Observatorio (OBS*)

From Broadsheet to Tabloid: Content changes in Swedish newspapers in the light of a shrunken size

During the early 2000s, the newspaper market in Northern Europe was characterised by a trend of format changes as many broadsheets have chosen to adapt to the tabloid format. Similar tendencies also have emerged in other Western countries, making it a transnational phenomenon. Critics have argued that a reduced size impacts the content, resulting in increased tabloidisation, finding a connection between the page size and the news content whereby the broadsheet and tabloid formats require different kinds of journalism. Thus, this study aims to analyse whether it is possible to detect this type of increased tabloidisation in relation to the resizing of newspapers. Using the theoretical concept of tabloidisation, this study begins with a content analysis of Swedish dailies that have changed their format during the early 2000s. Comparisons are made to newspapers that did not undergo this type of transition as means of determining whether any of the changes detected can be explained by the actual format change, or rather, are the effects of other factors. The study focuses on news content published in 1990, 2000, and 2010. It reveals that the format itself has had only a minor influence on journalism, in that all newspapers show similar signs of increased tabloidisation during this period.

Differentiated strategies for digital innovation on television: Traditional channels vs. new entrants

Digitization has greatly influenced the functioning of the television industry. This paper analyzes in particular how French television channels have innovated and adapted to digital technologies. We begin with a typology of innovation in the media by drawing a distinction between product innovations and process innovations, as well as between companies according to whether they were the first to adopt an innovation, or only adopted it once it was already well established in the field. A total of 21 criteria for innovation are analyzed for each of the 15 TV channels in our sample. This paper shows that TV channels have varied innovation strategies. Rather than some channels being innovators on all criteria and others being followers on all criteria, we show that channels adopt, more or less rapidly, certain types of innovation according to the channels characteristics. The characteristics that play the greatest role are the age of the channel, whether it is public or private, and whether it is general or thematic.

The Business Strategy of Hollywood’s Most Powerful Distributors: an Empirical Analysis

As many authors suggest, nowadays the distribution arms of the major info-entertainment conglomerates heavily invest in feature films that promote their own intellectual properties. As a result, the variety of features films that these companies contribute to produce increasignly depends on the revenues that the embedded intellectual properties can generate on secondary and ancillary markets, while the theatrical release is frequently an expensive loss leader mainly designed to create awareness of these properties. Using publicly available data from various internet databases, the present paper provides a contribution to the understanding of this trend by analyzing the portfolio of feature films released in 2007 and distributed by the mainstream and minor divisions of the six largest Majors. Specifically, the purpose of this analysis is to assess the use of three cardinal principals of this business strategy valorising intellectual properties: (1) Strike while the iron is hot, (2) Open Big, and (3) Diversify your slate. This analysis shows that in the year in question, about 60% of funding allocated to feature films was invested in non-original content and that the conglomerates that were the most efficient in applying these principles were also the best earners.

The Takeover of La Sexta by Antena 3 Televisión and its Effect on External Pluralism in the Spanish Television System

Este artículo - que se enmarca en una investigación más amplia sobre la implantación de la TDT en España y su impacto sobre el pluralismo - tiene como objetivo analizar los efectos en el pluralismo externo del sistema televisivo español de la fusión por absorción de Gestora de Inversiones Audiovisuales La Sexta por parte de Antena 3 de Televisión, operación que se cerró en octubre de 2012. Para determinar la existencia o no de concentración en el sistema de televisión, se estudian indicadores como el número de operadores que emiten TDT de cobertura nacional, la audiencia y la inversión publicitaria.

This article forms part of a larger body of research into the introduction of Digital Television Broadcasting in Spain and its effect on pluralism. The subject of this article is an analysis of the effect on the external pluralism of the Spanish television system created by the takeover of Gestora de Inversiones Audiovisuales La Sexta by Antena 3 de Televisión which was finalised in October 2012. To determine whether or not this has led to concentration in the television system a number of indicators were studied such as the number of operators which broadcast digitally with nationwide coverage, audience viewing figures and the levels of advertising expenditure.

Young audiences fragmentation in a multimedia media environment: the Colombian case

La fragmentación de audiencias ha sido un concepto utilizado recurrentemente para referir los cambios en los comportamientos de los consumidores de medios, bajo la dinámica de la comunicación digital referida al siglo XXI. Sin embargo, muy pocos trabajos empíricos se han orientado a explicar y entender este fenómeno en profundidad. El presente artículo de investigación revisa los alcances e implicaciones del concepto y revela los principales hallazgos sobre el fenómeno de la fragmentación, mediante un trabajo empírico realizado en Colombia, con jóvenes entre 17 y 24 años de edad, residentes en los diez centros urbanos más importantes del país.

Audiences´ fragmentation has been a recurrent concept used to depict media users´ behavioral changes under the digital communication environment during the 21st Century. However, few research and empirical studies have been oriented to explain and understand this phenomenon in a deeper way. This research article explores the scope and the implications of fragmentation as a concept, based on an study conducted in Colombia among young people, between 17-24 years old, who live in the 10 most important urban areas.

Do Analógico ao Digital: Como a digitalização afecta a produção, distribuição e consumo de informação, conhecimento e cultura na Sociedade em Rede

A emergência da Sociedade em Rede introduziu mudanças significativas na forma como os agentes sociais produzem, distribuem e consomem informação, conhecimento e cultura. Uma dessas mudanças corresponde à alteração fundamental do sistema de codificação da informação, que passou de predominantemente analógico antes da Sociedade em Rede para sobretudo digital depois dela. Neste trabalho argumentaremos que a passagem da codificação analógica para a digital constitui o substrato tecnológico sobre o qual se organizam as apropriações sociais das tecnologias de informação e comunicação. Começaremos por analisar as características da codificação digital por oposição à codificação analógica, em seguida analisaremos de que forma a codificação digital condiciona o modo de produzir, distribuir e consumir informação e concluiremos avaliando como é que isso altera as condições sociais em que essa produção, distribuição e consumo acontecem.

The network society brought about numerous changes to the way social actors produce, distribute and consume information, knowledge and culture. One of those changes is the basic shift in the information coding system, which was mostly analog and now is fundamentally digital. In this article we will argue that change from analog to digital codification is the technological ground on which social appropriation of communication and information technologies takes place. We will start by looking at the characteristics of the digital codification as opposed to the analog codification; then we will analyze if digital codification affects the way to produce, distribute and consume information; and finally we will conclude by assessing if and how that changes the social conditions under which such production, distribution and consumption occurs.

An analysis of the quality of the main Spanish specialized radio networks websites: The new strategies for increasing audience participation

Las emisoras de radio se han visto obligadas a adaptar sus rutinas de trabajo a la denominada Sociedad Digital, que está cambiando las relaciones entre los medios de comunicación de masas y sus audiencias. Una de las consecuencias de estos cambios es que los oyentes quieren sentirse cada vez más protagonistas. El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar el grado de adaptación de las principales emisoras de radio temáticas españolas a la Web 2.0. La metodología empleada está formada por 32 indicadores, agrupados entorno a siete parámetros que tratan de evaluar la calidad de sus sitios web y el uso que realizan de las herramientas para fomentar la interactividad. Los resultados muestran, entre otras cosas, una relación entre los índices de audiencia y la calidad de los sitios web.

Radio networks have been forced to adapt their work processes to the so called Digital Society, which is changing the relationship between mass media and their listeners. One of the consequences of these changes is that users want to feel increasingly participant. The aim of this study is to evaluate the degree of adaptation of the main Spanish specialized radio networks to Web 2.0. The methodology we use consists of thirty-two indicators, organized around seven parameters that try to evaluate the quality of their websites and their use of interactive tools. The results show that there is a relationship between audience ratings and the quality of the websites

Promoção Digital: o exemplo da Gorila Vintage Edition

Este artigo analisa a campanha Gorila Vintage, desenvolvida pela agência de publicidade BAR em 2012, com o objectivo de distinguir a promoção digital da publicidade dita offline e a online, evidenciando os limites desta e argumentando sobre as vantagens de integração das técnicas tradicionais e digitais numa estratégia de retrobranding. Pretende-se igualmente contribuir para o entendimento prático do trabalho dos profissionais de comunicação, evidenciando as dificuldades inerentes ao processo criativo, ao conhecimento dos instrumentos e às limitações orçamentais. Em termos estruturais, o trabalho encontra-se dividido em três partes principais. Nas duas primeiras é abordado o conceito de publicidade, sua evolução, vantagens e desvantagens; e é caracterizada a estratégia do retrobranding. A última parte inicia-se com uma nota metodológica que enquadra a análise detalhada da campanha Gorila Vintage, utilizando a observação e dados analíticos da rede social do facebook, assim como, declarações dos responsáveis criativos da mesma.

This article analyzes the campaign Gorila Vintage, developed by the advertising agency BAR in 2012, with the aim of distinguishing the online promotion from the traditional and digital advertising. The intent is to show the limits of advertising and arguing about the advantages of the integration of communication techniques both offline and online in a retrobranding strategy. It is also intended to contribute to the understanding of the practical work of communication professionals, highlighting the difficulties inherent in the creative process, knowledge of the instruments and the budgetary constraints. In structural terms, the work is divided into three main parts. The first two addresses the concept of advertising, trends, advantages and disadvantages, and the characterization of retrobranding strategy. The last part presents a methodological approach that frames the detailed analysis of the Gorila Vintage campaign, using observation and analytical data from the social network facebook, as well as statements from the creative responsible.

Cultural Heritage Management and New Technologies

Las nuevas tecnologías son fundamentales para la eficaz gestión y puesta en valor del Patrimonio histórico-artístico. Tanto en la fase de catalogación como en la difusión pública de los fondos las TICs aportan fórmulas para la eficiencia de nuestro trabajo y la conservación futura de nuestro valioso Patrimonio. En este artículo explicamos cómo usar las plataformas digitales en la gestión y la transmisión de la creación y el conocimiento histórico-artístico.

New technologies are essential to the effective management and enhancement of the historical and artistic Heritage. In both the phases of cataloguing and dissemination through the public, ICTs provide efficient formulas that enable our work and the future conservation of our prestigious Heritage. In this article we explain how to use digital platforms in the management and transmission of creation and artistic knowledge.

Entrepreneurial journalism education: where are we now?

The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate the state of the entrepreneurial journalism courses through the lecturers perspective. We conducted a survey with thirty-three lecturers from the US, UK, Canada, France, Colombia and Mexico to understand in more depth the courses objectives and structures; their integration to schools curriculums; challenges and obstacles faced by lecturers; availability and use of teaching resources; and lecturers profiles.