Hesmondhalgh - Cultural Industries

 Hesmondhalgh - Cultural Industries

1) What does the term 'Cultural Industries' actually refer to?

The creation

The production

The distribution of products of a cultural nature.

2) What does Hesmondhalgh identify regarding the societies in which the cultural industries are highly profitable?

These societies tend to support the conditions where large companies, and their political allies, make money. These conditions are:

1) Constant demand for new products

2) minimal regulation outside of general competition law

3) relative political and economic stability

-4) workforces that are willing to work hard.

3) Why do some media products offer ideologies that challenge capitalism or inequalities in society?

Some media products challenge capitalism or social inequalities because creators may seek to critique dominant systems or provide the perspectives of marginalized groups.

4) Look at page 2 of the fact sheet. What are the problems that Hesmondhalgh identifies with regards to the cultural industries?

- High production costs and low production costs

- Creativity vs. commerce

- Risky business

- Semi-public goods; the need to create scarcity

5) Why are so many cultural industries a 'risky business' for the companies involved?

The cultural industry company is reliant on other cultural industry companies to make audiences aware of the existence of a new product or of the uses and pleasure that they'll get from experiencing a product

6) What is your opinion on the creativity vs. commerce debate? Should the media be all about profit or are media products a form of artistic expression that play an important role in society?

I think that while the media industry must generate profit to sustain itself, prioritizing profit above all can reduce creativity and cultural diversity. Media products should balance artistic expression with financial success.

7) How do cultural industry companies minimise their risks and maximise their profits? (Clue: your work on Industries - Ownership and control will help here) 

Vertical and horizontal integration: Controlling production, distribution, and promotion.

Diversification: Offering a variety of products to spread risks.

8) Do you agree that the way the cultural industries operate reflects the inequalities and injustices of wider society? Should the content creators, the creative minds behind media products, be better rewarded for their work?

Yes, the cultural industries often reflect societal inequalities, such as pay differences and less presentation of marginalized groups. Content creators, should be compensated fairly since they drive innovation and creativity but are often undervalued compared to those in popular profession eg financial businesses.

9) Listen and read the transcript to the opening 9 minutes of the Freakonomics podcast - No Hollywood Ending for the Visual-Effects Industry. Why has the visual effects industry suffered despite the huge budgets for most Hollywood movies?

This is due to the rising costs and the unfair distribution of profit.

10) What is commodification? 

Commodification is the process of turning something that isn’t traditionally a commodity (e.g., culture, art, or information) into a product that can be bought and sold

11) Do you agree with the argument that while there are a huge number of media texts created, they fail to reflect the diversity of people or opinion in wider society?

Yes, despite the amount of media texts, mainstream media often lacks diversity in terms of race, and gender.

12) How does Hesmondhalgh suggest the cultural industries have changed? Identify the three most significant developments and explain why you think they are the most important.

Many companies today merge and become global conglomerates and the organisation of cultural industries is now much broader.

Lots of individuals can own and run businesses now and technology has transformed production, distribution, and consumption, making media more accessible but also increasing surveillance and commodification (digitalisation)