Cultural Industries: blog task

 

1) What does the term 'Cultural Industries' actually refer to?
Cultural industries refers to industries that produce and distribute cultural goods such as film, television, music, publishing, radio, and digital media.

2) What does Hesmondhalgh identify regarding the societies in which the cultural industries are highly profitable?
Hesmondhalgh identifies that cultural industries tend to be most profitable in wealthy capitalist societies, where large audiences have disposable income.

3) Why do some media products offer ideologies that challenge capitalism or inequalities in society?
Some media products challenge capitalism or inequality because creative workers often hold alternative political or social views and use media to question dominant ideologies.

4) Look at page 2 of the factsheet. What are the problems that Hesmondhalgh identifies with regards to the cultural industries?
Hesmondhalgh identifies problems such as concentration of ownership, inequality of power, exploitation of creative labour, and lack of true diversity in cultural industries.

5) Why are so many cultural industries a 'risky business' for the companies involved?
Cultural industries are a risky business because audience tastes are unpredictable and companies cannot guarantee a product will be successful.

6) What is your opinion on the creativity v commerce debate? Should the media be all about profit or are media products a form of artistic expression that play an important role in society?
In my opinion, media should not be only about profit, as media products are also a form of artistic expression that shape culture, identity, and social debate.

7) How do cultural industry companies minimise their risks and maximise their profits? (Clue: your work on Industries - Ownership and control will help here) 
Cultural industry companies minimise risk and maximise profit through vertical and horizontal integration, conglomeration, synergy, franchising, and repeating proven formulas.

8) Do you agree that the way the cultural industries operate reflects the inequalities and injustices of wider society? Should the content creators, the creative minds behind media products, be better rewarded for their work?
I agree that cultural industries reflect wider social inequalities, and content creators should be better rewarded because they often receive less profit than corporations.

9) Listen and read the transcript to the opening 9 minutes of the Freakonomics podcast - No Hollywood Ending for the Visual-Effects Industry. Why has the visual effects industry suffered despite the huge budgets for most Hollywood movies?
he visual effects industry has suffered because studios outsource work, force tight deadlines, and drive down prices despite rising budgets for Hollywood films.

10) What is commodification? 
Commodification is the process of turning cultural ideas, creativity, or art into products that can be bought and sold for profit.

11) Do you agree with the argument that while there are a huge number of media texts created, they fail to reflect the diversity of people or opinion in wider society?
I agree that although many media texts exist, they often fail to reflect real diversity because large companies prioritise safe, mainstream content.

12) How does Hesmondhalgh suggest the cultural industries have changed? Identify the three most significant developments and explain why you think they are the most important.
Hesmondhalgh suggests cultural industries have changed through digitalisation, globalisation, and increased corporate concentration, which are significant because they reshape production, distribution, and power.