...MEDIA GUARDIAN H/W 12...

Tube bans bookie's 'man breast' ad

Paddy Power ad: a Transport for London committee said the ad had the 'potential to offend public decency'
London Underground has banned an ad campaign by bookmaker Paddy Power that features a man who appears to be breastfeeding a baby.
The poster ad, one of three that promotes the company's new online bingo business, has been banned by LU operator Transport for London's compliance committee.
A spokesman for Paddy Power said that the poster, which uses the strapline "Where have all the women gone?", was banned on the grounds that it had the "potential to offend public decency".
The Irish bookmaker will now invest more money into other media where the ads are running, such as 48-sheet and six-sheet posters and national and regional press.
"We are completely astonished by the reaction of the London Underground to our advert," said the spokesman. "Fun is central to the Paddy Power brand and we strive to communicate this in all of our advertising."
It is not the first time that the company has run into problems with its advertising.
In 2005 the Advertising Standards Authority banned an ad titled "The Last Supper", which turned the dinner table in the classic Christian image into a casino table.
And in 2001 the ASA banned an ad featuring two grannies with odds above their heads crossing the road as oncoming traffic approached.
Both campaigns were banned on the grounds of a "potential to cause widespread offence".

I chose this story because i actually had seen this ad myself around my local area and bus-stops. It did make me feel slightly vulnerable, as this objectifies men. If men started doing this then why would we be called men/man? There wont be any difference between the two sexes. Although Paddy power is a Irish bookmarker, no one would actually know unless they know the controversial adverts which are always made by Paddy power. I think this ad does draw the male attention. It is quite different for men to see male breast feeding, it does escape from reality but it puts the male in a vulnerable position. It did surprise me! Dipz was with me when i showed her the ad early this week, she just laughed whereas i was like 'What the ****'

...MEDIA GUARDIAN H/W 11...

Rapture TV appeals Ofcom's Sky ruling

Digital channel Rapture TV has claimed that Ofcom did not fully investigate its complaint that BSkyB overcharged for its electronic programme guide listing in an appeal against the regulator's ruling today.
Rapture, which airs a mix of entertainment and extreme sports programming, originally complained to Ofcom that its annual EPG bill of £76,500 from Sky was "unduly high", given that its annual turnover was under £150,000.
The channel, run by chief executive David Henry, claimed Sky had breached its regulatory obligations by offering unfair listing terms.
However, Ofcom cleared Sky of overcharging in February, saying the price had been "fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory".
Today at the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London, Michael Bowsher QC, acting for Rapture, said: "The question for the tribunal is whether Ofcom did enough. Our ending point is that Ofcom did not do enough.
"It was happy to accept Sky's position without drilling down on what was being said."
Bowsher added that just because the price Sky had charged Rapture fell between the satellite broadcaster's two unidentified cost bands, it did not make it "fair, reasonable or non-discriminatory".
"It seems that Ofcom have taken undue comfort from the charge being between the floor and the ceiling [of the two price bands] but it doesn't mean that any price between the floor and the ceiling is fair, reasonable or non-discriminatory," he said.
"That is the core of our case. It seems that Ofcom's position has been that as long as it is between the floor and the ceiling it is fine."
Bowsher said the EPG charges should be "about treating broadcasters properly with regard to their circumstances".
He also argued that Rapture should not have to pay for EPG services it did not use and questioned the amount of subsidy channels should pay for Sky's set-top boxes.
"We say this decision should be remitted with appropriate guidance from the tribunal as to where errors have been made," Bowsher said. "We say a number of errors have been made."
The appeal is being seen by some industry insiders as a test case, because if Rapture wins it could throw open the doors for other channels to challenge their EPG charges from Sky. Ofcom would also have to look again at how it investigates such as cases.
Rapture was broadcast on Sky between June and August 2002, and from May 2003 and July 2004, before relaunching once again in November 2005. It was removed by Sky in March this year following the current dispute.
Sky charges for EPG listings to recover the costs associated with developing and running both the EPG and its digital satellite TV service.
Ofcom and Sky will outline their positions tomorrow when the case continues.

...Ms Jones H/W on Asian Stereotypes...

I looked at a clip from LITTLE BRITAIN

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxXGNSx4CBc (CLIP FROM 2.15MINS ONWARDS)

• The Dialect is not strong, pronounciation is not clear. Having a "freshie tone" "Fish & Chips"
  
• Typical indian women, dressed in a Sari.
  
• Wearing Gold jewllery/some sort of jewllery. Shows married women. Gold being typical.
  
• Subverting own national dish. We expect her to say some indian dish because she seems traditional and shows she supports her culture by wearing certain props but instead she brings it down, by saying "Fish and Chips", we would not really expect that.
  On the other hand if an modern asian girl/women sitting there wearing western clothing and saying an Asian dish would seem odd, i would expect something like Continental.
  
• Asians are associated with Curry

...MEDIA GUARDIAN H/W 10...

Food companies sign EU ad pledge

An alliance of food companies including Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Mars and Burger King have signed a European Union pledge to stop marketing junk food to children under 12 years old.
The group of 11 companies, which represent more than 50% of the food and beverage advertising spend in the EU, have agreed to stop running junk food ads on TV, in print and on the internet to under-12s by the end of 2008.
The alliance, which also includes PepsiCo, Kraft, Unilever, Danone and Ferrero, have agreed not to market products in primary schools, except where "specifically requested by or agreed with the school administration for educational purposes".
A number of the companies, such as Coca-Cola, Kraft and Mars, have previously agreed a US responsible marketing code around advertising to children.
The difference with this new programme, called the EU Pledge, is that the 11 companies have agreed to have independently verified monitoring of their reduction in marketing, from January 2009.
"This is just part of the industry's response," said Stephan Loerke, the managing director of the World Federation of Advertisers.
"We have worked with the (European) commission and other stakeholders in identifying a best practice model of self-regulation, have reinforced codes of conduct and are providing children with the tools to help them understand and interpret advertising so that they are able to make informed choices".
The "common commitment" forms part of the EU pledge, that ties into an EU initiative on diet, physical activity and health set up in 2005 by Markos Kyprianou, the EU health and consumer protection commissioner.

This story was chosen because, i felt that this was cutting down the choices we the consumers suppose to have. I do believe that children under 12 do not know what they are eating or they do not know what is good or bad for them but it is then the parents choice to provide them the right food. This is a moral panic for the UK and this is right wing politics. These fast food ads dont just have one single meaning to it, the auidence decodes the texts individually, this is called the Reception Theory. So the ruling class is stopping the audience to view or be targeted at by the advertisement. This tells us that there is hegemony in adverts too, even if it is good or bad for the auidences their some sort of influence of the ruling class (government in this case)

…Uses and Gratifications and Me…

Ø Diversion HEROES
Ø Personal relationships EASTENDERS
Ø Personal Identity (no one in the media Mr Bush)
Ø Surveillance GCSE BITESIZE

…Uses and Gratifications Theory…

Summary

- States that the audience is active
- The audience has the ultimate choice
- The way audience uses the media
- Blumber and Katz (1974) suggested a series of possible reasons why audience members might consume a media text.
- The four motivations for choosing a text are:

Ø Diversion
Ø Personal relationships
Ø Personal Identity
Ø Surveillance

- Dennis McQuail suggests a more detailed breakdown of audience motivation:

Ø Information linking to Surveillance
Ø Learning linking to Personal Identity
Ø Personal Identity linking to Personal relationships and Personal Identity
Ø Integration and social interaction
Ø Entertainment linking to Diversion

- Maslow’s Motivation theory:
Ø Basic
Ø Belonging needs
Ø Self esteem
Ø Self actualisation

...Effects Theory...

Summary

- Hypodermic model
- Has a right and left wing approach


The Theory states-


- The audience being passive
- It promotes dominant ideologies
- Reinforces hegemony
- Frankfurt school---> propaganda
- Adorno : came up with Culture Industries > which tells us how the media dumb down

The Left wing –

- Althussar who came up with ISA
- Marcuse : “indoctrinate (teach us) & manipulate us”
- Marxist theory
- Burthes : myths

The Right Wing –

- High moral panic
- Try to censor, or reinforce censorship
- Feel kids are learning about sex
- Very traditional thinking
- Calls for control by moral majority: sex is harmful

...Media Guardian H/W 9...

Channel 4 axes TV schools programmes
· £6m education budget to go exclusively to internet
· Projects will cash in on social networking sites


For years they have been a fixture of Channel 4's schedules, but next year early morning programmes for schools will become a thing of the past - replaced by a sweeping initiative on the internet.
In a pioneering move for a broadcaster, the £6m annual budget spent on education programmes aimed at teenagers is being moved from traditional TV shows to multimedia projects. From 2008 schools programmes - which have included Greg Dyke's Get Me the Producer, Let's Talk Sex, with Davina McCall, and My Big Gay Prom, will be replaced by internet projects, games and interactive stories.
The two-year experiment is being headed by Janey Walker, the Channel 4 managing editor, who took over the company's education portfolio last year after the departure of the high-profile business leader Heather Rabbatts.
Some projects will utilise the popularity of social networking sites such as Bebo and MySpace, while others will use purpose-built web services and online games.
Get a Life will transfer the fly-on-the-wall documentary format to the internet, by following 21 teenagers over the course of a year. Participants will try to gather support from around the internet to reach their goal, through social networking and video sharing services. One teenager will attempt to regain custody of her child, while another will try to win the Eurovision Song Contest.
Walker said research indicated that schools TV was failing to reach its target audience. "It was very clear that we had to do something," she said, "because at the moment what we do is spend £6m commissioning TV programmes aimed at 14- to 19-year-olds and then put them out in the morning when they're at school."
But executives admit they are taking a gamble. "It's an experiment," said Matt Locke, the former head of innovation at the BBC, who will run the project. "It's a risk, and it might not work. We might end up with something that looks really dull, or we might end up with something that's really vibrant and interesting. That's what we're going to find out."
However, the bold plan is likely to be criticised. Educational programming has been a core purpose for the publicly funded broadcaster since it launched in 1982. The 2003 Communications Act stipulated that its output must "include programmes of an educational nature".
Critics of the broadcaster include the former ITV chief Charles Allen, who said last year that Channel 4 was fixated with repeats and American imports, and was mislabelling entertainment programmes such as Scrapheap Challenge as "education".
Multimedia plans
Get a LifeUsing YouTube and MySpace, 21 young participants will try to achieve individual personal goals
City of ViceAn online game based on a new series exploring Georgian London
InsidersA new spin on traditional careers advice, with a network of blogs based on real-life contributors
4PioneersA social networking service for teenagers who have considered starting their own business

...checkpoints 1 n 2...

Uses and Gratifications

Checkpoint 1: What four motivations for choosing a text did Blumer and Katz suggest?
Diversion, personal relationship, personal identity and surveillance.

Checkpoint 2: What is cultural Code?
Cultural code is...errrr

...Check Points 1, 2 n 3...

Audience Profiling

Checkpoint 1- What is demographic profiling?
Grouping an audience in terms of age, class, gender, geographical area, class, economic status and religion.

Checkpoint 2- What is phschographiv profiling?
Grouping audiences in terms of needs and desires.

Checkpoint 3- why do you think advertisers create these niche nicknames?
An easy way to define target audiences.

...Media Guardian H/W 8...

(England v Croatia: Setanta will air the two teams' next clash as they attempt to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. Photograph: Tom Jenkins)

SETANTA SPORTS
Setanta has secured the rights to most of England's away qualifying matches for the 2010 football World Cup, including the team's match with Croatia.
The Irish pay-TV broadcaster has struck an exclusive broadcast deal for about 90 World Cup qualifiers, which will begin next autumn.
This is likely to be the next time England's footballers take part in competitive matches, after they ignominiously failed to qualify for Euro 2008 last week, losing their final match against Croatia at Wembley 3-2.
However, there is talk of resurrecting the Home Nations tournament next summer, after England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all failed to qualify for the European Championships in Austria and Switzerland.
Setanta has secured the exclusive broadcast rights to four of England's five away qualifiers - against Croatia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Andorra, but not Ukraine - in wide-ranging deal with the four home nations and Ireland.
It is understood that the rights to England's away fixture against Ukraine are still up for grabs.
The broadcaster will air exclusive live coverage of all Scotland's away qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup, against Holland, Norway, Macedonia and Iceland; as well as Wales' matches against Russia, Finland and Azerbaijan.
Setanta also has Northern Ireland's away ties against Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia; and Ireland's games in Bulgaria, Cyprus and Montenegro.
As part of the rights package, struck with rights holders Sport Five and Kentaro, Setanta will also air another 72 matches from the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.
ITV has the rights to air England's home qualifiers as part of a £425m deal, in conjunction with Setanta, with the Football Association to show FA Cup and England home internationals.
The terrestrial broadcaster paid £275m for the four-year deal, which kicks in from next August, giving the broadcaster England's competitive home games, friendly away fixtures and first pick for FA Cup games.
Setanta's £150m secured it the live rights to England's home friendlies, under-21 internationals, the Community Shield and FA Trophy.

I chose this story because Setanta Sports channel is a premium channel, which offers people latest sport action. They have a just one channel so far, and is becoming popular amongst footie fans. Setanta is offering a good service,which makes them a good service provider. It is the viewers choice to buy the channel, so it is not compulsary compared to SKY packages, where sports is included when you dont want it.

...Check Points 1 n 2...

Check point 1- The culture industry is the rise of media industries on society. The rise of culture industry increased standardisation within society. It says that society controls almost everything that includes culture too. The mass audience is manipulated by society (the hegemony of the bourgeoisie class) and which are less able to criticise what they have been shown because it has been commodified to fit the capitalist system.

Check point 2- Desensitised is a term given by the Critics, it is when a single text does not have much effect, repeated exposure will make the auidence less sensitive. So old banned movies are broadcasted years later as the social attitudes and expectations change over time, so we except what is shown in the film. This makes the theorists realise why they banned the movie in the first place, as they are thinking/reacting differently to when the movie first tried to broadcast.

...Media Guardian H/W 7...

BBC bosses rebuked over Live Earth swearing

The BBC Trust has severely reprimanded management for not being "open in admitting mistakes" that led to swearing being broadcast during this summer's Live Earth concert.
The BBC received complaints after the word "fuck" was broadcast on three occasions before 5pm and the word "motherfuckers" at 5.30pm. In addition, the word "fucking" was broadcast at 7.40pm.
Despite the risk that pop stars would swear, the BBC executives in charge had decided not to broadcast the concert with a time delay.
The BBC Trust's editorial standards committee said it was "a serious breach" of the BBC's editorial guidelines, even though presenters Jonathan Ross and Graham Norton apologised promptly at the time.
After the incident, the coporation published an explanation on the BBC's complaints website. However, the BBC Trust said this explanation had not been open enough.
"The committee therefore considered that it was unacceptable for management to provide a response to the audience that was inaccurate in its detail and would remind BBC management of the requirement for it to be open in admitting mistakes," the committee said in a statement published today.
"The committee decided that any further breaches of guidelines regarding the use of the most offensive language pre-watershed when broadcasting concerts such as Live Earth should be avoided and that any repetition would be unacceptable.
"The committee would request that the online response be changed to reflect accurately the reasons for not using a time delay."


I really cannot make any relevant media notes about this story. But i chose this story because i thought BBC which is a public service broadcaster had got into this blunder, which can affect thier reputation. BBC which is a respected institution by not only the British audience but the whole world. They have lost some of its value as all of us heard the 'F' word before watershed in the Live Earth concert.

...Media 100 People...

Eric Schmidt

- No1. on the MEDIA 100

- Powerful man

- Dr. Eric Schmidt joined Google as chairman of board and chief executive officer in 2001.

-Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin recruited Eric Schmidt

- Eric Schmidt from Novell, where he led Google's strategic planning, management and technology development as chairman and CEO.

-Eric shares responsibility for Google's day-to-day operations.

-Since coming to Google, Eric has focused on building the corporate infrastructure needed to maintain Google's rapid growth as a company and on ensuring that quality remains high while product development cycle times are kept to a minimum.

- Eric's Novell experience culminated a 20-year record of achievement as an Internet strategist, entrepreneur and developer of great technologies.

Other Info-

- Born April 27 1955
- Schmidt as the 129th richest person in the world
- Worth approx 6.2 Billion USD
-Earlier this year, he pulled in almost $90 million from sales of Google stock and made at least another $50 million selling shares in the past two months as the stock leaped to more than $300 a share.

History + Qualifications

Prior to his appointment at Novell, Eric was chief technology officer and corporate executive officer at Sun Microsystems, Inc., where he led the development of Java, Sun's platform-independent programming technology, and defined Sun's Internet software strategy. Before joining Sun in 1983, he was a member of the research staff at the Computer Science Lab at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), and held positions at Bell Laboratories and Zilog. Eric has a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Princeton University, and a master's and Ph.D. in computer science from the University of California-Berkeley. In 2006, Eric was elected to the National Academy of Engineering, which recognized his work on "the development of strategies for the world's most successful Internet search engine company."

...MEDIA GUARDIAN H/W 6...

UK digital switchover begins

Whitehaven in Cumbria is the first UK town to turn off analogue television. The media industry is looking closely at the effects, but the residents just want to know how to avoid a blank screen


http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/video/2007/oct/18/whitehaven.bigrigg

Well its all about the audience at the end of the day, it may be easy for the media with new technology but the residents are facing problems as they firstly were not aware of this switchover, plus the aged dont know how to work the Digi box. Audience plays a key role, and who does the media cater for??? Its us the audience!!! So where did the pluralist society go? this shows us how we still live under Marxism, the choice of Analogue and Digital, well the media chose Digital for thier ease and left the audience with no choice to buy a Digi Box which is an extra expence. So the media does control us immensley.
Nowadays we do get Digi Tv's and im ready for the switch over, we have to follow the media, otherwise we would be leftout. So this tells us that media has an awful influence on us, we have to change according to them, we have no choice left. From looking at the Video, it tells us how the aged are usually dragged by the New Technology.

...Marxist and Pluralist Consequences...

We had played a Debate game; here are the Marxist n Pluralist views.
It starts with a pluralist argument and ends in a mixed view-

We are individuals; we have the choices to consume from a wide range of institutions. We are active, not passive; it's us who makes the choice at the end of the day.

No! E.g. then why are there more Tesco stores-obviously because more people consume from them= large profit to open more stores.

Gramsci came up with hegemony that ideologies are fed from the dominant classes and the audience do not question what is being fed.

But it could also be said the audience are active yet they choose not to question what they see. Or they do question all time, as programmes would not be watched if it didn’t cater to consumer needs.

The elite are in charge so they filter their ideologies through texts, so you can say they are active as they are only given one set of ideologies, which many people conform to.

We are active, we choose what we watch/read & believe. Murdoch doesn’t own all of the media, there are selected media ranges out there that don’t send one set of ideologies and even if they did we are literate enough to make up our own mind and not conform.

But the media still maintains social divide, as texts are being produced which criticise this position.

It seems that whilst there is the case of hegemony and pluralism, both theories passes flows; with the rapid growth of new media technology the extent to which the Marxist view is still valid is questionable and in our 21st century the pluralistic view offers a more accurate perspective on the relationship between the audience and media.


-What is missing?
Theorists- Althusser
The models
Keywords- RSA, ISA, Fourth Estate

Am i a Pluralist?

Well i think im definatley a Pluralist to a certain extent hehe because i believe that each individuals are active, they know for themselves what is right n wrong, without any elite controlling us. We do have a range of media to choose from, its upto each individual. I wont buy if its propaganda. As a media student i have been literated and so i know how media plays with us. So we all have choices n its upto us the end of the day.
But some part of the market prefer like SKY n TESCO, because its easier for them, SKY is got this whole technology pack-Broadband, phone, Tv all in one. Tesco, every town has 1 or more of Tesco's outlets i.e. metro, express, extra or just standard. So they just prefer some institutions as they cater for thier market very finely. This leaves them with no other choices. Im sure what im saying is right.

MEDIA GUARDIAN H/W 5

Google HQ in Mountain View, California. Photograph: Paul Sakuma/AP

Google opened a new front in its global media empire last night after finally confirming plans to enter the mobile phone industry.
The company is introducing a new mobile system called Android, which it hopes will bring internet access to the masses - and help it put more advertising directly on to customers' phones.
Google chief executive, Eric Schmidt, described Android as a toolkit which will encourage people to use the internet on their phones. At present, specialised engineering is required to get Google software on to handsets.
Increasing the amount of time people spend surfing the internet on their phones would also let Google harvest information and display advertisements direct to mobile phone users just as it does to people on their home computers, said Andy Rubin, the company's director of mobile.
"We currently put ads on phones via the web browser," he said. "Part of this is that it makes it so that there's really no difference between browsing on your phone or on a computer."
Android - which will start appearing on phones next year - has support from more than 30 companies, including networks such as T-Mobile and handset makers such as Motorola.
Some experts had previously speculated that Google was planning to manufacture its own mobile phones in a similar vein to iPod maker Apple, whose iPhone handset launches in the UK this Friday.
But Mr Schmidt said he only intended to offer new software for mobile phones - not the handsets themselves - bringing to an end months of intrigue surrounding the project, which is thought to have heavily involved staff from the company's British offices. "It's incredibly important to say this is not the announcement of the Google phone," he said.
Moving into the phone market could prove to be a money-spinner for the Californian company, allowing it to get a foothold in one of the world's fastest-growing industries.
Nokia, the market-leading mobile phone maker, sold more than 100m handsets alone in the last three months, while network operators such as Vodafone remain some of the largest companies around the globe.
The move underlines Google's expanding influence over people's lives as more information and money moves online.
The internet giant - which was founded by university room-mates Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 1998 - is now worth in excess of $225bn (£108bn), making it the fifth largest company in America. Thanks in large part to its ability to display advertising on its search engine pages, Google has built a multibillion dollar business and outpaced other internet giants including Microsoft, Yahoo! and AOL.

I chose this story because i use google for all my searches, they all start from Google. Google is becoming a monopoly by doing this, they are diversifying their reach by now making applications for phones, and soon making Google Mobiles like iPhone by Apple. Google is now carrying hegemonic ideologies, as we dont have any great choices left. Googles searches are defined and relative to the search unlike other search engines.
Every click on their site makes them money, every search makes them money, now adding this application on phones soon will make our lives easier as we just need to launch the application/program on the phone n off you go. Technology is changing, we as a market need to make choices but what if google takes over then searching will only be through google, we wont be a pluralist!!!!

Check Point 1n2 + How much of a Marxist am i?

Checkpoint 1-
What is the difference between proletariat and the bourgeoisie?
A proletariat is the low class/working class, which values its Labour power for earning money, whereas bourgeoisie is the class where wealthy bourgeoisie employ the proletariat for labour and often dont work themselves, however petty bourgeoisie employ others and also work themselves.

Checkpoint 2-
What is the difference between the ISAs and the RSAs?
ISA-physical violence control, through such as Police.
RSA-phycological control, through such as Masjids, Church, Family, Education, Cultural

How much of a Marxist am i?

I believe in the ideologies that Marx has set, we live in a divided society of 2 social classes i.e. the bourgeoisie and the proletariat class. The proletariat class has always been exploited by the bourgeoisie, as they employ them and who value thier labour but at the same time they are maximising thier profit, coz the proletariat class would work for little money. The media does show us these ideologies but in a particaular form, which we take in and assume its true, this is just like the the hyperdemic needle model, where we as a audience act submissive.

MEDIA GUARDIAN H/W 4

Sky claims fastest broadband growth in UK

BSkyB's broadband service has signed up its one millionth customer, said the company today, claiming the fastest growth of any UK broadband provider in the 14 months since it launched.
Despite teething troubles with some customers, who complained of a slow service and problems with broadband routers, Sky says that nearly a third of customers are new to Sky TV, which comes as part of the broadband subscription package.
Packages range from £15 to £50 for broadband, phone and TV, on top of £11 BT line rental. Sky said 70% of broadband customers choose to sign up for more than the basic service.
"Sky entered the broadband marketplace because we saw an opportunity to challenge the established players and give customers something better," said James Murdoch, the BSkyB chief executive.
"Our aim is to meet the hunger for better quality, better service and better value, so to be the choice of one million customers after just 14 months is a real achievement."
Sky is aiming to make the transition from the £7bn TV sector to the £25bn communications market, but is locked in intense competition with rivals Virgin Media, Tiscali, BT and AOL.

This story was chosen because its really significant for us as we use the net daily, for work or leisure. These days we need the internet no matter what the reason is, it is becoming a need for most of us. Even the Library goers r turning down to the Net. Everyone has different ISPs, but Sky customers must be happy from the service they get, as we know Sky is UK's no.1 Broadband provider. This tells us the competition there is in the market, and SKY being very clever by entering this sector as it already had an established name. It can start overtaking other ISPs, which will be inferior to SKY as its started to be a Monopoly.

Globalisation Discussion

Bunty n Bilal are having a discussion if the issue globalistion is good or not!!!

Bunty- Well bilal, you know about INDIA's growing economy, don't you? It's developing ever since 1990, becoming the worlds second fastest growing major economy, marking itself on the map. It surprises me you know...

Bilal- So wots your point?

Bunty- Well Bilal, lets look at TESCO (every lil elps) It has opened its many branches in INDIA.

Bilal- What does it mean for us, or for the nation of India?

Bunty- Well the main thing is, people are employed and so people will be making money. They can improve thier standard of living, and reshape der lives. and for us ,well our British Supermarket is expanding itself.

Bilal- But Bunty dont you see, why the hell has TESCO opened its stores in India??? Cheap labour i guess, but most importantly its trying to act as a monoply.

Bunty- Nothing to do with Cheap Labour!!! TESCO only wants to reach an international market. by provding a good product or service

Bilal- i get you, but its wrong. TESCO here in the UK are breaking other competitors market, and making us go and consume TESCO's products, which doesnt leave us a choice man. Tesco's globalistion can affect the UK, so can affect India. As TESCO is a well known brand in the UK, the India's nation would start consuming from TESCO as they have heard the big name internationally. This would break the market of local grocery stores n supermarkets in india. and Bunty not only does Tesco sell groceries but everything you can think of, e.g. Electricals??? What would happend to other companies in India. Here in the UK while people buy thier groceries at tesco, they tend to look at non-food stuff..like clothes. What would happen to high street labels??? I think its bad of TESCO to globalise itself

Bunty- Bilal TESCO is growing, y? coz its in demand, people/consumers want TESCO to be there. So it will cater for international market

Bilal- But India for example will face the same issues we are facing today. TESCO feeds the market with ideologies, which the market accepts. This is wrong, the consumers dont have a variety of choices to make. Have you seen Tesco's Price Comparison feature, well isnt that wrong, i mean clearly if TESCO is selling its product or service cheaper than any other firm/supermarket, then who will the cusotmer go to? Tell me!!! Tesco can mark itself on the world map by providing the products and services it produces to the international market, but if we started seeing Tesco everywhere, then we wont see any new culture, new foods etc etc
What happend to our Pluralistic society, where we have choices to choose from. Like shopping at Sainsbury would never be possible unless they do the same or cheap deals. We are clearly becoming submissive Bunty...JUST GO HOME n sleep!!!

Media Guardian H/W 3

Censorship of the internet in China is becoming more draconian, according to new details of Beijing's online restrictions published by human rights organisations.The claims come in a report from international journalism watchdog Reporters Sans Frontieres and the China Human Rights Defenders group, which examines the way the Chinese government reacts to free speech on the internet.Written by an anonymous author who claims to work as a technician inside a Chinese web company, the report details the expanding influence of the country's censorious approach to the internet - and its "appalling" effect on freedom of speech."The government monitors the internet by means of a skillful mix of filtering technologies, cyber-police surveillance and propaganda, in all of which China invests massively," writes the technician, referred to only as "Mr Tao". "Draconian censorship hunts down anything to do with human rights, democracy and freedom of belief. It nips free expression in the bud."According to the report, censorship of the web has grown along with the increasing power of the Beijing Internet Information Administrative Bureau, the organisation that monitors internet content in China. Its hold over is particularly strong for companies based in or near the Chinese capital, warns the study."Either on their own initiative or on orders from above, the bureau's members remind websites of the importance of political and social stability in China as soon as a story grabs the attention of the online media or public opinion. They ask the websites to remove the story, or move it to a less prominent position, put a stop to comments and to hide or suppress any new developments in the story, or to posts an article written by the bureau."The ones that are not registered in Beijing are not subject to as much pressure. Tengxun, for example, which has China's biggest portal and the instant messaging service QQ, is based in Shenzhen and, as a result, enjoys more freedom."The report also said that the punishments meted out to those who are deemed to have transgressed Beijing's rules are becoming more drastic.China is now the world's second-largest online population, with more than 160 million web users, and pressure is building on the government to loosen its grip on the net ahead of next year's Olympic Games.But despite the controversial nature of the country's approach to the net, it is only one of a large number of countries that heavily censor online content.This week, Burma completed an almost total shutdown of communications inside the country following mass pro-democracy protests in and around the capital, Rangoon. After shutting down web access from inside Burma over the past week, the country's ruling junta also restricted access to mobile, landline and satellite phones in order to prevent images of the protests reaching the outside world.

...Research on Bertelsmann...

Media Guardian H/W 2

BBC Worldwide expands Indian operation

Leigh Holmwood in CannesTuesday October 9, 2007MediaGuardian.co.uk


BBC Worldwide: already has an established distribution business in India


BBC Worldwide has launched the third of its planned eight global production bases in India, with an office in Mumbai, that will make local versions of BBC formats as well as creating new shows.
The centre, which will be known as BBC Worldwide Productions India, will be led by former Tomorrow's World editor Saul Nasse, with ex-Nickelodeon India head of programming Sonia Chowdhry as creative director of development and special projects.
BBC Worldwide, the corporation's commercial arm, already has an established distribution business in India, with local versions of The Weakest Link, Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister, while it is also co-producing the second series of the local version of Dancing with the Stars for the SET channel.
The BBC as a brand is already well known in India, where it also operates three channels, BBC World, CBeebies and BBC Entertainment; has a magazines joint venture with the Times of India; and also operates a separate FM radio joint venture.
Colin Jarvis, the BBC Worldwide director of international formats, said the move into local Indian television production was the next logical step.
"India is an important TV market - it is immensely fast growing and has a very vibrant production base and it is a country where the BBC is a known brand," he added.
"It is going to be an important territory for us. If you are an owner of formats, your strength is being the producer of them as well. We want to move the business into a production business, not just a distribution business."
The BBC Worldwide managing director of content and production, Wayne Garvie, said: "India is one of the most important and successful territories for BBC Worldwide. This local production office underlines our commitment to Indian broadcasters and audiences and firmly positions BBC Worldwide as a leading global content network."
Mr Jarvis said no local commissions had yet been secured, but that the office was looking to work with local talent to create new ideas, as well as making local versions of the BBC's factual entertainment, lifestyle and entertainment formats.
BBC Worldwide has already opened a highly successful office in Los Angeles, where it produces Dancing with the Stars for ABC, and has a joint venture production arm in Australia called Freehand.
The BBC's commercial arm plans to open up to three more production bases before the end of 2007, with an eighth by the end of the corporation's financial year in April. Poland, France and Latin America have already identified as potential bases.


I chose this story because this is really significant for us, because BBC our National Broadcaster is opening its Base in India. India was 3rd of the 8th planned Countries for global production bases and already BBC have settled in India with a Office in Mumbai.
This is good becuase BBC thinks that Indian TV market is fast growing and that the BBC brand is already familiar within all indians, so progressing in India will be highly possible .
But as a nation we argue that our jobs are taken by overseas people, we all know that most of the Call Centres are now basing themselves in Asia for cheap labour, especially INDIA. So britons are being sacked by companies as they move out to other places. BBC has just opened a Base in Mumbai though, but in the near future can BBC start closing its Centres here in the UK and settle in INDIA?????Futhermore transmission can also be done from there too!!!! Could it be possible???

Media Guardian H/W 1

Is my Facebook profile really worth $238 to Microsoft?

Only if it were worth $237 (£117) - or even $237.99 - to Google. The Redmond giant was this week in talks to acquire part of the social networking site, which Nielsen/NetRatings said on Tuesday is the most popular in the UK, with 6.5 million users (up sixfold since December), ahead of MySpace with 6.3 million (up 20%) and Bebo (4.5 million, up 64%).What Microsoft is after is a slice of the hottest site online, and it is prepared to pay somewhere between $300m and $500m (£125m to £250m) for a 5% stake.

That would value the site as a whole at between $6bn and $10bn - and the site says it has 42m users worldwide. The upper valuation values each of them at a tidy $238.09 each. Slightly less, now that another dozen have joined while you read this sentence.

The question is: where exactly does that value reside? Facebook is profitable, expecting to turn a profit of $30m on revenues of $150m. But those numbers hardly put it among the leviathans of online commerce. That profit works out to 71 cents per user (slightly less now ... ); to realise that $238 figure, either everyone will have to go on using Facebook for the next 335 years, or the site will have to dramatically increase the profit it makes per user. Charlene Li, an analyst with Forrester, thinks the numbers could add up: "Ad spending is roughly $2,500 per adult in the US. $250-$333 represents between 6% and 10% of ad spend. If people spend as much time as they potentially could within Facebook, those numbers are feasible." But that does assume that ad spending holds up and that people don't tire of Facebook in the meantime.

Three theories are now swirling around the discussion: that Microsoft is deadly serious, and sees Facebook as its entry into the new world of web services which it has struggled against its ageing self to embrace through services like MSN Live; or that Microsoft is trying to get Google and, possibly, failed Facebook suitor Yahoo! (which had a billion-dollar offer turned down by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg last year) to pitch in with even more ridiculous offers for a tiny slice of the site; or that Zuckerberg is holding out for an offer that would value the site at $15bn.

The second theory is interesting because a 5% stake would offer no control, while the money paid would fund Facebook for a long time into the future, to a stock market flotation - said to be Zuckerberg's favoured path. And Microsoft already has a lucrative contract to serve ads on the site until at least 2011.

Yahoo!, though, is drawing in its horns from big acquisitions after ejecting Eric Semel as chief executive in June, replacing him with Jerry Yang, one of the founders. And Google's purchase of a 5% stake in AOL for $1bn in December 2005, narrowly beating off Microsoft, put a $769 price on every AOL user's head. Since then, AOL's value has plunged. Google might not get fooled. Will Microsoft?

I chose this story because the article title grabbed my attention. I recently joined Facebook myself due to its populairty and what it offers is completely different to other social-networking sites, and not to forget the lame emails from mates inviting you to join, so i came into the interest of reading this article.

Every Facebook member should know, what is happening when a new person joins, so $238.09 is made from every subscribed member. Facebook is number 1 in UK for online Social Networking, in which creates millions of profit in its turnovers. On the other hand Microsoft being known as a massive massive Industry, still wants a share in Facebooks profits, by investing between $300 to $500 million dollars for just 5% stake, but can it be an extra pocket money for Microsoft, well YESS!!!

ZEE TV Entertainment Enterprise

Zee's Enterprise Site-
http://www.zeetelevision.com/index.asp

Info on blog (coming soon)

List of Programmes Transmitting/Transmitted

Here is the link for the Programmes Zee TV Transmits/Transmitted
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_programs_broadcast_by_Zee_TV

Currently broadcast by Zee TV

Dramas
Banoo Main Teri Dulhann
Ghar Ki Lakshmi Betiyann
Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai
Kasamh Se
Maayka
Mamta
Meri Doli Tere Angana
Parrivaar
Rakhi
Saat Phere
Teen Bahuraaniyaan

Mythological
Raavan

Cookery/Food
Khana Khazana

Music/Game Show
Antakshari/Antakshari Intercollegiate Championship
Pandey aur Pandey
Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007

Reality
B! News
Fun On The Run
Shabaash India

Programmes listed here (coming soon)

!!!First Research Task!!!

Zee TV is an India-based satellite television channel in the Zee Network umbrella, which carries broadcasts in Hindi, Urdu, and other regional languages of India. As well as broadcasting in South Asia, it also reaches audiences in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, East Asia, Australasia and North America.
Zee TV was launched in India in October 1992 becoming the first Hindi satellite channel. This channel formerly had a partnership with STAR TV. But STAR ended their partnership with ZEE TV (now ZEE Telefilms, Ltd.) when Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation acquired STAR TV. Zee TV was launched in the UK in 1995, replacing TV Asia (which still broadcasts in the United States). Zee TV was launched in the USA in 1998.

By Wikipedia



Zee Entertainment Enterprises was previously known as Zee Telefilms Limited which was founded in October 1992 as a content supplier for Zee TV - India's first Hindi satellite channel. It was promoted by Subhash Chandra, one of India's leading entrepreneurs, who sought to establish Zee as an 'infotainment' company focused on the convergence of media and communications.

Early in Zee's history, Subhash Chandra and the STAR group of companies entered into a joint venture for television broadcasting in India. When News Corp Limited acquired the satellite distribution business of Star, News Corp de facto became a partner of Zee. To further develop the relationship, News Corp and Zee subsequently co-founded Siticable one of the leading cable MSOs. In March 2000, after a six-year joint venture, Zee bought News Corp's stake in both the broadcasting business and Siticable.

People at Zee have built a diverse portfolio of leading businesses over time and have taken a host of strong Company-wide initiatives that drive growth and increases efficiency. Zee has a very strong consumer-connect and a set of common values that allows it to face any environment with confidence.


Key Milestones

2007:
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) lists as an independent company.


2006:
Demerger process of Zee Telefilms Limited (ZTL) initiated. Acquired controlling stake in TEN Sports.


2003:
Launched five new channels for the DTH market viz Action Cinema, Classic Cinema, MX, Premiere Cinema and Smile TVEntered into a distribution tie-up with Rajshri Pictures for theatrical distriution of films in IndiaLaunched "Trendz"- A premium Fashion & Style channel, targeted at the fashion conscious Indian consumer.


2002:
Acquired controlling stakes in ETC Networks Limited and Padmalaya Telefilms Limited


2001:
Introduced Zee TV and Zee News as pay television offerings"Gadar-Ek Prem Katha" became highest grossing box office movie

2000:
First Cable company in India to launch Internet over Cable servicesEntered into content distribution joint ventures with MGM and ViacomLaunched pay bouquet of channels on the Asian foot print

1999:
Acquired News Corp's 50% stake in joint venturesLaunched regional channels

1998:
Launched Zee TV in the USLaunched Zee Cine Awards

1997:
Launched Zee Music (originally known as Music Asia)

1996:
Started first cable channel in India - Siti ChannelLaunched Zee TV, Africa

1995:
Commenced Siticable operationsJoint Venture with News CorpLaunched Zee News and Zee CinemaZee TV goes global - Launched Zee TV, UK

1992:
Launched Zee TVInitial Public offering of Zee Telefilms Limited
By Zee TV Site