This book is about how TV makers--notably writers, producers, and network programmers--are deeply influenced by public pressures outside their craft. Many scholars assume that the relationship between society and television is one-way, that the traffic of influence moves from the content of a program to the behavior of those who view it, and that if a show is too exploitative or violent or stereotypical, it transforms the minds of those who watch it in some manner. Authors Selnow and Gilbert maintain that the one-way influence is only half-true. Even as television makes its impact on viewers, viewers, society, and society's institutions make their impact on television, often with more noticeable effect.

Some of television's most influential and best known producers and programmers (including Grant Tinker, Norman Lear, Steven Bochco, and Gary David Goldberg) discuss the forces that affect their selection of themes and treatments, why they include or reject material, and how they view their opinion leader roles and their roles as members of the society that is so influenced by their products. Selnow and Gilbert examine many of the obvious as well as less apparent forces that affect content decisions: government regulations, interest groups, and advertisers. They argue that the rapid advancement in telecommunication technologies has as much to do with what we watch as any of the social forces. The authors look not only at the current control of content, but point toward the consortium of influences that will affect the medium as it evolves rapidly throughout the next decade.

This book is the first authoritative account of the UK's independent television production sector, following the creation of Channel 4 in 1982. It examines the rise of a global industry, increasingly interconnected through format development, distribution, ancillary sales and rights. Drawing on case studies, interviews and policy analysis; the author considers the cultural politics behind the growth of the 'indies', the labour conditions for workers in this sector, and some of the key television programmes that have been created within it. Filling an important gap in our understanding, this book constitutes a comprehensive account of this vital cultural industry for students, academics and researchers working in the areas of the cultural and creative industries, media and cultural policy and television studies.

The Live Event Video Technician covers terms, format types, concepts, and technologies used in video production for corporate meetings, concerts, special events, and theatrical productions. The book begins by providing a history of the industry and an overview of important roles and functions therein. It then discusses various display technologies such as LED walls and video projection, as well as video systems for converting and switching of various types of sources. Presenting the cornerstone formats, connectors, and methodologies of visual technology, this book offers a strong foundation to help readers navigate this ever-changing field. Written in an accessible tone, the book clarifies jargon and is an overarching source of knowledge for the role of the video technician, for which there has previously been little formal training. The Live Event Video Technician provides a wealth of practical information for students of media and communications courses, readers with a novice or entry-level understanding of video and AV production, and anyone with an interest in working as technical personnel in live event production.

Digital Broadcasting presents an introduction to how the classic notion of 'broadcasting' has evolved and is being reinterpreted in an age of digitization and convergence. The book argues that 'digital broadcasting' is not a contradiction in terms, but-on the contrary-both terms presuppose and need each other. Drawing upon an interdisciplinary and international field of research and theory, it looks at current developments in television and radio broadcasting on the level of regulation and policy, industries and economics, production and content, and audience and consumption practices.

Until recently, profit in the television industry went to the owners of the conduit, the distributors of content. As the industry enters the digital age, the distribution bottleneck will disappear and be replaced by the content creators themselves. This book explains patterns of profitability from the golden age of television to the emerging digital age. Television today is not just 500 channels: it is countless millions of hours of programming stored on video servers around the world. For media companies wanting to create value in this new era, including the major networks, digital branding is key. Just as consumers manage to make their way in 30 seconds through a 100-foot aisle jammed with hundreds of boxes of cereal by reaching for a box of whatever name brand product they know and love, viewers will also navigate through the vast wasteland of content by returning to their favorite digital brand.

This book provides detailed historical data, financial models, and informed discussion of profitability trends in the industry. It offers a framework for understanding and predicting profitability and describes the nature of branding as it applies to the television industry. It shows how a handful of dominant brands will emerge as sought-after organizers of content. Investors, industry consultants and executives, policy makers, students and academics will all find this book fascinating and informative.

This book presents an analysis of Lieutenant Columbo's investigative method of rhetorical inquiry as seen in the television police procedural Columbo (1968-2003). With a barrage of questions about minute details and feigned ignorance, the iconic detective enacts a persona of 'antipotency' (counter authoritativeness) to affect the villains' underestimation of his attention to inconsistencies, abductive reasoning, and rhetorical efficacy. In a predominantly dialogue-based investigation, Columbo exhausts his suspects by asking a battery of questions concerning all minor details of the case, which evolves into an aggravating tedious provocation for the killer trying to maintain innocence. Based on the Ancient Greek ideal of Sophrosyne (temperance, restraint) and the Socratic method of questioning to discover truths, the Lieutenant models effective rhetorical inquiry with resistant responders: shy, secretive, anxious, emotionally-disconnected, angry, arrogant, jealous, and, in this case, murderous conversants. While designed to be critical and theoretical, this text strives to be accessible to interdisciplinary readers, practical in application, and amusing for Columbo buffs.

This comprehensive study examines the case of AM stereo and subsequent technologies to demonstrate the FCC's evolution from stern to reluctant regulator. It also examines emerging technologies, such as multichannel television sound, digital audio broadcasting, and high definition television, and discusses their impact on the evolution of broadcast regulation. In the 1980s the tension between governmental control and the marketplace resulted in the FCC's deregulation of TV and radio, electing to set only technical operating parameters and allowing legal operation of any system that meets those minimal standards. Huff argues that this approach is likely to influence regulatory approaches to other new developments in broadcast technologies. The extensive overview of the industry and the study of the interrelationships between the technologies will appeal to communication scholars in the fields of radio and television as well as interest industry professionals.

Signals in the Air: Native Broadcasting in America is the first book-length study of one of the most unique communications enterprises in U.S. history. It is the remarkable account of how the nation's most exploited minority group overcame adversity by embracing the airwaves. Through their own radio and television stations, American Indians have found a way to keep their cultures and languages from perishing. This book examines the impetus behind the development of Native-run stations and how these stations operate today. It assesses the influence and impact of Native broadcasts in the indigenous community and seeks to chronicle the formidable challenges confronting Indian broadcasters as they provide vital programming services to the often impoverished inhabitants of the nation's remote reservations.

Students and others interested in radio history will be intrigued by this fast-paced biography of Gordon McLendon's career in the radio industry, touching also on his work in motion pictures and involvement in Texas politics. Following a glimpse into his childhood, education, and military career, Ronald Garay describes McLendon's station ownership and management in Palestine, Texas; the development of a major network, the Liberty Broadcasting System; his live and recreated baseball and football programs; and his skirmishes with the major league baseball establishment. Much attention is given to how McLendon "re-invented" radio and competed with television and print media through his Top 40 music hits, disc jockey programming, and the use of local news. Important concerns regarding station "trafficking," editorializing, and public interests are considered as well in this extraordinary book.

A major scholarly and readable history of women in broadcast news, covering the broadcast journalistic roles of women from the 1920s through the mid-1980s. Authors Hosley and Yamada, both with extensive professional experience in broadcasting and broadcast news as well as serving on the faculty of Stanford University's Mass Media Institute, have produced a heavily researched and well-written book, which gives attention not only to the more familiar names but also to the many women whose pioneer work in broadcast journalism had led to gradual acceptance of women in what had been considerd a male field. Choice There are a lot of names in this book. Some are immediately recognizable . . . other names are virtually unknown, making this book a valuable reference text for students interested in researching the careers of women broadcasters who have been all but forgotten. The authors, both of whom have extensive backgrounds in broadcasting, have done a commendable job of identifying women who have pioneered in electronic journalism. . . Indeed, this book is so engrossing one only wishes that it were longer. The authors touch on complex issues--such as the impact of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the FCC's decision to mandate affirmative action programs to remedy past discrimination--that call for more complete treatment in future works. Yet this book is an excellent starting point for serious study of women and broadcast news. It is highly recommended for courses in communications history and broadcasting and women's studies. Journalism Quarterly This is the first book to tell the story of women in broadcast news. It presents a historical overview of how the evolution of women in news has contributed to, and reflected, changes in our society. It identifies the newswomen who were pioneers in radio and television's developing years and focuses on those whose careers have had the greatest influence on American society through their impact on radio and television. Included are profiles of the major trail-blazers in the industry, such as Sigrid Schultz, the first female radio foreign correspondent; Helen Sioussat, the first woman network news executive; Dorothy Fuldheim, the first woman to anchor a news program; and network correspondent Pauline Frederick, the dean of women electronic journalists.

This volume brings together original analyses about how the Middle East is depicted on U.S. television news. It analyzes some of the most intensely reported news stories of the past decade. Its revealing studies also show how broadcasting on Middle Ease issues has changed in recent years. These studies offer important and provocative findings regarding crucual issues in Middle East coverage.

A collection of essays from scholars around the globe examining the ethical issues and problems associated with some of the major areas within contemporary international communication: journalism, PR, marketing communication, and political rhetoric.

Public broadcasting has changed dramatically since its founding in 1967. The growing equation of marketplace efficiency with the public interest has, in Tom McCourt's analysis, undermined the value of public goods and services. In addition, political and cultural discourse is increasingly beset by fragmentation. Public radio provides an exemplary site to examine the prospects and problems of contemporary public life.

Beginning with a description of the events that led to the creation of National Public Radio, McCourt discusses the relationship between NPR and its affiliate stations and the ways in which struggles over funding and programming have affected public radio's agenda. He also examines how public radio incorporates the roles of public representatives into its operations and how its methods to determine the needs and interests of the public have changed across the systeM's history. The social, political, and economic pressures that have impacted the mission and practices of National Public Radio, McCourt asserts, are manifest in all areas of American life. Through extensive historical research, he examines whether American public broadcasters, as represented by NPR, have succeeded or failed to engender an enlightened, participatory democracy.

Over the past decade, there has been a huge increase in ordinary people's access to video production technology. These essays explore the theoretical significance of this trend and its impact on society, as well as examining a wide range of case studies, from camcorders and camera phones to YouTube and citizen journalism --Provided by publisher.

This history of public television over the last twenty years shows how powerful political actors and the budget process in the United States have severely restricted the strategic behavior and programming of public TV. This hard-hitting story fills a real void in the literature on the subject and should be required reading for station managers, broadcasters, students and professionals in communications, and public policymakers. The ancillary text with its analysis of organizations theory and models is intended also for undergraduate and graduate students in mass media and communications, public policy, and organizational behavior. This practical analysis of public television funding, organization, and programming opens with an overview of organizations theory and a discussion of two models of organizational behavior. A brief history of public TV policy follows with a description of critical developments under the last four American presidents. The legislative history of the Corporation of Public Broadcasting demonstrates the effects of the budgetary process in TV programming, employment diversity, and services to different audiences. The case study closes with an evaluation of public television in terms of organizational strengths and weaknesses and offers practical suggestions for reform.

Sport on television is big business. Broadcasters across the world regularly agree highly lucrative deals for the television broadcast rights to cover major sporting events or competitions. At the same time, however, sport is about more than just commerce. Sport is a social and cultural activity practiced and valued by millions of people throughout the world. The Political Economy of Sports Rights examines both the economic and the social significance of sports broadcasting, as well as how each of these contrasting perspectives have led to the extensive regulation of sports broadcasting by national governments and, in the case of many European countries, the European Union. Using a range of national case studies from Europe and beyond, this book highlights the need for a regulatory approach to sports broadcasting that balances the commercial priorities of sports organisations and private media companies with the wider social and cultural benefits to be gained from free-to-air sports broadcasting.

The federal government's approach to regulating the spectrum remains largely administrative, causing major inefficiency and waste. Ironically, just as the FCC has begun to use market mechanisms, some people are pushing to treat spectrum as a common resource open to all entrants. Commons proponents maintain that with new, interference-avoiding technology, licensing is becoming unnecessary and impractical. In this brief study, noted economist William J. Baumol evaluates two options for spectrum governance -a tradable license (market) approach and a commons approach. He compares the practicality of each in terms of six key issues: interference, adequacy of investment in innovation, monopoly power, preservation of diversity, service to rural areas, and the tension between vested interests and the need for adaptable arrangements. Baumol demonstrates that, while neither approach is ideal, a commons regime has severe shortcomings. Above all, he emphasizes the importance of impermanence in the granting of licenses to preserve the flexibility to adapt to unforeseen technological and other developments.

Christian Potschkaprovides a comprehensive comparative analysis of the evolution of British and German broadcasting policies with a specific focus on processes of marketization and liberalization as they have affected national policy-making processes, regulatory frameworks and media structures. The study frames the development of communications policy in two ways. First, the book explores tensions in both countries between the public and private sectors; second, it evaluates the differential impact of federalization and centralization.By discussing the various political, economic and cultural factors relevant to the emergence of contemporary broadcasting structures and institutions, Potschka contextualizes the development and impact of policies on media systems. Drawing attention to the dynamics and changing paradigms of communications policy-making and regulatory trends, this bookhighlights many of the ideas and values that have been brought to bear on processes of policy-making in the UK and German

In Britain, America, and many other countries, television audiences and advertising revenues are declining. At the same time digital television and new models are emerging. This book looks at the reinvention of television, and answers many essential questions about the future of this fickle industry.

European Public Service Broadcasters (PSBs) are struggling to come to terms with a number of issues: the Europeanisation and globalisation of media ownership, production, programming and distribution; the 'marketisation' of media output; technological convergence; and audience fragmentation. While the prevailing nation-state frameworks for cultural and political identity are gradually fading, some PSBs are finding it hard to serve and promote national culture and identity, and to meet the challenge of growing uncertainties within a cosmopolitan Europe. At the same time, PSBs are considered to be an important way of helping European citizens make sense of such developments by bearing traces of collective identities and therefore creating an expanded, pan-European cultural space. Can PSBs be 'multi-cultural' and mobilise a new sense of Europeanness, while at the same time making the transformation into Public Service Media (PSM) and delivering public service content that will meet audience needs in a digital age? The scholars in this volume - covering mainly European countries but also looking comparatively at the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand - discuss the contemporary relevance of PSM as a cultural and political enterprise and as a forum in which a variety of cultural demands can best be met.

While television today is taken for granted, Americans in the 1950s faced the challenge of negotiating the new medium's place in the home and in American culture in general. Protestant leaders--both mainstream and evangelical--began to think carefully about what television meant for their communities and its potential impact on their work. Using the American Protestant experience of the introduction of television, Rosenthal illustrates the importance of the interplay between a new medium and its users in an engaging book suitable for general readers and students alike.

"[Slide's] blockbuster effort fills a gap in this area and is essential for all libraries supporting popular culture or film studies." Library Journal

Game of Thrones was an international sensation, and has been looked at from many different angles. But to date there has been little research into its audiences: who they were, how they engaged with and responded to it. This book presents the findings of a major international research project that garnered more than 10,000 responses to an innovative 'qualiquantitative' questionnaire. Among its findings are: a new way of understanding the place and role of favourite characters in audiences’ responses; new insights into the role of fantasy in encouraging thinking about our own world; and an account of two combined emotions – relish and anguish – which structure audiences’ reactions to controversial elements in the series. -- .