Week 7 Lecture

To be honest, I didn't attend this week's lecture as I am currently in Melbourne. I also found that hotel Wi-Fi is not exactly the best when trying to download a lecture recording. So in the end I had to settle for reviewing the Powerpoint. 

Following on from last week's lecture on commercial media, this week's lecture covered public media. In contrast to commercial media, public media are government funded companies. Their ultimate goal is to serve the public. 

Major players in Australian public media include:

· ABC 

· ABC 2

· ABC 3

· ABC News 24

· ABC Radio

· SBS

· SBS Two

· SBS Radio

· Triple J 

The main role of public media is to show media that is in support of public and democratic processes. The are still able to make a profit; SBS is considered a 'hybrid' channel but is still able to be known as a public media channel. ABC is a conventional public media channel. 

Public media should have public value. The Powerpoint outlined public value as:

1. Embedding a 'public service ethos'

2. Value for licence fee money

3. 'Weighing public value against market impact'

4. Public consultation

Public media broadcasting should also involve:

· Geographical universality - available to the whole population

· Universality of appeal - cater to all tastes and interests

· Special provision for minorities

· Special relationship to the sense of national identity and community

· Distance from all vested interests

· Universality of payment 

· Competition in good programming rather than competition for numbers

· Liberate rather than restrict broadcasters

Judging from this lecture, I would rather work for a public media company than a commercial media company. I like the public service aspect of their broadcasting, and would rather be dedicated to fair and just media than competing for advertisers and generating profit.