Lecture 6

In the 6th lecture for this semester we focused on commercial media. The above picture is a representation of some of the major players in commercial media. These companies produce things such as free to air television, newspapers, magazines and digital media. In the public media corner sits the SBS and the ABC. The defining difference between them is advertising. I think it is best summed up with the quote 'Advertisers are the real customers of a commercial media organisation, not its readers, viewers or listeners.'

The fact that advertisers are the most important customers for commercial media organisations poses many issues. First and foremost it is a question of morals. Will they expose the shady doings of their biggest advertiser or is the money more important. According to Margret Simons there should be an 'Ethical Wall' separating the commercial (advertising sales) and the social (editorial), to ensure the public gets the whole truth. A constant thought in the back of these organisation's minds is the concept of less money means less quality. However, it seems audiences have already grown tired of these constant streams of ads. Spencer Howsan's (ad-free!) morning show at ABC local radio is, in fact, the most popular morning show.