What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Media institutions can be very effective in helping to distribute and promote another product, in this case a charity website.  Media institutions include: television, newspapers and the internet. Television drama’s and soap operas in the UK in the past have often worked together with charities to raise awareness. My charity website focuses on homelessness which affects many young people, the television drama Hollyoaks (Channel 4) would be an ideal show to distribute my product as the show is mainly aimed at a younger demographic very similar to my audience. It focuses on many serious issues, including homelessness. We could work together for a homeless storyline, therefore they could promote my product at the end of their show and my website could use clips from them showing the effects and consequences of homelessness. Other television shows that could distribute my product include: Eastenders (BBC1), Skins (E4) and Coronation Street (ITV1).

^^ Example of Hollyoaks colloborating with another media product ^^

Newspapers and magazines could also help promote my product. For example newspapers such as: The Guardian or The Times are some of the few newspapers that could incorporate an issue such as homelessness into their articles effectively. Both newspapers could promote my website either on their newspapers or own websites. However, a large portion of my target audience are not likely to read those types of newspaper, therefore magazines could distribute my product instead. Magazines can help to raise awareness about the issue of homelessness to young people and who they can reach out to for help.

Social networks are another institution that could distribute my product. Most charities have links with Facebook and Twitter on their websites, somewhat of a convention. I’ve incorporated social networks into my website already; therefore we could work together to campaign, raise money and recruit volunteers. Other media forms involved in the internet include YouTube. By setting up a YouTube account, my product can showcase the work being done by the charity, therefore reaching more and more people as YouTube is globally viewed.