Entertainment TV as Mass Communication

The 10 Most Popular TV Programs 2012-13 1974-75 NCIS Sunday Night Football The Big Bang Theory NICS: Los Angeles Person of Interest American Idol (Wednesday) Dancing with the Stars (Monday) American Idol (Thursday) The Voice (Monday) Dancing with the Stars (Tuesday) All in the Family Sanford & Son Chico and the Man The Jeffersons M*A*S*H* Rhoda Good Times The Waltons Maude Hawaii-Five-O

Commercial Versus Cable TV Commercial TV Networks Cable TV Networks

Similarities Government regulated, not government owned Supported overwhelming by advertising

Differences Commercial Cable

Advertising Mass media deliver audiences to advertisers Ad rates determined by two things:

Ratings & Shares Ratings = Number of TV homes watching Number of homes with TV sets Shares = Number of TV homes watching Number of homes with TV sets turned on at that time

Specific Audience Demographics Coveted demographic: 18-49 years old Average cost of 30-sec advertisement during primetime: Average for shows that hit specific demo:

Advertising Rates Two things influence ad rates: Best of both worlds:

Advertising Rates Sweeps months

Entertainment TV Issues

Fragmenting Commercial TV Audience The Big & Only Three start in late 1940s “Recent” TV networks

Recent TV Network Strategies Fox & CW: Sought younger audiences UPN & Ion: Sought niche audiences

Battle for Audiences Fewer programs draw mass audiences Commercial networks now draw 40% of nightly audiences Stick with success

Lack of Diversity Minority presence Representations of Women

Reality-Based TV Origins Success of Survivor Appeal of shows to networks

Result “White Bread” Commercial Network TV Cable Network TV

Gaming can make a better world