Fandango: How do media industries shape media audiences?

     This weeks question was "How do media industries shape media audiences?" I answered this question by going through Fandango's tactics of making the audiences feel like it is all more of an experience rather than a process. I had two answers to this weeks question, the first way media industries shaped media audiences was through personalizing experiences and the second way was bridging the gap between the audience and the industry.

     Personalizing the audiences experience is done by giving the audience choices in Fandango's online experience. They can pick movies or genres that will give Fandango a feel for the types of movies that they like. This is done for future recommendations so that way the audience can receive special offers, sweepstakes entries and maybe even the occasional coupon that Fandango will send out. The second way that I touched on how media industries shape the audience is by bridging the gap between both parties. What I mean by bridging the gap is that the media industry makes the audience feel more involved in the whole experience. It isn't just the usual, go up to the movie box, buy tickets and watch movie. It now makes the audience feel that they have more to do from the very beginning of watching movie trailers and actors interviews to the time that they step foot into the actual theater.

     I asked the class "Do you think Fandango will continue to grow or do you think the surcharge will affect it?" Someone answered that they believe that the surcharge wouldn't affect the company because it seems like all movie theaters now have increasing costs. I completely agree with them. At my movie theater back home it costs almost $10 for a movie ticket. So when I go to movie theaters in other locations that have cheaper tickets, I feel like the surcharge wouldn't bother me because I am still getting a better price than I would be at home. The other response I had for this question was that maybe the surcharge would be disapproved by Fandango's clients because certain movie theaters offer the ability for customers to purchase their tickets online directly from their website. I do see this as a future problem for Fandango and they will have to evaluate how to take care of it when that time arrives.

Sources:
Grant, A. (2010). Communication technology update and fundamentals (p. 180). Amsterdam: Focal Press/Elsevier.

Rayport, J., & Jaworski, B. (2005). Best face forward: Why companies must improve their service interfaces with customers (p. 13, 122). Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business School Press.

Straubhaar, J., & LaRose, R. (2014). Media now: Understanding media, culture, and technology (8th ed., pp. 185-213). Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth ;.