The commissioning and operation of industrialised systems of media audience measurement—and the analysis of their output—involves a whole range of communications professionals and represents an important part of the ‘media and market research’ field. Such systems include the German television audience ratings, which are managed by AGF (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Fernsehforschung) and collected by GfK. There are, in Europe alone, over 120 such systems covering not only TV, but also radio, online, and print media. In this seminar we will critically explore: the purpose of these systems (e.g., to produce ‘audience currencies’), the stakeholders involved (including advertisers and media content providers), how such systems operate (e.g., using surveys, diaries, physical meters, and tracking software), the threats they face (e.g. from very large online platforms), and changes taking place in their operation and regulation. Furthermore, we will become familiar with the typical techniques and workflows that are used by communication professionals to analyse the data these systems output. Such analyses include looking at the reach of—and engagement with—media outlets and their content across different combinations of time, media access devices, and sociodemographic groups. This seminar will feature some industry guest speakers and may involve an optional, subsidized field-trip to Frankfurt. Taught and examined in English.
- Docente: Neil Thurman
There are, in Europe alone, over 120 industrialised systems of media audience measurement. Such systems include the German newspaper and magazine readership survey, ma Pressemedien—which is managed by AGMA (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Media-Analyse e.V.)—as well as systems that cover broadcast and online media. The running of such systems—and analysing the data they output—is done by myriad communications professionals and represents an important sub-field of ‘media and market research’. In this seminar we will critically explore: how such systems operate (e.g., collecting data ‘actively’—via diaries and surveys; and ‘passively’—via set-top-boxes and software), why such systems exist (e.g., as market information regimes), the market participants involved (including media buyers and publishers), the challenges they face (e.g., from online social media and video sharing platforms), and changes taking place in their methodologies (including the use of data fusion techniques) and regulation (e.g., the EU Media Freedom Act). In addition, you will have access to—and be instructed in the analysis of—actual data produced by these systems in order that you can become familiar with relevant professional techniques and workflows. Such techniques include analysing whether and when media outlets reach different sociodemographic groups and how audience members engage with media outlets and their content. This seminar will include some guest speakers from industry and may involve an optional, subsidized field-trip to Frankfurt. Taught and examined in English.
- Docente: Neil Thurman
Das Seminar beschäftigt sich mit innovativen Methoden und Konzepten der
Markt- und Medienforschung. Im Kurs werden Grundlagen der Marktforschung
sowie methodische Kenntnisse für die Gestaltung kreativer
Mehrmethoden-Studien kennengelernt und ausgetestet. Auf dieser Basis
werden anschließend in Zusammenarbeit mit der Münchner Forschungsagentur
DCORE eigene Konzepte zur Umsetzung einer Studie für einen Kunden aus
dem Print- und Digitalbereich erarbeitet und zum Abschluss des Seminars
präsentiert.
- Docente: Ursula Schmid