37036 - Economics and Marketing of Audiovisual Media (2nd cycle)

Academic Year 2021/2022

  • Moduli: Guglielmo Pescatore (Modulo 1) Veronica Innocenti (Modulo 2)
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures (Modulo 1) Traditional lectures (Modulo 2)
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Cinema, Television and Multimedia Production (cod. 0966)

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course students will know the basic aspects of the economical chain of the media industry, particularly film and television products; in terms of both production and related institutions, as well as the planning of the production of audiovisual products and related structures and events. Students will also acquire basics of Marketing in its various applications, especially focusing on how it’s applied to in the promotion process (promotional strategies and launching) of the audiovisual product.

Course contents

Module 1 - ECONOMY (held by Prof. Guglielmo Pescatore):


This part of the course (30 hours) will be dedicated to some distinctive aspects of the media market, with particular reference to audiovisual media and the network. The media production chain will be examined in the light of the significant changes that have occurred since the 1980s, both in terms of the impact of new technologies, economic aggregation processes and product changes. The multiplatform production, distribution and enjoyment models and the creation of audiovisual product franchises will be examined. The course will be organized around the following thematic blocks:


- Cultural industries


- Basic definitions of Microeconomics


- The advertising market


- Production and distribution of the audiovisual product


- Convergence and digital media


- Non-monetary Economies


Module 2 - MARKETING (held by Prof. Veronica Innocenti):


The second part of the course (30 hours) will aim to provide students with an articulated picture of marketing practices applied to the products of the cultural industries. The course will be organized around the following thematic blocks:


- Basic principles of marketing


- The promotion and communication of the audiovisual product


- The marketing of the audiovisual product


- Unconventional marketing techniques


- Social media marketing


- Case studies


Readings/Bibliography

The readings selected by the teachers and made available through IOL, as well as the lectures notes will be considered as fundamental parts of the reading material.


Module 1


- Alan B. Albarran, The Media Economy, London, Routledge 2016.


- David Hesmondhalgh, Le industrie culturali, Egea, Milano 2008 or 2015, INTRODUCTION AND CHAPTERS 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9


- Paola Brembilla, It's All Connected. The evolution of US TV series, Milan, Franco Angeli, 2018


- Reports and teaching materials on the IOL teaching platform


Module 2

- - Stuart Cunningham e David Craig, Social Media Entertainment. Quando Hollywood incontra la Silicon Valley, Roma, minimum fax, 2021
- Study materials available through the teaching IOL platform


Teaching methods

The attendance and active participation of the student during the course, measured through the use of a special application for classroom and remote interaction (which will be discussed during the first lesson), will contribute to the determination of the final grade in the measure of 2 points. The points obtained will be added to the evaluation obtained through the written test and the thesis and this sum will constitute the final evaluation. The bonus points can be used for the first 2 appeals after the end of the course even by those who do not pass the test in itinere, after which they will no longer be considered valid.


WARNING: Given the fluidity of the emergency situation that we are experiencing and since this program is published in July 2021 it is possible that the way in which the teaching will be provided will change in the coming months. In this case, timely communication will be given through an update of this program, as well as through appropriate notices published on the usual institutional channels, namely: notices published on the teacher's page (https://www.unibo.it/sitoweb/veronica.innocenti ), on the website of the CITEM Degree Course (https://corsi.unibo.it/magistrale/Cinema ) and on the official FB page of the CITEM Degree Course (https://www.facebook.com/Unibo.Citem/ ) which all students are invited to consult periodically.

Assessment methods

For the procedures for taking the exam in the pandemic period, carefully read here: https://www.unibo.it/sitoweb/veronica.innocenti/contenuti-utili/ce3ef936

The exam of the "Economics and Marketing of Audiovisual Media" course consists of two tests:

- Written test with multiple choice questions to be carried out in the classroom and relating to the topics addressed in the first module. This test provides for the verification of a qualitative knowledge of the principles of microeconomics, price, market, supply demand and a general knowledge of the mechanisms and strategies of the media industries. The test includes 31 questions that will be evaluated as follows: 1 point for each correct answer, -0.5 points for each wrong answer, 0 points for each unanswered question.

- A paper on the topics addressed in MODULE 2 - Marketing. The topic of the essay, with a length of between 20,000 and 30,000 characters, must always be agreed with Prof. Innocenti by e-mail or during office hours. The essay must present a good degree of in-depth analysis and analysis with respect to the chosen theme, a purely descriptive approach of the phenomena analyzed is not sufficient. The essay must be uploaded in .pdf format on the appropriate link on the day of the written test and together with this will contribute to the determination of the final grade. The papers without bibliography and without notes on the consulted sources will be considered insufficient. Please follow the editorial rules at the following link https://corsi.unibo.it/magistrale/Cinema/la-tesi-di-laurea 

Mideterm exam will be availaboe for students who have completed MODULE 1. If passed the test will contribute to the final degree together with the final test for MODULE 2 that will be held at the end of the lessons and will have specific modalities that will be communicated during the lesson.


The achievement of an organic vision of the topics dealt with, the possession of a specific language, the qualitative knowledge of the principles of microeconomics and a general knowledge of the topics dealt with in the two modules will be evaluated with marks of excellence. A manual knowledge of the subject, ability to synthesize and analyse in a non-articulated way or a correct but not always appropriate language, such as a school domain of the discipline, lead to discrete evaluations. Educational shortcomings or inappropriate language, such as poor knowledge of the topics addressed, lead to grades on the threshold of sufficiency. Educational shortcomings, inappropriate language, lack of orientation within the bibliography and inability to analyse are evaluated negatively.


To take the exam, it is necessary to subscribe to the list through the AlmaEsami service. Non-registered students will not be admitted to take the exam. The exam is usually held in computer equipped classrooms: in order to rationalize its use it is necessary that the students enrolled, if they decide not to take the exam, are deleted from the roll call list. Please also remember that it is necessary to show up for the appeal with your UniBo credentials and with an identification document.


Students who have included the exam in their study plan in academic years prior to the academic year 2020/2021 are invited to contact the teacher to agree on how to take the exam.


Students with DSA who need adaptations are requested to write to the teacher with the DSA Student Office in cc.

Teaching tools

Presentations, projection of audiovisual material, Power point and Prezi, use of clips, links and resources available online, meetings with professionals. TEAMS platform, IOL and Acadly app.

Office hours

See the website of Veronica Innocenti

See the website of Guglielmo Pescatore