GTA 4

This website (from BBC News, 2nd May 08) has some facts and figures about GTA 4:

• The title sold a record 609,000 copies on its first day of release, generating an estimated £24.4m ($48.5m).
• The previous record holder was GTA: San Andreas, which sold 501,000 copies in 24 hours in October 2004.
• despite its success the game has been hit by reports of software problems and crashes on some consoles.
• The game currently has an average review score of 98.7%, according to Gamerankings.com, which amalgamates reviews from all publications.
• The title cost approximately $100m to make but could quickly recoup the costs.
• According to Chart Track it not only recorded the highest sales for any game in its first 24 hours, it also set new records for first day sales for any game on both the PS3 and the Xbox.
  The title smashed the PS3 record by nearly 200,000 copies. Previous record holder Gran Turismo 5: Prologue sold just 80,000 copies.
  However, it was a closer run race on the Xbox 360. Microsoft's Halo 3 had previously notched up first day figures of 266,000 compared to GTA's recorded 335,00.

20 mark mock question

Question: Using your wider knowledge of new media technologies, discuss how far young people's use of media technology differs from that or their parents.

As the media ecosystem has developed over the years with, audiences have been able to experience a more personalised experience of consuming the media. However, parents are often less inclined to buy into new media technologies as they feel more comfortable with their consumption habbits. For example, younger generations are keen to buy films on blu-ray discs, as they are more educated over the extra capacity offered, providing extras and improved visual and sound quality. As blu-ray evolved with the development of high definition television (HDTV), another new media technology, parents often don't feel the need to follow the ideology of consumption that institutions rely on to attract audiences.
Younger audiences have also driven the change in the music industry, as institutions realised the potential new revenue streams available due to the high demand of pull technologies such as the iPod. Again, technology before was not nearly as developed as the process of digitisation was unable to perfom as highly as it can today, so parents dont have the aspiration to 'keep up to date' as it is seen as un-necesary, and conformist.
However, it is clear that parents are not completely dismissive of new media technologies, with the introduction off BBC iPlayer. Adults are the key target audience, and this has proved successful with......watching the apprentice. This may be because the BBC is an institution which parents are familiar with and feel a connection based on trust.