Abstract

Color is a crucial element in achieving effective and efficient communication. This article presents an analysis of the color elements used in TV ads aimed at children broadcast during November 2009 in Spain by the Disney Channel children’s network which, according to Kantar Media, is the audience leader in open-to-air television programing. The convenience sample included the group of advertisers that Infoadex classifies as part of the «sports and leisure» sector, which includes products and services traditionally aimed at children, such as toys and leisure parks, as well as self-promotion ads for other television networks. The analysis quantifies the use of color in ads aimed at children and concludes that brands use color in very different ways. This study also examines the relationship between the color combinations chosen by advertisers in their ads and logos, confirming that the use of color combinations in ads and logos is arbitrary. Most advertisers who target children prefer to apply a range of colors to create contrast and highlight the product and its features and benefits, instead of strengthening the brand’s corporate image. The study highlights the randomness in decision-making on the use of color.

Abstract

This article analyzes the role of the political «infotainment» prosumer on Internet. In the second half of the XX century, telecracy was the predominant one-way communication model that not only popularized politics but also transformed politics into entertainment or «politainment». The XXI century began with the conviction that the Internet would lead to a bidirectional communication model in which true dialogue between political power and citizens would emerge. This research explores a new field of study: Web 2.0 «politainment» and prosumers’ attitudes and actions within this new communication sphere. The objective of the study is to identify the kind of political content Internet users consume and produce. To achieve this, we made a case study of the political information produced and consumed on YouTube, and in particular of a speech given by Ana Botella, the Mayor of Madrid, before the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in September 2013. The 40 most-watched videos on YouTube during the week of the Mayor’s appearance as well as those viewed in the month that followed have been analyzed, in addition to the 3,000 comments on these videos. The conclusion shows that the prosumption of «politainment» on Internet is characterized by massive consumption of information but passive reaction with regard to production and participation.

Abstract

Media audience has been conceived, traditionally, as a group of citizens or consumers. In the Media environment, citizens exercise their communication rights and participate in the public sphere; consumers, on the other hand, consume audiovisual products in a specific market. In the citizen perspective, audiovisual communication serves the public interest and democratic values; in the consumer one, it serves private and individual interests. This paper studies the main academic positions referred to the dichotomy citizen – consumer, attending particularly to the investigations of Peter Dahlgren on relations between Media and Democracy; of Richard Collins, on Audiovisual Policy; and of Sonia Livingstone on public sphere, audience participation and Media governance. After this theoretical approach, the paper analyzes the presence of these conceptions of the audience in the audiovisual legal systems of two countries: Spain and Mexico. These two countries are modifying their legal framework. As a conclusion, it appears that the different conceptions of the audience –as consumers or as citizens– are in a close relationship with the different ways of Media control and accountability.