Mapping The TV Market

The new Edexcel specifications introduce Market Mapping as a GCSE topic, and it is a great way of getting students to put forward their own views and then justifying them. It’s also a useful way of helping students to recognise that there are no concrete answers in business, and that their market map may not be the same as other students.

Of course students need to be familiar with the market being mapped. That usually means food (e.g. the crisp market, chocolate market), mobile phones, or TV. So this example from the Channel 4 website, which maps the channels that are considered competitors of E4, may prove to be useful.

Although it only identifies E4’s direct competitors, it does allow scope for students to consider where other channels could be positioned. Or, it could be used as an example to show students how they are used to assess the competition.

There’s lots more useful data available here in downloadable powerpoints from the Channel 4 website.

Following this introduction, students could then produce a large wall display, which maps a particular market. The one on my classroom wall at the moment is for the chocolate market.