MediA IssueS & DebateS

This story is about Channel 4 chief executive Andy Duncan critising TV companies for being concerned with money rather than what the public audeince are interested in viewing.

Mr. Duncan, speaking at the Marketing Society's annual lecture, made the observation as part of a wider speech on the importance of marketing and communications for TV companies in the digital age.

He said that the danger was that an unhealthy attitude to viewers had crept into the industry where "customers are something you check on BARB [the television audience data measurement body] or something that helps you make a programme [as a research tool] not someone you have a relationship with."

He added that the phone-in scandal showed the "deep seated" issues facing the TV industry at a time when media fragmentation meant that audiences had to be at the front of broadcasters' minds.

"Television's age on the internet is about to arrive," he stated. While the impact is difficult to predict there is no question, he said, that the "one big theme driving all of this is consumers."

"The day of marketing in broadcasting has truly arrived and it has to be customer-focused".

I think this story links in well with the theory 'Uses & Gratifications' as TV producers need to assume a more active audeince that choose what they want to watch, and for this to happen TV industries need to build up healthy relationships with their public, so they consume their texts. Duncan also commented on 'Televisions age on the internet'- i think this is paricularly important because it seems as though the internet will be taking over. There are so many popular shows such as Lost, Prison Break...etc which viewers would normally gave to wait weekly to watch them however, now by going on sites such as Peek-Vid, you can watch it in a matter of mintues (even though the quality isn't really they clear)! This is a serious issue that Tv companies have to face and make sure that what they distribute on air is no longer just a money making scheme but honest television which is there firstly for the viewers and secondly to make money!!