contexts of television

Contexts of TelevisionProf. MARTIN ŠTOLL, Ph.D.

Institute of Communication Studies and JournalismCharles University in Prague

SUMMARY

WHAT IS TELEVISION?

Technological communication principle„Described machine makes the object in place A visible at any

place B.“Patent from 2 January 1884, Julius Gottlieb Nipkow

Institution

Social, culture a political phenomena

Space for Creativity

PARTICIPANT OF MARKET

Technological communicationprinciple

OPTICS

RECORD

TECHNOLOGY OF PROCESSING

TRANSMITTION

TV SETS

DEFINITION OF SCREEN

COLOR: NTSC, SÉCAM, PAL

ANALOG vs. DIGITAL

Technological communicationprinciple

- VISIONS OF DIGITALISATION

- QUALITY OF RECORD-TRANMITTION-RECIEVING

- THE SPACE IS GETTING WIDE

- INTERACTIVITY

- HYPERTEXT (HbbTV – hybrid aplication)

- PART OF CYBERSPACE – MIXING OF CONTENTS

INSTITUTION

- FORM OF EXISTENCE

(state,public, private)

- PURPOSE OF EXISTENCE

(broadcaster, producer, both)

- HIERARCHY

(structure, size)

- LAW FRAMES

(law regulations, ČR, EU, internal and external regulation)

Social, culture and politicalphenomena

- FORMING MEDIUM, AUTHORITY(agenda setting, bringing of contents, realistic)

- POWER(ability to fascinate masses, tool of manipulation, advertisement)

- IMAGE OF THE WORLD AND ADAPTING- (fragmentalization of knowledge/congition, rhytm of a day)

- TOOL OF MANIPULATION

(propaganda, intersection of political influences in all regimes)

SPACE FOR CREATIVITY

- MACRO vs. MICRO(schedule vs. one programme)

- SERIALITY vs. SINGULARITY(factory way of producing vs. original creativity)

- COMMISSION vs. INDEPENDENT(dramaturgy, categories, types, formats – licences, original,

right for author´s freedom)

- ROUTINE vs. ORIGINALITY

(repeated processes, defined time and financial limits)

- METHODS OF PRODUCING + CONDITIONS(independent creativity, commissions, half-commissions, co-

production, time, finance)

WHAT IS TELEVISION TODAY?

- Television stays even in the era ofinteractivity ONE OF THE TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

- Actively ADAPTING FOR NEW SITUATION (technics, interactivity, channels, contents, aestetics)

- Its POWER is NOT still TRIVIAL


- Its developing will be continued – A LOT OF MONEY WAS PUT IN

- RECYCLATION of present contents– archives

- Digitalisation opens FURTHER SPACE, that will need new creativity


- Technology IS NOT GUILTY, important is the way of using it

- New television is a CHALLENGE OF CREATIVITY

- Television is even CHALLENGE FOR PEDAGOGUES

PROGRAMMING CONTEXT

DRAMATURGY

macro-dramaturgy

x

microdramaturgy

PRODUCER

Institution

X

Person

Initiator a funder (financing) the projects

MACRODRAMATURG

1. The Piece of Work = the whole schema (schedule)

2.Building Stone of Schedule = one programme(film, news, documentary…)

Products on the shelf:

Place, Size, Content, Target audience, Price

PRINCIPLES OF BUILDING THE TV SCHEDULE

1. Segmentation into the smaller shapes

2. Respect phases of a day and habits

3. Sufficient variability

4. Periodicity

5. Relationship of single item and the whole

6. Dalectics between planning and improvisation


Particular cases:

Highlighting

We are promoting one programme instead of others. We are making him much more important, above average...


Particular cases:

Tentpoling

tent over the most attractive programme

Spectator survives the programme before even after...


Particular cases:

Hammocking

Opposite of tenpoling: the worst programme is in the middle.

Spectator is hunger for the third one....


Particular cases:

Stacking

Grouping the similar programme types

(cooking 3x)

Variant: themming


Scheduling

- Within one cannel

- In connection with programmes on other „own“ channels

- In connection with the programmes of rival channels.


BridgingCrossing between channels (megafilm a documentary about it on

the other channel continues)

CounterprogrammingAnti-scheduling

CrossprogrammingShifting the starts. Spectator will find his programme from the

beginning.

KINDS OF TELEVISION PROGRAMMES

The most general categories, thatcombine CONTENT, FORM and

COMMUNICATION MODUS. Thefirst POINT OF REFERENCE.

KINDS OF TELEVISION PROGRAMMES

1) News and Public Affairs2) Features and Documentaries3) Education4) Arts and Music5) Children´s Programmes6) Drama7) Movies8) General Entertainment9) Sport10) Religion11) Publicisty (internal)12) Commercials

(WILLIAMS 2008, p. 78–83).

TYPE

Narrower point of view, much more concrete, clear parametres

Schedule type: sorting according to formaland schedule possibilities

Programme type - genres: sortingaccording to programme and content

possibilities

SCHEDULING TYPE

Filling (targeting) the schedule by content is dominant.

SCHEDULING TYPE

Other parameters:

- Description combining form, content and genre (in connectionwith schedule)

- Placing in tv schedule- Durage- Targeting- Budget

PROGRAME TYPE

(„genre“)

sorting according to programmeand content possibilities

PROGRAMME TYPE („genre“)BBC:- Fiction- Light entertainment/Sitcoms- Music- Sport- News- Information- Infotainment/Human Interest- Arts/Humanities/Sciences- Education- Religion- Others- Presentation

SPECTATOR´S CONTEXT

FUNDAMENTAL NEED TO KNOW THE TARGET ON THE MARKET

More spectators = higher price of broadcasting time

- Financing the institution, production of the programmes, and broadcasting

- Right fixing the target audience

- Adequateness of communication tools (surage, method of storytelling, composition,

money…)

- Timing

RATING

SHARE

CONTENTMENT(public service, metodics of BBC)

RATING

Number of spectators of the television

in the moment

in time interval (average of measuring time)

in relation to target audience.

Number of spectators from target group, that in the measuring time SHOULD follow our programme.

SHARE

Participation (share) of tv station

at the moment

(or average of measured time)

on whole rating

of all stations.

We measure all spectators, that were following our programme at the moment, from those who HAD TV SWITCHED ON.

CONTMENTMENTSpecifics of public broadcaster

Coefficient of contmentment – 10 to +10

a) one programme

b) one programme type (genre)

c) one slot

d) one period (days, weeks, months, quaters of a year, years)

TARGET AUDIENCE (GROUP)

Basic unit of media practise.

Group of spetators (consumers), in which behaving(consumer´s behaviour) we are interested in.

0-3

3-15

15-24

24-55

55 and more

MEASURING METHODS:

- Daily continual research (diaries) since 1972

500 spectators

change in quarter of a year

ČST organising it

MEASURING METHODS:

Media Projekt – questionnaire (90 min)

500 spectators + 500 spectators after startingprivate TVs

A quarter evaluation.

MEASURING METHODS:

Pre-set television controller

Records datas each minute

6 A.M. - 6 A.M.

1833 households, tj. 4400 spectators

Change 25% after quarter of a year

Minute rating course

PARTICIPANT

OF THE MARKET

Goal of market participant- get on the market

- reach the costumers

- to get them used to products/services

=

To get the feedback – amount and the efect

TELEVISION ATRRACTIVITY IS BASED ON

- variety and changeability

- various typology of products

- genres

- durages (lenghts)

- neigbourhood of programmes

The ammount of costumers is the same, more and more sellers fights to reach them.

Communication cannels and the form (way) of usage is changing.

Television producers and broadcasters use all available resources to be successful.

WHAT IS THE TV PRODUCT?

PROGRAMME (SCHEDULING) SCHEME

(Goal: attractivity in every moment of broadcasting in relation to expecting group of spectators - costumers)

SPECTATORS ARE THE COMMODITY

It is not the business WITH the spectators, but BY spectators.

TELEVISION MARKETmarkets-festivals-shows-individual sales

- sale of finished programmes

- sale of formats

- sale of project (pitching forum; pre-buy/sale; coproduction)

- pooling system

WHAT IS THE COMMODITY?

ONLY LICENCES(owner´s rights)

saling and buying of single items

saling and buying of in package

saling by barter (exchange) method

BROADCASTING TIME

Pricing the time

The price of the time is different in everymoment of every day and each channel.

The goal of a keeper is to have the highest priceis possible.

INCOME OF TELEVISION:

advertising

saling author´s rights

marchendaising

other saling activities(leasing, services apod.)

PUBLIC BROADCASTER TELEVISION „TELEVISION OF PUBLIC SERVICE“

specific position at the market

competition advantage (law, finaning, space in multiplex)

vs.

restriction (limitations)(advertisement, ordering and filling it)

Tzv. dual system

Co-existence

privat media

and

public service media

PUBLIC SERVICE18th June 1997

Statement on public service broadcasting, called

Amsterdam protocol(comming into force since 1. May 1999)

Validity of EU law

„specific nature (character)

of public service broadcasting“

INSTITION OF PUBLIC SERVICE

Established by law (Acts), but

they are not the state ones!

INSTITION OF PUBLIC SERVICE

Financing:

Licence fee(in CZ 135 Kč/month – 5 Euros/month)

4,43 Kč/day (16 cents/day)

EUROPE (fees tv+radio)

CZ87 EUR

Italy 111 EUR

France 123 EUR

Ireland 160 EUR

Great Britian169 EUR

Germany 216 EUR

Sweden 232 EUR

Finland 245 EUR

Austria 265 EUR

Denmark 309 EUR

Norway 317 EUR

Switzerland 365 EUR

What is expecting from public service broadcasting?

- orientation point

- place for public debates

- disinterested and independent newscast

- pluralist, inovative and diverse programme offer


- the wide public and simultaneouslyminorities

- helping to understand (philosphy, religion,

multi-cultural...)

- spreading the national and europeanheritage

- important quota of original creativity


- unprejudiced news

- service to whole-society interests

- communication coequality (parity) ofminorities

- supporting cultural and juridicalknowledge a level of education

- cultivated entertainment

CODEX BBC

Values and standards:absence of bias a sharpness of information

privacy and collecting the information

taste and politeness

violence

imitating and anti-social behaviour

screening the persons and environment

children in programmes

conflicts of interests

TOOLS OF

TV EXPRESSION

TV LANGUAGE

DOES HAVE TV OWN LANGUAGE

OR

IS IT JUST USING LANGUAGES OF OTHER ARTS, OTHER

COMMUNICATION WAYS?

TELEVISION – SISTER OF RADIOTECHNICS

- (online) transmittion of signal

- fluidness, continuity

- ability to code, transmit ans decode data/message

- radio/tv set and popularity (the place in the society

and individual´s life)

TELEVISION – SISTER OF RADIOCONTENT

- programming (schedule) and structuring (macro and micro point of view)

- creative and communication methods (on-line

broadcasting…)

- genres (reportage, lecture, learning course, talk-show, entertaining…)

TELEVISION – ADOPTED SISTER OF FILMTECHNICS

- Optical illusion (other principle)

- Parametres of cinematography formats (format 4:3,

16:9..., lens speed, depth of sharpness, angle of shooting, movement of

camera...)

- Audiovisual principle (audio and video together)

- Individual and collective perception

- Totality of communication

TELEVISION – ADOPTED SISTER OF FILMCONTENT

- Composition of takes (shots) (other way)

- Moving picture and sound (both tools together)

TELEVISION IS

NEITHER RADIO

NOR FILM.

Intimately close to RADIO

news

public affairs, magazine programmes

forms of documentary

charts – hit parade

classic music

sport online broadcasting

talk show

entertaining show

Intimately close to THEATRE

all shot in studio

entertaining stage show

reality show

Records and online broadcasting of theatres

adaptation of plays

television play

soap opera

series, sagas

Intimately close to FILM

fairly tales (animated)

news

public affairs

forms of docuemntary

television film

television series (outdoor, spectacular)

TOTALLY DIFFERENT PRINVIPLES

Theatre and film as a performance…

…radio and television as a home partner.

(ever-present)

IN WHAT GENRES WE CAN FIND TYPICAL TELEVISION TOOLS?

ČIS- public affairs and documentary(natural seriality, other work with material, other composition, other stresses, own aestetics)

- television online transmittion (broadcasting) of

everything(mainly sport – visible, without commentary)

- variety show (show in studio or outdoor)

- reality show (principle)

- tv play, tv film

- dramatic forms in series

ANSWER:

Does television have own expression tools, original genres?

Yes, it has.

Televize is peculiar communication principle with own communication methods and specific reach.

Its own communication methods are derived from other arts and close to them, nevertheless televiision in the time of

its existence imprinted them peculiar shape.

WHAT DOES SUIT TO CHANNEL?

WHAT CAN WE JAM IN IT?(

CHANNEL Frequence of transmittion

ganied by licence

State organ, Comittie for tv broadcasting(

Responsibility for the content(accoding to law)

broadcaster(holder of licence)

not producer

ONE SIDE:

frequence has a limited span, how many datas can carry:

in analogue time – picture, sound, data about color, teletext, titles for deaf.

in digital time – many more contents(multiplex, interactivity, other cannels – mobiles…)

SECOND SIDE:Broadcaster (holder of licence) has an concept, plan, strategya) Reach (covering): - whole area-wide 70%- regional more than 1% and less than 70%- local less than 1%

b) Content:-full-format programme-tematic (genre) focusing (cooking, film, children…)

What does PROGRAMME

SCHEDULE mean?

„Intentional time arrangement of tv programmes and other parts of broadcasting.“

(Law 231/2001 CZ about radio and tv broadcasting, point 1 j)

What does PROGRAMME

mean?

„Motion picture sequence with sound or without it, that by its content, form and function constitutes closed unit of broadcasting and is and individual

item of tv programme schedule. “ (Law 231/2001 CZ about radio and tv broadcasting, point 1 l)

THIRD SIDE:

Types of programmes:

original production (everything paid from the beginning to end)

inhouse - outcorcing

X

aquisition (finished programmes of all types from anybody)

ORIGINAL PRODUCTION:

sequence shooting technology (studio programmes, online broadcasting from outsied and inside, news, drama series)

shooting take by take (current affairs, documentary, tv films,

cinematographic film, cartoons)

combinations(magazines, news, shows, shows for childrens)

AQUISITION:

other tv piecescinematographic films

advertesimentteleshoppingcharity spots

……

Rule of full-format television:

variability – „multicoloured“dynamics of composition

Time (changeable) load capacity for he spectatormaximal attractivity

as cheap as possible (relation of costs and profit)

TELEVISION AS A DISTRIBUTION

CHANNEL

VIOLENCEon non-television pieces of works (art)(Only distribution?)

(Cinematography, documentary, news-cocksure citations, pictures are becoming the part of new pices – recyclation of pictures)

Why aren´t authors and producers of other arts rising up againt the boradcasting?

Principle of television is make use, (abuse?), parasitizese, sponging on other types of

communication:

- LITERATURE (mining maximum from adaptations, reading for good night, quiz question)

- FILM (whole pieces, parts of it), divided by advertisment!!!- THEATRE (base of studio programmes, online from theatres,

adaption, own drama tv genres), actors (popularity of tv came from film and theatre actors in the beginning. Today – opposite situation).

- MUSIC (sound track as a rubbish dump of music, "illustration", music and for of video clip, entertaining shows, classic music -online)

Principle of television is make use, (abuse?), parasitizese, sponging on other types of

communication:

- ART (scenic decorations in big shows…)- PRINT MEDIA (the least, source of news?)- RADIO (overwhelming majority of formats and programme

types)- INTERNET A INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATION (forms of

voting, discussions, o using social nets in online broadcasting –Danish detective stories)

What can we jam into the channel?

To television as a distribution channel we can jam everything. High, low, long, short, important,

truthful, lying, entertaining, serious, salty and sweet, fragrant and malodorous, fast and slow.

Power of television is in its scope of authority and reach.

It is main distribution channel of mainstreamu. Mainstream forming channel.

ROLE OF

PRODUCER

MACRODRAMATURGY

commissioning editor

(slot editor)

MICRODRAMATURGY

PRODUCER

SEARCHING FOR:

- convenient (fitting) formats- convenient topics (it means even commercial

value)

- adequate processing - suitable producer (co-producer)

- author (authors)

FINDING:

Inhousemarket platforms (tv markets)

festivals a showsDevelopment platforms (pitching

forum, grants…)

His initiative or directive order(rating, public service, anniversary…)

POSSIBILITIES OF PRODUCTION

Production plan

production plan is a pendant to schedule plancomplementary joining

One works on the second one, one cannot exist without the second one.


PRODUCTIONINHOUSE productionOUTSORCING, part-order (contract)Ordering the primary recording, without postproduction

COPRODUCTIONCO-OPERATION (pool...)OUTSORCING, full-order (contract)

AQUSITION


pre-salepre-buy

letter of intent


buying x selling

FORMAT (licence)

Commissioning editor(slot editor)

SLOT

COMPOSITION OF SLOTCombination of macrodramaturgy and

microdramaturgy

Attractive and well-doneAttractive and bad-done

Not much attractive and well-doneNot much attractive and bad-done

Commissioning editor(slot editor)

SCHEDULING DURING THE YEAR

(vaggons – golden and clay)

PRODUCENT/SLOT EDITORis nogotiating (cooperating) with

colleagues in his department - dramaturgists (regular meetings, coordinations…)

colleagues accross institution (executive production, other regional studios…)

external producers authorssponsors, partners

immediate superior (regular meetings)

superiors (regular meetings)

PRODUCENT/SLOT EDITOR

Situation at the nowadays market:

Television producership is much more stronger.

Outflow of spectators from cinemas.Other forms of communication.

New generation.

IMPEACHMENT OF TELEVISION

x

DEFENCE OF TELEVISION


Actively forming society(non-adequate agenda setting, making wieving of the world flat,

manipulation)

Powerful communication channel (manipulation of authenticity, unclear influences – politics, causing a

panic)

Product/Sevice(only common consumption, low quality, fragmentalisation,

distracteness)

Cultural values(not interested in edge – principle of mainsteream, no space for

culture – besides public service)


Technology(always late, extra heavy on equipment,

non-compatibility in international context)

Partner(sofa-culture (slipper culture), leading to pasivity, dependance,

substitution or real world by television reality)

Space for creativity + application(creative process as an empoyment – the death of creativity, hard task to keep

the national identity alive)


Actively forming society(educate, learning, agenda setting, cultivate, entertain…)

Powerful communication channel (cinematography, politics, crises)

Product/Sevice(common consumption, quality, variety)

Cultural values(archive, own creative processes, creativity derived from other arts

and types of communication)


Technology(high technologies, one of the motors of audiovisual techniques)

Partner

contexts of television

Documents