Media Audiences versus Media Institutions - Research Techniques

Various methods are employed to research Media Institutions and Media audiences. Just like in any other kind of research, the techniques employed much be the ones that will optimize and maximize the findings of the research. Maximized research findings imply that the findings are such which can bring about the required changes in any subject under study, and possibly bridge gaps in knowledge and literature if there are any. As discussed in the previous blog which discussed which conducted a critical reflection on the purpose of studying Media Institutions and Media Audiences, which amongst many other important reasons mentioned, included the fact that the study of these two concepts that have a relationship with each other should be studied to enable content producers to tailor content accordingly to the type of audience. As well as to enable media audiences to become intelligent content consumers who actively critically engage with the content that they are fed by the media institutions instead of passively accepting any content as the truth and as valid. Another important element that came out of the previous blog was the changes in technology which has brought with it – the need for media institutions to re-invent themselves, re-consider and re-approach the manner in which they create content and the dissemination thereof. The same has applied to media audiences. There is a new type of consumer who has a different type of approach to media content, this type of audience is also a content producer themselves owing to new media technology, the internet and most the convergence of various type of media into a single device and social media sites.

This means one important thing. There is a need for new research that will enable media institutions to position themselves accordingly to the changes, that enable their survival and continue to thrive. There is also a much needed further research on media audiences, in order to study audience behavior, and the effects of media texts on them and thus enable a new understanding of the new type of media audience especially with the new context of media content accumulation and environment. In this regard, this assignment aims to discuss the various techniques for studying media institutions as well as media audiences. A comparison between the techniques of the two dimensions of media content (creators and receivers i.e. institutions and audiences will then be made. There are two main types of research methodologies that can be employed in the research of both Media Audience and Media Institutions, these methodologies are: Qualitative Methodology and Quantitative Methodology. Qualitative research methodology seeks to explore attitudes, behavior and is not focused on achieving data from a large number of people. Rather, it seeks to obtain in-depth information that cannot be able to be achieved from methods such as statistics. Quantitative Methodology obtains data through numbers. It is uses methods such as large-scale survey and often close ended questionnaires and statistics. It is often used in instances where data is needed from a large number of people, within a short period. These methodologies can also be used in a combination. Therefore, it is important for the reader to note that the choice for the methodology will be largely determined by the goals and objectives of the research. During research the role of a researcher becomes a unique one as described by the following quote: “this implies a shift in the position of the researcher. She or he is no longer the bearer of the truth, but occupies a ‘partial position in two sense of the word. On the one hand, she or he is no longer a neutral observer but is someone whose job is to produce historically and culturally specific knowledge that are a result of equally specific discursive encounters between the researcher and the informants, in which subjectivity of the researcher is not separated from ‘object’ s/he is studying” (Ang.1996:38).

Audience Research can make use of the following:

• Focus Groups –these are similar to interviews. However, they happen in a group. According to Mytton (2010:127) what gives great strength to focus groups for research, is the interaction with the group.

• Interviews – these are questions from the researcher to the participant(s). These can be structured, semi-structured or unstructured.


• Observations – participant observation involves the researcher observing the participant(s) either with the participants’ knowledge or without it. However, it is the ethical role of the researcher to make the research participants aware of the fact that they are being observed.

• Questionnaires – these can be close-ended or open-ended.


• Theories and existing literature – reference to existing literature and measuring it against observed research behavior or gathered data.

Media Institutions can employ the following research techniques:

• Rating Analysis – which is described as “the analysis of the audience size and composition data produced by audience measurement firms for use in both the commercial and non-commercial media sectors” (Napoli. 2011:286). Napoli (2011: 286) further mentions that this method of research is largely used by media outlets, advertisers and policy makers.
• Sampling– using a certain small percentage of the population for research and using the gathered data and research findings to generalize to the mass of the population.


Differences between Media Institutions and Media Audience Research
Techniques

Media Institutions mostly use research techniques of a quantitative nature especially for electronic media. This becomes especially important for them as a way of attracting advertisers. They require data that is tangible (numerical) that can be backed up by tangible results. The Qualitative methodology thus is a basis for most of their research and is able to achieve their requirement of statistical data that can earn them investors and advertisers. Through the qualitative method, they would not be able to achieve this objective. One of the theoretical criticisms that surround the use of ratings for electronic media is the fact that the emphasis on the audience size and demographics in the measurement of electronic media audiences is itself a fundamental problem because it makes media consumption a simplistic exposure metrics by reducing complex dynamics (Napoli.2011: 291).
Media Audience research on the other hand mostly makes use of Qualitative methods of research. This is so because what is required here is in-depth knowledge of often the interpretation of media texts which quantitative research will not be able to satisfy. The criticism of qualitative research is that it has no set right or wrong, ad thus cannot be proved.


LIST OF SOURCES:

Ang, I.1996. LIVING ROOM WARS. Rethinking media audiences and a post modern world. London and New York: Routledge
Mytton, G. 2010. Handbook on Radio and Television Audience Training (Reprint). Paris: UNICEF, UNESCO and BBC World Service Training

Napoli, P.M. 2011. The Handbook of Media Audiences. FIRST EDITION. Virginia Nightinggale: Blackwell Publishing

Livingstone, S. 1998. (PDF) Relationships between Media and Audiences – LSE Research Online. .[O]. http://eprints.Ise.ac.uk/.../Relationships-between-media-and-audiences (LSE RO)... (Accessed 25 August 2015)