Weekly NDM Story...

Mail Online's 10th birthday: from the sidelines to the sidebar. The UK's most popular newspaper website is a decade old this week – we look at how the site and its rivals looked in 2004...

Mail Online in 2004: true blue branding. Photograph: Wayback Machine - Internet Archive

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/may/15/mail-online-10th-birthday-sidebar

The UK's most popular newspaper website, Mail Online, celebrates its 10th birthday this week. When it launched in May 2004, it had a staff of six and was branded as DailyMail.co.uk. Now, it has nearly 500 staff and is a global behemoth that attracts more than 179.8 million monthly unique browsers. Media Week reported that the Mail's publisher plugged the launch as one of the “most eagerly anticipated events in the UK media industry”, commenting "Associated New Media knows that positioning DailyMail.co.uk towards its readership stereotype is not a good idea. ANM is not trying to encourage a historically reticent audience to switch onto the web. It is optimistic that DailyMail.co.uk will attract the younger, more affluent audience usually associated with the internet." Mail Online's front page from May 2004 (above) has a clean, functional look with little to make it stand out from rival sites of the time. Although it tells readers that "Brad [Pitt] is out of the doghouse with Jennifer [Aniston]", there is no sign of the "sidebar of shame" that has helped power its growth, particularly in the US. Today's site, in contrast, boasts big pictures, long headlines, large ads – and lots of celebrity stories. Headlines include "OMG there's a SPIDER': Series of selfies catch the hilarious moment teenage girl plants fake arachnid to trick terrified friend into thinking they've been photo-bombed".

Mail Online in 2014: another banner year

The Mail Online of 2004 certainly lacks the visual appeal of the Guardian website of the time, with its distinctive "Brody block" trails under the masthead.

Guardian Unlimited in April 2004: top site on the block.

Telegraph.co.uk had a more content-packed layout than DailyMail.co.uk – but its bland branding (here in a page from January 2004) looks out of step with the paper.

Telegraph.co.uk in 2004: gives little flavour of the paper. 

Times Online has a more graphic look, with a layout that works better to draw in readers – this is from October 2004, some six years before the paywall came down at the paper.

Times Online in 2004: black-and-white vision. 

- Mail Online launched in May 2004.

- Attracts more than 179.8 million monthly unique browsers. 

Weekly NDM Story...

Cuban blogger to launch island's first independent digital newspaper. Yoani Sánchez's online publication called 14ymedio will challenge communist-ruled country's state-controlled media...

Yoani Sánchez will use online journalism to voice her criticism of Cuba’s one-party system. 

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/15/cuban-blogger-launch-first-independent-digital-newspaper

Cuba's prize-winning blogger, Yoani Sánchez, is launching the island's first independent digital newspaper next week to challenge the communist-ruled country's state-controlled media. Sánchez said the online publication will be named 14ymedio, in honour of the year of its launch and the 14th-floor Havana apartment where she writes her popular Generation Y blog on daily life and politics in Cuba. Going up against Cuba's heavy media restrictions will not be easy, she admitted in an announcement on her blog on Wednesday."It will be a difficult road. In recent weeks we have seen a preview of how official propaganda will demonize us for creating this medium," Sánchez wrote, adding that several of her online team have already received warning calls from Cuban state security officials prior to the official launch on 21 May. Public criticism of Cuba's communist system can be considered enemy propaganda, punishable by jail sentences. Vowing to be totally independent and transparent, Sánchez said she opted for online journalism to voice her criticism of Cuba's one-party system, rather than becoming an opposition politician.

- "It will be a difficult road. In recent weeks we have seen a preview of how official propaganda will demonize us for creating this medium".

- Sánchez, 38, has won several prestigious media awards in the United States and Europe and has been included on Time magazine's annual list of 100 most influential people.

- "A reporter should not have any kind of militancy," she said.

I think this would be a good oppurtunity for audiences to user generate and interact with each other via the digital newspapers. It would give a chance for audiences to also create their own news such as citizen journalism and post them up on blogs for others to view.

Section B Practice Essay

Section B 

New and digital media offers media institutions different ways of reaching audiences. Consider how and why media institutions are using these techniques. (48 marks)

New and digital media offers media institutions different ways of reaching the audiences such as using paywalls to get more subscribers, newspapers increasing their costs, on demand, and many more. Print Newspapers are on decline due to new and digital media as audiences can now access the news online on their smartphones, tablets and etc, it is easy and quick for them as they have the device on the go. As print newspapers have been impacted by an large middle class demographic audience, revenues have decreased causing companies to increase their prices, for example 'The Sun' used to be 20p now it is 40p. However as the new audience decide to answer to online content, their is still a traditional audience who still buy print newspapers as it is something they prefer rather than going online as they would be a resigned older age. On the other hand some newspapers do not get effected by the income of new and digital media as they take advantage of it by creating online news where middle class, working audiences would pay to access this content on the go, increasing paywalls and audiences to interact. Moreover another media institution would be on demand, audiences are now entitled to time shift their programmes to a time when suits them therefore programmes such as watershed would not be exactly at the watershed time as audiences will be able to view it at any time they want including younger audiences so their is no regulations. Scheduling is no more in today's society as new and digital media has changed this all including advertisements to be mostly viewed online rather than television as audiences hardly watch TV any more.

The print media also gives an opportunity to target a younger audience, as print newspapers include sports, which most young male audiences are attracted too. Sports is a big topic which attracts a large audience including younger demographics, it has become easier for younger audiences to access online newspapers now by using the latest devices introduced such as tablets, smartphones and more. The new and digital media may impact a younger audiences by using technologies for educational purposes and learning in school, however there could also be disadvantages such as less concentration, access to pornography and more that is not related to education. The biggest concern is pornography as there is no restrictions for these sites and anyone can access it, causing distraction for young audiences.

Audience now create their own content such as recording live events and uploading them onto social media sites such as Facebook, YouTube and more for others to view. This is usually called Citizen Journalism as audiences are now creating the live news, a good example to this would be the Arab Spring. The Arab Spring was a huge impact to new and digital media as trapped civilians found using their smartphones to record live events and post up online to raise awareness of what is really happening in western countries. Citizen journalism allows audiences to find news reliable as it is live events whereas the actual News would be believed to be exaggerated therefore audiences are brainwashed. Moreover user generated content is a big advantage to citizen journalism too as audiences share their opinions and by making the content popular on social sites therefore it would be recognized by governments and news. User generated content allows audiences to share and interact with others about their opinions.

Pluralists could argue that it is their choice when to watch programmes as they are in control however a Marxists could still argue back that audiences use iPlayer, Sky+ and many more to watch their content as these players also include advertisement which is mostly viewed online more than television now, persuading or attracting audiences to products.

Section 2: Focus on News Corporation

Section 6+: Something from your independent case study

Weekly NDM Story...

Katie Price's Twitter putdown packs a punch in 92 characters. As an example of how to say so much with so few words, Katie Price's tweet is in a class of its own...

Katie Price: hell hath no fury …

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/lostinshowbiz/2014/may/08/katie-price-twitter-putdown-packs-a-punch

There is no contest for tweet of the week, which comes courtesy of the erroneously hasbeened Katie Price, to whom genuine commiserations are clearly due. But if you're one of those people currently considering tweeting a picture of a dish you have just been served in a restaurant – or, like me, labouring under the misapprehension that people might give a toss about something you might shortly have to say about Richard Littlejohn – then I hope we can agree that now is the time to take the most unsparing of looks at our work, and remind ourselves of what something actually worth the bandwidth looks like. And so: "Jane Pountney is 50 next year cloned into me with my help she is a whore, home wrecker slut". It's fair to say there's a helluva lot packed into the above. In fact, in those 92 characters is distilled a dark psychological novel, volume six of an autobiography, a potted history of early 21st-century fame culture, and at least two forthcoming reality series. Like I say, a snap of your endive probably isn't going to cut it from here on in.

- Tweet of the week.

- "Jane Pountney is 50 next year cloned into me with my help she is a whore, home wrecker slut".

Celebrities using Twitter has become a big disadvantage, as content by celebrities are take more serious than normal audiences interacting. Social sites entertain the audiences especially from celebrities as they are most likely to be seen as ideologies. However it also can be an advantage to celebrities to interact with their fans and share content if wanted with others, informing and entertaining audiences.

Weekly NDM Story...

Netflix announces immediate fee increase for new UK subscribers, Streaming service hopes to limit loss of customers to rivals such as Amazon/Lovefilm...

Kevin Spacey in Netflix's House of Cards.

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/may/09/netflix-fee-increase-uk-subscribers

Netflix is increasing its monthly fee for streaming movies and television shows from £5.99 to £6.99, hoping that the "House of Cards effect" will keep subscribers from deserting to the rival Amazon/Lovefilm service. The price increase will take effect immediately for new subscribers but will be delayed for two years for existing members. The decision to raise prices comes amid the commercial and critical success of House of Cards, where Netflix invested €100m in the drama starring Kevin Spacey and made the entire series available for immediate streaming. It has also enjoyed a ratings hit with Orange is the New Black and plans further original content from documentaries to children's programmes. But it makes Netflix £1 a month pricier than Amazon Instant Video (the new name for Lovefilm) which charges £5.99 a month. Netflix will allow subscribers to continue paying £5.99 a month if they opt for a lower-resolution "SD" quality service. It also has a multiple-users service for £8.99 a month which allows four users to view programmes at the same time on a single monthly account. Netflix is raising prices not just in the UK but almost across the board for its 48 million global subscriber. With the huge audiences achieved through House of Cards – and a pilot price increase in Ireland which showed "limited impact" in subscriber losses – it is gambling on more subscribers retaining their membership this time.

- Streaming movies and television shows from £5.99 to £6.99.

- Netflix invested €100m in the drama starring Kevin Spacey and made the entire series available for immediate streaming. 

- In an email to subscribers this morning, Netflix said: "In order to continue adding more films and TV programmes, we are increasing our price from £5.99 to £6.99 for new members. As a thank you for being a member of Netflix already, we guarantee that your plan and price will not change for two years."

- Profits at the streaming service jumped to $53m (£32m) in the first quarter of 2014, while subscriber numbers rose 2.25 million.

- Netflix has set itself the target of overhauling cable channel HBO in the US, which has 130 million subscribers.

I personally think Netflix would not lose a large audience due to the monthly subscription increase. As netflix has become one of the most popular catch up television and film site, audiences are more likely to pay an extra pound for the service. The server attracts an large demographic audiences who are interested in TV programmes and movies to be watched on the go with a subscriptions at a time convenient for them. Moreover consumers would continue paying the monthly fee for the entertainment Netflix provides.

Weekly NDM Story...

The best TV of 2013: Phil Hogan's choice. If not quite a vintage year, 2013 will be remembered for Netflix's innovation and a succession of bleakly engrossing crime dramas...

Who killed Danny Latimer? 10 million of us tuned into Broadchurch to find out.

http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2013/dec/22/best-tv-2013-phil-hogan

Netflix arrived and turned TV watching on its head with House of Cards… but that's enough milestones. Two of the best were quite ancient – chemistry thriller Breaking Bad (another coup for Netflix) and scatterbrain comedy Parks and Recreation, both US imports that took off over here after several seasons over there. And, still on US comedy, the second season of Lena Dunham's Girls was funny, sharp and full of surprising nudity. Returning successes Downton Abbey and Homeland stuttered rather than soared, though Call the Midwife – another Sunday hit – shone with good writing and performances. Borgen and Mad Men were well up to scratch. One of the more original British dramas was Utopia (Channel 4), a cultish adventure noted for its violence, likable characters, byzantine storyline and Day-Glo visuals – not to mention one of the most memorable psychopaths of recent years in the knuckle-dragging Arby (Neil Maskell). I'll mention the popular Peaky Blinders – the inter-war gang drama set in sooty Birmingham and featuring the excellent Sam Neill as an ass-kicking police chief – though only to say I didn't take to its swaggering tone, its "bold" use of rock music, its flattering Guinness ad cinematography, melodramatic script and choreographed brawls.

Elisabeth Moss in Jane Campion's Top of the Lake.

Emmy-nominated The Returned, an unusually naturalistic story of people coming back from the dead, was the best French-language TV offering since grubby flics-and-lawyers show Spiral (also back, and as strong as ever). Top of the Lake, Jane Campion's story of New Zealand lowlife, starring Peter Mullan and Elisabeth Moss, was slow but had a chilling ending. As usual, there was no shortage of detectives. 

Top 10

- Breaking Bad Netflix

- Mad Men Sky Atlantic

- Borgen BBC4

- Utopia C4

- Educating Yorkshire C4

- The Fall BBC2

- The Returned C4

- Broadchurch ITV

- Parks and Recreation BBC4

- Homeland C4

Channels like ITV, BBC and Channel four are expanding there shows and bringing back old programmes to attract the audience. The programmes are now becoming available on social sites such as Netflix, LoveFilm and are popular most viewed shows. The top 10 shows mostly watched by audiences is mentioned above.

Weekly NDM Story...

News Corp to expand book empire with acquisition of publisher Harlequin...

The purchase gives News Corp's HarperCollins operation 'an immediate foothold in 11 new countries'.

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/may/02/news-corp-harlequin-purchase-romantic-publisher

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp is expanding its book empire with the £246 million acquisition of a romantic publisher. Canadian-based Harlequin, whose many titles include Her Cowboy Hero and 10 Ways to Handle the Best Man, will become part of the HarperCollins book publishing operation. Thomson, who presides over a group that also owns the Sun and the Wall Street Journal, described readers of Harlequin novels as a "devoted audience" and its subject matter as providing an "empathetic insight into contemporary cultures". Harlequin is a prolific publisher, with more than 1,300 authors churning out 110 new steamy novels each month, and is popular in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region in particular. Approximately 40% of Harlequin's revenues come from books published in languages other than English – the company publishes in 34 languages – while 99% of HarperCollins books are published in English. Brian Murray, the chief executive of HarperCollins, said the acquisition would give the company "an immediate foothold in 11 new countries". 

"We are excited to be joining HarperCollins publishers," said Craig Swinwood, publisher and chief executive of Harlequin. "This transaction will allow Harlequin to continue to operate as a distinct and successful brand within a larger publishing company. We're excited to be able to take full advantage of HarperCollins' robust resources, scale and capabilities to expand the reach of our books and grow our business."

- £246 million acquisition of a romantic publisher.

- Murdoch to make Canadian-based romantic publisher part of HarperCollins in bid to expand digital platform internationally.

- "Harlequin is the perfect fit for the new News Corp," said Robert Thomson, News Corp's chief executive. "It vastly expands our digital platform, extending our reach across borders and languages, and is expected to provide an immediate lift to earnings."

- Harlequin, which is being sold by Torstar Corporation in an all-cash deal, had revenues of $C398m (£215m) and profits of $C56m last year.

- Approximately 40% of Harlequin's revenues come from books published in languages other than English.

- "This acquisition will broaden the boundaries of both HarperCollins and Harlequin, and is a significant step in our strategy to establish a network of digital properties in the growth regions of the world," said Thomson. 

I think this would be a good idea for News Corp to expand its company worldwide. News Corp as become on of the most successful companies by Rupert Murdock, therefore increasing the company to other countries and bringing new content would attract a wider audience and rise revenues too.