Andreas Will

Flowing Networks in the Entertainment Business: Organizing International TV Format Trade

Little is known about entertainment acquisition and production, especially the international format trade, although its worldwide market volume adds up to about 2.4 billion. Format trade is a process along the stages of creating, distributing, producing or reproducing, and broadcasting entertainment programs. Findings of a current empirical research project conducted by means of in-person interviews with managers in Germany and the United Kingdom reveal a phenomenon by which the particular organizations involved (creators, distributors, producers, and broadcast stations) establish structures that are called “flowing organizational networks.” Depending on situational requirements and the respective stages of the format trade process, actors tend to activate different organizational structures.

Participatory Media Culture and Digital Online Distribution—Reconfiguring the Value Chain in the Computer Game Industry

Abstract Contrary to experiences from other media industries, participatory approaches and prosumerism have been integrated into gaming culture and the computer game industrys value generation process for a relatively long time. This is emphasized by the industrys development away from strictly retail-based business toward digital online distribution. This article presents an integrated model of the value chain deduced from an analysis of existing online-based providers. It gives implications for the management of online distribution platforms and the role of prosumerism within the business.

Das Feld der Unterhaltungsbeschaffung und -produktion. Sondierungen eines ungeordneten Bereiches

Noch immer ist Unterhaltung ein schillernder Begriff, allen Fortschritten der Forschung zum Trotz. Die Grunde dafur sind vielfaltig, eines aber scheint offensichtlich: es entwickelt sich eine eigentumliche Ko-Orientierung zwischen dem Auseinanderfallen einer Massenkultur und der Massenmedien einerseits und ein ebensolches Auseinanderfallen der kommunikationswissenschaftlichen Forschung andererseits. Mit dem Zerfall des dispersen Publikums in Zielgruppen splittet sich gleichsam die Kommunikationswissenschaft mehr und mehr auf in Experten fur Computerspiele, fur Fernsehunterhaltung und ihre Wirkungen, fur den Musikmarkt. Wenn die „Spielgarten der Erwachsenen“ (Haacke 1969) sich vervielfachen, vollzieht die Wissenschaft dies offenbar nach.

Entrepreneurial Venturing and Media Management

Respecting the specialties of creating and managing ventures in the media sector, this chapter creates a conceptual framework for describing and explaining the creation of new media ventures in the digital era. A literature review about the interrelation between media management and entrepreneurship reveals boundaries in current research. Due to certain characteristics of digital media products, media managers have increased opportunities for the market entry of innovative media ventures. It is equally important to view this from an entrepreneurial perspective because the entrepreneur composes his business ideas as a recombination of self-created opportunities. Thus, the chapter addresses venture creation as the interdependence of opportunities presented in the environment and realised by entrepreneurs. The chapter concludes with recommendations for media management practice and further research.

Consumer Preferences towards Commercial Music Downloads

Abstract Demand for commercial music download is still marginal compared to the total market volume of the music industry. One reason can be found in the lack of consumer orientation on part of the suppliers. Important attributes of commercial music download platforms that may impinge on the degree of consumer orientation include price, use of DRM, sound quality, repertoire (genres, artists, songs) and range of offer, payment system and pre-listening options. An adaptive conjoint analysis (n = 527) based on consumer preferences towards these attributes was carried out. As a result, eight consumer segments were identified, offering the opportunity for a tailored product and service differentiation based on the varying relative importance of the attributes. Moreover, a significant gap in total utility between existing platforms such as iTunes and the ideal platform could be identified for all consumer groups. Advices for the design of more suitable products are given.

Production-Enabling Projects in German Public Broadcast Organizations

Abstract Traditional broadcast technology is being replaced byinformation technology-based systems. Due to their complexity, these systems’ implementation requires a sophisticated project managementapproach. The current methods applied by the public service broadcasting organizations in Germany do not seem sufficient for these new requirements. Our paper analyses the management of technical projects in broadcasting organizations considering the technological change. The analysis is based on the basic principles of projectmanagement with its institutional, functional and instrumental aspects. An explorative and qualitative analysis of 13 interviews with managers from six (out of eleven) public service broadcasting organizations identifies deficiencies in defining objectives, communication and projectevaluation. Approaches for improvements include training for project managers and adapting the project to meet increased requirements.

Multichannel-Strategien aus Kundensicht

Nachdem in der ersten Euphorie uber die Moglichkeiten des Internet der klassische stationare Handel zum Auslaufmodell erklart wurde zeigt sich inzwischen dass zukunftige Geschaftserfolge in der Integration von Online-und Offline-Kanalen zu finden sind: Die Kunden werden uber eine Vielzahl von Plattformen angesprochen und konnen mehrere Vertriebswege nutzen um sich uber die Angebote des jeweiligen Unternehmens zu informieren und Produkte zu erwerben.

Media Markets, Value and the Unique: Consequences and Implications for Media Management from Karpik’s New Economics Sociology Perspective

Taking recent changes in media markets seriously, we suggest a deeper reflection of the term “media market” in close connection to the term “value.” Reflecting common assumptions of media markets in the media management discourse, we open the perspective to economic sociology, since this perspective differs from economic assumptions in various manners. Based on these general reflections that assume markets, value and economy as inherently social phenomena, we focus on Karpik (Valuing the unique. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press; 2010), who introduced a theoretical framework of economics of singularities. We apply this approach specifically to media markets.

Crowd and Society: Outlining a Research Programme on the Societal Relevance and the Potential of Crowdfunding

In its early stages, research on crowdfunding focused primarily on the inside perspective of the phenomenon. The following article introduces a more comprehensive perspective, exploring the relevance of crowdfunding for society. With respect to the consequences of the financial crisis and societal challenges, the article outlines a research programme that contributes to the potential of crowdfunding on a societal level that can be explored from a media and communication science perspective and theory of financial intermediaries.

Game Modding und digitale Distribution – Die Veränderung der Wertschöpfung von Computerspielen durch Kundenintegration

In den vergangenen 30 Jahren hat sich die Industrie digitaler Spiele, d. h. von sowohl Konsolen- als auch Computerspielen, aus der Nische fur eine weitgehend junge und mannliche Zielgruppe zu einer Kernbranche der Unterhaltungsindustrie entwickelt [Pricewaterhouse- Coopers 2006]. Digitale Spiele werden von mehr als zwei Dritteln aller amerikanischen Familienvorstande genutzt, das Durchschnittsalter der Rezipienten liegt hoher als 30 Jahre, und etwa zwei von funf Spielern sind weiblich [Electronic Software Association 2006; Vorderer et al. 2006]. Die Industrie erwirtschaftet hohere Umsatze als die Kinobranche und nahert sich der Musikindustrie an. Diese Entwicklungen scheinen sich auf zwei Marktsegmente zu stutzen: Das wachsende Konsolensegment (die so genannten Videospiele) und die zunehmende Bedeutung des Online-Spiele-Marktes [Muller-Lietzkow 2007; Muller-Lietzkow et al. 2006; Williams 2002]. Es wird angenommen, dass das Onlinesegment in den nachsten funf Jahren ein Marktvolumen von mehr als 13 Milliarden US