Case Study HW- Wigley

How do audiences access texts across the three platforms?
• Do the texts enable different types of audience activity and/or interaction?
• Are audiences able to play a role in the construction of media texts? (UGC)
• Are there differences in the audience gratifications offered across the three platforms?

My three texts are based on fantasy drama, Vampire Dairies, True Blood and Misfits. For each of my texts the audience are able to access broadcast through the different channels that they are broadcast onto. Vampire Dairies and Misfits are easier to access due to the fact they have a fixed day, time and channel. Where as True Blood is harder to access for audience because it doesn’t have a fixed time or day, this is down to the fact that the content shown in the program is quite explicit.

The audience are able to access the texts through e media down to the fact that each of the texts have either their own website. Through the use of this website they are able to interact with the text. On each website audiences are able to sign up/ register to the websites. This allows them to leave comments on the website page and share their views on each of the texts. Its also enables them to be constantly updated with the new events and news about each of the texts.  They are able to share pictures and video that they may have found via YouTube and other search engines.

On print however only two of my texts are easier to access, Vampire Dairies and True Blood. This is due to the fact that each of the texts has its own book series out. Misfits however is not a book series and is harder to access via print, however there are ways, such a through magazines and posters.

Each of the platforms allows the text to have its own different gratifications. The gratifications for print are escapism and information/education. These are because, if the audience have seen the TV program, which doesn’t give much of the information they are able to read the books and find out more details which are not given through the program. Also it is just more intense when reading the books so the detail allows the audience to be drawn further into the book  The gratifications for e media differ, social interaction as they are able to meet and talk with other people who have the same interest as them. As it give them a topic to talk about.

What institutional issues are raised by the topic areas?
• How are institutions reacting to change in technology?
• How are institutions attempting to reach and engage their audiences?
• What economic issues are behind the construction and distribution of contemporary media texts?

The creators of “The vampire Diaries” on the platform broadcast are Kevin Williamson &
Julie Plec. They based it on the books written by L.J.Smith. The print format for this text hasn’t changed much apart from the fact that they have created new covers for the books which are based on the broadcast TV program. However for “The Vampire Diaries” print platform has now changed and has entered the platform of emdia and broadcast. At first the text was only on print with the books, but now they have a website and the TV program there for being on all three platforms.  The “True Blood” texts are the same. At first it was only working on the print platform with the books by Charlaine Harris. However5 now it works on all three platforms including emedia and broadcast. Although, it works more on broadcast than emedia as on the website it in only so much you can do.

Misfits is another story. They started on the platform of broadcast first with there TV program on the channel E4. They then moved to emedia with the website and haven’t yet gotten on to the print platform fully. They only have appearances in magazines and few adverts.