Introducing Electronic Media

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Chapter 1

• Introducing Electronic Media

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• You already know a lot about electronic media.
• Questions to ponder
• What did 9/11 and other disasters teach us about
  media systems?
• Why can you get by with saying something on
  Comedy Central but not on FM radio?
• Why do shows you like get cancelled?
• Why do so many radio stations sound alike?

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• 1.1 What it Means
• Convergence
• The coming together of, blurring lines between,
  radio, TV, cable, telephones, computers, mail.
• Volatile Markets
• Use of the Internet has taken audience away from
  broadcast TV, cable TV and radio.

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• The Democratization of Media
• Audience has much more control over programming
  than ever.
• Customizable media universe.
• VCRs Time shifting, zapping.
• DVRs TiVo
• MP3 players, video on cell phones.
• End of appointment television?
• Internet provides enormous choice, freedom of
  expression.

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• The Effects of Government Policy
• Telecommunications Act of 1996 brought about
  deregulation.
• Allowed companies to own hundreds of stations.
• Clear Channel 1,200 radio stations.
• Critics Companies too powerful.
• Supporters Many stations would not survive
  otherwise.

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• 1.2 The Players
• Broadcasting over-the-air TV/radio.
• Strengths Localism, free.
• Cable 58 of U.S. households more diversity of
  programming.
• High-speed Internet and telephone.
• Direct-to-home satellite
• Newspapers web versions.
• Telephone cable, cell-phone video.
• Computers/Internet versatility.