5-6 CME - The modern Media Institutions

Contemporary Media Environment

Course Prepared by Dr. Yolla Ahmed

This course focuses on modern media institutions and how they operate. One of the key aspects discussed is Genres, which are defined as categories of artistic expression characterized by their unique style, form, or content.

Importance of Genres

Understanding genres is crucial for media practitioners because it helps them create content that fits their audience's expectations. Knowing the main categories also helps in effectively producing various media materials.

Entertainment Genre

The Entertainment Genre refers to material designed to engage the audience's attention and evoke positive feelings instead of challenging their viewpoints.

Subgenres of Entertainment

Entertainment can be divided into several subgenres, such as Entertainment Gaming and Comedy.

Comedy and Its Subgenres

Comedy can be further divided into specific types:

  • Situation Comedies (Sitcoms)

  • Stand-up Comedy

These subgenres have distinct combinations of elements that define their style, known as a formula.

Components of the Entertainment Formula:

  1. Setting: The location where the content takes place. For instance, in a medical drama, the setting would be a hospital.

  2. Typical Characters: Frequently appearing individuals in a subgenre, such as doctors, patients, and nurses in a medical drama.

  3. Patterns of Action: Routine activities associated with the characters in the specific setting, like dealing with life-and-death situations in a hospital.

Hybridity in Entertainment

Hybridity refers to the mixing of different entertainment subgenres. For example, combining Sufi Music with Flamenco in a film that includes elements of drama, comedy, and fairytales.

Dramedy

Dramedy is a genre that merges the serious elements of drama with the funny aspects of comedy, resulting in a more complex storytelling approach.

Definition and Recognition of News

News is defined as any accurate fact or idea that interests a broad audience. A common misunderstanding about news is illustrated by the example of a country correspondent who fails to recognize important events, such as ignoring a boiler explosion that leads to a casualty.

Subgenres of News

Different types of news include:

  • Hard News

  • Investigative Reports

  • Editorials

  • Soft News

Hard vs. Soft News

  • Hard News: Has a short shelf-life and requires prompt reporting.

  • Soft News: Doesn’t need immediate attention and lasts longer, often called evergreens because they remain interesting over time.

News Values

These are features that increase the interest in a news story:

  • Immediacy: The timeliness of the news.

  • Proximity: The relevance to the audience's location.

  • Impact and Extremes: The effects the story has, especially if it involves extraordinary events.

  • Novelty: The uniqueness of the event covered.

  • Rivalry: Stories involving competition.

  • Prominence: Coverage of well-known individuals.

  • Emotions: Highlighting struggles or joys of vulnerable groups.

Investigative Reports and Editorials

  • Investigative Reports: In-depth studies of certain realities or events.

  • Editorials: Present viewpoints from individuals or organizations on specific issues.

Presentation of News

The front page often mixes hard and soft news, including investigative reports, to provide a well-rounded view of current events.

Education in Media

Education is content that aims to teach specific ideas and perspectives to the audience.

Advertising Overview

The traditional definition of advertisement is a message crafted to attract positive attention to products or services. Subgenres of ads include:

  • Informational Ads: Focus on factual details about a product.

  • Hard-Sell Ads: Combine product facts with a sense of urgency to buy.

  • Soft-Sell Ads: Aim to create positive feelings related to the product through emotional appeal.

Contact Information

Dr. Yolla Ahmed: dryolla.for.work@gmail.com