SILS - Spring 2020
HI307
MEDIA HISTORY:
Four Modern Revolutions Graham Law
Broadcasting (2): Television
Structure of today’s presentation
I Television Technology – Precursors & terminology
– Early options
– Television timeline
II Television Sociology – Commercial & Public service models
– TV programs/genres
– TV against Radio & Cinema
– Mass Audiences: TV Soaps & Reality TV
I. Television Technology
Precursors & Terminology
Precursors Korn’s wired photo-telegraph (1900s)
Low’s wireless TeleVista (1910s)
cinematography capturing/showing moving pictures
sound synchronization
camera & editing techniques
narrative & discursive contents
radio broadcasting service production companies/corporations
transmitting equipping
program form/cont
patterns of reception (public/private)
Terminology television
(Grk.) far + (Lat.) seeing
“ugly because of ill-breeding” (TSE)
televisor/television set
(tele)viewer
broadcasting
(agric.) radial seed sowing
station/channel/program(me)
Early technical options Mechanical image scanning
– Germany: P.G. Nipkow
– UK: John Logie Baird
– whizzing disks & mirror drums
Electrical image scanning – Russia: Vladimir Zworykin
– US: Philo Farnsworth
– silent & light
1934 BBC competition between 2 systems:
mechanical scanning = “a bit like using Morse code
when you knew that next door you could telephone”
Other – scan lines
UK 405 (MEMI)
USA/Japan 525 (NTSC)
most Europe 625 (SECAM)
– receivers cathode ray tube (CRT)
phosphorescent screen
Rough TV Timeline
Technical – cable TV, 1940s
– portable TVs, 1950s
– color TV, 1960s
– video recorders, 1970s
– pocket TVs, 1980s
– satellite TV, 1980s
– digital broadcasting, 2000s
– internet TV, 2000s
Institutional – experimental broadcasts from 1920s
– WGRB TV in New York from 1928
– Baird system at BBC from 1929
– pilot broadcasts from 1930s
– BBC, EMI system, from 1936
– US at World’s Fair, 1939
– delays in mass use due to
– economic depression
– Second World War
– resistance from radio industry
– mass medium from 1950s
– BBC & ITV in Britain
– 4 main networks in US
– DuMont, NBC, CBS, ABC
II. Television Sociology
Commercial & Public Service Models (1950s)
Commercial – United States of American
• under FCC
– 4 major networks
– DuMont (backed by Paramount)
– NBC, CBS, ABC (radio operators)
– minimal control of content • obscenity, defamation, …
– minimal control of advertising • sponsorship permitted
• product placement permitted
• children’s advertising permitted
– entertainment focus
Public service – United Kingdom
– BBC
– funded by licence
– ITV (Independent Television)
– funded by advertising
– regional franchises
– both regulated in public interest – by BBC Board & ITA
– re: genres of content – education, drama, new, …
– re: advertising mode – “natural breaks”
– cultivation focus
TV against
Cinema & Radio
Cinema – USA
• theatres: 1948=18th; 1956=14th
• visits p/ week: 1948=90m; 1956=47m
– UK visits per year, millions
– <<<<<<
Radio – retreat to
– kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms
– cars & other vehicles
– outdoors, incl. the beach
– focus on low-cost programs – recorded music
– chat shows
– game & quiz shows
TV – USA
– annual TV set production: – 1948= 200th; 1952=15m
– population penetration: – 1948= 0.4%; 1952=34%
– UK – TV licenses:
– 1948=20th; 1951=1m; 1955=4.5m
TV Functions/Programs
Main content categories (1960s) – news & weather bulletins
– social and political documentaries
– live performances (musical, theatrical, …)
– live events (sporting, political, …)
– TV drama
• soap opera/western/crime/fantasy/horror/comedy/…
– commercial advertising
– music shows
– sports shows
– quiz & game shows
– chat shows
– rerun movies
– comedy shows
– variety shows
– popular music shows
– religious broadcasting
– schools broadcasting
– children’s programming
• cartoons, game & quiz, educational
TV roles – transmission by broadcaster
– reception by viewer
TV Content – scripted/unscripted/mixed
– studio/location/mixed
– live/recorded/repeat & syndication
Social Function – informational
– educational
– aesthetic (art/entertainment)
Mass Audiences:
TV Soaps & Reality TV
Soap opera
– network radio from 1930s
– network TV from 1950s
– open-ended serial drama
– brief, frequent episodes
– romantic to realist
– US Guiding Light (1937-)
– UK Coronation Street (1960-)
– daytime to peaktime
– US As the World Turns (1956-)
– Australia Neighbours (1985-)
– soap opera as substitute reality
– ratings peak in 1980s
Reality TV from late 1990s, already peaked
last stand of the networks? lay “stars”
ultra-personal content
participant exhibitionism
audience voyeurism
the “vote-off” (serial scapegoats)
docu-soaps Driving School UK, Airport UK
emergency shows Rescue 911 US, Police Camera Action UK
confessional talk shows Jerry Springer US, Kilroy UK
“reality” game shows – UK Ch. 4 Big Brother
“reality” talent shows – US FOX American Idol
Discussion Session
Over to You
Questions & Comments