tv production study part 1

The amount of television production companies is

plentiful and more are forming all the time. Jobs are plentiful.

What is the future of television tied to?

developments in digital tech.

It is very unpredictable…

how much more the TV production industry will be expanding

When was a still picture first transmitted through a wire?

1862

How many TV sets were in the US by 1936?

200

When was the first televised presidential speech?

At the 1939, world ‘s fair in new york city, the radio corporation of america (rca), sponsored the first televised presidential speech sponsored by FDR. This was the viewer’s public introduction to TV sets.

When was the first practical color TV set?

1946

Color broadcasts became increasingly common by

the mid 1950s

When did the number of television sets in use in the US pass the one million mark?

1948

Where was CATV introduced in and where?

1948 In mountainous rural areas in Pennsylvania where broadcast television signals could not normally be received. This system became what we now know as Cable TV

In 1948, however, the…

Ampex Corporation introduced the first broadcast-quality magnetic tape recording system, the Video Tape Recorder (VTR). A practical videotape recording system for home use was not available until 1976.

When was satellite broadcasting introduced?

1962. This development made it possible to send and receive television signals anywhere in the world

In 1969,

satellite broadcasting allowed the world to watch live as television pictures were transmitted from the moon.

By 1983

Customers could subscribe to direct satelite systems instead of cable systems or conventional broadcast programming

In 1995

the number of TV sets in use worldwide passed the one billion mark. one year later the federal communications commision (fcc) approved the broadcast signals for high definition (HDTV).

In 2002

the FCC mandated that all television manufacturers must equip all new televisions with tuners capable of receiving digital signals.

All ana…

analog television broadcasts ceased on june 12, 2009. As of that date, all TV broadcasts have been digital signals

Television production became a thriving industry…

in the 1950s.

The first generation

of TV production professionals created the created the processes, techniques, and technology as they went. They were trained on the job and everyone was learning together

The second generation

generation of TV production personnel came into the field as it transitioned from black and white to color. This was a huge shift for the consumer, but many of the same production processes applied to both color and black and white television. Both the early black and white television and the first generation of color television used an analog television process.

The third generation

entered the television production industry during the 70s and 80s. The professionals of this generation have many years experience and are earning sizeable salaries, but have been confronted with drastic changes in their field in recent years.

Their experience was mostly in

analog technology, while the industry as a whole has implemented digital technology and processes in place of analog.

Computer software production…

tools, Internet media productions (streaming webisodes and podcasts), and digital recording and editing processes require production personnel to be informed and proficient with changing technologies.

Employers are eager to hire

knowledgeable and ambitious staff members who demonstrate competency with new equipment and resources.

There are many different kinds of television production companies within the industry as a whole. Most consumers are familiar only with broadcast, satellite, Internet, and cable television. These forms of television comprise only a small portion of all the television produced. All the broadcast, satellite, and cable television produced in a year represents only about 5% of all the television made annually.

Commercial confusion

Consumers define a "commercial" as a television advertisement for a product. In the television production industry, an advertisement is called an ad or spot. The industry definition of "commercial" merely refers to a business that is profit-generating in nature. Broadcast means that the signal travels through the air from one antenna to another antenna.

commercial broadcast television

A commercial broadcast television facility is one that is "for-profit" television production facility and sends its signal via a transmission tower through the air, This signal is free and anyone with an antenna may pick it up. The signal is radiated out in a pattern that crosses city, county, state, and national boundaries, or is streamed over the Internet.

subscriber television

Subscriber television is a fee for service programming where customers pay scheduled fees based on the selected programming package. The signals for subscriber television are transported by sattelite transmission, by underground cables, or a combination of both.

To recieve a satelite television signal

special equipment must be installed inside the home and a small satelite dish is installed and positioned on the outside of the home. The channels and networks available vary among programming packages and satelite providers in each area. Most satelite packages also include local programming, such as the local morning and evening news and talk shows.

The signal for each cable television system is available only to a particular region. The cable programming that your home receives is likely different from the programming available to a neighboring town or county. Cable franchises are set up by local governments. Therefore, the available recipients of the programming package are predetermined.

cable tv info

Cable television used to be called CATV (Community Access Television), but the public just called it "cable TV" because it came into the home through a cable line. The name "cable TV" stuck. Many cable systems no longer use wires to carry the signal. These cable systems were upgraded to fiber optics, which enables more programming to be sent throughout the system.

How then can a broadcast station’s

How, then, can a broadcast station's signal be received through an antenna, a cable system, and a satellite system? The broadcast signal starts from a transmission tower and is sent through the air. Since the signal is first and foremost a free broadcast signal, it can be received by anyone with a receiver antenna.

for cable and satellite systems

For cable and satellite systems the aired signal is grabbed either by the local cable company's receiving satellite dish or a transmission tower. Most often, the cable company sends the signal underground into its cable system. A satellite provider sends the signal to a satellite.

educational television

Educational television aims to inform the public about various topics and is usually considered nonprofit. Educational television is often broadcast (such as PBS), but a video recording about the Lewis and Clark Expedition shown in history class is also educational television. Most of the programming on educational or instructional television is funded by corporate or federal grants.

educational television 2

Originally, this type of television programming was exclusively intended to support or replay existing classes. It has come to include programming designed to inform the public about any topic, in addition to nonprofit programming that supports and replays existing classes. Well-known preschool programs, like Sesame Street and Barney & Friends, are also considered educational television. Many Internet sites, such as YouTube, offer educational or instructional videos on a seemingly endless variety of topics.

Industrial Television

Industrial Television, sometimes called corporate television, communicates relevant information to a specific audience. For example, a company may use industrial television to train employees or to communicate within the company. Training examples may include videos that teach workers how to operate machinery, help travelers learn a language, or instruct soldiers on strategy.

Industrial Television 2

A manufacturer of photocopying machines may show a training video to its repairmen that instructs them how to repair a specific copier model. Auto dealers may show a video that informs mechanics of a specific repair issue. Rather than sending employees to an off-site training class, retail businesses can contract with a production facility to produce a training video.

Industrial Television 3

This video can be viewed on the store premises and be reviewed as often as necessary, Figure 1-5. A college may send informational or promotional videos to prospective students, showcasing the particular benefits and offerings of the college. The Internet is also an outlet for industrial television, with countless video programs posted on the web to be repeatedly streamed or downloaded by the public.

Industrial Television 4

If you are looking to start your own production company, corporate television is a great place to start. Many students produce work for corporate clients while still in college or even high school.

Closed Circuit Television

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) is sent through wires or it may be encrypted and sent wirelessly and serves only an extremely small, private, predetermined area. For example, your neighbor cannot pick up a signal from your DVD player and watch the movie you are playing. This is because you have a closed-circuit television system. Theoretically, you could string a connecting cable from your DVD player across the yard to their TV. Both televisions show the movie, but no one else in the neighborhood can receive the signal. Therefore, the person who creates the closed circuit also determines the size of the circuit.

Surveillance television

Surveillance television is a form of CCTV that is usually, but not always, used for security purposes. Surveillance television is not really television production. It simply involves setting up a camera to watch an area, Figure 1-6. The surveillance cameras are always interconnected to a CCTV system. Surveillance television employs very few people, other than installers. After the system is installed, only a guard is necessary to monitor activity.

Surveillance television 2

Surveillance television systems help in protecting and securing banks, prisons, office buildings, apartment buildings, construction sites, and many other public and private locations. Surveillance television has also been used at traffic intersections to record images of traffic violators, and as dashboard cameras in police cruisers. Surveillance footage is so prevalent that it is not surprising for anything to be caught on video any more. "Big Brother is watching" used to be a cautionary quote 20 years ago, but today it is to be expected.

Application Activity

Police dramas on television frequently have detectives standing at a crime scene and asking someone to "pull the surveillance tapes from the security cameras there, there, and there," while pointing at cameras on the surrounding buildings. Most people are totally unaware of how often they are captured on surveillance cameras as they go about their daily activities. Next time you are out walking in a public place, notice how many security cameras you can see when you're looking for them!

drones

A new form of surveillance television has become more and more widespread. Cameras can be placed on radio-controlled, unmanned drones. Satellites equipped with cameras provide images for a wide variety of users. Much of this type of surveillance is under the control of military and governmental organizations.

drones 2

In the last few years, technology has developed to enable consumers to purchase low-cost quadcopters that can provide aerial images. Use of these quadcopters brings up controversy over privacy rights. People expect to have personal privacy within the bounds of their property. However, the regulation of drones and where they can be flown has not been addressed by the federal government. These quadcopters or simply "copters," are called drones.

home videos

Home video refers to someone using their consumer camcorder to record family events and activities, like a birthday party. While home video provides an archive for important family events, there is no realistic opportunity for financial gain. One in many thousands of home videos may be awarded a prize on a "silliest home videos" television program.

home videos 2

Another possible source of financial gain for a home videographer is the unlikely event of recording something newsworthy while videotaping a family activity. One of the most famous examples of this is the Zapruder film of President Kennedy's assassination in Dallas, Texas. News agencies have been known to pay a great deal of money for newsworthy videos shot by enterprising consumers. The prevalence of smartphones has provided the Internet with millions of videos that have been posted by cell phone users. When a newsworthy event happens, chances are that someone will be shooting it with their smartphone.

Video Production Companies

Large-scale video production companies are facilities with sufficient staff and equipment to produce multi-camera, large-budget programming shot on location or in studios for broadcast networks or cable networks.

Many of the programs you watch on CBS or other networks are not actually produced by network employees. Most networks produce only their own news, news magazines, and sports programming. The majority of what is seen on network television is actually produced by another company and sold to the networks for airing.

small scale video production companies

businesses with limited staff and equipment resources. They exist by the hundreds across the country.

These companies thrive on producing videos of private events, ads for local businesses, home inventories for insurance purposes, seminars, legal depo-sitions, weddings (Figure 1-7), local music videos, and real estate videos.

small scale video production companies 2

A company of this type has a staff that rarely exceeds five people. The company might even be one person! For many up and coming videogra-phers, shooting a wedding or music video is often their first paid gig. If you are interested in this type of work, it's a good idea to begin offering your services for free in order to procure content and start building a demo reel or reel for short. A reel is a compilation of your work that you present to potential clients, whether on a DVD or via an online portfolio. Think of it as a visual résumé. A paying client is much more apt to hire you if you have experience that they can see.

Television Program Origination

A network is a corporation that bundles a collection of programs (sports, news, and entertainment) and makes the program bundles available exclusively to its affiliates. The networks generally produce some of their own programming, but do not produce all of their own programs.

Networks may produce sports and news oriented programming and some entertainment programming through a production division of the corpora-tion. However, most of the dramatic programming (both dramas and com-edies) is produced by large-scale production companies and sold to the networks.

affiliate info

An affiliate is a broadcast station that has aligned itself with a particular network. A typical contract between an affiliate station and the network stipulates that the network provides a certain number of hours of daily programming. The affiliate is responsible for providing the remainder of programming to fill the daily schedule. Figure 1-8 is an example of a typical day at the fictitious Television Production Network (TPN).

during the

During the 21 1/2 hour broadcast day, the TPN network provides 4 hours of national news and 7 1/2 hours of other entertainment program-ming. The local affiliate station must provide the remaining 10 hours of programming. It is not likely that a local station can produce that amount of programming on a daily basis. The schedule displayed in Figure 1-8 indicates that the affiliate station produces local news for 5 of the 10 hours.

The affiliate must either create its own programming or buy programming to fill the remaining 5 hours of scheduled broadcast time.

episodes of

Episodes of former network programs that have been purchased and released for syndication are available to affiliate stations. These television programs are sold in blocks of a specified number of episodes or in blocks of time. For example, purchasing a particular program may provide one episode per week for 52 weeks.

if a network

If a network program ran for at least 3 years, there are enough episodes (26 episodes per year for a total of 78 episodes over three years) to make it available for syndication. Syndication is the process of making a specified number of program episodes available for lease to other networks or individual broadcast stations, after the current network contract for the program expires. Syndicated programs not only include those seen in primetime on major networks, but also some programs that were never picked up by a major broadcast network.

usually, the production

Usually, the production company that made the program leases the right to air that program to a network. It is commonly stipulated that the network may air that program a maximum of three times during the broadcast year (September through the following August). After that, the rights to the program revert back to the production company. The production company may then offer a lease of the program rights to any cus-tomer. Customers may include broadcast networks, subscriber networks, affiliates, or distribution companies that bundle the program with others to create a programming package. For example, a program bundle might include The Big Bang Theory, The Office, Castle and Bones. Another bundle might include Friends, Seinfeld, Law & Order, and CSI.

the first bundle

The first bundle carries a higher leasing fee because the programs are newer than the second bundle and are typically in higher demand by leasing stations. Stations know that the first program bundle will draw a bigger audience. Given that the shows in both packages each contain two 30-minute and two 60-minute episodes, either package provides a four-hour daily package of four shows, with the rights to air the programs an unlimited number of times during the broadcast year.

the contract terms

The contract terms for syndicated programs vary greatly. Most contracts depend, to a certain extent, on the program itself and its market-ability. A highly marketable show, such as The Big Bang Theory, may be placed in a package and made available only with the lease of the other three shows in the package. A bundle of this arrangement allows the distribution company to make more money than with the one show alone.

Another highly marketable show, such as Friends, may be leased directly from the production company as a multi-episode contract of a single series.

various types of programs are available for syndication including:

• Dramas

• Comedies

• Talk shows

• Game shows

• Cooking shows

• Animated programs

• Children’s shows

• movies

shopping for programming

Shopping for programming is usually done in person, over the phone, via e-mail, or on the Internet. When a local affiliate decides to purchase programming, a budget is set. Someone from the affiliate station must negotiate with vendors to get the highest quality program for the allotted money. A program's popularity and the population size of the broadcast area are among the factors to consider when shopping for programming.

These factors directly relate to the purchase price of a program. For exam-ple, obtaining the reality game show Survivor for Dead Gulch, Nevada, with a population of 350, is not nearly as expensive as getting the same program for New York City.

there is some urgency

There is some urgency in the decision-making process for program-ming. If another station in your broadcast area contracts with a vendor for a particular program before you do, they obtain exclusive rights to air the program in your broadcast area during the contract period.

most television stations

Most television stations in a single area compete for viewers. Each tries to choose programming that pulls viewers away from the competition, while the competition is doing exactly the same thing. To develop the best programming, you must examine the potential audience. Determine who is likely to be watching television at each particular time of day in the area. Knowing the demographics of your audience helps to develop programming that appeals to that audience. Demographics refer to statistical information about a population. Statistics that are considered in television demographics refer to the potential viewing audience and include age, gender, race, education, and economic level.

abc, nbc, and cbs

ABC, NBC, and CBS networks run talk shows like Rachel Ray and Dr. Oz in early afternoons. These programs are aimed at a target audience of stay-at-home parents and concern themselves with housekeeping and family health. In the early afternoon, the children are typically napping and the adults are taking a break from a busy morning keeping up with the kids. Many stations run children's programming early in the morning because children are likely to be watching at that time. Stations usually run programming that appeals to young, school-age children later in the afternoon when the children are home from school. Ultimately, stations must pay for the programs they run and must consider the audience when deciding on these purchases.

local origination

Local origination is programming made in a specific geographic area, to be shown to the public in that same geographic area. For example, the evening news in New York City reports that traffic is backed up in the Lincoln Tunnel. Do the people watching the evening news in Mayberry, North Carolina hear about the Lincoln Tunnel traffic in New York? Of course not. Viewers in both areas are watching the local news. Local origination comes in many forms. The local evening news is an example of local origination programming. Local stations may also produce a progran about a local sports team or televise "town hall" meetings and local tele thons, which are other examples of local origination programming for a specific community.

the ads that run

The ads that run during programs pay for the purchase price of those programs. Any money earned by the ads above the cost of the program goes to station overhead (equipment, salaries, rent, etc.). Advertising on the radio or in print is always an option, but television ads are more effective.

The advertiser must first contract with a video production company or ad agency to produce a television ad. Once the ad is made, the company approaches the television station or network and asks that the ad be aired.

The station charges a fee each time the ad is aired. The fee is not a set amount.

It changes based on the time of day and the day of the week that the ad airs If a company wants their ad to air during an extremely popular program that is seen by the largest audience of the week, a substantially higher fee is charged than if the ad runs at 2:00 a.m. during the Late, Late Movie.

companies clamor

Companies clamor to purchase coveted ad time during the annually televised Super Bowl. The cost of a 30-second spot fluctuates depending on when the commercial airs during the event. Ads that air before half-time may be charged differently from those airing in the third and fourth quarters. In the span of a decade (2005 - 2015), the average price tag for a 30-second spot to air during the Super Bowl has risen from $2.4 million to about $4.5 million.

tleevision stations or networks

Television stations or networks cannot rely on individual companies to approach them with product ads. Funding is required to buy program-ming. Suppose that a station's research shows that the majority of potential viewers for programs airing from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. are either people with impaired health or who are retired. Programming of interest to this particular audience needs to be purchased. Once the programs are obtained, the sales staff is sent out to find organizations or companies to advertise their products or services during that program. If the station cannot find anyone to advertise during the program, they cannot afford to air the program.

you might wonder

You might wonder what viewers will see if an ad slot on a program is not sold to an advertiser. Most of the time when you see an advertisement for an upcoming program, that ad time was not sold. The station makes no profit when it is promoting its own programming. It also makes no profit when it airs a public service announcement (PSA).

through a rating system

Through a rating system called the Nielsen ratings, a figure is determined that represents approximately how many people watch a program.

If the numbers are too low, advertisers will insist that the advertising rates be lowered to reflect the smaller audience reached. If rates are lowered to the point that the program costs the network more than the ads bring in, the network must either continue to run the program at a financial loss or cancel the program. Sometimes a cancelled network program can find an extended life, with new episodes, in the cable industry. A competing network or Internet streaming service may even pick up a cancelled program and may be able to breathe new life into it.

the nielsen company

The Nielsen Company has developed a media research system that estimates the size and demographics of the viewing audience for almost every program seen on television. To gather this information, the company distributes television diaries to selected Nielsen TV families and installs electronic television monitoring equipment in certain homes. These methods, along with random phone surveying and e-mail surveys, contribute to generating the ratings that are referenced for both advertising and programming decisions.

money is the driving force

Money is the driving force of the television industry. Remove any preconceived ideas that television is an art form. While art may sometimes occur, television is a business first and foremost. The success and failure of a business hinges on money. Every business decision made considers profits and losses.

Follow the trail of profit motivation in the following scenario:

• Widgets, Inc. has created the "Snapper," a device that opens the flue of a fireplace with the snap of a finger. Advertising on the radio or in print is an option, but the company has decided that the best way to reach their intended customer base is to advertise on television.

• Widgets, Inc. contracts with the video production company AdsRUs to produce a television ad. Once the ad is made, Widgets, Inc. writes a check to AdsRUs for their services.

• Widgets, Inc. now approaches a television station or network to ask if they would air the ad for their product.

• The station assigns a fee that Widgets, Inc. will pay each time the ad is aired. The fee depends on the time of day that the ad is aired, the day of the week, and during which programs the ad is aired.

• The station uses the fee assessed for the airing of the ad to pay for the purchase of the scheduled programming.

• If no one advertises during a particular block of time or programming, the station cannot afford to continue airing the program(s).

Finances affect all decisions made in business. Perhaps this helps you understand the logic behind the cancellation of a television program.

we often hear that a program

We often hear that a program got good ratings or was highly rated. Most consumers think that "highly rated" means that critics think the program is quite good. In fact, "highly rated" has nothing to do with program quality. It only means that a large number of people watched the program. The influx of reality programming is watched by many, many people, but a television critic probably would not consider these programs to be of meritorious quality.

very few people

Very few people begin their careers in the entertainment, major market news broadcast, or cable television arenas. Most begin in non-broadcast television, perfect their knowledge and skills, and eventually move into the broadcast arena. Non-broadcast television has many more jobs available than broadcast or cable television, and the jobs are more secure than those in the entertainment industry. The television industry is extremely competitive. To be successful, you must work your way up from the bottom, through the ranks, and prove your worth the whole way.