Television

Mass Media & Society

Overview
Televisions

pioneers Quiz show scandal Impact on other media Marshall McLuhan Cable and Public Access Male v. Female viewing Socialization of children Positive impact on behavior

Televisions inventor

Philo T. Farnsworth

Developed plan for electronic television with invention of image dissector at age 14 Technology superior to mechanical television Beat Vladimir Zworykin for patent

Televisions champion

David Sarnof

Financed development and improvements Introduced TV at 1939 Worlds Fair Provided regular programming Actions led to antitrust legislation that divided NBC red and blue networks

Televisions content

Borrowed established radio formats & stars Many programs simulcast on radio and TV Produced live in studio

Quiz show scandal

24 network quiz shows by 1958-59 Charles Van Doren admitted they were rigged; pubic learned TV could lie Advertising agencies were no longer allowed to control programming; just ads Quiz shows lost popularity in prime time.

Televisions impact on radio

TV co-opted drama and variety programming from radio Radio found new niche emphasizing music programming, sports and news

Televisions impact on film

Took audiences away from movies Studios had to rent studio space and sell film footage to TV to make up revenue

Televisions impact on magazines

Most high-circulation national magazines disappeared as advertisers went to TV News weeklies survived by slimming down, raising prices Other magazines focused on niche markets

Televisions impact on newspapers

TV took some advertisers away (advertising in newspapers is still very strong) TV cut into subscribers reading time Newspapers began to cover TV Newspapers focused more on strengths: in-depth reporting, local coverage, coupons and classifieds

Social impact of television

Marked our entrance into space Forced us to acknowledge the Civil Rights Movement Exposed us to ugliness of war Brought people together so that we understand others better (the global village)

Marshall McLuhan

(1911 1980)

Technological determinist who studied the effects of media Theorized 4 stages of communication

Oral Writing Printing Electronic

The Medium is the Message

The way we receive information is more important than the information itself. You can learn more about a society from its dominant form of communication than from the information that comes through it.

The Global Village

McLuhan believed that technology, particularly in the form of television, could unite society and encourage interaction among viewers.

Least objectionable programming

Network tactic to hold on

to the largest percentage of mass audience for advertising purposes. Politically bland to avoid negative association with products and keep audience receptive to advertising.

Cable television

Cable and satellite services narrowcast programming (divide audiences into niches served with different content.)

Provides more program choices Better for advertisers who want to target market Networks no longer chief cultural programmers

Public access television

PEG stations - Public,

Educational and Government Access Contracted by municipality before giving cable company monopoly on service No censorship democratic medium

Male v. female viewers

Men tend to be all or nothing (very attentive or not at all) Women tend to view TV as a social act, accompanied by other activities

Media and social identity of children

Blurs boundaries between adulthood and childhood by initiating new patterns of information flow Brings adults and children together in social situations once distinct and allows children to see parts of adult social world previously hidden Competes for power with parents and schools as a socializing agent

TV can encourage positive behavior

Designated Driver Campaign Websters dictionary picked up the term Message aired on 160 prime-time shows

Campaign results
By

1991, 37% of adults claimed to have served as designated drivers, up from 29% in 1989 In 1988 - 23,626 drunk-driving fatalities In1997 - down to 16,189 Information needs constant repetition for people to learn though.