Institutions in Today Lectorial

In today’s lectorial we looked at two key things, the first being institution and the second was work placements. Firstly I will start with institutions; Institutions are defined by their principles, values and rules that correlate with their place in society. An example we used was Marriage which is a social institution, it is built on principles such as love, values such as honesty, trust even family and rules/regulations for example it is only to be between two people.

Various Media institutions, though consisting of different principles, values and rules, are created and defined from the same fabric. A task we performed in class today was brainstorming the institutional characteristics of a particular institution, I had community media.

Community Media

Relationship to audience/users (‘mode of address’)? Often through radio stations where the presenters will talk about how the town or the specific community is faring that day, local news coverage. I find local stations to be more specific and more tailored to their audience than a major broadcasting institution. A specific community has an easily definable target audience.

• What are their core values? Family values, local political concerns such as specific government funding to certain places, the welfare of the listeners, the welfare of the townships.
• What is their status? They should voice the concerns of the people, due to this position of power they amongst the community they are respected and viewed as a legitimate source because the ‘voice’ they adopt is one created by the listeners, the people.
• How are their activities ‘professionalised’? I’m not too sure what this question means, however the tone community media adopts should be a formal, disciplined one that contrasts and effectively communicates the voice of the community.
• How are they more than a business? Often they are a symbol of the community; they harness the community’s views and values as well as bring character into the community.
• What forms of regulations constrain their activities (internal & external)? The audience is an external constraint. If the institution is broad casting in a largely left wing area to put forward and discuss highly right wing topics would potentially ruin the reputation of the company.

Notes from the Lectorial

• Sociological meaning: The focus of The Wire is institutions each season it focus on distinct institutions. Individuals struggling against the institutional constraints they are within, often the institutions win.
• Marriage is a social institution: Legal/regulatory aspect. Meta-institutional frame, Widely accepted/practiced. Institutions can’t just be ideas. Cultural rules. It has rituals. Heavily symbolic element to it. Tied into gender roles. Rituals surrounding it. Kindship structure changes. The Wedding industry is a commercial industry.
• Blog post on technology creating short term memory issues-remember The Project. Link to Socrates writings.
• Media Institutions: ABC, The News, Journalism, Newscorp, Cinema. Broadcast Television., Community Radio, Cinema.
• Media industry: Regulate and Structure activities (they create different ways of working), they are enduring, Even CEO’s are kept accountable against the institutions history and practices. The institution overrides the individual. Values are shared within the institution (an SBS employee got sacked for comments made on ANZAC day). Public is aware of the status. Channel 10 is situated in the youth market, entertains and engages the ‘Young at Heart’. Channel 10 isn’t tied to a literal age. New York times is the pillar of respectable journalism yet trust was broken due to a journalists comments on a specific topic.
• Media watch is about the breach of trust between the institutions and there audience. The institution has breached their trust with the audience.
• What does the audience invest in their institution? Respect? Trust?
• Work Attachments
• You have write a report on your work. It’s a reflection.
• Don’t do it publicly
• Offer your services specifically, say you are going to do this…….and this………..
• Be strategic, do a plan, do a calculated plan.
• Community stations?
• Work outside of your comfort zone
• You could even write a script for your phone call. Should tailor it for each institution.
• Tailor each individual application for specific media companies.
• This is an opportunity- it’s very broad. You have to be supervised by a professional.