Author: Christy

Max Giovagnoli’s book is out, and I just received my copy in the mail. I wish I could read Italian! I can see that Max has utilised alot of what I’ve written on this blog over the last year or so, but he has cited me, which is good. He has also referred to researchers that I have referred to here. This is good, one of the intentions of this site is to be a portal of information about researchers working in the area, as well as being a hub for researchers to connect through. Here is Max’s abstract again:

Performing cross-media entails carrying out information, entertainment and communication campaigns in an ‘integrated’ manner, thereby simultaneously utilising a range of media forms within large editorial projects. From reality show (Big Brother, Operation Triunfo, Talpa) to film promotion (Star Wars, Harry Potter, The Ring 2). From multi-medial journalism (BBC news, SKY TV 24, RAI news 24) to video mobile telephone use and internet serials. From inter-business, institutional and political communication, to the creation of emotional marketing campaigns and new formats for cable links. The book describes, through examples, simulations, and contributions by leading international scholars, the techniques, the scenarios and the fundamental rules necessary in order to carry out communication project distributed across various media forms. Among the first publications in Europe on the subject, the work uses the research on collective imagination, emotional competence, project management and alternative dramaturgies to give order to a discipline where, to this day, too much scope is given to the talent of the individual and to an improvisation that generates mysterious successes or unexpected flops in the sectors: information, entertainment and communication.

Congratulations to Max for doing the book. It looks like a great lot of information, which I would love to read!! The book can be purchased here. It is great seeing these books coming out, and being cited. I really have to get some papers out very soon, so everyone knows what the hell I’m talking about!

I haven’t been posting much because I’ve been preparing for a week-long residential in which I’m a CME mentor! I’m off doing that this week for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation so may not be posting next week either. However, know this: that soon I’ll be letting you know about some more cross-media researchers and launching the CME wiki! Yay!

The long awaited report by Nielsen Entertainment Video Game Benchmark Report
I’ve mentioned this report before, and discussed about some other stats. For those of us who don’t have a dream researcher budget, ACTeN provide some more stats:

* Wait and See: Many active gamers appear to be in a holding pattern, before making a purchase decision on next-generation consoles, with nearly 50% of active gamers stating they will likely wait until both the Xbox 360 and the PS3 are released before making a final decision

* Xbox 360 vs. PS3: While most are taking the wait and see approach, those that own and prefer Xbox are more likely to buy Xbox 360 than those that own and prefer PS2 are to buy the PS3

* Moving Online: 57% of active gamers have played online with free casual online games the most used and a notable 21% having played MMO games

* Women are Playing: While online-enabled console, MMO and gambling gamers are disproportionately male — 76% vs. 24% — casual gamers who play free online games such as puzzles are just as likely to be women as men, 49% vs. 51% respectively

* Good Scores on Mobile Gaming: 18% of active gamers have downloaded a game to their cell phone, with nearly two-thirds (63%) rating their experience from good to excellent

* Jock Games Rule: Traditional Sports is the most preferred game genre followed by Role Playing and First-Person Shooter

* Men of Opportunity Value: Males 25-34 and Hispanics represent the most valuable emerging market for video games with high entertainment budgets and higher potential than other segments for increased video game spending

* Dominating Leisure Time: Nearly 25% of a gamer’s leisure time is spent playing video games, with males playing 12 hours per week on average.

There is also the Nielsen Entertainment’s Mobile Entertainment Consumer Benchmarking Study, which ACTeN have been generous in supplying the following:

* Turnover Equals Opportunity: 52% of mobile phone users will buy a new phone within the year with 37% claiming additional features will figure prominently in their decision making process

* Mobile Atop Media: On average, active mobile phone consumers report spending 17 hours on their phones per week, 13 talking and 4 on data services, surpassing music, video games, movie going and home entertainment

* Mobile Girls are over TVs: Young females are on their mobile phone 23.5 hours per week on average, more time than the 20.9 hours they report watching television

* Following the Money: Topping all entertainment expenditures for share of wallet, mobile phone users spend $57.50 each month on their phone and related services

* Mass Market, Mass Medium: 85% or 144 million 13-54 year-olds are mobile phone users

* Cutting the Cord: One in seven mobile phone users have no home landline and 35% consider their mobile phone to be their primary phone

* Nickels and Dimes: Of the mobile consumers polled, 60% said they pay for text messaging; 48% for custom ring tones; and 22% for games

* Music Madness: One in five (21%) teens downloaded at least 10 ringtones in the last three months, including one in eight (12%) who downloaded 15 or more

* Multiple Dominant Brands: Motorola, Nokia, Samsung and LG are cited as top hardware providers while Verizon, Cingular, Sprint Nextel and TMobile are cited as top service providers

Gamers Agree: Women and men share the preference to play board, card and puzzle games on their mobile phones.