Audiovisual Media Content Research Articles

The Potential of AI in Improving the Media Role of Audiovisual Content in Oman

The study aimed to explore the importance of audiovisual content in enhancing the media functions of media institutions, the obstacles associated with the management and preservation of audiovisual media, and the possibility of benefiting from artificial intelligence to improve the use of audiovisual content. The study focused on the Ministry of Information in the Sultanate of Oman, and relied on the descriptive approach using a survey to identify the importance and benefits of audiovisual content and the challenges of its preservation and management. The survey was distributed using Google Forms to users of audiovisual content in the Ministry of Information. One of the most prominent results of the study is that more than two-thirds of respondents believe that audiovisual content plays an important role in supporting the Ministry of Information in its activities, in addition to its social and cultural value. Among the challenges of managing and preserving audiovisual media content is the lack of a strategy to protect it, and there is a lack of expertise related to preserving audiovisual media. The study suggests using artificial intelligence as a tool to support the archiving of audiovisual media content, and to increase efforts to digitize media materials that have not yet been digitized.

The EU Approach to Safeguard Children’s Rights on Video-Sharing Platforms: Jigsaw or Maze?

Children are keen consumers of audiovisual media content. Video-sharing platforms (VSPs), such as YouTube and TikTok, offer a wealth of child-friendly or child-appropriate content but also content which—depending on the age of the child—might be considered inappropriate or potentially harmful. Moreover, such VSPs often deploy algorithmic recommender systems to personalise the content that children are exposed to (e.g., through auto-play features), leading to concerns about diversity of content or spirals of content related to, for instance, eating disorders or self-harm. This article explores the responsibilities of VSPs with respect to children that are imposed by existing, recently adopted, and proposed EU legislation. Instruments that we investigate include the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, the General Data Protection Regulation, the Digital Services Act, and the proposal for an Artificial Intelligence Act. Based on a legal study of policy documents, legislation, and scholarship, this contribution investigates to what extent this legislative framework sets obligations for VSPs to safeguard children’s rights and discusses how these obligations align across different legislative instruments.

Audiovisual translation and media accessibility training in the EMT network

The increase in demand for the localisation of audiovisual media content has led to increased incorporation of audiovisual translation and accessibility modules into university curricula in many regions (Bolaños-García-Escribano et al., 2021). This study aims to map part of the audiovisual translation (AVT) and media accessibility (MA) training landscape in Europe, presenting the findings of the 2020 Audiovisual Translation and Media Accessibility Training Survey conducted among the European Master’s in Translation network. It reflects on the results obtained from 55 European Master’s programmes focused on the training of future translators and shows that the majority provide AVT and some MA training, mainly within broad AVT modules and, to a much lesser extent, in dedicated compulsory modules. The insights gained from this study are relevant to establishing a benchmark that will make it possible to track any developments in the teaching of AVT and MA in the EMT network and beyond. Lay summary In recent years, the need to translate audiovisual content for speakers of other languages and to make it accessible to those with disabilities has increased. This has led to growth in courses in audiovisual translation and accessibility in university programs in many parts of the world. Because of this, we wanted to understand the current situation with regards to audiovisual translation and media accessibility training in Europe. To do so, we conducted a survey focusing on European Master's programs in translation. We focused on programs that belong to the European Master's in Translation network. This network is a partnership between the European Commission's Translation Department and universities. It's a quality stamp for Master's translation programs that meet the high standards of the European Commission's Translation Department. We used a survey to collect data from 55 European Master's programs. We discovered that most of these programs offered some level of training in audiovisual translation, and some of them also trained students in media accessibility (for people with disabilities). Audiovisual translation was mostly taught in more general modules, and media accessibility was less common and was often part of optional modules. We now also understand better what is taught, the extent to which practical and theoretical training in this field is offered, the main working languages, the tools used, and to what extent the programs cooperate with industry professionals. So, why is this study important? It helps us better understand the current status of audiovisual translation and media accessibility education in Europe. By studying these Master's programs, we have created a starting point for tracking future changes in audiovisual translation and media accessibility training in the European Master's in Translation network and beyond. This information is important for educators and policymakers who want to improve existing opportunities and offer more training in audiovisual translation and accessibility. In summary, this research sheds light on how audiovisual translation and media accessibility are taught in European Master's programs. It highlights the need for more structured and comprehensive training in these areas to meet the growing demand for accessible audiovisual content.

Restrictions regarding Transfrontier Audiovisual Media Services in the Light of the Revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive

Freedom of services in the field of audiovisual media content has been a key element in the broader audiovisual media services sector of the European Union, relying mainly on the principle of free transmission and retransmission of audiovisual media content as transfrontier services. The adoption in December 2018 of the revised text of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (Directive 2018/1808), as well as its stipulated deadline of September 2020 for implementation by Member States, marks the transition to a new, amended legal framework. Restrictions to the freedom of movement in the field of audiovisual media content comprise an exception to the country of origin principle, the revised Directive applying similar rules for linear and nonlinear media services. Novelty elements to the circle of possible restrictions are a direct consequence of the extension of protected values, more clarity and precision in the procedures (by introducing procedural assurances and more reasonable deadlines, as well as introducing the possibility of an emergency procedure in the case of the most severe infringements).

Specificity of Representation of Fake Information in Audiovisual Media Content

The situation of uncertainty, which became a consequence of the pandemic, forced the audience to actively interact with the media. This effect is especially noticeable in the field of video information. Because of this, the ability to check the quality of such information and to detect a video fake is especially in high demand. Meanwhile, the researchers' interest is focused primarily on the verbal component of media content. In our study, we are trying to fill this gap and concretize the models of generating video fakes, their types, and reasons for their appearance.Based on the analysis of fake audiovisual content distributed in the media sphere in 2020 we identify two models of its appearance - synchronous and asynchronous. In the first case, fake is a result of distorting the video and audio of the work. In the second case, only one of the rows broadcasts a false idea. The latter case is dangerous in that the series of works that do not contain false information inspires confidence in the audience and makes it accept the media message as a whole.Also, in the study, we single out the most common types of fakes based on such characteristics as the degree of information distortion, the degree of reliability of spatial and temporal characteristics, and the degree of reliability of the source. We determine the most frequent markers of fakes in video works, namely: distortion of the shooting angle, concealment of the staged nature of filming, the use of animation and animation technologies that imitate newsreel footage, placement of inaccurate infographics in video work, fake news announcement, and publication.Among the most common reasons for the formation of video fakes, we note the desire to increase ratings, discriminate against specific individuals or organizations, draw attention to a real problem, and to entertain the audience.In the analysis of fake as a global phenomenon using the example of deepfake technology, we show how it can be used in constructively and destructively and emphasize the importance of developing media education to neutralize the negative consequences of the spread of fakes.

Political Influence of Online Platforms: YouTube’s Place in European Politics

Social media platforms are today one of the primary means of political expression and campaigning. The growing entanglement of politics with the online sphere raises interest in how these new types of media shape the social and political reality. While previous research tends to focus on Twitter and Facebook, limited works exists on the political influence of YouTube. This is even though YouTube is the second-most visited website and provides unique ways of engaging users and disseminating political messages through the combination of rich communication functionality with immersive audio-visual media content. Unfortunately, the influence of social media platforms such as YouTube on politics is difficult to analyse, due a lack of transparency and qualitative data. Independent researchers and the public have limited ways to access meaningful statistics about the video service. This article derives a taxonomy to classify YouTube’s ways of political influence from a case-study-driven analysis of YouTube in the European political landscape. Our taxonomy aligns with traditional theoretical concepts from media effects theory, particularly framing, priming and agenda-setting. We provide a brief discussion of the current regulatory landscape in the EU, and highlight gaps that might need improvement. We conclude by considering the question of whether YouTube is a political actor.

Happily Ever After?: Vertical and Horizontal Mergers in the US Media Industry

This article provides an economic analysis of recent vertical and horizontal mergers in the US industry for audio-visual media content, including the AT&T–Time Warner and the Disney– Fox mergers. Using a theory-driven approach, we examine economic effects of these types of mergers on market competition, focusing on digital media content distribution. In doing so, we address three research questions: (1) Is the current development of the industry with its recent merger activity concerning? (2) Would vertical or horizontal integration be more preferable for overall welfare and competition in this industry? (3) What are implications for antitrust policy? We conclude from our analysis that in the already highly horizontally concentrated US market for audio-visual content the process of further vertical integration creates concerns from a competition policy perspective. Moreover, even though horizontal concentration on some of the market stages may be anticompetitive as well, vertical integration is likely to be more harmful. As a consequence, we recommend a stricter approach to vertical merger control in this industry, as well as a more active abuse control against already vertically integrated media companies. competition policy, antitrust, industrial economics, digitization, media economics, institutional economics, industrial organization, mergers, vertical integration, horizontal integration

Demonstrating Immersive Media Delivery on 5G Broadcast and Multicast Testing Networks

This work presents eight demonstrators and one showcase developed within the 5G-Xcast project. They experimentally demonstrate and validate key technical enablers for the future of media delivery, associated with multicast and broadcast communication capabilities in 5th Generation (5G). In 5G-Xcast, three existing testbeds: IRT in Munich (Germany), 5GIC in Surrey (UK), and TUAS in Turku (Finland), have been developed into 5G broadcast and multicast testing networks, which enables us to demonstrate our vision of a converged 5G infrastructure with fixed and mobile accesses and terrestrial broadcast, delivering immersive audio-visual media content. Built upon the improved testing networks, the demonstrators and showcase developed in 5G-Xcast show the impact of the technology developed in the project. Our demonstrations predominantly cover use cases belonging to two verticals: Media & Entertainment and Public Warning, which are future 5G scenarios relevant to multicast and broadcast delivery. In this paper, we present the development of these demonstrators, the showcase, and the testbeds. We also provide key findings from the experiments and demonstrations, which not only validate the technical solutions developed in the project, but also illustrate the potential technical impact of these solutions for broadcasters, content providers, operators, and other industries interested in the future immersive media delivery.

Museums as Disseminators of Niche Knowledge

Accessibility has been facing several challenges within Audiovisual Translation Studies and has also gained great opportunities for its establishment as a methodologically and theoretically well-founded discipline. Audiovisual translation modes have achieved a crucial role in the transmission of what scholarly studies have discussed in relation to media accessibility as a set of services and practices providing access to audiovisual media content for persons with sensory impairment. Today accessibility has become a concept involving more and more universality, since it is extensively contributing to the dissemination of audiovisual and visual products about issues on minorities, and also addressing all human beings, regardless of cultural and social differences.
 Against this theoretical backdrop, accessibility is scrutinised within the context of aesthetics of marginalisation, migration, and minorities as modalities which encourage the diffusion of ‘niche’ knowledge, and as universal processes of translation and interpretation that provide access to all knowledge as counter discourse. Within this framework, the ways in which language is used can be considered the beginning of a type of local grammar for interlingual translation and subtitling applied to museum contexts of marginalisation, migration and minorities.
 Drawing upon well-established research in the field of audiovisual translation and media accessibility, and by adopting systemic-functional and lexical-semantic methodological approaches for translation quality assessment of museum text types, this study aims to put emphasis on accessibility as a societal instrument that contributes to giving voice to minorities through knowledge dissemination in English as a lingua franca by means of aesthetic narrative types within the field of the visual arts (i.e. museum settings). In this sense, accessibility is viewed as the embodiment of universality that ensures universal access to knowledge for all citizens as a human rights principle, while acting as an agent for the democratisation and transparency of information against media discourse distortions and oversimplifications.

Digital media communication, intellectual property, and the commodification of language

AbstractFocusing on fansubbing, the production of unauthorized subtitles by fans of audiovisual media content, this paper calls for a more serious sociolinguistic analysis of the political economy of digital media communication. It argues that fansubbing’s contentious position within regimes of intellectual property and copyright makes it a useful context for considering the crucial role of language ideology in global capitalism’s expanding reach over communicative activity. Through a critical analysis of Korean discourses about fansubbing, this paper considers how tensions between competing ideological conceptions of fansub work shed light on the process by which regimes of intellectual property incorporate digital media communication as a site for profit. Based on this analysis, the paper argues for the need to look beyond the affordances of digital media in terms of translingual, hybrid, and creative linguistic form, to extend our investigations towards language ideologies as a constitutive element in the political economy.

Happily Ever After? – Vertical and Horizontal Mergers in the U.S. Media Industry

This paper provides an economic analysis of recent vertical and horizontal mergers in the U.S. industry for audiovisual media content, including the AT&T-Time Warner and the Disney-Fox mergers. Using a theory-driven approach, we examine economic effects of these types of mergers on market competition, focusing on digital media content distribution. In doing so, we address three research questions: (i) Is the current development of analyzing industry with its recent merger activity concerning? (ii) Would vertical or horizontal integration be more preferable for overall welfare and competition in this industry? (iii) What are implications for antitrust policy? We conclude from our analysis that in the already highly horizontally concentrated U.S. market for audiovisual content the process of further vertical integration creates concerns from a competition policy perspective. Moreover, even though horizontal concentration on some of the market stages may be anticompetitive as well, vertical integration is likely to be more harmful. As a consequence, we recommend a stricter approach to vertical merger control in this industry, as well as a more active abuse control against already vertically-integrated media companies.

Audiovisual Media Content Preferences of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Insights from Parental Interviews.

Most research on the media use of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) focuses on media device use and less on content preferences of these children. We interviewed parents (N = 31) of children with ASD to examine parental observations of their children's audiovisual media content preferences. Thematic analysis of the in-depth interviews found children with ASD preferred media content with features aimed at younger audiences. Parents also reported that content that fostered imitation was appealing to their children, occasionally with observable benefits (e.g., verbalizing words of favorite characters). Additionally, parents indicated that ease of control (e.g., content repetition) and ease of use (e.g., accessibility) made mainstream appealing to their children. Parents reported limited awareness of apps designed specifically for children with ASD.

Experimental Evidence on the Impact of Biodiversity Conservation Videos on Charitable Donations

We explored how different types of audio-visual media content impacted charitable donations using a lab experiment. Subjects chose to donate to a charity in a modified dictator game, after being randomly assigned to watch videos featuring either a non-charismatic species (Bats), a charismatic species (Lions) a composite habitat composed of both species (Bats and Lions in the Savanna), with and without additional content on the anthropogenic cause of endangerment. In addition to this, a subset of subjects was offered public recognition alongside videos. We found media content influences pro-social behaviour on both the intensive and extensive margins of giving: videos with charismatic Lions increased the probability of donating (intensive margin of giving), but content about human cause of endangerment, increased the amount donated conditional on having decided to donate (extensive margin of giving). There is heterogeneity in treatment effects based on past pro-social behaviour: public recognition increases donations only for those reporting donating to charities in the past.

Media Orchestration Between Streams and Devices via New MPEG Timed Metadata

The proliferation of new capabilities in affordable smart devices capable of capturing, processing, and rendering audiovisual media content triggers a need for coordination and orchestration between these devices and their capabilities and of the content flowing from and to such devices. The upcoming Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) Media Orchestration standard (MORE, ISO/IEC 23001-13) enables the temporal and spatial orchestration of multiple media and metadata streams. The temporal orchestration is about time synchronization of media and sensor captures, processing, and renderings, for which the MORE standard uses and extends a Digital Video Broadcasting standard. The spatial orchestration is about the alignment of (global) position, altitude, and orientation for which the MORE standard provides dedicated timed metadata. Other types of orchestration involve timed metadata for the region of interest, perceptual quality of media, audio-feature extraction, and media timeline correlation. This paper presents the status of the MORE standard as well as the associated technical and experimental support materials. We also link MORE to the recently initiated MPEG immersive project. © 2018 Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, Inc.

Formas de interacción entre jóvenes de origen étnico en Monterrey con relatos audiovisuales extranjeros de ficción mediados por los medios de comunicación

The question that brought about this article, answers how the interaction between young people belonging to ethnic groups that migrated to Monterrey and some foreign audiovisual fiction stories that they consume. The results of discourse analysis of narrative interviews are used to discuss the theories of institutionalism and under domestication. The argument is that while it seems to be an emerging world culture through the origin of the audiovisual media content consumed by young people of ethnic origin, discursive analysis of how they consume the content suggests more of a latent cultural diversity.

On Designerization of Media Culture in the Age of Software

On Designerization of Media Culture in the Age of Software

НАСИЛЛЯ І МАС-МЕДІЙНИЙ КОНТЕНТ

НАСИЛЛЯ І МАС-МЕДІЙНИЙ КОНТЕНТ

Social distribution: K-pop fan practices in Indonesia and the ‘Gangnam Style’ phenomenon

Global consumers are increasingly enjoying popular cultural products such as music, film, television and other audiovisual media content through online social media community networks. Recently, Korean pop music, or K-pop, has become one of the most dynamically distributed forms of pop culture in the global pop market through these ‘social distribution’ networks. This article explores the ways that this new mode of social distribution is characterised by bottom-up grassroots aspects as well as corporate-controlled top-down aspects by analysing the recent dynamics and practices of K-pop consumption and circulation on social media, using a case study of K-pop fandom in Indonesia and the ‘Gangnam Style’ phenomenon.

No estranho planeta dos seres audiovisuais: diálogos possíveis entre televisão e educação

Este trabalho propõe uma reflexão sobre possibilidades de apropriação de produtos audiovisuais para a construção do conhecimento, estabelecendo diálogos entre televisão e Educação por meio de uma análise da série No Estranho Planeta dos Seres Audiovisuais, veiculada pelo Canal Futura, a qual explora a relação do homem contemporâneo com o texto audiovisual. Considera-se que a leitura crítica dos programas televisivos pode auxiliar os cidadãos a construir uma visão mais ampla sobre o papel central da comunicação e dos meios na atualidade, e estimular uma compreensão maior dos sentidos das mensagens produzidas pela televisão sobre a realidade social e sobre o próprio audiovisual como linguagem e forma de pensamento.

Country of Origin Principle in the EU Market for Audiovisual Media Services: Consumer’s Friend or Foe?

The country of origin principle, the cornerstone of the EU Television Without Frontiers Directive – to become the Audiovisual Media Services Directive – is often criticised as being insensitive to the legitimate national public interest to protect viewers – and consumers – of audiovisual media content. This paper seeks to demystify this pessimistic perception of the country of origin rule from the perspective of the consumer interest. It demonstrates that the possible negative repercussions of the country of origin logic for consumer welfare are mitigated in three ways: by specific derogations possibilities foreseen in the Directive in case of violations of the fundamental rules on protection of minors and of human dignity; through the margin of broadcasting control left to the Member States in the areas beyond those coordinated by the Directive, and by means of a new two-step anti-circumvention procedure introduced by the new Directive.