Comprehensive Notes on Communications and Visual Communication

Visual Communication and Telecommunications

  • Field of Practice:

    • Active practice in visual communication across various capacities, including newsrooms and live televised sports.

    • Importance of supplementing theoretical knowledge with real-world industry applications.

    • Explanation of terms related to visual communication that audience may have encountered but not understood.

Understanding Telecommunications

  • Definition of Telecommunications:

    • Formal Definition: The transmission of signs, signals, messages, and sounds by wire, radio, optical, or other electromagnetic systems.

    • Simplified Definition: The exchange of information through technology.

  • Media Types in Telecommunications:

    • Includes television, Internet, and mobile phones for accessing visual media.

Historical Development of Telecommunications

  • Early Communication (Before Technology):

    • Examples of early communication: carrier pigeons and smoke signals, especially in Greece.

    • Evolution from business use of carrier pigeons to household use.

  • Key Historical Figures:

    • Paul Nipko:

    • Converted images into electrical signals before radio mass media.

    • Experimented with transmitting images through electricity leading to eventual TV development.

    • Farnsworth (1927):

    • Developed the image dissector, improving continuous scanning of images for better quality.

    • Contributed to the progression towards televised broadcasts.

  • NBC and Early Television:

    • RCA under David Sarnoff built upon Farnsworth’s concepts, resulting in the first broadcast at the 1939 New York World's Fair.

    • Transition from radio-based broadcasting to visual media.

Growth of Television

  • Post-World War II Era (1950s):

    • Rapid increase in television ownership from 7,000 TVs to 5 million in a matter of years post-war.

    • Major networks: CBS, ABC, NBC, offering limited channels (5-7).

  • Satellite Communication (1962):

    • Launch of Telstar by NASA, enabling global image transmission, despite physical limitations.

    • Regulatory approval by the FCC in 1979 for household satellite dishes, setting the stage for satellite television.

  • Major Networks:

    • Emergence of companies like Direct TV (1991) and Dish Network (1996) during the boom of satellite TV.

Media Consumption and Viewer Experience

  • Uses and Gratifications Theory:

    • Exploration of why audiences consume TV, including mood management and social comparison.

    • Different ways viewers interact with television content (e.g., aspiration versus self-esteem boosts).

  • Binge Watching:

    • Defined as an engagement with multiple episodes in one sitting, often leading to neglect of basic needs.

  • Subscription Television and Niche Content:

    • Growth of subscription services; analysis showing that even with access to hundreds of channels, viewers typically watch only a few.

Ethical and Social Implications of Television

  • Content Issues:

    • Proliferation of sexual and violent content and implications on viewer behavior.

    • Cultivation theory analysis showing how heavy exposure may warp viewers' perceptions of reality.

  • Consumerism:

    • Increase in consumer-focused programming and advertising leading to unrealistic ideals and expectations.

  • Diversity and Representation:

    • Critical analysis of stereotypical characters and lack of diversity in programming.

  • Blurred Lines of Media:

    • Differences between news, satire, and punditry; importance of understanding the nature of different media.

Careers in Telecommunications and Broadcasting

  • Broadcast Journalism:

    • Functions: Alerts the public, transports audiences to events, fosters community connections, opens global windows for viewers.

    • Job roles: reporters, correspondents, analysts, announcers.

    • Expected incomes and job outlooks within the industry, noting declining trends in certain sectors.

  • Video Production:

    • Roles essential to the operation of television, including producers, directors, and technicians.

  • Radio Production:

    • Involves different roles from television yet shares core principles related to broadcast.

Television Market Dynamics

  • US TV Markets:

    • Designated market areas around metropolitan regions; approximately 210 distinct TV markets in the US.

    • Rankings based on households with TVs; examples of top markets include New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, and Philadelphia.

  • Nielsen Ratings:

    • Importance of program ratings and shares in determining viewership; implications for advertisers and network programming.

Key Terms in Broadcast Journalism

  • Television Lingo:

    • VO (Voice Over): Narration accompanying visual content; essential for storytelling.

    • B-roll: Supplemental video that complements the primary footage.

    • SOT (Sound on Tape): Recorded interviews used in news storytelling.

    • Packages: Preproduced news stories that involve script and footage.

    • Standup: Reporter presenting content live on camera.

    • Natural Sound: Background sounds enhancing the narrative.

    • Lead-ins and Tags: Segues for anchoring stories and concluding reports.

    • Kickers: Light-hearted stories at the end of newscasts intended to provide relief after heavier news content.