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

Academic Year 2020/2021

  • 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

The course takes place in the first semester 2020: students of the LM in Italianistics, European Literary Cultures, Linguistic Sciences who intend to take the exam 85085 ECONOMY AND MARKETING OF AUDIOVISUAL MEDIA (1) (LM) and students of the LM in Information, Culture and Media Organization who have the exam 93493 ECONOMY OF MEDIA in their curriculum must refer only to the first module, held by Prof. Guglielmo Pescatore, and the related bibliography. The lessons of the Economics module are held from 22/9 to 22/10/2020.





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


- Study materials available through the teaching IOL platform


Teaching methods

Due to the restrictions imposed by the current health emergency, teaching will be carried out in a traditional didactic manner:

this means the teacher will always be present in the classroom designated for teaching, students will alternate in attendance according to a schedule of shifts being defined (more detailed information about the shift and how to access the lesson in attendance will be provided later). It will always be possible to connect remotely and follow live streaming of the lessons in the classroom via TEAMS platform.


We recommend students who intend to actively participate in the course to participate (in presence or remotely) in the first lesson of September 22nd, 2020 at 9.00 a.m. where the program and teaching methods will be explained.


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 2020 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

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


- a written test with multiple-choice questions to be held in the classroom. This test involves 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.


- an essay/case study on the topics addressed in part 2 - Marketing. The subject of the essay, between 20,000 and 30,000 characters in length, must always be agreed with Prof. Innocenti by e-mail, during office hours or through the forum on the IOL platform. The essay must present a good degree of depth and analysis with respect to the chosen topic, a purely descriptive approach to the phenomena analyzed is not sufficient. The essay must be delivered directly on the day of the written test and will contribute together with it to the determination of the final grade. The thesis without bibliography and without notes on the sources consulted will be considered insufficient. Please follow the editorial rules at the following link https://corsi.unibo.it/magistrale/Cinema/la-tesi-di-laurea


Halfway through the course there will be an intermediate evaluation test for students who have completed MODULE 1. If passed the test will average with the final test for FORM 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 2019/2020 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