MIGRAIN: Hesmondhalgh - The Cultural Industries

 1) What does the term 'Cultural Industries' actually refer to?

The making and distribution of culturally significant pieces of media or art.

2) What does Hesmondhalgh identify regarding the societies in which the cultural industries are highly profitable?

- Lots of demand for new products

- Minimal regulation 

- political and economic stability

- Workers that work hard

3) Why do some media products offer ideologies that challenge capitalism or inequalities in society?
So they can capitalise on current world topics or issues to gain popularity and viewings.
4) Look at page 2 of the factsheet. What are the problems that Hesmondhalgh identifies with regards to the cultural industries?

• Risky Business
• Creativity versus commerce
• High production costs and low reproduction costs
• semi-public goods; the need to create scarcity

5) Why are so many cultural industries a 'risky business' for the companies involved?
Because it is a gamble no matter what, you never know what the publics opinion will be.
6) What is your opinion on the creativity v commerce debate? Should the media be all about profit or are media products a form of artistic expression that play an important role in society?
Personally i think creativity takes priority as it means more to a community if a piece was made for the intentions of being a great piece and not a money maker.
7) How do cultural industry companies minimise their risks and maximise their profits? (Clue: your work on Industries - Ownership and control will help here) 
One way is by making sure they stay within the boundaries set by audiences to keep a loyal presence that keeps the fanbase happy.
8) Do you agree that the way the cultural industries operate reflects the inequalities and injustices of wider society? Should the content creators, the creative minds behind media products, be better rewarded for their work?
I think that the content creators and creative minds are essential to a piece, therefore warranting a greater reward tha other contributors. This is because without people such as the creative people, a piece could come out significantly less appealing.
9) Listen and read the transcript to the opening 9 minutes of the Freakonomics podcast - No Hollywood Ending for the Visual-Effects Industry. Why has the visual effects industry suffered despite the huge budgets for most Hollywood movies?
Due to certain contracts, no matter how much money a production makes, the company responsible for the vfx are only eligible to a set amount of the profit, therefore losing out on hundreds of thousands.
10) What is commodification? 
Using an ip purely to use it for making money.
11) Do you agree with the argument that while there are a huge number of media texts created, they fail to reflect the diversity of people or opinion in wider society?
I agree with the statement, as no matter how many texts are created, there will always be a reflection that a certain demographic may not like.
12) How does Hesmondhalgh suggest the cultural industries have changed? Identify the three most significant developments and explain why you think they are the most important.

1.Digitalisation

2.Exchange of cultural goods globally

3.CI's Work across a range of industries

I believe these are the most important as the world is pretty much all on the internet and heavily relies on it, therefore making it a perfect place for everything from business to even crime. Additionally with, lets say for movies, now more than one major distributor other tan hollywood, there is a craze for international productions which could potentially only be accessible through the internets, for example animes.