EVALUATION INDUSTRY: HESMONDHALGH

Hesmondhalgh’s theory of cultural industries argues that media production is shaped by a drive to minimise risk and maximise profit. Large conglomerates, rely on strategies such as vertical integration, the use of established genres, stars, and narrative formulas, and the increasing surveillance of audiences through data to ensure commercial success. His theory is especially relevant to the analysis of LFTVDs, which are high-cost productions that require broad audience appeal to be financially viable.

Stranger Things is a prime example of a series produced within these industrial constraints and reflects the growing influence of streaming services. Netflix is now one of the dominant players in global media distribution and its model of vertical integration, producing and distributing its own original content, helps it to manage risk and retain profits. Stranger Things also exemplifies some of risk-reduction strategies identified by Hesmondhalgh: it draws on familiar genres; it uses nostalgic references to 1980s pop culture; it casts known actors like Winona Ryder; and it incorporates established narrative tropes influenced by popular films such as E.T. and The Goonies.  These elements appeal to a broad demographic, including both adult and younger audiences. Hesmondhalgh’s theory also helps explain how data-driven production shapes the content of LFTVDs. Netflix’s use of algorithms to analyse viewer behaviour allows the company to tailor content to audience preferences, further reducing financial risk. This practice demonstrates how audience surveillance has become a central part of the cultural industries in the digital age.

Deutschland 83 also reflects risk-reduction strategies, albeit in a different media context. Produced by UFA Fiction and broadcast on both German TV and American streaming platforms, the series combines the appeal of a spy thriller with historical drama, making it accessible to international audiences. Its focus on Cold War tensions and ideological conflict taps into familiar historical narratives, while its character-driven storytelling allows for emotional resonance. Although Deutschland 83 may seem more politically ambitious than Stranger Things, it still operates within the constraints of market logic, aligning with Hesmondhalgh’s idea that even “risky” or “innovative” content is often carefully engineered to reach broad audiences.

However, Hesmondhalgh’s focus on ownership and industry structures does not fully account for the cultural and ideological dimensions of media products. Stranger Things and D83, both negotiate complex themes such as trauma, gender roles, power dynamics and intriguing socio-political messaging (especially D83). Hesmondhalgh’s economic framework does not address these elements in depth. Additionally, his theory pays limited attention to the active role of audiences, how they interpret, critique, and form communities around media texts. Audience engagement with Stranger Things includes fan theories, online discussion, cosplay, and more, demonstrating that meaning is not solely produced by the industry but also shaped by reception and participation.

Furthermore, while Netflix challenges traditional media broadcasters, it is itself a conglomerate, now part of a small elite group dominating the global streaming market. This nuance complicates Hesmondhalgh’s distinction between old and new media power structures. His theory helps us understand the industrial logic behind Netflix’s success, but it may not fully capture the evolving nature of media convergence and globalisation in the digital era.

Therefore, while Hesmondhalgh’s theory is extremely useful for highlighting the commercial strategies that shape LFTVDs, it should be complemented by approaches that consider ideological content, audience response, and creative agency. His framework offers a strong foundation for understanding how media products are designed within a capitalist system, but a fuller analysis of LFTVDs requires attention to the complex relationship between culture, commerce, and audience interaction.