Unit 1: Research Techniques

Unit 1.1 - Understand the purposes of research in the media industries

Research Techniques: 

http://heatherharknessbtecradio.blogspot.com/2009/09/unit-1-research-techniques-for-media.html

Market research:

• Audience data: number of people taking part
• Audience awareness: promotion of the product
• Product reach: how many people get the programme
• Audience profiling: details of audience/ target audience
• Consumer behaviour: target audience- how they act
• Consumer attitudes: attitudes of people participating in contrast to the people viewing.
• Competitor analysis: Researching the other companies and what they are doing.
• Advertising placement: where the advert should be set (on Tv, radio, internet etc)
• Advertising effects: effects on the viewers

Production research:

• Content: what you are going to put in the programme, plus research of ofcom and the regulations.
• Resources: e.g. personnel, talent, finance, suppliers, facilities, locations, logistical support; costs; viability; placement, e.g. publication, broadcast, webcast, podcast; audience; competition

• These are some of the things needed to put into what you are making. Every aspect has to be considered to ensure that the final product is suitable for broadcasting. Talent would be ensuring that both the people in the programme, and the people making the programme are able to do their jobs. Finance and costs should be considered throughout, as they are very important aspects and without regulating what you spend you may run out of money. Suppliers, facilities and locations are also very important to the running of the programme. You need to get someone to do everything you need whilst thinking of the costs, the location is important to the setting and also the genre of the show. Webcasts, broadcasting and podcasts are important, they provide important advertising for the product, without this, less people are likely to watch the programme. The target audience must also be taken into consideration, for example, elderly people are less likely to want to watch a show that looks more like its for teenagers. This is also where competition comes in. You need to observe what the other companies are doing, and try to make your product more appealing than theirs.