A2 Media Studies, Industry, TV, scheduling, year 13

1. Learning Objectives
To understand scheduling
To begin to understand the impact of
digital technology on the TV industry

2. Possible exam question
• Explore the impact of digital technologies on
your selected industry
[30]
• At the top of your page indicate with how
confident you feel in answering this question.

3. 1980s
• The 1980s saw the introduction of time
shifted viewing.
• This was as a result of video recorders.
Audiences were able to record a programme
on one channel and watch another channel.
• Are we still affected by time shifted viewing?

4. Yes!
The introduction of digital technology enables
us to watch programmes whenever and
wherever we want:
• Sky+
• DVD
• Internet
• Phone/tablet

5. TV today
• There are more programmes and channels then
ever before
• Each is watched by smaller audiences than ever
before
• Technology means that we don’t just watch on TV
but via internet – iplayer, 4 OD, youtube, etc. Or
they buy box sets on DVD or set up schedules on
Sky+
• At the same time genres are splintering and
merging into an array of sub genres and hybrids
• TV is complex, diverse and rapidly changing!

6. Event television
• However, event television is making a return.
• This means high profile programmes which
attract a large audience for the actual
broadcast. It is highly promoted and therefore
seen as an ‘event’.
• Can you think of any examples?

7. Water-cooler television
• This is an American term which describes an
immediate audience response to a
programme where it is talked about around
the water cooler the next day.
• What examples can you think of?

8. Scheduling
• Scheduling is the decisions made by channels
regarding where to place programmes in terms of
the day and time. The aim in constructing the
schedule is to secure high ratings for the channel
and for specific programmes.
• It is the job of the schedulers and planners to
ensure programmes are placed in such a way that
they attract the greatest audience. However,
scheduling is not as important as it used to be.

9. Scheduling techniques
The aim of TV schedulers is to use a range of techniques to keep
audiences watching that channel. These include:
• Broadcasting trailers and teasers for a programme during the
day.
• Pre-echo
– scheduling a less popular programme
before a more popular one, in the hope of catching viewers
who may watch earlier.
• Hammocking
– placing a new or less popular show on
between 2 popular shows in the hope that the audience will
watch through.
• Inheritance
– putting a new or less popular show after a
programme with high ratings in the hope hat viewers will
watching and the programmes will therefore inherit the
audience.
hammocking
pre-echo
inheritance

10. • Stripping – broadcasting a programming at the same time
every day/week. This ensures that audiences become
familiar with the scheduling time and know when to watch.
This technique is used for soap operas and news
programmes.
• Zoning – This is where programmes of a similar genre are
broadcast one after the other on a particular channel. The
assumption is that the fans of the genre will stay with that
channel. Five use this to broadcast their American crime
programmes.
• Offensive scheduling – This is where a channel is confident
that their programme will gain higher rating than a
programme on a rival channel. So they broadcast it at the
same time in order to lure the ‘live’ audience.
• Defensive scheduling – This is where a channel is aware
that a programme on a rival channel will bring in high
audience figures. They may decide to schedule a
programme of minority appeal at this time.

11. • Homework: Analyse a scheduling guide for
one week. What examples of scheduling
techniques can be found?

12. Social media
• How does social media play a part in generating excitement
about certain programmes?
• Tweets may encourage audiences
to watch the programme during
the original broadcast because
they will be able to part of the
discussion.
• Facebook pages have been created
for some programmes to help
build fan bases.
• What are the problems with social
media for programmes?

13. Convergence
• An attempt by industries to maximise profit by
making a range of media companies work
together i.e. digital and satellite television and
film channels, DVD, mobile phones/tablets,
internet and broadband, personal computers.
• The ultimate ideal would be for the consumer
to be able to use just one piece of technology
(e.g, a PC or mobile) for all their media needs.

14. How do we use TVs?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
To view programmes
Use of interactive services
Rent films
Play game consoles e.g. Wii
Internet
Social networking
Skype
View personal photos/videos

15. Fragmentation
• This argues that multi-channel TV and all the
related technologies for personalising viewing
would undermine the mass audience with
serious consequences for most of us in the
medium to long term.
• These consequences reach out beyond the
media sphere. They include:

16. Effects of Fragmentation
• The end of PSBs and ultimately high quality
television programmes.
• The end of mass audiences sharing significant
experiences ‘live’ (e.g.: sporting events, royal
weddings etc)
• A decline in family life – with family members
retreating to his or her own ‘viewing station’

17. Possible exam question
• Explore the impact of digital technologies on
your selected industry
[30]
• The TV is an ideal focus for this question as you
can consider the range of different ways of
accessing TV programmes, how TVs are no longer
used only to watch TV, the concept of
convergence and theories of fragmentation.
• Although we will begin to identify how some
mass audience TV programmes are proving to be
resilient.