Audience and Institutions - Spec translated

What the spec information means in English..

the issues raised by media ownership in contemporary media practice;

Translation: How the ownership of the development, production, publication and distribution companies affects the type of games that are made.
Examples:

Research as case studies a range of videogame industry companies:
A video game developer eg. Rockstar Games – home of Grand Theft Auto

A video game publisher: eg. Zynga – publishers of Farmville and other ‘social network’ games
An independent video game developer: Rovio – creators of the Angry Birds franchise

Compare the types of games that these companies make and how they make sure they reach their target audience.

the importance of cross media convergence and synergy in production, distribution and marketing;

Translation: You will understand how all aspects of the media (websites, newspapers, television etc) are used to market a new game. Also, you will show you understand how companies work together to produce and distribute new games.

In your case studies, compare how their games are marketed through other aspects of the media. Find out how the games are distributed. For examples of using other media, check out Rockstar Games – Their campaign to market GTA4 was a textbook example of this!

the technologies that have been introduced in recent years at the levels of production, distribution, marketing and exchange;

Translation: You must show you are aware of how new technology has been used to improve the making, distributing and marketing of games and the industry.

Find out about any groundbreaking new tech found in games – eg. Facial graphics in LA Noire . Also, investigate how the internet influences the way that games are marketed and distributed. Digital distribution is a hot topic in the games industry – is this going to be the future of videogame distribution? Know both sides to this eagerly debated coin!

the significance of proliferation in hardware and content for institutions and audiences;

Translation: You must show you understand how the increase and improvements in technology are affecting the ways that games are made and distributed today. Also, be able to assess how technological improvements have impacted the gaming experience.

Find out about the newest technologies in the current generation of consoles – eg. Gesture control (Play, Wii Remote, Kinect) as well as increasing levels of digital downloads and DLC. You need to be able to explore how the affordability of new technology has impacted on the making, promotion and distribution of games. What issues are there concerning piracy in the computer games industry?

the importance of technological convergence for institutions and audiences;

Translation: You must understand how new technologies can combine to produce, market and distribute a game successfully.
The previous two examples are valid here but you will need to have specific examples of how technologies can combine to reach a target audience – Rockstar using licensed music in GTA4 for the radio stations, featuring famous comedians in the comedy club ingame. Games that allow you to post to social networks. Achievements etc.

the issues raised in the targeting of national and local audiences (specifically, British) by international or global institutions;

Translation: You must show how international and global institutions target a national and local British audience.
You must consider how international companies tailor their marketing and distribution to different terrortories, mainly Europe, North America and Japan.

the ways in which the candidates’ own experiences of media consumption illustrate wider patterns and trends of audience behaviour.

Translation: You must be able to include reference to how your own experience of the media shows how an audience may behave.

You will not be asked a question on this however you will need to incorporate this element in each one of the six potential areas above.