Structure of the Audiovisual System
Code: 103021 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Audiovisual Communication | OB | 3 |
Contact
- Name:
- Montserrat Bonet Bagant
- Email:
- montse.bonet@uab.cat
Teachers
- Guillem Marca Frances
- Josep Angel Guimera Orts
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
In order to pass the course, it is recommended to have previously studied the subjects Història de la Comunicació, Estructura de la Comunicació, Tecnologies de la Informació i la Comunicació, Història de la Ràdio i la Televisió and Història del Cinema.
Objectives and Contextualisation
This Compulsory subject is part of the Audiovisual Industry area, taken between the third and fourth academic year of the degree. Therefore, the educational objectives of this subject must be added to those of the other one that is also part of the area, Models de Gestió de l'Empresa Audiovisuall, Optional, and Qüestions d'Actualitat i Tendències del Sector Audiovisual (Optional), both of 6 ECTS credits.
As it is defined in the curriculum, it is about providing a panoramic vision of the structure of the audiovisual system and the actors that make it up: cultural industries of different types, regulatory bodies, legislators, communication groups, new actors, etc., paying special attention to the socioeconomic dynamics that shape the development and functioning of audiovisual media.
The general objective is to give the basic keys to what we can understand when we talk about 'audiovisual system', how it is structured, what changes it has experienced and is still experiencing as well as the power relations between its main protagonists, the way in which they interact and contribute to shape this system.
Learning Outcomes
- CM07 (Competence) To plan audiovisual industrial production in accordance with its future market placement.
- CM07 (Competence) To plan audiovisual industrial production in accordance with its future market placement.
- CM08 (Competence) To interpret changes to the professional profiles that currently exist in the audiovisual system, avoiding the reproduction of gender inequalities.
- CM08 (Competence) To interpret changes to the professional profiles that currently exist in the audiovisual system, avoiding the reproduction of gender inequalities.
- SM11 (Skill) To examine the industrial and corporate dimensions of the audiovisual sector.
- SM11 (Skill) To examine the industrial and corporate dimensions of the audiovisual sector.
- SM12 (Skill) To analyse existing companies through the strict application of critical knowledge (production processes and methods, exhibition circuit for audiovisual products).
- SM12 (Skill) To analyse existing companies through the strict application of critical knowledge (production processes and methods, exhibition circuit for audiovisual products).
- SM13 (Skill) To conduct research with a view to obtaining information that may be useful in analysing the audiovisual industry and/or designing feasible audiovisual projects.
Content
The subject revolves around some key topics, with a solid theoretical basis, but which usually include a constant updating, following the sector's own development. That is why the monitoring of certain more or less specialized sources of information is relevant. The main axes on which the content is articulated are:
- Introduction to the Structure of the Audiovisual System. Towards a definition.
- Deepening into the characteristics of cultural industries production and distribution system. How they affect the sector.
- The audiovisual sector in the OTT era. From flow to stock production: "platformization" of communication, technology and communication groups.
- Video game industry. From 'damned' to 'promise' for the audiovisual system.
- Record industry/music content industry.
- Audio management: radio, podcast, smart speakers.
- Infrastructure and distribution as a battlefield for the domain of the audiovisual system.
A detailed calendar with the content of the different sessions will be posted in the Moodle once the course has started. The students will be able to find a detailed description of the exercises and practices, the various teaching materials and any information necessary for the adequate follow-up of the subject.
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Seminars (participation and written exercises) | 33 | 1.32 | CM08, SM11, SM12, SM13, CM08 |
| Theory classes | 15 | 0.6 | CM07, CM08, SM11, SM12, CM07 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Tutorials | 7.5 | 0.3 | SM12, SM13, SM12 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Reading, analysis and synthesis of texts, preparation and performance of written exercises | 82.5 | 3.3 | SM11, SM12, SM13, SM11 |
Students acquire knowledge and competencies through various methodological procedures that include master classes in the classroom, discussion and reflection exercises, readings and seminars, as well as texts and audiovisual documents available through Moodle.
Specifically, the seminars will focus on specific topics of the syllabus, for which a series of previous readings will be provided or prior information search and/or a presentation will be requested.
In addition, an important part of the course is based on carrying out the final project, which implies direct contact with specialists in the sector, both from the academic side and from the point of view of practitioners.
It is important that students do not see these three activities in a differentiated way but as parts of a whole, that are interrelated and serve to more easily achieve the goals and to better consolidate the knowledge.
This is a subject area that has a very clear, direct and constant relationship with the present, so monitoring all kinds of information related to the audiovisual system is highly recommended.
A detailed schedule outlining the content of each session will be presented on the first day of the course and will be available on the course’s Virtual Campus, where students will find all teaching materials and necessary information for eective course monitoring. Should the teaching modality change for reasons of force majeure according to the competent authorities, the teaching sta will inform students of any modifications to the course schedule and teaching methodologies.
Note: The course content will be sensitive to issues related to gender perspective and the use of inclusive language.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final project (including presentation) | 45 % | 3 | 0.12 | CM07, CM08, SM11, SM12, SM13 |
| Seminars (written exercises and participation) | 30 % | 7 | 0.28 | CM08, SM11, SM12, SM13 |
| Theory final test | 25 % | 2 | 0.08 | CM08, SM12 |
CONTINUOUS ASSESMENT
The continuous formative assessment system is organized in three different parts, each of which must be passed to pass the course:
• Theory final test, 25% on the final grade.
• Seminars (participation and written exercises), 30% on the final grade.
• Final project (presentation included), 45% on the final grade.
In order to pass, a minimum of 5 must be obtained in all assessment activities.
Regarding the seminars, the final mark of each one derives from the information previously obtained and/or the group presentation and/or the written exercise performed in the classroom. The participation in the seminars will be based on the guidelines that will be provided and uploaded to the Virtual Campus. Each session will previously have an explanatory protocol.
The final project is a supervised activity carried out in a group. Special attention will be given to the ability to define the topic correctly, to use the language according to the type of work, to establish connections between theory and practice and the ability to synthesize the material consulted or obtained by any other means (interviews, video sources, audio ...) When the course begins, a specific protocol will be uploaded to Moodle and the teacher will discuss with each group on the topic to be studied. The final mark of the project will include its presentation at the end of the semester.
There is a second criterion of formal type and subtractive nature, that is, its compliance does not increase the final score, but its noncompliance subtracts points. Specifically, compliance with the technical characteristics specified in the guideline that will be offered at the beginning of the course (typography, letter size, line spacing, alignment, and margins) will be assessed, at a rate of 2 tenths per characteristic. Spelling is also a formal criterion. Each misspelling will subtract 0.3 points. Errors in citation and references used in the project will subtract also 0.3 points.
About the period and conditions of recovery assessment
Students who meet the following conditions will be eligible for these activities:
In case of having failed:
• who have obtained a minimum grade of 3 in the theory test,
• who have obtained a minimum grade of 3.5 in the final project, with the following exceptions: a project plagiarized in part or in its entirety (it is a 0 directly) or those that do not meet the formal requirements previously specified (that have misspellings, do not meet the minimum in terms of citation, etc.).
Students will be entitled to the recovery assessment of the subject if he or she has been evaluated of the set of activities whose weight equals a minimum of 2/3 of the total grade of the subject.
To be able to submit to the recovery assessment of the subject, it will be necessary to have obtained a minimum average grade of 3.5.
Plagiarized works are not recoverable. As for the seminars, recovery assessment can only be made once the final grade of the set of seminars is published, when all of them have already been done, as long as this final grade is failed; that is, they are not recovered one by one. As this is a group practice, if only one member of the group fails, she/he will take a customized exam.
Students will have the opportunity to improve their mark when the grade is equal to or greater than 8 and the teacher is informedin advance. Attention: the final grade after taking the test for improvement could be lower.
The student who performs any irregularity (copy, plagiarism,identity theft...) will be qualified with 0 in this assignment or exam. In case there are several irregularities, the final grade of the subject will be 0.
In the case of a second enrolment
Students will do a single synthesis exam/assignment that will consist of a theoretical exam that will include the content of the subject and some readings that will be given at the beginning of the semester.
The grading of the subject will correspond to the grade of the synthesis exam/assignment.
Not assessable
Students who have not taken either the theoretical exam or the coursework and have not participated in a minimum of 75% of the seminars are considered Not Assessable within the framework of this subject.
SINGLE ASSESSMENT
Students can take advantage of the single assessment modality. The single evaluation system is made up of three different parts, each of which must be passed in order to pass the subject:
- Theoretical exam, 40% of the final grade.
- Written test based on readings and knowledge of current events, 50% of the final grade.
- Follow-up of tutorials, 10% of the final grade.
In order to pass, a minimum of 5 must be obtained in all evaluation activities.
The theoretical exam and the written test will be taken on the official day of the exam, as stated on the Virtual Campus from the beginning of the course.
About the period and conditions of recovery assessment
Students who meet the following conditions may take advantage of these activities:
If you have failed:
- who have obtained a minimum grade of 3 in the theory exam,
- who have obtained a minimum mark of 3.5 in the written test.
Students will be entitled to the recovery assessment of the subject if he or she has been evaluated of the set of activities whose weight equals a minimum of 2/3 of the total grade of the subject.To be able to submit to the recovery assessment of the subject, it will be necessary to have obtained a minimum average grade of 3.5.
Students will have the opportunity to improve their mark when the grade is equal to or greater than 8 and the teacher is informed in advance. Attention: the final grade after taking the test for improvement could be lower.
ON THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
In this subject, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is allowed exclusively in support tasks, such as bibliographic or information searches, proofreading texts or translations...Students should clearly identify which parts have been generated with this technology, specify the tools used and include a critical reflection on how these haveinfluenced the process and the result of the activity. The non-transparency of the use of AI in any assessable activity will be considered academic dishonesty and may lead to a partial or total penalty in the grade of the activity, or greater sanctions in cases of severity.
Bibliography
Basic references
Artero-Muñoz, Juan Pablo, Zugasti, Ricardo & Hernández-Corchete, Sira (2021) Media Concentration in Spain: National, sectorial, and regional groups. Estudios sobre el Mensaje Periodístico, 27(3),
Bonet, Montse (Coord.) (2016) El imperio del aire. Espectro radioeléctrico y radiodifusión. Barcelona: UOC. Online book.
Bonet, Montse & Fernández-Quijada, David (2021) Sounds without borders: Exploring the cross-national expansion of commercial European Radio Group. European Journal of Communication, 36(6): 610-625.
Bonet, Montse & Sellas, Toni (2019) Del flujo al stock: el programador radiofónico ante la gestión del catálogo digital. El Profesional de la Información, 28(1): 1-8.
Bonet, Montse, Guimerà, Josep Àngel & Casado, Miguel Ángel (2021) The Spanish HbbTV service LOVEStv: When technology facilitates new strategies for survival. Media International Australia, 185(1), 139-152.
Casado, Miguel Ángel, Guimerà, Josep Àngel, Bonet, Montse & Pérez Llavador, Jordi (2022) Adapt or die? How traditional Spanish TV broadcasters deal with the youth target in the new audio-visual ecosystem. Critical Studies in Television, 18(3), 256-273.
Chan-Olmsted, Sylvia, Wang, Rang & Hwang, Kyung-Ho (2020) Substitutability and complementarity of broadcast radio and music streaming services: The millennial perspective. Mobile Media & Communication, 8(2): 209-228.
Clares-Gavilán, Judith (Coord); Merino Álvarez, Cristina & Neira, Elena (2019) La revolución over the top. Del vídeo bajo demanda a la televisión por internet. Editorial UOC. Col·leccio Manuales. Online book.
Fernández Alonso, Isabel (Ed.) (2017) Austeridad y clientelismo. Política audiovisual en España en el contexto mediterráneo y de la crisis financiera. Barcelona: Gedisa. Online book.
Flew, Terry (2021) Regulating Platforms. Cambridge: Polity Press. Online book.
Frey, Mattias (2021) Netflix Recommends. Algorithms, Film Choice, and the History of Taste. Oakland: University of California Press. Online book.
Guimerà, Josep Àngel (2014) Les polítiques de mitjans de comunicació durant els governs de Jordi Pujol. Premsa, ràdio i televisió en el procés de reconstrucció nacional de Catalunya(1980-2003). Barcelona: Proa.
Guimerà i Orts, Josep Àngel & Bonet, Montse (2013) El model de negoci en cadena a Catalunya: de l’èxit radiofònic al fracàs televisiu’, Quaderns del CAC, 38. Disponible a: http://www.cac.cat/pfw_files/cma/recerca/quaderns_cac/Q38_guimera_bonet_ES.pdf
Guimerà i Orts, Josep Àngel & Bonet, Montse (2020) A Fractured and Weaker Public Service Media: Territorial Organisation, Public Media Policy and Economic Crisis in Spain. Javnost - The Public, 27(3): 308-324.
Hesmondhalgh, David (2019) (4th. ed) The Cultural Industries. London: SAGE.
Jordan, Tim (2020) The Digital Economy. Cambridge: Polity Press. Online book.
Larson, Rob (2020) Bit Tyrants. The Political Economy of Silicon Valley. Chicago: Haymarket Books. Online book.
Lehman-Wilzig, Sam & Cohen-Avigdor, Nava (2004) The natural life cycle of new media evolution: Inter-media struggle for survival in the internet age. New Media & Society, 6(6), 707-730.
Lindeberg, Aura(2023) Digital strategies and third-party platforms: How Nordic public service media are reframing their audio strategies for the future. Journal of Digital Media & Policy, 16:1.
Lotz, Amanda D. (2022) Netflix and Streaming Video: the business of subscriber-funded video on demand. Cambridge: Polity Press.
McDonald, Paul; Brannon Donoghue, Courtney & Havens, Timothy (Eds.) (2021). Digital Media Distribution: Portals, Platforms, Pipelines. New York: New York University Press. Online book.
Mueller, Milton (2017) Will the Internet Fragment?: Sovereignty, Globalization and Cyberspace. Cambridge: Polity Press. Online book.
Nieborg, David B., Poell, Thomas & van Dijck, Jose (2022). Platforms and platformization. In: The SAGE Handbook of the Digital Media Economy, editat per Terry Flew; Jennifer Holt & Julian Thomas. London: Sage, 29-49.
Piñeiro-Otero, Teresa & Pedrero-Esteban, Luis-Miguel (2022) Audio communication in the face of the renaissance of digital audio. Profesional de la información, 31:5.
Robert-Agell, Francesc; Justel-Vázquez, Santiago & Bonet, Montse (2022) Sin hábito no hay escucha. Radio y generación Z: radiografía de los datos de audiencia y de la estrategia empresarial para conectar con ella. Profesional de la información, 31(5).
Robert-Agell, Francesc; Bonet, Montse (2023) La industria de la radio en España en 2030: ¿hacia la definitiva adaptación digital?’. Estudios sobre el Mensaje Periodístico, 29 (4), 955-974.
Wikström, Patrik (2020) The Music Industry. Third Edition. Cambridge: Polity Press. Online book.
Zallo, Ramón (2016) Tendencias en comunicación. Cultura digital y poder. Barcelona: Gedisa. Online book.
And everything that the UAB Library Service puts at our disposal:
https://ddd.uab.cat/pub/guibib/224929/bibrecdigitals.pdf
Altres fonts en línia
ACR (Associació Catalana de Ràdio) https://www.acradio.org
AER (Association of European Radios) http://www.aereurope.org/
ACT (Association of Commercial Television in Europe) http://www.acte.be/
BNE (Broadcast Network Europe) http://www.broadcast-networks.eu/
CAC (Consell de l'Audiovisual de Catalunya) : http://www.cac.cat
EBU (European Broadcasting Union)http://www.ebu.ch/mis
EGTA https://www.egta.com
ETNO (European Telecommunications Network Operators) https://www.etno.eu/
ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) http://www.etsi.org/
FCC (Federal Communications Commission) http://www.fcc.gov/
GSMA (GSM Association) http://www.gsma.com
Pew Research Center http://www.pewresearch.org/
RSPG (Radio Spectrum Policy Group) http://rspg-spectrum.eu/
SABI (Sistema de Análisis de Balances Ibéricos. Bureau van Dijk).
Wider Spectrum Group https://widerspectrum.org
OFCOM : http://www.ofcom.org.uk
World DAB: http://www.worlddab.org
European Audiovisual Observatory: IRIS Merlin, Lumiere,Korda, Persky : http://www.obs.coe.int/, http://merlin.obs.coe.int/
Other references will be given throughout the semester, especially depending on students’ needs for their final project or whenever someone asks for it.
Software
Groups and Languages
Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (SEM) Seminars | 41 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (SEM) Seminars | 42 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (SEM) Seminars | 43 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (TE) Theory | 4 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |