Juan Monroy — Electronic Media: Network Television

1 Three Network Oligopoly
- 1.1 NBC
- 1.2 CBS
- 1.3 ABC
- 1.4 filled VHF band
- 1.5 controlled television production
- 1.6 evenly split throughout 1960s, 1970s
2 Television Station Types
- 2.1 Owned and operated
- 2.2 Network affiliates
- 2.3 Independent television stations
- 2.4 Public television stations
3 Financial Rules on Syndication
- 3.1 Fin-Syn
- 3.2 financial
  - network could only own 15 hours of non-news programming
  - production companies could remain independent
- 3.3 syndication
  - networks acquired only first- and second- runs
  - ownership of television programs remained with the producer
4 Primetime access rules
- 4.1 PTAR
- 4.2 stations in top–50 markets
- 4.3 first hour of prime-time
  - 7:00 PM
  - Mon-Sat
- 4.4 not take the network feed
- 4.5 produce their own local programming
5 Independent TV stations
- 5.1 UHF band
- 5.2 stations unaffiliated with broadcast networks
- 5.3 thrived with first-run syndicated programming
6 Cable TV
- 6.1 CATV
  - began as community antenna television, 1940s
  - distant signal importation
  - local systems began to consolidate as MSOs
- 6.2 broadcasters saw cable systems as competitors
- 6.3 must-carry rules
- 6.4 access rules
  - public
  - educational
  - government
7 Relevance
- 7.1 growing youth audience
- 7.2 Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In (NBC 1968–1973)
- 7.3 Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
- 7.4 Dragnet
- 7.5 Norman Lear “relevant series”
  - All in the Family
  - Maude
  - Good Times
  - The Jeffersons
- 7.6 Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS, 1970–1977)
8 satellite cable
- 8.1 Open Skies order, 1972
- 8.2 launching of communication satellites
- 8.3 cable seen as alternative to broadcasters
9 cable technologies
- 9.1 “Blue Sky” advocates for cable TV
  - policy reformers and think tanks
  - social action groups
  - cable operators
- 9.2 interactive television
  - access libraries of information
  - conduct financial transactions
  - exchange electronic mail
- 9.3 QUBE
  - interactive television
  - Warner-AMEX
  - introduced 1977
  - failed to find commercial success
10 Ted Turner
- 10.1 WTCQ-TV Atlanta
- 10.2 leased transponder on Satcom I
- 10.3 launched WTBS-TV Atlanta as a national superstation
  - off-network syndicated programming
  - sports programming
  - no news programming
- 10.4 dual-revenue
  - advertising (as in broadcasting)
  - subscriber fees from cable distributors
11 Music Television
- 11.1 Warner-AMEX Cable
- 11.2 launched August 1981
- 11.3 free programming: music videos
- 11.4 young audience
- 11.5 influenced network television style
12 Cable TV Stations
- 12.1 Broadcast
- 12.2 Ad-supported
- 12.3 Pay Cable
- 12.4 Superstation
- 12.5 PEG
13 Deregulation
- 13.1 Mark Fowler
  - commissioner of the FCC under Reagan
  - “toaster with pictures”
- 13.2 philosophies (Hilmes)
  - scarcity vs. diversity
  - public resource vs. private competition
  - intrusiveness vs. innovation
14 End of the Fairness Doctrine
- 14.1 Mayflower decision 1941
  - broadcasters cannot be an advocate
  - ascertainment: broadcasters had to cover controversial issues important to the community
  - broadcasters had to seek alternative, well-rounded viewpoints
- 14.2 Red Lion decision, 1969
  - upheld the Fairness Doctrine over the first amendment
  - personal attack against a journalist, Fred Cook
  - television station refused to offer equal access to subject of attack
15 Beginning of Fox
- 15.1 News Corporation acquires
  - Metromedia Broadcasting
  - 20th Century-Fox
- 15.2 fourth network
  - Joan Rivers Show (1986)
  - Tracey Ullman Show (1988)
  - The Simpsons (1989)