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1. Learning aim B : Understand the structure and job roles in a Media Sector
B1 Structure of a media sector
Public service media is a platform funded and can be used by members of the public. Its free
press and is designed to promote democracy. The EBU states that they help create healthy
democracy, higher degree of press freedom and create a higher voter turnout. The BBC is
another public service provider. It provides the news and other entertainment like films, tv
and radio. It makes money through people in the UK needing a TV licence to own a TV, this
money then goes to pay for the BBC. This is quite old fashioned however and may people
want this to be abolished. However, the BBC says since it’s a public service its beneficial to
the public to have it.
Where as public service media is funded by the public commercial media’s income
generates from advertisement.
Independent media is any form of media, radio, tv news etc, that isn’t controlled by the
government. This means it can speak out against the government and talk about any
subjects they want.
Vertical integration is where a company will own all stages of production. This is good
because a company can make content quicker and cheaper in house, only disadvantage is
that at the start it’s a huge investment. Companies like Netflix have benefited from this, all
its content used to be outsourced and licenced, however now it also creates its own
content. Horizontal integration is when a company will own other companies in that sector
to generate more income, for example Disney plus makes films and then can put them on
Disney plus, a streaming platform or sell them in the Disney store. Another example is 20th
century fox (now owned by Disney anyways) which will make films and distribute them in
cinemas and DVD shops they own.
Cross-media is the distribution of media using different media platforms. For example a
company might release a poster for a movie and release this poster through social media,
print and or digital magazines, websites. The goal of this is too reach as many consumers as
possible.
Multi-platform uses the horizontal integration of company to release a product like a poster
for a move across different platforms to reach as any consumers as possible.
Multinational media companies are companies which are present around the globe. For
example Disney is a multinational company as their products reach around the globe.
B2 Career opportunities in a media sector
My chosen industry is film. This industry is huge, its the leading form of entertainment with
huge companies which control a lot of the industry. The biggest companies in the industry
are: Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, Columbia Pictures, and Walt
Disney Studios; In 2019 the US filmindustry collectively made 35.5 billion dollars. It is quite

2. daunting to get into the film industry as these companies own a lot of the market and they
only really trust filmmakers with a good history. However, there’s been a recent trend in
Hollywood of unknown or small directors being given the budget from a company to create
a blockbuster. Like Lionsgate giving Jordan Vogt-Roberts the budget and script to create
Kong skull island although he mainly had tv credits before. For upcoming directors’
independent companies are a great, companies like A24, it’s an independent company
which has produced amazing movies like lighthouse, uncut gems, heredity and midsummer.
All these films were created by small time directors; they were given a good budget which
allowed the directors to hire actors they wanted which also brought some traction to the
movie. The director of uncut gems always wanted Adam Stadler in the role and there was a
lot of attention given to the filmbecause of Stadler. The nature of the industry is challenging
and competitive. The best way to get your foot in the door is to do as many courses you can;
make as many short movies as you can and write scripts. Creating a portfolio and a large
volume is what will convince an employer/producer that you’re the one for the job.
However apart form directing there are hundreds of jobs in the sector: camera operator,
sound operator, make up artists, set designers etc. In the US there are 456,800 people
employed in the industry, in the UK there are 248,600 employed so you can see that the US
film industry is almost double the size of the UK industry. The film industry in general is
quite competitive; the people who are successful however are the people who as I said,
have a big volume off work to show future employers. Another aspect of the industry is
word of mouth is a popular method of employment so it’s important that when on set to
talk and make friends with people so that in case they are working in a project they can
recommend you.
As I said before, the major studios in the film industry are: Paramount Pictures, Warner
Bros., Universal Pictures, Columbia Pictures, and Walt Disney Studios. These are the private
companies which are also the conglomerate companies that own a lot of the market share.
They make the most profitable and widespread movies. People like Bob Chapek who owns
Disney has a massive influence on the industry as Disney also owns Fox and Marvel which
are powerhouses of their own. In regards to public service companies the BBC is the most
well know; it has a huge influence on the UK public as well as it’s the leading news source.
In the film industry regulation is a big legal issue, a lot of the main points can be looked at
through Marvel. In the 90s Marvel was going through financial issues and had to sell the film
rights to a lot of their most well-known heroes. In 1993 Marvel sold the film rights of the X
men to 20th century fox, along with the fantastic 4. They then sold the filmrights of
spiderman to Sony In 1998. This is all important as now they don’t have the film rights to
use these characters they don’t have the licences to use these characters. So when Marvel
made iron man in 2008 and decided they wanted to go forward and create the Marvel
Cinematic Universe they couldn’t use spiderman or the X men. In 2009 Disney bought
marvel which meant a total takeover of the company. A takeover is when one company
buys out another when opposed to a merger which is when too companies become one.
Later on down the line Disney wanted to use Spiderman in the MCU so a licencing
agreement was created between Sony and Disney. The deal was for five movies with

3. spiderman in the MCU which are all produced by marvel. Sony pays for the production and
distribution of the two standalone movies in this five movie deal, however marvel own the
merchandising rights for spiderman and will make money from the movie that way. This
deal was renegotiated at the end of the five movie deal to have two more movies, the deal
now is that marvel get a quarter of the profits of these two movies, however they also pay
for quarter of the production. Disney has now also bought 20th century fox, meaning they
now again have the licencing rights for X men and fantastic 4.
In the financing of movies producers might make deals with certain brands too get more
money for the production of the film, this is advertising income. For a good example of this
look to the James bond films were Aston Martian is the car he always drives, or Heineken
beer also in James Bond. These are called product placements and are one way of adverting
income in film. So the brand pays the film to have their products in the film, the opposite is
a license fee where the film pays to have something, usually music in the film.
Distributors are the big companies; the conglomerates as mentioned before again ill use
Disney. Disney owns Marvel, Pixar and 20th Century fox and there for distributes their
movies. Look at Iron man in 2008, Disney didn’t own marvel back then so it was actually
paramount that distributed this movie. So outside distributors don’t have much creative
control over the movie, however if the company that’s distributing the movie also owns the
company that made the filmthen they do have creative control. This is another form of
vertical integration. Now when it comes to the film its self who has control over production
and the creative direction. Producers have all control of the production as they are financing
the movie; however they do also have a bit of creative control. They might tell the writer or
director to add characters, kill characters, keep characters, change endings in such a way
that sequels are viable. Directors and script writers have the most creative control however
as they are the ones who created the story and they know how they want the film made.
However what does happen is sometimes a writer may create a script and sell it, then the
film created is nothing like the film they wrote. An example of this is 10 Cloverfield lane; a
script was read by producers called the cellar and what the essentially done was take the
script and change the context so that it would line up with the events of the first Cloverfield
movie. So in the creative process a writer creates a script which is then given to a producer,
they read the script and if they want to they’ll ask for changes. This is back and forth until
the script is ready. Then a producer will hire a director who will read the script and use their
vision to bring it to the screen.
Once a script is finalised the production starts. If the film is done through vertical integration
then most of the equipment, crew will be insourced. If its not it will be outsourced and they
will need to hire the equipment and crew; this is something the producers will handle.
When casting the cinematographers and editors the director may have people in mind and
hire them although ultimately its up to the producer.
When it finally comes to the distribution of the movie producers will hire people to
advertise the movie through trailers and posters. They might ask the cast to do certain
interviews too. Distributing the movie can be done in different ways. Companies that use
vertical integration line Netflix or 20th century fox will release their movies through their

4. platforms, Netflix being digitally and Fox owning their own cinemas. Otherwise what will
happen is cinemas chains will pay to have their movies in their cinemas, and the majority of
the ticket sales go back to the production company.
B3 Ethical issues for employees in a media sector
Ethical issues for the employers are to not treat someone differently for their skin, gender
or beliefs. As for productions which will include people from different languages its always
good to hire translators for the set. Also, for accessibility make sure that all facilities can be
used by everyone. This also goes for the content you create, any content that is made which
steps on any group’s identities could make members of that group feel uncomfortable on
set. Furthermore, the use of language should be professional; there’s no need for bad
language and it can result in tensions in the crew. However, with language in the content
you create it must be appropriate for the target audience; Quentin Tarantino for example
makes films which contain a lot of strong language and because of that reputation he holds
for films of that nature audiences wouldn’t expect him to create the next Disney movie.
That’s okay though because his movies are for older audiences and that’s his target
audience and his style of filmmaking; audiences expect it from him to have vulgar language
and are not really offended by it. So overall its important in regards to language to keep it in
line with the target audience of the film. If you’re creating a kid’s film there obviously
shouldn’t be bad language, if it’s for adults go nuts. My next point is in regards to
racist/homophobic/sexist overall discriminatory language. The language should suit the
story and subject matter but it shouldn’t be excessive or glorified.
The filmindustry is very influential; it’s the most consumed media which means that a lot of
people can be influenced through it. This is really important as its your job as a filmmaker to
not allow any content you create to be used in a way that influences people to harm
themselves or others. It’s equally important to not mislead your audience into believing
your opinions as a filmmaker; you can present your viewers with information and let them
come to their own conclusions. This is especially important for documentary film makers as
their documentary’s shouldn’t aimto convince people of anything, it should just present the
facts. Any work you do which does incite controversy can tarnish your name in the industry
meaning you will struggle to find work as a filmmaker.
The codes of professional practice can be different for different locations and different cast
members (if they are under 18). Generally, though, you’ve got to just treat people with
respect and only make them do what they signed on to do.
B4 Legal issues for employees in a media sector
As for content in the filmmaking sector you cant represent any group of people
stereotypically as this is offensive; no content should be created which is to incite violence
to any groups of people. If you create content like this you are libel for anything that
happens as a consequence. You couldn’t include any bad language before the watershed
either, a watershed, this is mainly of your working in TV, a cut of point ( in the UK its 9
o’clock) where your not allowed to have any content that is above what would be PG before

5. that time. You also shouldn’t use footage off anyone they don’t want you to as you are
intruding on their privacy.
As for copywrite you shouldn’t use anyone’s images, music or intellectual property without
their permission as you could be sued as consequence.