Sport and the Media

My best friend of 12 years Sasha Corbin, has been apart of the England Netball team for the past four years and now also plays for Team Bath. Her success in Netball from a very young age, has made me very interested in the sport- and so following the games and the teams success is very important to me also. Most of the teams games are world wide and so travelling to countries such as New Zealand and South Africa is very difficult to go and show my support. About 3 years ago Sky Sports 3 had started airing the teams games from all over the world, which came as a suprise as Netball was not one of the sports considered for the Olympics and Television broadcast or even a competitive sport! As Netball was being broadcast on television three years ago, at that time it was almost impossible to retrieve information from Sky's web site. But now, i am happy to say that Netball now receives half of the coverage of what they deserve. 

Sky is a well known brand that delves in all types of media. Its a service provider, it commands sports, television and movies. Sky's reputation is  of high standards and always remained on top in the Satellite and cable war. Telewest, now Virgin Media, has become increasingly popular and wants to be apart of  the battle. The row between the two company's has been so intense that Ofcom has intervened. 

Britain's media regulator has launched an investigation into the pay television market, dominated by the Rupert Murdoch-controlled BSkyB, after four of its rivals accused the satellite broadcaster of stifling competition.

The intervention of Ofcom comes less than a month after a public row between Sky and its biggest rival, the Sir Richard Branson-backed Virgin Media, over Sky's increased charges to carry its basic channels on the cable network.

	Richard Branson and Dita Von Teese launch Virgin Media

The unresolved dispute left Virgin Media's 3.3 million TV customers without some of their favourite programmes, including Lost, 24 and The Simpsons, and prompted a complaint to Ofcom from the National Consumer Council.

More of this story at:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/21/nofcom21.xml

 Funny enough after the rows and the competing, Virgin Media is allowed, for an extra fee to Virgin Media customers, can subscribe to all the sky sports channels and sky movies. And i think that this is an attempt to not completely lose all customers! As long as Netball is reachable i have no worries!

Censorship in the Media

Censorship in the media was  created to protect viewers mainly young children, who can be affected and or insulted by violence and sex on television, in books, the internet and the News.

The Broadcast Censorship (Profanity Delay) Specialists are  the UK's first Company dedicated to the Time Delay and the Broadcast Censorship of Live and Pre Recorded Television Shows.

Their Time Delay Units can delay picture and/or sound from 5 to 10 seconds (or longer) and enables them to automatically cut sound or pictures away to a different Video/Sound source.

TimeDelay.TV  help to ensure that OFCOM Regulations are adhered to. They are a supplier of Compliance Loggers and Editors for all Broadcasting Needs.

http://timedelay.tv/

Although Censorship can be seen as something quiet crucial for people and media, their are people and organisations, who are not so keen on things being omitted from everyday media types.

The CAC is the successor to the Defence of Literature and the Arts Society that was founded in 1968 to assist writers, artists, and others threatened by censorship, and to campaign for reform of censorship laws.

In 1983 the DLAS was re-launched as the CAC with the object of promoting freedom of expression in all its forms and combating restrictions on that freedom and its exercise.

They believe that the repressive dangers of censorship for adults outweigh any possible benefits, and that what is acceptable for adults to read, see, or hear should be decided by personal judgement and taste, not by the law.

.http://www.dlas.org.uk/

Group Radio Project

One of the tasks that we had to complete for our Audio Module, was to create a radio project. We were put into groups and told to brainstorm ideas that could possibly make good Radio.

The people in my group were Adam, Tom and Samantha. We brainstormed two ideas, one about old peoples stories and the other on Busses. We decided that the bus idea had  more potential and more to work with. Before we were to start the program, we had to create a pitch, to present to "radio producers", or Teachers in reality, to get the funding to go ahead with the production. 

We made our pitch, and thankfully first time round we were given the go 

ahead.

After the pitch, we had to discuss with each other in more detail, what we were going to do in the show. each group member went away and do more research, both primary and secondary. For our primary research we interviewed a bus driver and members of the public that use the busses regularly. 

Primary Research

Interview Questions for driver:

1. For how many years have you been driving busses?
2. What funny stories do you have that has happened in the morning?
3. What funny stories do you have that has happened in the afternoon?
4. What funny stories do you have that has happened in the evening?
5. What was the best story that you heard from another driver?  

Vox pop Questions

1. What do you think are the negative things about bus travel?
2. What are the positive things about bus travel?  

Secondary Research

The Biography Channel: www.thebigoraphychannel.co.uk

BIG RED BUS

This series celebrates the big red bus, a global icon of London. It is the real 'On the Buses'. There are 8,000 of them on London's streets, racking up a million miles a day. What does it take to become one of the 22,000 drivers?

 

With exclusive access to one of the capital's biggest bus operators, viewers will see what it's like day by day trying to learn to drive a ten ton big red monster through London's bus lanes and dealing with the British public. Filming took place during the 2005 terrorist attacks on London and includes footage of the scenes and the impact and strength of those involved.  

www.73bus.typepad.com/73stories/2003/08/73_bus_stories.html

This is a website that provides stories from the number 73 bus, entered by bus users that has experienced funny and weird things that they feel they should share with the world!  

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html

Bus drivers have nicknamed a white cat Macavity after it has started using the No 331 several mornings a week.

 

The feline, which has a purple collar, gets onto the busy Walsall to Wolverhampton bus at the same stop most mornings - he then jumps off at the next stop 400m down the road, near a fish and chip shop.

The project was a success and all group members are happy with the final product. By clicking the link below you can be directed onto a web site of which you can download the Radio show to have a listen!

http://www.mediafire.com/?ajwj9pkbnjy

A Brief Description of Job Roles in the Media

RESEARCHER

The aim:

To provide support to Programme staff by undertaking broadly based independent research into any subject or issue relevant to the programme output. To evaluate information and material and present it to the Producer in an appropriate form. To assist in assembling and processing programme material. To assist in general programme duties as required.

ASSISTANT PRODUCER

The aim:

To assist a Producer  or programme Editor in all stages of a Television programme or series, with direct accountability for the execution of a programme intention to a specific brief, referring when necessary on editorial matters. To contribute ideas for programme content. To undertake programme research and filming, working to a broad brief.

SERIES PRODUCER

The aim:

To be responsible for managing a team to produce a series that delivers high quality and and creative programmes to time and on budget. To interpret ideas/stories in a way which demonstrates an understanding of the artistic potential of the television/radio/online medium and effectively conveys the intention, style and mood of the programme and series.

My Intro

Hi my name is Aleicia Coombs, or Leeshy some do call me. I am a 1st year student at Bath Spa University but i am studying my course at a partnering College called Weston College.  

This is my first attempt at blogging and it is all very much new to me! My 

blogs will consist of feedback and detailed articles of events that occured in lectures and topics that i found interesting and or boring or challenging . Below i have detailed my journey from where i was to how i am now at Bath Spa.

Last year i attended The University of East London, where i studied Media studies. Half way through the course, i realized that i was not satisfied with what i was learning and the method of my education. The course consisted of more theory work than practical and i was not happy with this and decided to search for a course that interested me to the fullest! I scoured the net to find my ideal course and came across Bath Spa's website. The course that caught my attention was a foundation degree, and at first i wasn't sure if going back a year to do another course was wise. After contemplating this idea for a week or so, i came to the conclusion that my time at university is supposed to be an enjoyable one and it's not all about the degree at the end (although that helps) but i what i learn and can always take with me in the field that i love and i can use in the future i.e. my career.

 I can happily say that i have definitely made the right decision with my course change, and feel even happier that it is situated at Weston college, where the tutors are greater than expected, and are well experienced and have a lot to offer their students. Another great perk of this course is that it has allowed me to see places that i have never heard of, which makes the experience much more of an adventure.