CMN 4166 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Norman Lear, Attention Economy
25 Feb 2016
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Document Summary
Handheld devices and interactive tv are being integrated into existing distribution platforms, which includes the internet. These changes undermine traditional approaches to conceptualizing media audiences. Now it is less the numbers and more the desirable audience of 18-49 years that commercial interests are pursuing. It is not how many but how audience members now react to the content. This means capturing audience attention is the criterion for success (attention economy). For accuracy larger samples of audience are needed to reliably establish the distribution of audience attention. Fragmentation means the increased cost of measuring media audiences is challenging producers along with methodological challenges that make the whole former issue of media exposure a less viable tool. We can no longer talk about an institutionally effective audience. Interactivity and mobility: audiences now have technologies to block or skip ads, making the concept of basic exposure not as important as if once was.
