The Brief Specifications for Media Studies Advanced Portfolio

A couple of weeks ago I  received the brief for OCR's Media Studies Advanced Portfolio A2 coursework. The main task outlined in the brief, is to design a website. The website that we will also create with be used to advertise our TV channel. My website will include original images, audio and video extract. I have begun my research on a number of different teen channels and there websites that help to promote them, this includes channels and sites that target teens. 

Before being formally given this brief, we were given some time to brainstorm any ideas on what type of TV Channel we were going to base our ideas on. 

I have started to research the TV industry and web-designing industry in some detail, looking at how a website is produced using particular programs, such as looking at typical case study TV websites around today.

Research on Jakob Nielsen

Web usability - Guidance --- Web standards-- accessibility -- Navigation

JaKob nielsen has many different opinions on website designs, here an some examples of his work;
Bad search;
Jakob said that some search engines are likely to reduce usability. Particular search engines are unable to handle typos, plurals and hyphens. Search engines are difficult for elderly users to use.
PDF files for online reading;
Many users hate finding PDF files when browsing and checking the internet. They simply don't like this as it breaks their flow of whatever they may be doing. Simple things like saving documents or printing may be difficult because standard browser commands may not work. 
Page titles with low search engine visibility;
Searching is very important to users for them to ways to discover more websites. It is important for users to find their way around individual websites. The main page for the website title page is to attract new visitors from search listings and for you to help existing users to locate the specific pages that they need.

Jakob is a user advocate and principal of the Nielsen Norman Group which he co-founded with Dr. Donald A. Norman former VP of research at Apple Computer.

Time plan

This time plan includes time allocations for each section of this coursework, in order that all the work is completed:

Time Plan

Here is a time plan that I have made as to what needs to be carried out in my Pre-production phase of this coursework:
Research into different websites
Site organisation
Images which are going to be used in TV listings
Newspaper Ad's
Website  planning & construction

My own example for the website layout;

My basic design of a website layout 

I have created this to show you a basic view of what I want my website to look like. I will include a logo on my channel website, the logo that I will be using is something that I have designed myself using photo-shop. My homepage navigation will be seen at the top of the page underneath my logo. The links that I will include are; Shows, Top News, Chat, Competitions & Contact Us.

The images that I'm planning on using will be dotted around my website in various places. I am planning on using  images that teenagers will find interesting and eye catching. 

I decided that the navigation bar will be located at the top of my website because it looks attractive and easily accessible. I have chosen to do this because of my research on other teen channel websites. 

The font style, size and colour will mostly be the same, showing that the website is for any gender. 

Screenshots Of Websites

BBC Three Website
BBC three is a relatively popular television channel, the channel is mostly aimed at teenagers within the UK. BBC is one of the oldest broadcasters around, with a number of services ranging from a number of television programmes, radio, and now on-line. The BBC aims to reach a large range of audiences by producing many niche services, spanning from Politics on BBC Parliament and CBBC for children.
Here I have taken one single screen-shot of the website. This is an example of a TV channel website homepage. As you can see there is an option of typing in a search bar. I now understand the importance of search bars, they really help to navigate quicker around the website, enabling any information that the audience wants to see faster.The arrows on the right and left at top of the screen stand out, the size of the font is bright pink which stands out due to the white background. They have some form of special effects added to them. In this case, the 3D effect that is shown here makes the arrow feel more interactive within the page. As well as that, each time you scroll through the TV shows, other TV shows are visible on each side of it. The special effect has been added with shadows gives viewers the impression that it is a sphere going around you, making this feature unique among similar rival websites. This feature is purposely there for you to find out what time TV shows are scheduled for.
Lower down the homepage you see 'Quick clips' from the shows that they broadcast from their channel. 'BBC news' which is part of the main BBC channel. They also have the I Player which plays replays of any missed programs that the viewers have misses. All of these categories have the same font style and colour. The colour font is very effective, as well as font style, as they stand out from the black background, and makes it easier to navigate the website, everything is colour co-ordinated. I like this idea, and I feel this will be a good feature which I could incoperate into my website.

MTV Website

Today, I have contiuned my research into teenage but now that addition of music related websites, hopefully some of this research will inspire me in my own creative ideas for my own website. 

The first element I noticed upon entering MTV was the navigation options at the top. I like how when the mouse rolls over the button, the background changes colour to pink, one of the websites colour scheme colours. Although I very much also like the shape of the navigation buttons, so they are funky and unique, I feel this may be in-pratical to do. I will however attempt coding my html so the background changes colour. Therefore, I will need to research the html coding my using w3schools, otherwise searching google for possible results. It is a music-based channel, as are so many other teen channel websites/shows, this focuses only on the charts. MTV also airs a variety of music-related TV shows starring artists.

Bliss Website

Another website that I have research is a teenage website which is mainly for teenage girls. I have done this to  see how this website attracts a teenage audience. The link for this website is http@//www.mybliss.co.uk/home. The colour scheme for this website is mostly purple, pink, white and the occasionally black. From the first glance of this website you can see pink and purple is used to the stereotypical view of girls. There are links on the website to the main features/interviews near the top of the page which then cycles a slideshow periodically to each of the chosen features. Once again the main navigation is at the top of the page, (where I am planning mine to go). Advertisement for the next magazine is shown underneath that and the logo. There is also a drop down menu beneath it, the links that are part of the navigation are bold and written in capital letters, this is attracting viewers as it stands out more. This website contains links and adverts and images of celebrities. On the bliss website there are many clips which gives the viewers an insight on what may be in the magazine. All in all I think this website is very easy to use which gives all the features that should be expected such as; horoscopes, competitions, interviews and main features. Many images on this website are celebrities 

Research for TV channels- Mind map/Group work.

BBC THREE
Genre: Comedy, Documentaries, Cartoons, Soap Operas, Drama.
Scheduling: 7.00pm - 5.30am
Audience: 16-30
Country Origin: Britain
Broadcaster: BBC
- BBC Three is a popular channel for teenagers due to the programmes they choose to broadcast on it, these include programmes such as "Snog, Marry, Avoid" and "Family Guy". Also, as their programmes are not broadcast until 7.00pm, this is the opportune time when teenagers watch television.

TEEN NICK
Genre: Comedy, Cartoons, Music
Scheduling: 6.00am - 11.00pm
Audience: 5-18
Country Origin: America
Broadcaster: Nickelodeon
- Teen Nick is a popular channel among teenagers also as it contains the typical comedic cartoons which young teenagers enjoy, mixed in with music and celebrity exclusives. Nickelodeon created this channel to expand their teenage audience which was lacking on the original "Nickelodeon".

DISNEY CHANNEL
Genre: Comedy, Cartoons
Scheduling: 6.00am - 11.00pm
Audience: 5-18
Country Origin: America
Broadcaster: Disney
- Disney Channel is also popular as most teenagers have grown up with an involvement with Disney, through films or cartoons, so teenagers have a natural adoration to Disney.

T4
Genre: Music, Comedy, Cartoons, Drama, Soap Operas
Scheduling: 9.00am - 5.00pm (WEEKENDS ONLY)
Audience: 10-30
Country Origin: Britain
Broadcaster: Channel 4
- T4 stands for "Teen4" and is focused on the teenage audience. This is also popular as T4 broadcast channels that are all aimed at teenagers, evidently gaining a teenage audience.

MTV
Genre: Music Videos, Documentaries, Comedy, Cartoons, Reality TV shows.
Scheduling: All day, Every day
Audience: 16-30
Country Origin: America
Broadcaster: MTV
- MTV has always been aimed at a teenage audience, and its scheduling and channels again make it ideal for teens.

POPULAR TV CHANNELS ENJOYED BY TEENS:
Big Bang Theory, My name is Earl, Britain's got Talent, Skins, The Hills, Family Guy, The Simpsons, Teen Mom, Sweet Sixteen, Snog Marry Avoid, American Dad, Hollyoaks, Scrubs, Gilmore Girls, How I met your mother, King of the Hill,One Tree Hill, Keeping up with the Kardasians, Friends, The inbetweeners, Big Brother, Xfactor, Saturdays 24/7, Hannah Montana, Gossip Girl, Glee, The City and Heroes.

Research For Media Studies A2 Coursework.

I will start my year 13 media coursework by researching the web industry and TV industry. I will be carrying out research on these particular things to further my knowledge in web designing. I will be looking at many popular TV websites. 


I will be looking at;
http://www.e4.com
http://www.channel4.com
http://www.mtv.co.uk
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/

^These are some of the websites I will be looking at. All of the websites above are linked with teenagers, most of the programmes that are shown are associated with young teens. 
Such as; The Inbetweeners, Family Guy, Big Brother, Skins, One tree hill and many more. 


In one of our recently lessons we were asked to create a mind map on different TV shows which involve teenagers.