The media conglomeration story

What does this logo mean to you?

  • Film company logo
  • Globally recognizable
  • Huge amounts of money
  • Long established Hollywood company
  • Cartoons
  • Link to DC comics – especially Dark Knight
  • Harry Potter films
  • Tour of Leavesden studio near London


2b Media Power

In pairs, list how TimeWarner’s huge amount of media power might:


offer advantages to the producers of Gravity

  • More extended reach to bigger audience across different media
  • Long-established and highly recognizable brand names
  • The sense of financial clout offered by this big company
  • More marketing opportunities for the film (marketing apparent everywhere, audiences can be carefully targeted and positioned,
  • Reaching half the American population through a saturation release (a large number of digital ‘prints’ of the film can be produced)
  • A success in the North American market usually means a global success massive global profile

offer advantages to the audiences of Gravity

You might note that some of these ‘advantages’ for audiences in fact serve the interests of the producers more.

  • As TimeWarner has this high profile, audiences are likely to find out more about the film and will be able to respond to the marketing campaign.
  • Audiences can benefit from the high production values which an established brand like Warner Bros. can achieve through its high investment.
  • The audience can see a film where there appeared to be a high degree of financial risk like Gravity as TimeWarner can afford to take the risk of high financial investment in the technology.

Warner Bros UK production facilities

Read the following piece about Warner Brothers’ production facilities in the UK by clicking on the link to the website and then discuss the prompt questions before viewing the suggested responses.


What is the positive impact of this facility opening in the UK for the British film industry?

  • More films made in Britain.
  • Showcasing British production teams and acting.
  • Jobs in the industry.
  • Making films by British directors – Joe Wright/Guy Ritchie/David Yates.
  • Can lead to other production facilities being opened/redeveloped – Pinewood/Elstree.
  • Higher profile for the British film industry in terms of co-production.

Are there any negative points associated with this Warner Brothers’ facility?

  • This can take production personnel away from smaller budget British films.
  • Further expands the dominance of TimeWarner globally.
  • The income from the films/rental of production goes straight back to the US.
  • Will the films made in Britain be culturally British or not?
  • Warner Brothers may use their own personnel instead of looking for British expertise

Click on the question to reveal suggested responses