NDM: The key concepts of audience and institution

1) What was the relationship between audience and institution in the pre-digital age?
The two concepts are inseparably connected. While their business models and products might differ, all institutions need audiences if they are to generate profit.But whilst every institution needs an audience, contemporary audiences are increasingly able to access media in ways which bypass traditional media institutions.

2) The article gives a lot of examples of major media institutions. Choose three examples from the article and summarise what the writer is saying about each of them.
ITV - relies on income generated by advertisers. This means that appeal to a large audience are seen as more valuable than ones with smaller niche audiences 
Sky One - needs an income from subscribers and may well invest in programming that attracts a loyal audience, who are more likely to invest in a long term subscription to guarantee early access to the shows they enjoy. 
The MailOnline - receives more income the longer a reader stays on the site, so stories will feature lots of images and videos, and sensationalised or controversial 

3) The article ends with a section on the digital age
In today's society, audiences now have more freedom to access media products when they choose, rather than when they are told. Mobile technology allows audiences to carry TV programmes, films, music and all that is on offer on the internet on tablets and smartphones. Modern audiences now expect to be able to communicate directly with institutions, and to be able to construct their own media products for themselves. The ability to download and/or stream films and music on demand has led to a change of attitudes regarding media products; contemporary audiences do not see them as having much monetary value, since they are so widely and freely available.

4) How do YOU see the relationship between audience and institution in the future? Will audiences gain increasing power or will the major global media institutions hold sway?
An institution’s economic success is still dependent on the behaviour and preferences of the audience; but traditional media institutions do not always respond quickly to change. I believe audiences will have more increasing power over the next few years, however major global media institutions will always be the main forefront as audiences use those institutions to conform whether news is accurate or not.