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  Terminology  production companies/corporations  transmitting equipping  television  program form/cont  (Grk.) far + (Lat.) seeing  patterns of reception (public/private)  “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 Other – UK: John Logie Baird – scan lines – whizzing disks & mirror drums  UK 405 (MEMI)  USA/Japan 525 (NTSC)  most Europe 625 (SECAM) – receivers  cathode ray tube (CRT)  phosphorescent screen

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” Rough TV Timeline  Institutional – experimental broadcasts from 1920s – WGRB TV in New York from 1928 – Baird system at BBC from 1929 – pilot broadcasts from 1930s  Technical – BBC, EMI system, from 1936 – cable TV, 1940s – US at World’s Fair, 1939 – portable TVs, 1950s – delays in mass use due to – color TV, 1960s – economic depression – video recorders, 1970s – Second World War – pocket TVs, 1980s – resistance from radio industry – satellite TV, 1980s – mass medium from 1950s – digital broadcasting, 2000s – BBC & ITV in Britain – 4 main networks in US – internet TV, 2000s – DuMont, NBC, CBS, ABC

II. Television Sociology Commercial & Public Service Models (1950s)  Commercial  Public service – United States of American – United Kingdom • under FCC – BBC – 4 major networks – funded by licence – ITV (Independent Television) – DuMont (backed by Paramount) – funded by advertising – NBC, CBS, ABC (radio operators) – regional franchises – minimal control of content – both regulated in public interest • obscenity, defamation, … – by BBC Board & ITA – minimal control of advertising – re: genres of content • sponsorship permitted – education, drama, new, … • product placement permitted – re: advertising mode • children’s advertising permitted – “natural breaks” – entertainment focus – cultivation focus

TV against TV Cinema & Radio – USA – annual TV set production: Cinema – 1948= 200th; 1952=15m – USA – population penetration: – 1948= 0.4%; 1952=34% • theatres: 1948=18th; 1956=14th • visits p/ week: 1948=90m; 1956=47m – UK – UK visits per year, millions – TV licenses: – 1948=20th; 1951=1m; 1955=4.5m – <<<<<<

 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 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  TV roles – music shows – transmission by broadcaster – sports shows – reception by viewer – quiz & game shows – chat shows  TV Content – rerun movies – scripted/unscripted/mixed – comedy shows – studio/location/mixed – variety shows – live/recorded/repeat & syndication – popular music shows  Social Function – religious broadcasting – schools broadcasting – informational – children’s programming – educational • cartoons, game & quiz, educational – aesthetic (art/entertainment)

Mass Audiences:  Reality TV TV Soaps & Reality TV  from late 1990s, already peaked  last stand of the networks?  Soap opera  lay “stars” – network radio from 1930s  ultra-personal content – network TV from 1950s  participant exhibitionism  audience voyeurism – open-ended serial drama  the “vote-off” (serial scapegoats) – brief, frequent episodes – romantic to realist – US Guiding Light (1937-) – UK Coronation Street (1960-) – daytime to peaktime – US As the World Turns (1956-)  docu-soaps – Australia Neighbours (1985-)  Driving School UK, Airport UK – soap opera as substitute reality  emergency shows  Rescue 911 US, Police Camera Action UK – ratings peak in 1980s  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

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