1. SYLVIA ROBERTS sroberts@sfu.ca Communication librarian
CMNS 230: Case study
SYLVIA ROBERTS Communication librarian

2. Case study assignment (excerpt)
Your term paper will be a case study on a Canadian media institution….requires you investigate the organization in some depth, to gain an understanding of its operations and contributions to the wider media industry within Canada…. find as much empirical data as you can, as that will help you understand the organization and the role it plays in the context of the Canadian cultural and media industries.
Case study enables you to focus on one media institution in Canada. Enables you to demonstrate understanding of the course materials by giving you the opportunity to analyse a participant in the media industry, by gathering and analyzing credible sources of information and apply the theoretical frameworks from the course to see if they hold true.
What is “empirical data”? Originates in observation or experience, rather than pure speculation; capable of being verified or disproved
Empirical evidence often used to describe sources that are based on scholarly research, in-depth, controlled investigations
Encourage to make direct contact with the organization, read annual reports as part of your research but also use sources beyond those produced by your selected org.

3. Choose an entity from the following
A) A regulatory / policy institution
B) A media advocacy organization
C) a media or cultural company
Who has already selected an organization?
Think about a media organization that you know something about. Can you tell which category that it falls into? Check with the person sitting next to you to see if they agree.
Okay, let’s get some examples out there for each category
Now think about who might produce information about the entity – who do they have to report to? Regulatory agencies? Customers? Investors?

4. Case study assignment (excerpt)
Your term paper will be a case study on a Canadian media institution….requires you investigate the organization in some depth, to gain an understanding of its operations and contributions to the wider media industry within Canada…. find as much empirical data as you can, as that will help you understand the organization and the role it plays in the context of the Canadian cultural and media industries.
What is “empirical data”? Originates in observation or experience, rather than pure speculation; capable of being verified or disproved
Empirical evidence often used to describe sources that are based on scholarly research, in-depth, controlled investigations
Encourage to make direct contact with the organization, read annual reports as part of your research but also use sources beyond those produced by your selected org.

5. Choose an entity from the following
A) A regulatory / policy institution
CRTC
BC Film Commission
B) A media advocacy organization
OpenMedia
Community Media Advocacy Centre
C) a media or cultural company
Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation
Force Four Entertainment
CBC
Vancity Theatre
These are a fews examples, selected to highlight a few differences as to the type of information you might find about them.
Most organizations will produce information about themselves, through a web site and/or an annual report.
For example, when looking at a regulatory or policy institution, knowing the jurisdiction and the scope of their regulatory responsibilities helps you know which level of government to start looking. Budgets and reporting will be within that jurisdiction.
Cultural companies may be for-profit or not-for-profit. For profit companies may be public companies that track on stock exchanges so are accountable to their investors and stock exchange regulators or they can be private companies. Companies can also be a subsidiary of a larger company so information about them is only available through reporting about the larger entity.
Size, age and scope of organizational operations will affect how much information is available.

6. Research requirements
Do some preliminary research first before settling on a topic to ensure you are able to find sufficient appropriate sources.
…minimum of five sources, with at least one of your references from an academic source….strongly encouraged to go beyond the minimum guidelines in the number of sources.
Proper APA citation and referencing format should be followed.
(excerpted from assignment)

7. Friends of Canadian Broadcasting
CBC
CRTC
TELEVISION INDUSTRY
CityTV
Friends of Canadian Broadcasting
This is an illustration of 4 players in the broadcasting (television) sector of the cultural industries in Canada
Which of these is a policy institution? Which is a media advocacy organization? Which is a media or cultural company?
Include 2 examples of corporations – one not-for-profit, one for profit
Most organizations will produce information about themselves, through a web site and/or an annual report.

8. Sources for in-depth investigation
Organization as author:
Organizational web site e.g. CBC, CityTV, CRTC, Friends of Canadian Broadcasting
Annual reports
Social media
Planning documents
Books, reports and articles about your organization by other authors
Most organizations will produce information about themselves, through a web site and/or an annual report. Sometimes organizations are also required, by law, to file reports with other agencies. For example, if an organization is a not-for-profit society, they have to file with provincial authorities. Charitable organizations need to file with Revenue Canada’s register of charities. Publically owned corporations need to file an annual report with securities (e.g. stock market) regulators, to protect investors. Government bodies file accountability reports.
Social media will give you information by your organization and also show how your organization is viewed.
The size, age and nature of your organization will influence how much information has been produced about them. Newer or smaller organizations may not have a large body of background information about them so you may need to consider whether to select a different agency for your focus.
Sector specific sources include both academic and trade publications
history, regulatory scope, future of institution, stakeholders

9. Consider the source AND the audience
What is the purpose of a source of information?
Who is the intended audience?
How might these impact what or how information is presented?
In some senses, corporations are similar to people. When an organization (rather than an individual) takes responsibility for creation of a work, it’s known as a corporate author.
Just as we take pains to present ourselves in the best possible light, corporate authors tend to show their best selves in their own documents
Definitely start with the web site for your organization but don’t stop there – continue to find additional sources to add depth and balance to your analysis

14. SWOT analysis
Involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieve that objective
Strengths / weaknesses – internal, specific to organization
Opportunities / threats – external, impact whole industry
Strategy: consider factors impacting similar players in the same industry, e.g.
Financial climate, technological change, legislative environment,

17. Trade / industry information
Trade or industry journals reflect news & views of industry participants (e.g.)
This includes discussion of factors impacting the whole industry, such as technological change, legislative changes or economic factors
Articles and reports included in business and sector specific databases:
Business source complete e.g.
CBCA Complete (Canadian sources)
Communication and mass media complete
Music Index
International Index to the Performing Arts (theatre, dance)
MLA international bibliography (publishing)
Film and television literature index Design and applied arts index (gaming)
Google Association Canada gaming

20. Trade or Industry Associations
Trade or industry associations formed of organizations that operate in a specific industry
Promote industry, do research, lobby legislators (e.g. )
Use Associations Canada directory or Google search to find
Web sites, social media used to communicate with membership and others in the industry
ANYONE BELONG TO A TRADE ASSOCIATION?

21. Questions? CMNS 230 guide Ask a Librarian
Sylvia Roberts: