The Nature & Purpose of Research in the Creative

Media Industries

Types of Research

Quantitative Research:

This is data collected that consists of figures, statistics and percentages.

Examples include; program ratings, tally's, polls and number of sales.

• Pros:

Provides precise, quantitative, numerical data

Data analysis is relatively less time consuming

It is useful for studying large numbers of people

• Cons:

Context of the study or experiment is ignored.

Does not study things in a natural setting or discuss the meaning things have for different people as qualitative research does.

A large sample of the population must be studied; the larger the sample of people researched, the more statistically accurate the results will be.

Qualitative Research:This is data collected that consists of personal opinions towards a product, service or question.

Example include; film reviews, responses to advertising campaigns and discussion.

• Pros: Provides depth and detail :

Creates openness:

Simulates people's individual experiences:

Attempts to avoid pre-judgments:

• Cons: Usually fewer people studied:

Less easy to generalise:.

Difficult to make systematic comparisons:

Dependent on skills of the researcher:.

Methods of Research

Primary Research:

This research is personally conducted rather than gathered from pre-published research.

Examples include: observations, questionnaires, surveys and interviews

• Pros:

Data interpretation is better.

Recentness of Data

Proprietary Issues

• Cons:

High Cost

Time Consuming

Inaccurate feedback

Secondary Research:

This research is collected from already published research or research conducted by another individual.

Example include: books, newspapers, TV, radio, internet and archives.

Pros:

• Time convenient

• Easily Accessible

• Saving of money

Cons:

• Inappropriateness of the data

• Lack of control over data quality

Data Gathering Agencies

Data gathering or data collection is the process of gathering and collecting

information. Information is collected, to keep on record and is used to make

decisions plus sell the information to others

BARB

Is the organization that compiles audience measurement and television ratings in the United Kingdom.

It was created in 1981 to replace a previous systems whereby ITV ratings were compiled by JICTAR (Joint Industry Committee for Television Audience Research), whilst the BBC did their own audience research.

RAJAR

RAJAR stands for Radio Joint Audience Research

It is the official body in charge of measuring radio audiences in the UK.

It is jointly owned by the BBC and the Radio Centre on behalf of the commercial sector.

OfCom

Is the government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications and postal industries of the United Kingdom.

Ofcom licenses all UK commercial television and radio services in the UK.

Ofcom regulates the UK telecoms sector, defining and enforcing the conditions by which all mobile and fixed-line phone and broadband companies must abide.

Purpose of Research

Audience Research: Before an agency can target an audience they need to

know who the audience is and what their likes and dislikes are.

Advertisers need to classify individuals as belonging to a group, in order to be able to discuss them, or analyze their needs

Without targeting the right audience, media products will lack the effectiveness and success which they gain when researching and marketing towards the correct demographic audience

What are Demographics?

Demographics essentially construct the correct target audience so it’s easier to classify an audience. Demographics are broken into bands depending on peoples jobs or status.

A media producer may also want to know:

- Age- Income bracket/status- Gender- Race-Location

Market Research:

• The purpose of market research in the media industry is to determine whether a product will be accepted amongst different demographics, e.g. gender, age, location, culture, income level and many other variables. It is a systematic process used to discover facts and opinions about the specific area you wish to research.

• It can also help to establish a reason as to why a product is not selling to one particular demographic but is selling to another. It can also be used to establish whether a particular product is more popular than another.

Production Research: • When developing a new product, production research

needs to be carried out. This research will allow you to identify what resources you will need to launch the end end product and whether your product would be profitable within the current market.

• Product research will give you an idea of what factors, whether controllable or uncontrollable, could affect the production of the product. (factors include pricing, promotion and distribution)