Television is no longer a passive medium and new
media technology is revolutionising the way we communicate with
each other. Interactive digital media is a term now in everybody's
vocabulary and it is essentially used to describe various components
that constitute digital production, whether for digital formats
or for the web.
Telephony deregulation makes convergence viable and now it is
possible to bring the telephone, video and interactive net products
into the home via one simple cable modem. There may not be a fundamental
change in viewing as a whole, but it is the consumer who is most
likely to be affected by these changes, because interactive television
is helping viewers to take control of their own viewing instead
of the broadcasters.
Until now it has been a struggle to reproduce the liveliness
and interaction of the web on television. Web content in general
on TV has lacked spontaneity and has proved difficult to navigate,
but efficient commercial services are now being provided and ongoing
production of premium content is vital
The majority of businesses are now on-line and anyone with a
website can webcast; any company with a brochure or announcement
can put it on-line quickly and this means there are good short
term commercial prospects for producers come from the corporate
market.
Public Service Broadcasting
There are many unresolved issues in today's broadcast industry
such as the future of public service broadcasting, the vulnerability
of the television licence and about the opening up of the UK to
non-European investment and the effect this will have on consumers.
The UK Programme Supply Review report, which has been inspired
by the introduction of the Communications Bill, aims to encourage
British independent producers and to establish codes of practice
in the media sector which will be monitored by Ofcom.
The Future of Independents
It is widely believed that in this increasingly competitive market
independent companies will thrive. Many large companies employ
independents to produce a substantial amount of their programming
already, but what about the very small independent producers?
Some anticipate that there will be fewer independent production
companies in the future and that the market will consolidate.
With new opportunities and the creative talent within the independent
sector there may be an even greater need for smaller companies
to feed into larger ones. Lower overheads can be of considerable
advantage to the independent sector and as the number of channels
grows, so does the need for quality programmes produced at competitive
rates.
Getting into the industry
The skills of new producers entering the industry and already
within it have to match the fast moving and developing audio-visual
industries in order to succeed in a converged, competitive market.
For freelancers it is becoming easier to set up due to the fall
in the cost of equipment. It is now relatively inexpensive to
be able to prepare, shoot and post-produce material, but it is
still very difficult to get into the media industry to work as
an employee for a larger organisation. Qualifications, skills,
personality and a bundle of good ideas can take you a long way,
but finding a niche can also be down to contacts, good fortune
and being in the right place at the right time.
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Do you think it's getting
harder to get into the media industry than it was previously? |
 2.24
Martin Morrall |
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