Television industry contexts

Television industry contexts: Blog tasks

To finish our work on television, we need to complete some tasks exploring industry contexts around foreign-language TV, the changing audience for television and how streaming impacts the way audiences consume TV. Indeed, when answering these questions, consider the issues from both an audience and industry perspective.

Independent: British viewers can't get enough of foreign-language dramas

Read this Independent feature on foreign-language dramas. If the website is blocked or forcing you to register you can access the text of the article here. It features an in-depth interview with Walter Iuzzolino who curates Channel 4's Walter Presents programming. Answer the questions below:

1) What does the article suggest regarding the traditional audience for foreign-language subtitled media?

-Its states that people will assume and quietly declared you as pretentious, dull and, possibly, a little odd whereas nowadays foreign language dramas are fully mainstream.

2) What does Walter Iuzzolino suggest is the key appeal of his 'Walter Presents' shows?

-Streaming service dedicated to foreign language TV, a partnership between Channel 4 and Global Sales Network.

3) The article makes an interesting claim for the popularity of subtitles in the multi-screen age. What does it suggest?

-Subtitles in foreign language shows have increased in popularity.

4) What are the other audiences pleasures of foreign TV drama suggested by the article?

-Other audiences pleasures can be towards surveillance where people learn of other languages and their culture or tradition that comes with it. Every show is built differently and varies depending which country it comes from.

Film School Rejects: The foreign TV dramas you're missing out on

Now read this Film School Rejects feature on the foreign TV dramas you're missing out on. This contains some particularly useful background on Deutschland 83's reception internationally. If the website is blocked, you can access the article text here. Answer the following questions:

1) What does the article tell us about Deutschland 83's release schedule?

-Germany’s commercial RTL channel received Deutschland 83 five months after the US both signifies the series’ global appeal as well as foreshadows where the German crime thriller was to find its audience. 

2) The article contains important statistics on viewing figures in different countries. What were the German viewing figures for the first and last episode? What were Channel's 4's viewing figures for Deutschland 83?

-3.19 million in Germany 

-1.63 million-last episode 

-2.13 million viewers on channel 4

3) Who are the two production and distribution companies behind Deutschland 83 and what did they announce in October?

 

-The two producers and distributors are Sundance TV and Fremantle Media. They in announced in October that there will be a second series of Deutschland 83 called Deutschland 86, more likely than not followed by the pivotal year of 89.

4) How does Walter Iuzzolino use social media to engage audiences in new international TV dramas? How does he suggest this has changed the reception of foreign productions in the UK?

-He used social media where in the UK he aired the show on a well-known channel during prime time television, along with plenty of idents and trailers promoting the German thriller.

The Guardian: How tech is changing television

Read this Guardian feature on how tech is changing television. This has some particularly useful aspects from an industry perspective - how TV is made, the different formats of TV drama and more. Answer the following questions:

1) How have streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime changed the way TV drama narratives are constructed?

-Other streaming networks, including Amazon, are also working on “choose your own adventure” shows. Such developments remain at the far edge of thinking, but are merely an example of how radically digital technology is changing storytelling

2) Why has the rise in streaming led to more complex storylines and an increase in cliffhangers?

-To lure the audience back to next weeks episodes and keep them entertained with many plot twists.

3) How have the "economics of production" kept TV drama largely sticking to the 45- or 60-minute episode format?

-"Shindler explains to me that dramas – regardless of how they will ultimately be screened – are usually shot in blocks. In order to maximise the use of time, and minimise the cost of actors and crew, while part of a drama is filming, another team is prepping the next section."

4) How has "permanent 24/7 connectivity" changed both the production and consumption of TV drama?

-Permanent 24/7 connectivity has radically altered viewer responses. Live-tweeting by audiences has usefully democratised criticism, but the downside of this new media interaction has been in giving the old media a stick with which to beat broadcasters.

Media Magazine: Netflix and the Cultural Industries 

Finally, go to our Media Magazine archive and read the article on Netflix and the Cultural Industries (MM63 - page 45). Answer the following questions:

1) What does David Hesmondhalgh argue with regards to how the creative industries have changed since the 1980s?

-He argues that since the 1980s there’s been a significant shift in cultural production.

2) What is technological convergence? 

-The process by which previously separate media technologies are brought together by digitisation and computer networks.

3) How are technology companies challenging traditional broadcasters in the TV industry?

-Digitisation, and the ability to distribute texts via the Internet, meant that technology companies could challenge traditional broadcasters. For example companies can its own ‘television’ programmes. In doing this it followed Netflix.

4) The global nature of modern television means producers are having to consider international audiences when creating content. What example from Netflix does the article use to explain this?

-In 2016 Netflix simultaneously launched its service in 130 new countries, also meaning that the audiences that consumers media on the platform need to pay.