A diverging media
A. Joe Swanberg makes films about the romantic lives of young urbanites. He shoots quickly with a digital camera and asks actors to wear their own clothes. His films, which tend to cost between $30,000 and $50,000 to make, are almost never shown in cinemas. Instead they are available on pay-television as video-on-demand, as downloads from iTunes (Apple’s digital store) or as DVDs. By keeping his costs down and distributing digitally, Mr Swanberg is making a living.
B. Technology was expected to help young artists like Mr Swanberg. In 2006 Chris Anderson, the author of “The Long Tail”, predicted that the internet would vastly increase the supply of niche media products and bring audiences to them. That has certainly happened. But so has the opposite. In film, music, television and books, blockbusters are tightening their grip on audiences and advertisers. The growth of obscure products has come at the expense of things that are merely quite popular. The loser in a world of almost limitless entertainment choice is not the hit, but the near-miss.
C. There are several reasons for this. Some are as old as Charles Dickens (or perhaps even Homer). People still want to have something to talk about with their friends. Thus “American Idol” and “The X-Factor” do pretty much as well as TV hits did ten years ago, “New Moon” set a new record at the box office and bestselling books sell better than ever. Research shows that people enjoy hits more than they do obscure stuff, often because they are the only thing that many people try in that genre: lucky Dan Brown and Katie Price.
D. But some things are new. All that technology that has made niche content so much more accessible has also proved handy for pushing blockbusters. Missed “Twilight”, the predecessor of “New Moon”? There will be other chances to catch it, in a wide variety of formats. Technology helps hits zip around the world, too-even in the art market.
E. Blockbusters are doing well not in spite of the fact that people have more choice in entertainment, but because of it. Imagine walking into a music shop containing 4m songs (the number available on We7, a free music-streaming service in Britain) or more than 10m (the choice on iTunes), all of them arranged alphabetically in plain boxes. The choice would be overwhelming. It is far easier to grab the thing everybody is talking about or that you heard on the radio that morning.
F. Is this increasing polarisation into blockbusters and niches good or bad? It certainly makes life harder for media companies. In a world of growing entertainment options it is more important than ever to make a splash. Miss the top of the chart, even by a little, and your product ends up fighting for attention along with thousands-perhaps millions-of other offerings. That prospect makes for jitters and, sometimes, conservatism. Broadcast television programmes must succeed quickly or they will be cancelled. It is becoming even harder to talk studio bosses into approving some kinds of film. Want to make a complicated political drama, based on an original screenplay, with expensive actors in exotic locations? Good luck with that.
G. Yet the challenge for the moguls is a boon to consumers. In the past firms made a lot of money supplying content that was not too objectionable to people who did not have much of a choice. In a world of hugely expanded options they cannot get away with this. These days there is rarely nothing good on television. So media companies must raise their game.
H. Creative types who are accustomed to lavishing money on moderately appealing projects will have to do more with less. Or they must learn how to move between big-budget blockbusters and niche, small-budget fare, observing the different genre and budget constraints that apply in these worlds. A few forward-looking folk, such as Steven Soderbergh, a film-maker, are already doing this. Some will find shelter. Premium television channels such as HBO, which are built on passion more than popularity, offer some protection from chill market winds. So do state broadcasters like the BBC.
I. Thinking people naturally deplore the rise of lowest-common-denominator blockbusters, and wish that more money were available to produce the kind of music, films and television programmes they like. The problem is that everybody has different ideas about exactly what they want to see. Some may thrill to a documentary about Leica cameras; others may want to spend an hour being told how to cook a better bouillabaisse. But not many want to do either of these things, which explains why such programmes are niche products. There are only a few things that can be guaranteed to delight large numbers of people. They are known as blockbusters.
Hitting the number two spot these days mean that your production has to compete with an abundance of from other media companies. For this reason, is the approach favoured by some publishers. This for media bosses could however be a benefit for consumers. The choice now available to us means they must their standards. people will need to be more flexible and able to work with a range of . Still people who make up the markets will not be happy as many companies strive to produce something to please the mass market.
AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.
Question Focus: Understanding competition faced by near-miss products
Correct Answer: offerings
Why this is correct: The summary says that being number two means competing with many things from other companies. The passage explains this clearly by saying products must fight for attention with thousands-perhaps millions-of other offerings.
Passage Reference: e a splash. Miss the top of the chart, even by a little, and your product ends up fighting for attention along with thousands-perhaps millions-of other offerings.
Common Mistake: Students may write products or choices, but these are not the exact passage word. You must copy offerings exactly. This is a synonym trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'other offerings' = Summary: 'from other media companies'
Tips: After phrases like "an abundance of", always look for a plural noun in the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- offerings = things available
- abundance = a lot
Question Focus: Identifying the reaction of publishers to risk
Correct Answer: conservatism
Passage Reference: offerings. That prospect makes for jitters and, sometimes, conservatism.
Why this is correct: The summary says this pressure leads some publishers to prefer a certain approach. The passage states directly that the situation leads to conservatism, meaning safer choices.
Common Mistake: Students may choose jitters, but that describes fear, not an approach or strategy. This is a partial truth trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'sometimes, conservatism' = Summary: 'the approach favoured by some publishers'
Tips: When the summary mentions an "approach", look for an abstract noun in the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- conservatism = avoiding risk
- jitters = nervousness
Question Focus: Cause-effect relationship for media bosses
Correct Answer: challenge
Passage Reference: ith that. G Yet the challenge for the moguls is a boon to consumers.
Why this is correct: The summary refers back to the difficulty faced by media bosses. Paragraph G clearly names this difficulty as the challenge.
Common Mistake: Students may write problem, which changes the wording. You must copy the exact word from the passage. This is a synonym trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'the challenge for the moguls' = Summary: 'This ___ for media bosses'
Tips: Pronouns like "This" usually refer to a noun used very recently in the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- moguls = powerful bosses
- boon = benefit
Question Focus: Understanding consumer benefit
Correct Answer: raise
Passage Reference: on television. So media companies must raise their game.
Why this is correct: The summary says companies must improve their standards. The passage uses the phrase raise their game, which means improve.
Common Mistake: Students may write improve, but that word is not in the passage. This is a synonym trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'raise their game' = Summary: 'raise their standards'
Tips: After modal verbs like "must", always check you use the base verb form.
Key Vocabulary:
- raise = increase
- standards = quality level
Question Focus: Identifying who needs to adapt
Correct Answer: Creative
Passage Reference: their game. H Creative types who are accustomed to lavishing money on moderately appealing projects will have to do more with less.
Why this is correct: The summary talks about people who need to be flexible. Paragraph H begins with Creative types, clearly identifying who is being discussed.
Common Mistake: Students may write creatives or artists, but these words are not used here. This is a synonym trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'Creative types' = Summary: '___ people will need to be more flexible'
Tips: If the passage capitalises a word, copy it exactly the same way.
Key Vocabulary:
- creative = artistic
- flexible = able to adapt
Question Focus: Working across different types of content
Correct Answer: genre
Passage Reference: all-budget fare, observing the different genre and budget const
Why this is correct: The summary says people must work with a range of something. The passage specifies genre constraints, meaning different types of content.
Common Mistake: Students may write genres, but the summary uses "a range of" which matches the singular form in the passage. This is a grammar trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'different genre ... constraints' = Summary: 'a range of ___'
Tips: Do not change singular or plural forms unless the passage does.
Key Vocabulary:
- genre = type or category
- constraints = limits
Question Focus: Identifying smaller markets
Correct Answer: niche
Passage Reference: of these things, which explains why such programmes are niche products.
Why this is correct: The summary refers to people who make up smaller markets. The passage clearly labels these as niche products.
Common Mistake: Students may write small or minor, but these are not the passage words. This is a synonym trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'niche products' = Summary: 'niche markets'
Tips: Adjectives like "niche" are often reused directly from the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- niche = for a small group
- market = audience
Question Focus: Appealing to mass audiences
Correct Answer: guaranteed
Passage Reference: e niche products. There are only a few things that can be guaranteed to delight large numbers of people.
Why this is correct: The summary says companies try to make something certain to please everyone. The passage uses the word guaranteed to express this certainty.
Common Mistake: Students may write sure or certain, but these are not used in the passage. This is a synonym trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'guaranteed to delight large numbers' = Summary: 'to please the mass market'
Tips: When the summary shows certainty, look for strong words like "guaranteed" in the passage.
Key Vocabulary:
- guaranteed = certain
- mass market = many people
General Tips:
- Summary completion questions follow passage order. Use the previous gap to find the next answer quickly.
- Always copy the exact word from the passage. Synonyms are not accepted.
- Check grammar carefully. Articles, prepositions, and modal verbs give strong clues.
- Do not exceed the word limit. One extra word makes the answer wrong.
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