John.M chchs digital media 2018-20: November 2018

Q1)What is a conglomerate?
A conglomerate is the combination of two or more companies operating in different industries, often a multi industry: company involving a parent company and subsidiaries (for all companies involved in media). For example:
Virgin

virgin banking
virgin holidays
virgin broadband
virgin orbit
virgin atlantic
virgin radio
virgin rail
virgin hotels
virgin mobile

Disney

Marvel
Lucasfilm
Pixar
Walt Disney studios
ESPN
ABC
Walt Disney parks and resorts
shopDisney
Disney radio

BBC:

BBC weather
BBC radio
BBC news
BBC studios
BBC music
BBC films

Easygroup

Easy cinema
Easy jet
Easy hotel
Easy bus
Easy cruise
Easy pizza

Q2)What is an independent company?
An independent company is a business that is free from outside control. They are usually privately owned. For example:
Aardman animations:

founded in 1972
founders: Peter Lord and David Sproxton
headquarters: Bristol, England
animation company

movies:

Chicken run (2000)
Wallace and Gromit (2005)
Flushed away (2006)

Sumo digital:

founded in 2003 following the closure of Infogramesand Gremlin interactive
500 employees
game development studio
based in Sheffield, UK

videogames:

Sonic and sega all-stars racing (2010)
Littlebigplanet 3 (2014)
Snake pass (2017)

Warpfilms:

founded in 1999
founders: Steve Beckett and Rob Mitchell
headquarters: Sheffield and London, UK
film and TV production company

movies:

Ghost stories (2017)
This is England (2006)
Four Lions (2010)

Q3)How could independent companies be at a disadvantage compared to conglomerates in regard to ownership?
Independent companies are privately owned so they sometimes have to rely on joint ventures with other companies to distribute and exchange products. This shows that independent companies can only produce products which they specialise in.

Q4)Examples of contemporary cross media conglomerates are shown in the infographic below:

4.a)What is a cross media company?
A cross media company is a company that owns properties across multiple platforms. For example: Disney owns property in TV, film, holiday resorts and cable.
4.b)What subsidiaries does 21ST Century Fox own?
21ST Century Fox subsidiaries are: FOX, FOX News, FX, National Geographic, joint venture channels, 20TH Century Fox and BSkyB.
4.c)How can this type of ownership impact a conglomerate compared to an independent company?
A conglomerate has subsidiaries in different sectors which gives it greater revenue. Due this the company can use it's subsidiaries to promote and distribute it's product. However an independent company has to rely on join ventures to promote and distribute it's product.

Q5)What is the purpose of a company that is described as commercial?
A company described as commercial uses normal accepted business practices and operates to make a profit from the products they make.

Q6)The BBC is classified as a public service broadcaster. Using the article 'Inside the BBC', answer the following questions:
6.a)What is the purpose of a public service broadcaster?
The purpose of a public service broadcaster is to make content for the public rather than commercially.
6.b)What is the mission statement of the BBC?
It's mission statement is to produce content that informs, educates and entertains.
6.c)How is the BBC funded?
The BBC is funded by the licence fee paid by UK households.
6.d)How does the BBC have cross media ownership?
BBC owns 9 national TV channels, 10 national radio stations, 40 local radio stations, online services and magazines.

Q7)What is a joint venture?
A joint venture is when two or more companies collaborate to make a product, for example: Film4 and Warp films collaborated to make the movie Four Lions (2010).