Broadcast Anniversaries as Key Elements of Media History

– A Research Study

Magdalena ReitbauerUniversity of Vienna

Introduction

• FIAT/IFTA Television Studies Commission‘s Grant Programme

• two-month project in Spring/Summer 2014

• Aim: Compare conception and dramaturgy of various broadcast station‘s anniversaries to find creative, innovative and interactive examples

Process

• Literature research about broadcast anniversaries

• Collection of hard facts about past broadcast anniversaries

• Selection of case studies: Germany, UK, Ireland, Italy, Czech Republic, various international examples

• Online and Social Media Presence

ARD – 60 years – 2010

Annivesary Prime Time Show

Four Late Night Documentaries

ZDF – 50 years – 2013

Online andSocial Media Presence

Series:Lerchenberg

RTL – 30 years – 2014Online and Social Media Presence

Anniversary Prime Time

Show

BBC – 90 years – 2012Radio Reunited Show

Pictures of BBC‘s early years

#BBC90

RTÉ – 50 years – 2011/12

TV50 accounts on Twitter and Facebook

Anniversary Project – TV50 Website http://www.rte.ie/tv50/index.html

RAI – 60 years – 2014

Documentary about RAI‘s past anniversaries

„Immagini senza frontiere“: documentary about the relationship between RAI and Eurovision

ČRo – 90 years – 2013

Interview-marathon: „The magnificant Ninety“

Anniversary Website

ČT – 50 years – 2013

Anniversary Websitehttp://www.ceskatelevize.cz/60let/

Anniversary broadcast programme

Conclusion

• Realisation of a broadcast anniversary:– determined by a number of factors– represents self-conception and self-perception of a

broadcast station within its spatio-temporal context

• Interplay between programming, online presence and social media platforms

• Further research possibilities

Thank you for your attention!

Contact:MMag. Magdalena Reitbauer

University of Viennamagdalena.reitbauer@univie.ac.at