Page 230 - A Handbook Genre Studies in Mass Media

INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE

Lines of Inquiry

1. Select a sample of programs from a genre and conduct an industry
analysis.
a. In what ways do industry considerations account for a genre
being presented in the media?
b. In what ways do industry considerations affect the content, style,
and structure of a genre?
2. Examine a programming trend over a brief period (e.g., three years).
a. Identify genres with respect to the cycle described in the chapter.
b. Examine new shows, genres, and subgenres. In what ways do
they reflect the conservative nature of the media industry?
3. How does advertising influence the appearance, style, and content
of a genre?
4. Conduct an analysis of the current most popular films, based on the
box office attendance records for the previous weekend.
a. What are the total number of genres in the top ten?
b. Of the top ten films, which genres are the most popular?
c. Identify the number of sequels.
d. Are there any surprises?
1. Genres that do not appear in the top ten
2. Genres that do appear in the top ten
e. How many films feature “bankable” stars (e.g., Tom Hanks,
Nicole Kidman, Johnny Depp)?
f. How many of the top ten films were produced by the mega-
media corporations (e.g., Paramount Studios, owned by Disney
Studios)?
What does this analysis reveal with respect to the impact of the in-
dustry on genres?

5. Compare top ten film box office lists over an extended period (e.g.,
the past year or two years). What patterns can you identify with
regard to:
a. The cycle of genres
b. The conservative nature of the film industry
c. Other observations

What does this analysis reveal with respect to the impact of the in-
dustry on genres?

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