, as well as its overall capacity to meet the entire needs of the citizen’s for public-level connection in a broader sense (Carles, Barrio & de Lucio, 1999). This basically means that whenever people are restricted from fitting into a medium time schedule; then it will not be effectively consumed despite the fact that it can fulfil the overall need for public connection. Certainly, in the event that it is established that people would have enough time in the course of the day, then a medium can easily penetrate into a spatio-temporal situation, which is a factor that can make it indispensable within the context (Arsenault & Castells, 2008). It should be emphasised that the concept of worthwhileness is directly linked to rational individualised needs for particular media-related resource-materials but with socially-generated, routinized meaning processes and procedures for which people can make sensible of the day-to-day lives (Arsenault & Castells, 2008). It will be unrealistic to indicate that the changed media landscape as well as the formulation of social media has not affected has not affected conventional forms of media like newspapers, magazines and even TVs. Research studies indicate that there has been a significant decline in printed forms of media circulations since 2003 and there has been a further decrease over time. Statistically, it has been noted that 24 out of 25 newspapers in America posted a major decline in newspaper circulation while newspaper websites continued to attract more than 73M unique daily visitors each and every month (Arsenault & Castells, 2008). It is important to note that the new media environment has indeed interrupts the conventional role of the media as a fundamental gatekeeper and undermined theories of press ownership (Jaworski, & Thurlow, 2010). Notably, the new media landscape has resulted to an imminent increase in the volume levels and speed of disseminating information that can be gathered and transmitted; allowed a greater level of chance for interactivity that exists between the consumer and producer; formulated a platform that enhances the element of community-based growth online as well as permitted the end consumer to transform into becoming a producer. Of great importance to note, information related to real-time World Wide Web can be published instantly; overshadowing mainstream press platforms that have continued to result to a competition of their immediate position and issues related to it being a gatekeeper (Gould & Silverman, 2013). Now more than ever, each and every individual consumer possesses the possibility to own and thus, generate content. This ability allowed for the public as a whole to formulate and produce own content and, thereafter, input news has resulted to an online phenomenon that is basically referred to citizenship journalism. It is further suggested that the overall online media has contributed to the democratisation of media thereby allowing the opportunity and role of publishing to the public at hand. Literature further notes that the audience has increasingly transformed into becoming relevant stakeholders in the news process through their roles of interactivity as well as immediate response with media platforms that extends to the comments and reviews section- an aspect that can possess the potential of either undermining the overall’s media agenda or even add value to it altogether (Gould & Silverman, 2013). In relation to this, it can be noted that the entire media’s agenda has continually been intercepted by the alterations of the changing landscape. For instance, within a conventional media environment, whenever a PR official engages in sending a press release to a journalist; it now becomes the responsibility of the journalist to make the decision on whether it will be newsworthy (Gould & Silverman, 2013). In the situation whereby there will be no enough degree of space in print media or even substantial amount of time for conducting a broadcast, the degree that is considered crucial is made up by the media firm at hand. Despite this perception that there has been a pattern that indicates an effect of new media system hence the elimination of journalism as a whole; recent research indicates that the underlying public domain would still portray and source informational data from different institutions or even government agencies as opposed to other form of social media sources that are not related to the professional organisation especially in crisis-level circumstances. The current continual shift of power within the online media platform showcases what is considered to be the most significant changes being witnessed within the media landscape for the PR sector, which basically shows the ever-shifting relationship that exists between the media and audience (Lister, 2009). In essence, the conventional model of a hierarchy of information and overall control of the mainstream media has changed towards the new media ecosystem while the influence of the underlying public has resulted to a more apparent and impressionable aspect of the media as a whole. As a result of this ever-shifting relationship that exists between the conventional model of produce and the end user within the digital arena indicate that these alterations will indeed result to an ultimate affection of media relations that exists between public relations’ professionals; the press as well as the audiences (Lister, 2009). Notwithstanding, it can be noted that the immediate decline of this communication hierarchy has resulted to the immediate decline of a well laid-out, control and the resultant influence that they impact on the overall information supply chain. In consequence, it has been noted that the ever-changing media landscape has resulted to a shift in both the target and focus of media relations in two notable ways that include; first, the overall increase in the imminent desire of journalists working with practitioners since they will be compelled to engage in social media aspect (Lister, 2009). Secondly, it is noted that the PR practitioners would now incline towards shifting their roles and duties to a central position of the emerging landscape and, thus comprehend the immediate influencers of their respective target media as opposed to solely basing their target towards media outlets (Schrøder & Steeg Larsen, 2010). Certainly, the process related to the overall PR industry adopting and even embracing the overall new media landscape; or reluctantly adopting or ignoring it altogether, has yet to be established. On a positive note though, since the immediate flourishing of the new media and the launching of the internet, it has been argued that most media practitioners have made significant level of efforts to adapt to their communication models related to the new media landscape (Schrøder & Steeg Larsen, 2010). In fact, it can be noted that just as the mainstream media platform has continued to evolve, the overall planned strategies; tactics and models of communication have flourished and have been enhanced in media relations practice as a whole thereby curtailing possible growth in such other conventional media platform as mail and faxes by changing them to electronic mail and virtual chatting features. Most importantly, it is noted that the new media landscape has continued to focus its strategy towards formulation of favourable platforms for discussion; community and interaction, which when applied to theory will result to a mixed motive two-way approach (Schrøder & Steeg Larsen, 2010). The immediate effect resulting to the newer patterns in the new media ecosystem, most of the media professional have resulted to matching their practices to perfectly suit the new media environment as well as meet the overall needs of the journalist in virtual landscape. The growth and development witnessed within online press companies and media-based web sites have further broadened the access of media professionals thus helping journalists in news gathering process altogether (Moggridge, 2010). It can therefore be safely ascertained that with the flourishing of new media, tactics as opposed to other virtual news room have continued to be subjected to intensive exploration; adoption and for some cases; ensured the strengthening the underlying media landscape as a whole. The process of utilising new media landscape as an avenue for building a company’s overall reputation and relationship management, a company such as the American cable company like Comcast; has continued to translate client relation into media relation (Moggridge, 2010). The use of Twitter to get any level of complaints, the firm has ensured to engage with unsatisfied customers for purposes of helping them come up with efficient solutions. In conclusion, it can be noted that the existing literature on the ever-changing media landscape indicates that there will be a new way of conducting practices; roles and relationships in all media practitioners. The online transformation has led to a reconstruction of strategic communications and while the media landscape evolves and moves onto a more digitally sound platform, it is indicated that the aspects related to the dynamics; purpose and tactics of public relation practice has significantly been altered while the connections linking the practice has continued to be refocused. References Arsenault, A. H., & Castells, M. (2008). The structure and dynamics of global multi-media business networks. International Journal of Communication, 2, 43. Carles, J. L., Barrio, I. L., & de Lucio, J. V. (1999). Sound influence on landscape values. Landscape And Urban Planning, 43(4), 191-200. Gould, M. R., & Silverman, R. E. (2013). Stumbling upon history: collective memory and the urban landscape. GeoJournal, 78(5), 791-801. Hay, J., Grossberg, L., & Wartella, E (1996). The audience and its landscape (pp. 1-5). Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Jaworski, A., & Thurlow, C. (Eds.). (2010). Semiotic landscapes: Language, image, space. A&C Black. Kietzmann, J. H., Hermkens, K., McCarthy, I. P., & Silvestre, B. S. (2011). Social media? Get serious! Understanding the functional building blocks of social media. Business Horizons, 54(3), 241-251. Lister, M. (2009). New media: A critical introduction. Taylor & Francis. Moggridge, B. (2010). Designing media. MIT Press. Schrøder, K. C., & Steeg Larsen, B. (2010). The shifting cross-media news landscape: Challenges for news producers. Journalism Studies, 11(4), 524-534. Read More

Following this line of reasoning, it can easily ascertained that the commercial and social viability of a given medium are entirely based on the media landscape’s ability to secure a pertinent share of citizen’s available time and attention, as well as its overall capacity to meet the entire needs of the citizen’s for public-level connection in a broader sense (Carles, Barrio & de Lucio, 1999). This basically means that whenever people are restricted from fitting into a medium time schedule; then it will not be effectively consumed despite the fact that it can fulfil the overall need for public connection.

Certainly, in the event that it is established that people would have enough time in the course of the day, then a medium can easily penetrate into a spatio-temporal situation, which is a factor that can make it indispensable within the context (Arsenault & Castells, 2008). It should be emphasised that the concept of worthwhileness is directly linked to rational individualised needs for particular media-related resource-materials but with socially-generated, routinized meaning processes and procedures for which people can make sensible of the day-to-day lives (Arsenault & Castells, 2008).

It will be unrealistic to indicate that the changed media landscape as well as the formulation of social media has not affected has not affected conventional forms of media like newspapers, magazines and even TVs. Research studies indicate that there has been a significant decline in printed forms of media circulations since 2003 and there has been a further decrease over time. Statistically, it has been noted that 24 out of 25 newspapers in America posted a major decline in newspaper circulation while newspaper websites continued to attract more than 73M unique daily visitors each and every month (Arsenault & Castells, 2008).

It is important to note that the new media environment has indeed interrupts the conventional role of the media as a fundamental gatekeeper and undermined theories of press ownership (Jaworski, & Thurlow, 2010). Notably, the new media landscape has resulted to an imminent increase in the volume levels and speed of disseminating information that can be gathered and transmitted; allowed a greater level of chance for interactivity that exists between the consumer and producer; formulated a platform that enhances the element of community-based growth online as well as permitted the end consumer to transform into becoming a producer.

Of great importance to note, information related to real-time World Wide Web can be published instantly; overshadowing mainstream press platforms that have continued to result to a competition of their immediate position and issues related to it being a gatekeeper (Gould & Silverman, 2013). Now more than ever, each and every individual consumer possesses the possibility to own and thus, generate content. This ability allowed for the public as a whole to formulate and produce own content and, thereafter, input news has resulted to an online phenomenon that is basically referred to citizenship journalism.

It is further suggested that the overall online media has contributed to the democratisation of media thereby allowing the opportunity and role of publishing to the public at hand. Literature further notes that the audience has increasingly transformed into becoming relevant stakeholders in the news process through their roles of interactivity as well as immediate response with media platforms that extends to the comments and reviews section- an aspect that can possess the potential of either undermining the overall’s media agenda or even add value to it altogether (Gould & Silverman, 2013).

In relation to this, it can be noted that the entire media’s agenda has continually been intercepted by the alterations of the changing landscape. For instance, within a conventional media environment, whenever a PR official engages in sending a press release to a journalist; it now becomes the responsibility of the journalist to make the decision on whether it will be newsworthy (Gould & Silverman, 2013).

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