Understanding the media industries - Magazine industry job roles and vacancies
Job roles within the magazine industry:
Editor-
What is a magazine editor?
A magazine editor oversees the completion of each issue of the publication so that it fits in with the magazine's editorial vision. The higher up the editor's position, the more say he or she has in selecting and developing the magazine's voice and focus. The types and number of editors that work for a magazine vary depending on the kind and size of the publication.
What qualifications are needed?
To become a magazine editor you would probably need to have educational qualifications; examples of qualifications would be a degree in journalism, English or communication, which can be enough for someone to begin a career as a magazine editor. More examples of educational qualifications could include someone who has attended classes on writing, editing and graphic layout programs such as Photoshop because these would help with the editing of the magazine itself because these skills will be needed.
What are the responsibilities?
A magazine editor has many different responsibilities beyond simply editing copy. There is more behind-the-scenes work involved than one would gather from watching TV sitcoms about magazine departments. Responsibilities vary depending on how high up the masthead an editor is and depending on what section of the magazine she is editing. Job responsibilities are different for different magazines. For instance, an editor at a small start-up magazine might deal with everything from contracts to photos, while an editor at a bigger, more established publication might only focus on copy in their section.
What experience is needed?
It is very essential to get at least some kind of publishing and designing experience before applying for a job as a magazine editor. The reason for this is because you will have more of a chance of getting the job if you have qualifications and experience as well as just qualifications. A way in which that you could get some experience would be by trying to get involved in your local magazine or newspaper company, even if this means just cleaning floors and making cups of tea at least you would be getting some experience.
Art Director-
What is a Art Director?
A magazine art director oversees all of the art, for example the photographs and also the drawings that appear in magazines. The art director spends most of the time overlooking the whole design department working with photo editors and editors to co-ordinate what images will match up with what words in the magazine. The magazine art director also works on the specific look and feel that is wanted for the magazine, making sure that there is a unified look throughout.
What qualifications are needed?
To be a Art Director there are no specific qualifications needed, however most Art Directors normally start off with either a degree, a foundation degree or an HNC/HND. The most important subjects needed are graphic design, illustration or similar subjects. A lot of these courses are available at universities and art colleges across the the UK. For a degree, the requirements are usually two A levels/three H grades and five GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3), or equivalent qualifications, for HNCs/HNDs, students need one A level/two H grades in art and design subjects, a BTEC national certificate/diploma in a relevant subject, or equivalent qualifications and for BTEC national diplomas or certificates, students need four GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3).
What are the responsibilities?
The main responsibility for an Art Director is that they are responsible for the way a magazine looks. They present the words and images in a way that is easy for the reader to understand, with high visual impact. The art directors role is essential to the success of a publication, the magazine's cover, in particular, must always look distinctive, to attract potential buyers. Almost all page designing is done on computers. Specialized design software is used. Art directors now use the latest technology to send pages directly to press.
What experience is needed?
To be a Magazine Art Director like a lot of jobs, you will need to get some experience in this area; a type of experience that could help you get a job is by doing an internship. This could include doing anything in a magazine company because every little experience helps in gaining steps forward to getting the job. Going to a art school also helps with getting more experience.
Picture Editor-
What is a Picture Editor?
A Magazine picture editor is the job role between writers, photographers and other editors. The picture editor’s role is to visualize the message of the editorial material, the magazine picture editor has to work with the other editors on how the magazine text can be enhanced or improved with images and then they will go about hiring the photographer that they think will be right for that particular job.
What Qualifications are needed?
To be a picture editor the ideal qualifications that you would be best to have would be to have a bachelor degree in journalism or mass communication. As well as this there are also some Universities that offer a wide range of graduate degree programs in editing as well as publishing, which would also be acceptable qualifications to use to become a picture editor for a magazine because being a picture editor mostly consists of editing and publishing.
What are the responsibilities?
The main responsibility that I picture editor has is to work along with the photographer, to pick the best photos for each topic that may be featured in the magazine. Another responsibility that the picture editor has is the responsibility of keeping the photographer on track, what this means is that the picture editor will point out the positive things of the work that the photographer did as well as discuss things that can be improved. Picture editors also have the responsibility of scheduling the photographer's shifts and by saying the date and time of when they want the photographer to shoot.
What experience is needed?
In order to become a picture editor, most importance is to learn about photography and experience anything that is to do with photography, as you will not even be the one taking the photos, you will still need to understand the technical aspects of how to use the cameras. By learning and getting a strong experience of photography it would probably give you more expertise for the job. Another thing would be to try and get, internship's and volunteer work for any job involved the Magazine Industry would also be very effective because although it may not be what you are applying for, it is still experience and this goes a long way.
Features Editor-
What is a Features Editor?
A magazine features editor ensures that their publication is full of entertaining, informative and newsworthy articles. Most opportunities are in large publishing companies that produce a wide range of titles. However, features editors are also employed by trade magazines, specialist publishers, online media and in-house magazines.
What qualifications are needed?
The features editor profession can be open to non-graduates, but most people who enter will have degrees. Bear in mind that this role is not usually an entry-level position; you will definitely need previous experience and a good amount of training, which can be obtained either through a degree or on the job. The reason for this is because this is a very important role in the magazine and it does a require a fair amount of experience and training before you apply for it, this gives you a better chance of getting the job.
What are the responsibilities?
There are a lot of responsibilities which are carried out as a magazine features editor. One of the responsibilities is that the features editor must be able to think of ideas for features. Here are a few other responsibilities that they have, they must oversee the artwork, design and photography for the features section of the magazine, they may have to attend photo shoots and they also have to organise meetings with writers and artists to discuss ideas for artwork, layouts and features. As well as all this, occasionally they may have to research and rewrite features and sections, and also maintain and raise the profile of the magazine that they are working for.
What experience is needed?
There are a few different types of experience which may be needed to become a Magazine features editor, types of experience includes freelance work, student newspapers and publishing work like articles for magazines etc. They are loads things like these will get you an a big advantage so you may have more of a chance of getting a job in your chosen area of the magazine. It is essential to gain experience for any job in the magazine because they are always looking for experience.
Photographer-
What is a photographer?
There are loads of different types of photographers in a lot of different industries; to be simple a photographer is somebody who takes photos use different types of cameras. A magazine photographer is hired to take pictures which suite the story in the magazine and sometimes is given instructions by the Art director on what to take a photo of and what colours to use ect. Photographers are also categorized based on the subjects they photograph. Some photographers explore subjects typical of paintings such as landscape, still life, and portraiture. Other photographers specialize in subjects unique to photography, including street photography, documentary photography, fashion photography, wedding photography, war photography, photojournalism, and commercial photography.
What qualifications are needed?
Qualifications in photography help to provide a solid understanding of photography and technical practice. Many people complete degrees in photography or shorter courses at art colleges before starting work, covering photography in general, vocational photography, photographic processing and other related subjects. Both full and part-time courses are available and include, City & Guilds certificates, BTEC HNDs, Foundation degrees and courses and full university degrees. Some of these courses are more demanding in terms of qualifications, and may require relevant A-levels, GCSEs or a prior foundation course.
What are the responsibilities?
Photographers are crucial in providing visual illustration for different purposes and it is said that a picture tells a thousand words. It is remarkable that the language of photography is somewhat aggressive. something which touches on one aspect of the job as they hunt for new images, with the photographer trying to best position themselves in order to find special scenes or moments in the world. However, it is also true that photography is never merely neutral or objective, and pictures are always produced in quite an active sense: photographers mix the basic subject material with technical and creative insight to produce an image, and then exploit the commercial value of that product.
What experience is needed?
To become a proffesinal photographer most of the time it is most important to have a degree in photography. It is also very important to have a passion for journalism and another thing is to have a very good understanding of todays most popular cultures. As well as having a passion for jounalism they must also have good experience in journalism becasue it is always good to have any experience.
Job vacancies for roles within the magazine industry :
Photographer vacancy 1 -
Rooms Magazine Photographer Job Vacancy in London
Job Title : Rooms Magazine Photographer
Location : Hackney (Near London)
Start Date : April 2011
Type : Part Time
Salary / Rate : Internship/Unpaid
Reference : FI19273
Job Source : Rooms Art Uncovered Ltd
Direct from Employer.
Apply Now
Job Overview
We’re looking for motivated photographers from around the world to present a glimpse into their local art scene. Incoming photographers will operate on a trial basis with more opportunity based on successful work.
Duties and Responsibilities
The position will involve attending parties and events on our behalf, networking and taking photographs of people, events and exhibits. These photos will be published either on website or in our magazine.
Skills / Qualifications / Experience Required
Please provide the following style of shots in landscape format at various focal lengths:
- full body, half body (upper/lower)
- close-ups
Photographer vacancy 2 -
Photographer Needed To Assist With New Magazine
Company : ****** Date Posted : Thu 28 Apr
Position : Full Time Location : London, England
Experience : 2-5 Yrs Junior Post Id : 708407
Category : Photographer
Job Description:
The successful candidate will provide photography and supporting coverage for content which will be published in a brand new online magazine (NVL), which may be syndicated in partner print publications. The different types of content are as follows:
• news articles
• news features
• interviews
• concert/event reviews
• fashions shows
• fashion/model photo-shoots
As part of the role photographers will be granted free entry to events in order to provide the magazine with exclusive coverage via the shots taken of music events, models and attending audiences.
Photographers should be comfortable with carrying out post-production editing on any shots taken in order to achieve a high quality end product.
Person Specification:
Enthusiastic, creative photographer studying on a photography/media-related course at any London University( e.g School of Fashion):
The candidate should have an interest in music and fashion as they will be required to attend events and provide coverage for a magazine aimed towards an audience of age 20-28, savvy and informed reader.
Skills Required:
• ability to operate a digital slr camera
• ability to work well in, and support a multi-disciplinary team
• ability to work with models at fashion shoots and make them feel relaxed and at ease
• A knowledge and working understanding of Adobe Photoshop and/or any similar image manipulation program
Pay/Allowance:
Voluntary. This is an excellent opportunity for the right individual to gain valuable experience and help shape the foundations of this fresh new magazine.
Editor vacancy -
Features Editor - Leading Homes, Architecture & Design Magazine
Employer: FRAN LOBEL RECRUITMENT LTD
Posted: 13 April 2011
Location: East London, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire
Industry: Arts & heritage - Arts , Media - Creative , Media - Publishing
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full Time
Salary: To 27K
Apply with CV
Further information
ABOUT US: We’re the multi-award winning publishing and events group behind a portfolio of groundbreaking magazine titles. Boasting strong brands and high-profile media partners, our titles are entertaining, stylish, innovative and authoritative, commanding loyal, engaged readerships.
We’re now looking for a talented features writer to join the team at our flagship consumer homes, architecture & design title.
ABOUT YOU: You will have at least a years experience as a Features Editor on a homes/architecture/design title and be able to commission articles while generating your own features to tight deadlines. Senior feature writers looking for more responsibility will be considered.
You will be responsible for sourcing and writing real homes, writing and commissioning architecture and design features and will oversee one member of staff.
We’re looking for a hardworking team player with a contacts book full of excellent writers and photographers and, in return, you’ll get to work with a great team on a unique, high-profile, award-winning magazine.
Apply now, attaching your CV as a Word or PDF document.
Picture editor vacancy -
Photo Editor (12 month contract)
The Role:
The Bloomberg Photo team is looking for Contract Photo Editors to be responsible for processing imagery for live and non-live events on the London picture desk. The role consists of receiving, editing and sending content to client, as well as expediting photos for usage on all Bloomberg platforms. In addition to having an excellent understanding of news, the position also requires excellent picture judgment, advanced knowledge and experience with industry standard editing tools and a thorough understanding of journalistic ethics. Strong Photoshop, Photo Mechanic and ftp transmission skills are mandatory. Solid previous experience within the editorial news photography industry are required. The position reports to the EMEA head of photos in London and the Global Photo Editor in New York.
Responsibilities:
• Editing and processing incoming images to select most relevant and newsworthy content from each event for our global clients.
• Reviewing and correcting metadata of images to conform to Bloomberg guidelines.
• Covering events as an onsite editor.
• Researching accurate information for captions.
• Licensing imagery from third party sources.
• Supporting partners and internal platforms with content requests.
• Gaining permissions of use for handout imagery.
• Prioritize and update images according to relevancy on Bloomberg platforms as news updates.
• Stay informed and well read on business, finance and political news.
• Making appropriate editorial decisions on illustrative imagery on Bloomberg platforms.
• Monitor and update the photo desk diary as required.
• Flag breaking news and upcoming events to assignments editor.
• Work with web production team to plan, coordinate and action photo needs Bloomberg.com.
Requirements:
• University degree preferred in a related field such as Photography, Journalism or Communications.
• Excellent knowledge of image legal restrictions, licensing and permissions.
• Previous experience in editorial news photography industry.
• Fully conversant with content image management systems such as Photoshop, Photo Mechanic, ftp transmission software etc.
• Skilled at managing, using and creating content for social media platforms.
• Maintain speed, accuracy and efficiency in fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated strong knowledge of industry style of captioning, writing editorial cutlines for web platforms and IPTC standards.
• Ability to work as an onsite editor at major events.
• Extensive knowledge of digital photography and camera technology.
• Strong working knowledge of global current events especially in business, finance and politics.
• Ability to quickly identify the strongest pictures within large sets of images.
•Fluency in written and spoken english is essential plus fluency in at least one additional language being desirable.
•Available for shift hours and patterns, including evenings, weekends and holidays so must be
flexible.
The Company
Bloomberg is the world's most trusted source of information for businesses and professionals. Bloomberg combines innovative technology with unmatched analytic, data, news, display and distribution capabilities, to deliver critical information via the BLOOMBERG PROFESSIONAL® service and multimedia platforms. Bloomberg's media services cover the world with more than 2,200 news and multimedia professionals at 146 bureaus in 72 countries. The BLOOMBERG TELEVISION® 24-hour network delivers smart television to more than 240 million homes.
BLOOMBERG RADIO® services broadcast via SIRIUS XM Radio and 1worldspaceTM satellite
radio globally and on WBBR 1130AM in New York. The award-winning monthly BLOOMBERG MARKETS® magazine, Bloomberg BusinessWeek magazine and the BLOOMBERG.COM® financial news and information Web site provide news and insight to businesses and investors.
Bloomberg is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from all backgrounds regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or any other classification protected by law.
Apply online.
Wednesday 3 November 2010
Mini Assignment 2
Understanding the media industries - Magazine insdustry Tthical, Legal and Regulatory considerations.
Tasks
1. Professional codes of practice.
ASA -
•The full name for ASA is Advertising Standards Authority.
•The Advertising Standards Authority regulates most types of ads but not all of them. They regulate ads for loads of different areas of the media, which include:
- Magazine and newspaper advertisements
- Radio and TV commercials
- Television shopping channels
- Posters on legitimate poster sites
- Leaflets and brochures
- Cinema commercials
- Direct mail, which is advertising sent through the post and addressed to you personally
- Door drops and circulars, which is advertising sent through the letter box without your name on
- Advertising on the internet, which includes banner and display ads etc
- Commercial e-mail and SMS text message ads
- Ads on CD ROMs, DVD and video, and also faxes.
•The Advertising Standards Authority is a self-regulatory organisation because the organisation imposes agreed regulations upon itself.
•BCAP code – The BCAP code applies to all advertisements (including teleshopping, content on self-promotional television channels, television text and interactive television advertisements) and programme sponsorship credits on radio and television services licensed by Ofcom. It is designed to inform advertisers and broadcasters of the standards expected in the content and scheduling of broadcast advertisements and to protect consumers.
•CAP code - The CAP code applies to advertisements in newspapers, magazines, brochures, leaflets, circulars, mailings, e-mails, text transmissions (including SMS and MMS), fax transmissions, catalogues, follow-up literature and other electronic or printed material
PCC -
•The full name for PCC is Press Complaints Commission.
•The Press Complaints Commission is an independent body which regulates with complaints from members of the public about the editorial content of newspapers and magazines.
All complaints are investigated under the editors' Code of Practice, which binds all national and regional newspapers and magazines. The Code - drawn up by editors themselves - covers the way in which news is gathered and reported. It also provides special protection to particularly vulnerable groups of people such as children, hospital patients and those at risk of discrimination.
•The Press Complaints Commission is also a self-regulatory because the organisation imposes agreed regulations upon itself. One of the central benefits of press self regulation is that it combines high standards of ethical reporting with a free press. Statutory controls would undermine the freedom of the press - and would not be so successful in raising standards.
•The Editors code – The Editors code sets the benchmark for those ethical standards, protecting both the rights of the individual and the public's right to know. It is the cornerstone of the system of self-regulation to which the industry has made a binding commitment.
•The Evolving code – The Evolving code can swiftly be amended to take account if necessary of parliamentary comment, suggestions from the PCC, editors and members of the public, and changes in technology.
Workplace code
Everyone at work should be treated the same and be professional, such as good time-keeping and wearing the correct clothing.
Three other suitable codes -
Conduct code
Workers should have a positive duty to observe the highest standards in the practice of customer magazine publishing.
Quality code
Workers will endeavour to ensure that all their work is produced to the highest possible standard in accordance with their clients' marketing and financial objectives.
Research code
All workers should agree to follow best practice guidelines to ensure high standard of measurement and evaluation.
2. Legal and Ethical Restrictions
Difference between criminal law and civil law - The difference between criminal law and civil law is that Civil law deals with individual wrongs whereas Criminal law deals with wrongs against society. An example of this would be in practice you can tell the difference by who brings the case. A criminal matter is brought by the government, whereas a civil matter is brought by another person or some private entity.
Health and safety checks before a photo shoot -
1 – Make sure that there are not any bags or coats on the floor around wear you are going to be shooting encase if someone trips over.
2 – Make sure that any backdrops are properly set up to avoid them collapsing during the photo shoot.
3 – Be sure to have checked that everything has been properly connected, e.g. wires for camera, lights etc, to avoid any electric shocks.
4 – Make sure that your model is comfortable and ready before you take the photo, because there could end up being a serious injury if they fall over onto the equipment etc.
5 – Make sure that there isn’t any food or drink in the photography studio, because if spilt this could damage the expensive equipment.
Copyright -
Copyright is a set of exclusive rights granted to the author or creator of an original work, including the right to copy, distribute and adapt the work.
What you can copyright –
1. Literary works;
2. Musical works, including any accompanying words
3. Dramatic works, including any accompanying music
4. Pantomimes and choreographic works
5. Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works
6. Motion pictures and other audiovisual works
7. Sound recordings
8. Architectural works
Copyright protection is a valuable intellectual property tool. By using copyright protection, you can create and produce materials without worrying about them being swiped.
Libel law –
What is defamation?
Defamation is a false accusation of an offence or a malicious misrepresentation of someone's words or actions.
Example - An abusive attack on a person's character or good name.
What is Libel?
Libel is a false and malicious publication printed for the purpose of defaming a living person.
Example - "The newspaper was accused of libelling him"
What is Slander?
Example - "The journalists have slandered me!"
Data Protection -
What is the data protection act?
The Data Protection Act (DPA) is a United Kingdom Act of Parliament which defines UK law on the processing of data on identifiable living people. It is the main piece of legislation that governs the protection of personal data in the UK.
Ethics -
Examples of when people have not been treated fairly in the media using stereotypes.
1. When people have had there position justified in power using stereotypes.
2. When people have used stereotypes to perpetuate other peoples social prejudice and inequality.
3. When people are being stereotyped and they have little to say about how they are represented.
Tasks
1. Professional codes of practice.
ASA -
•The full name for ASA is Advertising Standards Authority.
•The Advertising Standards Authority regulates most types of ads but not all of them. They regulate ads for loads of different areas of the media, which include:
- Magazine and newspaper advertisements
- Radio and TV commercials
- Television shopping channels
- Posters on legitimate poster sites
- Leaflets and brochures
- Cinema commercials
- Direct mail, which is advertising sent through the post and addressed to you personally
- Door drops and circulars, which is advertising sent through the letter box without your name on
- Advertising on the internet, which includes banner and display ads etc
- Commercial e-mail and SMS text message ads
- Ads on CD ROMs, DVD and video, and also faxes.
•The Advertising Standards Authority is a self-regulatory organisation because the organisation imposes agreed regulations upon itself.
•BCAP code – The BCAP code applies to all advertisements (including teleshopping, content on self-promotional television channels, television text and interactive television advertisements) and programme sponsorship credits on radio and television services licensed by Ofcom. It is designed to inform advertisers and broadcasters of the standards expected in the content and scheduling of broadcast advertisements and to protect consumers.
•CAP code - The CAP code applies to advertisements in newspapers, magazines, brochures, leaflets, circulars, mailings, e-mails, text transmissions (including SMS and MMS), fax transmissions, catalogues, follow-up literature and other electronic or printed material
PCC -
•The full name for PCC is Press Complaints Commission.
•The Press Complaints Commission is an independent body which regulates with complaints from members of the public about the editorial content of newspapers and magazines.
All complaints are investigated under the editors' Code of Practice, which binds all national and regional newspapers and magazines. The Code - drawn up by editors themselves - covers the way in which news is gathered and reported. It also provides special protection to particularly vulnerable groups of people such as children, hospital patients and those at risk of discrimination.
•The Press Complaints Commission is also a self-regulatory because the organisation imposes agreed regulations upon itself. One of the central benefits of press self regulation is that it combines high standards of ethical reporting with a free press. Statutory controls would undermine the freedom of the press - and would not be so successful in raising standards.
•The Editors code – The Editors code sets the benchmark for those ethical standards, protecting both the rights of the individual and the public's right to know. It is the cornerstone of the system of self-regulation to which the industry has made a binding commitment.
•The Evolving code – The Evolving code can swiftly be amended to take account if necessary of parliamentary comment, suggestions from the PCC, editors and members of the public, and changes in technology.
Workplace code
Everyone at work should be treated the same and be professional, such as good time-keeping and wearing the correct clothing.
Three other suitable codes -
Conduct code
Workers should have a positive duty to observe the highest standards in the practice of customer magazine publishing.
Quality code
Workers will endeavour to ensure that all their work is produced to the highest possible standard in accordance with their clients' marketing and financial objectives.
Research code
All workers should agree to follow best practice guidelines to ensure high standard of measurement and evaluation.
2. Legal and Ethical Restrictions
Difference between criminal law and civil law - The difference between criminal law and civil law is that Civil law deals with individual wrongs whereas Criminal law deals with wrongs against society. An example of this would be in practice you can tell the difference by who brings the case. A criminal matter is brought by the government, whereas a civil matter is brought by another person or some private entity.
Health and safety checks before a photo shoot -
1 – Make sure that there are not any bags or coats on the floor around wear you are going to be shooting encase if someone trips over.
2 – Make sure that any backdrops are properly set up to avoid them collapsing during the photo shoot.
3 – Be sure to have checked that everything has been properly connected, e.g. wires for camera, lights etc, to avoid any electric shocks.
4 – Make sure that your model is comfortable and ready before you take the photo, because there could end up being a serious injury if they fall over onto the equipment etc.
5 – Make sure that there isn’t any food or drink in the photography studio, because if spilt this could damage the expensive equipment.
Copyright -
Copyright is a set of exclusive rights granted to the author or creator of an original work, including the right to copy, distribute and adapt the work.
What you can copyright –
1. Literary works;
2. Musical works, including any accompanying words
3. Dramatic works, including any accompanying music
4. Pantomimes and choreographic works
5. Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works
6. Motion pictures and other audiovisual works
7. Sound recordings
8. Architectural works
Copyright protection is a valuable intellectual property tool. By using copyright protection, you can create and produce materials without worrying about them being swiped.
Libel law –
What is defamation?
Defamation is a false accusation of an offence or a malicious misrepresentation of someone's words or actions.
Example - An abusive attack on a person's character or good name.
What is Libel?
Libel is a false and malicious publication printed for the purpose of defaming a living person.
Example - "The newspaper was accused of libelling him"
What is Slander?
Example - "The journalists have slandered me!"
Data Protection -
What is the data protection act?
The Data Protection Act (DPA) is a United Kingdom Act of Parliament which defines UK law on the processing of data on identifiable living people. It is the main piece of legislation that governs the protection of personal data in the UK.
Ethics -
Examples of when people have not been treated fairly in the media using stereotypes.
1. When people have had there position justified in power using stereotypes.
2. When people have used stereotypes to perpetuate other peoples social prejudice and inequality.
3. When people are being stereotyped and they have little to say about how they are represented.
Mini Assignment 3
Understanding the media industries - structure and ownership of a media company
Task 1 – Researching the media company
Virgin media
How did the company get started?
Virgin first started in 1969 as a mail-order business, and shortly after this the first Virgin record store opened in 1971. The company then developed very quickly, which then started to diversify from retailing records to travel, soft drinks, Internet and financial services, mobile phones, television, bridal wear, clothing, and cosmetics. This is mostly what it is still like today except nowadays it seems to focus a lot more on the internet, mobile phones and television which is why that in 2006 the name changed from virgin to virgin media.
What media industries is the company involved in?
The media industries that virgin media focus the most on today are television, mobile phones and broadband for each of theses different areas they have three different names which are virgin broadband, virgin TV and virgin mobile this mostly just makes things a lot easier with the public.
Is the company involved in just media industries or other business too?
Virgin media is only involved in media industries hence the name “virgin media”. All though it is only involved in media, it still has loads to offer an example of this would be with the virgin TV, virgin TV has over 160 channels to view which is loads. The good thing about virgin media is that you don’t have to have all of these channels you can choose out of either 65, 100 or 160 channels which are available in three different groups which are the M+ package, the L package or the XL package. Another successful thing which virgin TV has to offer is that it has an on demand section which is a lot like the bbc iplayer. This is the same with the virgin mobile and virgin broadband; there are endless amounts of different packages that can suite everybody.
Who owns or heads up the company?
The major shareholder of virgin media is Richard Branson he is the one who started the whole thing off with the mail order business back when it was just called virgin. He owns an island known as “Necker Island” and also owns land on the Caribbean Islands of Antigua and Barbuda. He has a wife named Joan and two children Holly Branson born 1981 and Sam Branson born 1984.
What companies does he own?
The main companies that Richards Branson owns are virgin Broadband, virgin TV and virgin mobile. At the age 16, Richard had his first successful business venture, which was publishing a magazine called Student. In 1969, he set up an audio record mail-order business. Then In 1972, he opened a chain of record stores, Virgin Records, later known as virgin megastores from here he began to create other virgin products like for example virgin mobile which back then was just known as virgin phone, this is one of the areas of virgin which made him very rich because in July 2006 he sold his Virgin Mobile company to UK cable TV, broadband, and telephone company NTL/NTL:Telewest for almost £1 billion. He is still very successful these days as he is still continuously creating products for virgin etc.
What media products do they create?
The main media products that virgin media create come from two main areas of virgin which are virgin TV and virgin mobile. The main products that come from virgin TV are the cable boxes these are available in a lot of different designs two examples of these would be the basic box and the newer virgin+ box which only came out this year to compete with sky+. The main products that come from virgin mobile are obviously the mobiles, virgin mobile have a wide range of different styles of mobile phones for sale which can suite all needs.
How does the company make their money?
Virgin media make most of their money from advertising the reason for this is because they advertise in loads of places such as on bill boards on their website and on television. Most of the time they tend to advertise through adverts on the television because this is what people spend most of their time doing so millions of people per day see their adverts on television. The other way that they make their money is obviously by selling their products such as mobiles and there television packages.
Is the company horizontally or vertically integrated?
Virgin media is a horizontally integrated company the reason for this is because virgin media is merged with another firm which is in the same industry and in the same stage of production as the main firm, the reason being is because virgin media is split into different areas and they all work together sort of. Money from virgin mobile, virgin TV and virgin broadband all come together into virgin media this makes it a horizontally integrated company.
What is the size of the company?
The size of virgin media is a Major company the reason for this is because it is Multinational and that it has billions of customers worldwide and it is one of the biggest selling companies in the world. This is what makes it a Major company.
Is it a local, National or Global Company?
Virgin media is a Global company the reason for this is because global means the whole of the Globe and this is correct because virgin media has firms everywhere around the world and sell billions of products every single day.
Is the company publicly or privately owned?
Virgin media is privately owned by Richard Branson because he was the one who created virgin in the first place so he gets a lot of the credit for each thing that happens in virgin media because it is part of his company. This makes it a privately owned company.
Task 1 – Researching the media company
Virgin media
How did the company get started?
Virgin first started in 1969 as a mail-order business, and shortly after this the first Virgin record store opened in 1971. The company then developed very quickly, which then started to diversify from retailing records to travel, soft drinks, Internet and financial services, mobile phones, television, bridal wear, clothing, and cosmetics. This is mostly what it is still like today except nowadays it seems to focus a lot more on the internet, mobile phones and television which is why that in 2006 the name changed from virgin to virgin media.
What media industries is the company involved in?
The media industries that virgin media focus the most on today are television, mobile phones and broadband for each of theses different areas they have three different names which are virgin broadband, virgin TV and virgin mobile this mostly just makes things a lot easier with the public.
Is the company involved in just media industries or other business too?
Virgin media is only involved in media industries hence the name “virgin media”. All though it is only involved in media, it still has loads to offer an example of this would be with the virgin TV, virgin TV has over 160 channels to view which is loads. The good thing about virgin media is that you don’t have to have all of these channels you can choose out of either 65, 100 or 160 channels which are available in three different groups which are the M+ package, the L package or the XL package. Another successful thing which virgin TV has to offer is that it has an on demand section which is a lot like the bbc iplayer. This is the same with the virgin mobile and virgin broadband; there are endless amounts of different packages that can suite everybody.
Who owns or heads up the company?
The major shareholder of virgin media is Richard Branson he is the one who started the whole thing off with the mail order business back when it was just called virgin. He owns an island known as “Necker Island” and also owns land on the Caribbean Islands of Antigua and Barbuda. He has a wife named Joan and two children Holly Branson born 1981 and Sam Branson born 1984.
What companies does he own?
The main companies that Richards Branson owns are virgin Broadband, virgin TV and virgin mobile. At the age 16, Richard had his first successful business venture, which was publishing a magazine called Student. In 1969, he set up an audio record mail-order business. Then In 1972, he opened a chain of record stores, Virgin Records, later known as virgin megastores from here he began to create other virgin products like for example virgin mobile which back then was just known as virgin phone, this is one of the areas of virgin which made him very rich because in July 2006 he sold his Virgin Mobile company to UK cable TV, broadband, and telephone company NTL/NTL:Telewest for almost £1 billion. He is still very successful these days as he is still continuously creating products for virgin etc.
What media products do they create?
The main media products that virgin media create come from two main areas of virgin which are virgin TV and virgin mobile. The main products that come from virgin TV are the cable boxes these are available in a lot of different designs two examples of these would be the basic box and the newer virgin+ box which only came out this year to compete with sky+. The main products that come from virgin mobile are obviously the mobiles, virgin mobile have a wide range of different styles of mobile phones for sale which can suite all needs.
How does the company make their money?
Virgin media make most of their money from advertising the reason for this is because they advertise in loads of places such as on bill boards on their website and on television. Most of the time they tend to advertise through adverts on the television because this is what people spend most of their time doing so millions of people per day see their adverts on television. The other way that they make their money is obviously by selling their products such as mobiles and there television packages.
Is the company horizontally or vertically integrated?
Virgin media is a horizontally integrated company the reason for this is because virgin media is merged with another firm which is in the same industry and in the same stage of production as the main firm, the reason being is because virgin media is split into different areas and they all work together sort of. Money from virgin mobile, virgin TV and virgin broadband all come together into virgin media this makes it a horizontally integrated company.
What is the size of the company?
The size of virgin media is a Major company the reason for this is because it is Multinational and that it has billions of customers worldwide and it is one of the biggest selling companies in the world. This is what makes it a Major company.
Is it a local, National or Global Company?
Virgin media is a Global company the reason for this is because global means the whole of the Globe and this is correct because virgin media has firms everywhere around the world and sell billions of products every single day.
Is the company publicly or privately owned?
Virgin media is privately owned by Richard Branson because he was the one who created virgin in the first place so he gets a lot of the credit for each thing that happens in virgin media because it is part of his company. This makes it a privately owned company.
Tuesday 2 November 2010
Media Industry glossary
AUDIENCE - is the group of people that something is aimed at or appealing to. A target audience can be people of a certain age group, gender, marital status, etc.
ADVERTISING STANDARDS AUTHORITY (ASA)- is the self-regulatory organisation of the advertising industry in the United Kingdom.Its role is to regulate the content of advertisements,sales promotions and direct marketing in the UK by investigating complaints made about ads, sales promotions or direct marketing, and deciding whether such advertising complies with its advertising standards codes.
BROADCASTERS AUDIENCE RESEARCH BOARD (BARB)- is the organisation that compiles television ratings in the United Kingdom. It is owned by the BBC, the ITV companies, Channel 4, Five, BSkyB and the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising.
BRITISH BOARD OF FILM CLASSIFICATION (BBFC)- is a non-governmental organisation, funded by the film industry and responsible for the national classification of films within the United Kingdom. It has a requirement to classify videos, DVDs and some video games under the Video Recordings Act 2010.
BROADCASTING - is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience for example radio, television, or other, often digital transmission media. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof.
CROSS MEDIA COMPANIES - is a media company that uses cross media. Cross media is a media property, service, story or experience distributed across media platforms using a variety of media forms.
HORIZONTAL INTEGRATION - is a strategy used by a business or corporation that seeks to sell a type of product in numerous markets. Horizontal integration in marketing is much more common than vertical integration is in production.
INSTITUTION - is any structure or mechanism of social order and cooperation which governs the behavior of a set of individuals within a given human community.
NEW MEDIA INDUSTRY - shares an open association with many market segments in areas such as software/video game design, television, radio, and particularly movies, advertising and marketing.
NARROWCASTING - is the dissemination of information (usually by radio or television) to a narrow audience, not to the general public. Some forms of narrowcasting involve directional signals or use of encryption.
NATIONAL READERSHIP SURVEY (NRS)- provides estimates of the readership of Britain’s major newspapers and consumer magazines, showing the size and nature of the audiences they achieve, the survey covers over 250 newspapers, newspaper supplements and magazines.
OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS (OFCOM)- is the independent telecommunications regulator and competition authority for the communication industries in the United Kingdom.
PRESS COMPLAINTS COMMISSION (PCC)- is a regulatory body for British printed newspapers and magazines, consisting of representatives of the major publishers,all newspapers and magazines voluntarily contribute to the costs of, and adhere to the rulings of, the Commission, making the industry self-regulating.
PRIVATE OWNERSHIP - is the right of persons and firms to obtain, own, control, employ, dispose of, and bequeath land, capital, and other forms of property. Almost anything may be private ownership, such as, real estates, homes, furniture, appliances, computers and even pets.
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP - is property which is owned collectively by the people as a whole. This is in contrast to private ownership, owned by a individual person or artificial entities that represent the financial interests of persons, such as corporations.
PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING - includes radio, television and other electronic media outlets that receive some or all of their funding from the public. Public broadcasting may be nationally or locally operated, depending on the country and the station.
REGULATORY BODY - is an external organisation that has been empowered by legislation to oversee and control the educational process and outputs germane to it.
SELF-REGULATORY BODY - is an organization that exercises some degree of regulatory authority over an industry or profession. The regulatory authority could be applied in addition to some form of government regulation, or it could fill the vacuum of an absence of government oversight and regulation.
VERTICAL INTEGRATION - The process in which several steps in the production and/or distribution of a product or service are controlled by a single company or entity, in order to increase that company's or entity's power in the marketplace.
ADVERTISING STANDARDS AUTHORITY (ASA)- is the self-regulatory organisation of the advertising industry in the United Kingdom.Its role is to regulate the content of advertisements,sales promotions and direct marketing in the UK by investigating complaints made about ads, sales promotions or direct marketing, and deciding whether such advertising complies with its advertising standards codes.
BROADCASTERS AUDIENCE RESEARCH BOARD (BARB)- is the organisation that compiles television ratings in the United Kingdom. It is owned by the BBC, the ITV companies, Channel 4, Five, BSkyB and the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising.
BRITISH BOARD OF FILM CLASSIFICATION (BBFC)- is a non-governmental organisation, funded by the film industry and responsible for the national classification of films within the United Kingdom. It has a requirement to classify videos, DVDs and some video games under the Video Recordings Act 2010.
BROADCASTING - is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience for example radio, television, or other, often digital transmission media. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof.
CROSS MEDIA COMPANIES - is a media company that uses cross media. Cross media is a media property, service, story or experience distributed across media platforms using a variety of media forms.
HORIZONTAL INTEGRATION - is a strategy used by a business or corporation that seeks to sell a type of product in numerous markets. Horizontal integration in marketing is much more common than vertical integration is in production.
INSTITUTION - is any structure or mechanism of social order and cooperation which governs the behavior of a set of individuals within a given human community.
NEW MEDIA INDUSTRY - shares an open association with many market segments in areas such as software/video game design, television, radio, and particularly movies, advertising and marketing.
NARROWCASTING - is the dissemination of information (usually by radio or television) to a narrow audience, not to the general public. Some forms of narrowcasting involve directional signals or use of encryption.
NATIONAL READERSHIP SURVEY (NRS)- provides estimates of the readership of Britain’s major newspapers and consumer magazines, showing the size and nature of the audiences they achieve, the survey covers over 250 newspapers, newspaper supplements and magazines.
OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS (OFCOM)- is the independent telecommunications regulator and competition authority for the communication industries in the United Kingdom.
PRESS COMPLAINTS COMMISSION (PCC)- is a regulatory body for British printed newspapers and magazines, consisting of representatives of the major publishers,all newspapers and magazines voluntarily contribute to the costs of, and adhere to the rulings of, the Commission, making the industry self-regulating.
PRIVATE OWNERSHIP - is the right of persons and firms to obtain, own, control, employ, dispose of, and bequeath land, capital, and other forms of property. Almost anything may be private ownership, such as, real estates, homes, furniture, appliances, computers and even pets.
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP - is property which is owned collectively by the people as a whole. This is in contrast to private ownership, owned by a individual person or artificial entities that represent the financial interests of persons, such as corporations.
PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING - includes radio, television and other electronic media outlets that receive some or all of their funding from the public. Public broadcasting may be nationally or locally operated, depending on the country and the station.
REGULATORY BODY - is an external organisation that has been empowered by legislation to oversee and control the educational process and outputs germane to it.
SELF-REGULATORY BODY - is an organization that exercises some degree of regulatory authority over an industry or profession. The regulatory authority could be applied in addition to some form of government regulation, or it could fill the vacuum of an absence of government oversight and regulation.
VERTICAL INTEGRATION - The process in which several steps in the production and/or distribution of a product or service are controlled by a single company or entity, in order to increase that company's or entity's power in the marketplace.
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