COM3702 Assignment 1
(COMPLETE ANSWERS)
Semester 2 2025 (814563) -
DUE 1 September 2025
For assistance contact
Email:
,Introduction
This assignment aims to provide a comprehensive overview of key concepts in media
management, exploring how media organizations navigate a dynamic and competitive
landscape. We will begin by examining the crucial role of environmental analysis and
strategic planning, particularly through the use of a SWOT analysis, to align internal
capabilities with external market realities. Following this, the assignment will delve into the
structure of the media market, defining and explaining various forms of media concentration
and their relationship to competition. Finally, we will consider the complex role of news as a
form of representation, analyzing how media outlets construct narratives and convey
meaning. By exploring these topics, this assignment will demonstrate a foundational
understanding of the strategic, economic, and representational dimensions of the media
industry.
Media Management
Strategic media management is the process of setting and implementing goals and objectives
for a media organization, taking into account both the internal environment and the external
market. It is important because it allows the organization to anticipate changes, allocate
resources effectively, and maintain a competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving industry. A
central component of this strategic process is the environmental analysis, which requires a
media manager to look at both the inside and outside of the organization. This analysis helps
a company understand what it can do well and where it is vulnerable, while simultaneously
identifying the opportunities and threats presented by the market.
An internal assessment focuses on the organization's intrinsic characteristics and resources.
This is where a media manager identifies strengths and weaknesses. Strengths are the
positive, unique attributes that give the organization an advantage. For a newspaper, a
strength could be a team of highly respected investigative journalists, a large and loyal
subscription base, or a strong financial position. Weaknesses, on the other hand, are the
internal limitations or deficiencies that could hinder performance. Examples include an
outdated website, a lack of digital skills among staff, or a slow decision-making process. The
internal analysis is crucial because it provides an honest look at the organization's capabilities
and its readiness to compete.
In contrast, an external assessment examines the broader industry and market to identify
opportunities and threats. These factors are outside the organization's direct control.
Opportunities are favorable external conditions that the organization can leverage for growth.
For a South African news publisher, an opportunity could be the rapid increase in internet
penetration and mobile usage, allowing for new digital product offerings. Threats are external
factors that could negatively impact the organization. This could include the rise of new,
disruptive competitors (like social media platforms), restrictive government regulations, or a
downturn in the national economy that reduces advertising revenue. The external assessment
helps a media manager understand the landscape and anticipate future challenges.
, Together, the internal and external assessments form the basis of a SWOT analysis, which
stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. The real value of a SWOT
analysis lies in its ability to achieve a strategic fit. This means aligning the organization’s
internal strengths with the external opportunities available in the market. When a strategic fit
is achieved, the organization can leverage its core competencies to exploit market openings,
leading to superior performance and sustained success. For example, if a television
broadcaster's internal strength is its high-quality production studio (Strength) and a market
opportunity is the growing demand for local streaming content (Opportunity), a strategic fit
would involve using the studio to produce new local series for a streaming platform.
Similarly, a media manager must also address weaknesses to counter threats, such as
investing in new technology (addressing a Weakness) to compete with a technologically
advanced rival (Threat). By systematically examining and matching internal and external
factors, a SWOT analysis provides a clear roadmap for a media organization's strategic
direction.
Media and Communications Market
The media and communications market is a complex ecosystem shaped by various forces,
with media concentration being a particularly dominant one. Media concentration refers to
the process where a small number of companies come to own and control a large portion of
the media market. This is often the result of mergers, acquisitions, and the expansion of major
media conglomerates. While proponents argue that it can lead to economies of scale and
investment in high-quality content, critics contend that it can stifle competition, reduce the
diversity of content, and limit the range of voices and perspectives available to the public.
The relationship between media concentration and competition is often inversely
proportional; as concentration increases, the number of independent players decreases,
leading to reduced competition. This can manifest in less pressure on media companies to
innovate, improve quality, or offer competitive pricing.
Media concentration can be categorized into four distinct types:
1. Horizontal concentration occurs when a company acquires or merges with a
competitor that operates at the same stage of the value chain. In South Africa, a clear
example is Media24, which owns a vast portfolio of newspapers and magazines,
including Daily Sun, City Press, and You. By controlling multiple publications within
the same market, Media24 holds a dominant position in the print media sector. This
type of concentration can reduce direct competition, potentially leading to a lack of
diverse editorial viewpoints across the publications.
2. Vertical concentration involves a company acquiring firms at different stages of the
value chain, from content creation to distribution. While less common in its pure form
in South Africa, a good example is Naspers's DStv (MultiChoice). DStv not only
distributes content via its satellite and streaming services but also produces its own
content through various channels like M-Net and SuperSport. This allows the
company to control both the production and the delivery of content, creating a
formidable barrier to entry for smaller competitors.
3. Cross-media (or diagonal) concentration takes place when a single company owns
different types of media outlets, such as print, television, radio, and online platforms.
(COMPLETE ANSWERS)
Semester 2 2025 (814563) -
DUE 1 September 2025
For assistance contact
Email:
,Introduction
This assignment aims to provide a comprehensive overview of key concepts in media
management, exploring how media organizations navigate a dynamic and competitive
landscape. We will begin by examining the crucial role of environmental analysis and
strategic planning, particularly through the use of a SWOT analysis, to align internal
capabilities with external market realities. Following this, the assignment will delve into the
structure of the media market, defining and explaining various forms of media concentration
and their relationship to competition. Finally, we will consider the complex role of news as a
form of representation, analyzing how media outlets construct narratives and convey
meaning. By exploring these topics, this assignment will demonstrate a foundational
understanding of the strategic, economic, and representational dimensions of the media
industry.
Media Management
Strategic media management is the process of setting and implementing goals and objectives
for a media organization, taking into account both the internal environment and the external
market. It is important because it allows the organization to anticipate changes, allocate
resources effectively, and maintain a competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving industry. A
central component of this strategic process is the environmental analysis, which requires a
media manager to look at both the inside and outside of the organization. This analysis helps
a company understand what it can do well and where it is vulnerable, while simultaneously
identifying the opportunities and threats presented by the market.
An internal assessment focuses on the organization's intrinsic characteristics and resources.
This is where a media manager identifies strengths and weaknesses. Strengths are the
positive, unique attributes that give the organization an advantage. For a newspaper, a
strength could be a team of highly respected investigative journalists, a large and loyal
subscription base, or a strong financial position. Weaknesses, on the other hand, are the
internal limitations or deficiencies that could hinder performance. Examples include an
outdated website, a lack of digital skills among staff, or a slow decision-making process. The
internal analysis is crucial because it provides an honest look at the organization's capabilities
and its readiness to compete.
In contrast, an external assessment examines the broader industry and market to identify
opportunities and threats. These factors are outside the organization's direct control.
Opportunities are favorable external conditions that the organization can leverage for growth.
For a South African news publisher, an opportunity could be the rapid increase in internet
penetration and mobile usage, allowing for new digital product offerings. Threats are external
factors that could negatively impact the organization. This could include the rise of new,
disruptive competitors (like social media platforms), restrictive government regulations, or a
downturn in the national economy that reduces advertising revenue. The external assessment
helps a media manager understand the landscape and anticipate future challenges.
, Together, the internal and external assessments form the basis of a SWOT analysis, which
stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. The real value of a SWOT
analysis lies in its ability to achieve a strategic fit. This means aligning the organization’s
internal strengths with the external opportunities available in the market. When a strategic fit
is achieved, the organization can leverage its core competencies to exploit market openings,
leading to superior performance and sustained success. For example, if a television
broadcaster's internal strength is its high-quality production studio (Strength) and a market
opportunity is the growing demand for local streaming content (Opportunity), a strategic fit
would involve using the studio to produce new local series for a streaming platform.
Similarly, a media manager must also address weaknesses to counter threats, such as
investing in new technology (addressing a Weakness) to compete with a technologically
advanced rival (Threat). By systematically examining and matching internal and external
factors, a SWOT analysis provides a clear roadmap for a media organization's strategic
direction.
Media and Communications Market
The media and communications market is a complex ecosystem shaped by various forces,
with media concentration being a particularly dominant one. Media concentration refers to
the process where a small number of companies come to own and control a large portion of
the media market. This is often the result of mergers, acquisitions, and the expansion of major
media conglomerates. While proponents argue that it can lead to economies of scale and
investment in high-quality content, critics contend that it can stifle competition, reduce the
diversity of content, and limit the range of voices and perspectives available to the public.
The relationship between media concentration and competition is often inversely
proportional; as concentration increases, the number of independent players decreases,
leading to reduced competition. This can manifest in less pressure on media companies to
innovate, improve quality, or offer competitive pricing.
Media concentration can be categorized into four distinct types:
1. Horizontal concentration occurs when a company acquires or merges with a
competitor that operates at the same stage of the value chain. In South Africa, a clear
example is Media24, which owns a vast portfolio of newspapers and magazines,
including Daily Sun, City Press, and You. By controlling multiple publications within
the same market, Media24 holds a dominant position in the print media sector. This
type of concentration can reduce direct competition, potentially leading to a lack of
diverse editorial viewpoints across the publications.
2. Vertical concentration involves a company acquiring firms at different stages of the
value chain, from content creation to distribution. While less common in its pure form
in South Africa, a good example is Naspers's DStv (MultiChoice). DStv not only
distributes content via its satellite and streaming services but also produces its own
content through various channels like M-Net and SuperSport. This allows the
company to control both the production and the delivery of content, creating a
formidable barrier to entry for smaller competitors.
3. Cross-media (or diagonal) concentration takes place when a single company owns
different types of media outlets, such as print, television, radio, and online platforms.
