Communication

Is a symbolic process using symbols with SHARED MEANING to exchange ideas and information.

MASS COMMUNICATION-(in general) requires symbols that can be relevant to a mass audience that is:

Mass Audience symbols

Highly Diverse

Mass Audience symbols

Highly Diverse

Widely Diffused

Mass Audience symbols

Highly Diverse

Widely Diffused

Easily Distracted

Mass Audience symbols

Highly Diverse

Widely Diffused

Easily Distracted

Increasing Fragmented

Media Criticism Com 327

Mass Communication defined

Media Criticism Com 327

Mass Communication defined

Mass communication occurs when a small number of people send messages to a large anonymous and usually heterogeneous audience through the use of specialized communication media.

Media Criticism Com 327

Mass Communication defined

The units of analysis for mass communication are the messages, the mediums, and the audience.

Media Criticism

Understanding the MESSAGE

Teleliteracy

Visual literacy

TV Programs and their styles

Media Criticism

Understanding the AUDIENCE

Identification/Classification

Consumption

Measurement

Media Criticism

Understanding the MEDIUM (Television)

Transmission

Reception

History

Television viewing appears to be effortless. To some extent it is, but it requires a set of skills referred to as “Teleliteracy” and

“Visual Literacty”

THE MESSAGE

Teleliteracy

The understanding of visual and aural production techniques not available in human perception and not a part of our physiological and psychological repertoire

Unnatural elements

The Point of view editing in cinema verite(Pictorial storytelling)

Unnatural elements

The Point of view editing in cinema verite(Pictorial storytelling)

Time Manipulation

-Flashback, time leaps,dreams sequences,time lags.

Unnatural elements

The Point of view editing in cinema verite(Pictorial storytelling)

Time Manipulation

Extreme perspectives

-extreme zooms, aerial views, fast/slo mo,

replays

Unnatural elements

The Point of view editing in cinema verite(Pictorial storytelling)

Time Manipulation

Extreme perspectives

Audio tracks

-laugh tracks, mood music, voice overs, transistions

Unnatural elements

The Point of view editing in cinema verite(Pictorial storytelling)Time ManipulationExtreme perspectivesAudio tracksSegmentation/discontinuity

-scene to scene, show to show, episode to episode to episode

Acquired knowledge

Repeated exposure

Assimilation (making sense of collective whole)

Suspension of disbelief

Cognitive Complacency

THE MESSAGE

VISUAL LITERACY

The Physiological & Psychological skill necessary to visual scan, mentally perceive & understand the outside world

or

The application of real world perceptual abilities to TV’s 2 dimensional world

THE MESSAGE

VISUAL LITERACY

Acquired and mastered through social experience & Interaction

Applicable to TV Presentation/storytelling that replicate real world experience ( Verisimilitude-appears real)

DimensionLife is 3D, TV is 2D so we must apply our real

world visual literacy to the TV World

DimensionLife is 3D, TV is 2D so we must apply our real

world visual literacy to the TV World

Binocular Disparity- the ability to focus on an object within a wide range of vision, giving it clarity=Camera lens

DimensionLife is 3D, TV is 2D so we must apply our real

world visual literacy to the TV World

Binocular Disparity

Motion Parallax – Understanding that closer objects move “faster” within field of vision. (TV is flat.. No “distance” just illusion of it.

DimensionLife is 3D, TV is 2D so we must apply our real

world visual literacy to the TV World

Binocular Disparity

Motion Parallax

Occlusion – Closer=bigger, capable of blocking sight of further objects

DimensionLife is 3D, TV is 2D so we must apply our real

world visual literacy to the TV World

Binocular Disparity

Motion Parallax

Occlusion

Paraproxemics- Closeness = intimacy

Distance, camera angles=power, Dutch angle=something is wrong batman.

“The Graduate” “Push Nevada”

DimensionLife is 3D, TV is 2D so we must apply our real

world visual literacy to the TV World

Binocular Disparity

Motion Parallax

Occlusion

Paraproxemics

Perceptual continuity-Point of sight, we tend to focus on objects of importance, dominance, attention ie phone ring,

DimensionLife is 3D, TV is 2D so we must apply our real

world visual literacy to the TV World

Binocular DisparityMotion ParallaxOcclusionParaproxemicsPerceptual continuity

EXPERIENCING THESE IN THE REAL WORLD ALLOWS OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THESE ON TV

Easy transference..Mr Rodgers, West Wing

Motion…Head/eyes replaced by the

Camera/lensPan/tilt

Dolly

trucking

Zoom

Crane

Wire camera’s – Sports applications

HOW do we make TV?

How do we make TV?

By pulling from symbols that reflect both internal reality and external reality& creating an interaction of the two.

A balance of part fantasy/part reality

Reality breakdown

Internal reality

-artistic expression

-creative enterprise

-existing technology

-storytelling devices

-budget

External reality

-The human conditions we share

-The times in history we share

Reality breakdown

Internal reality

-narrative structure

-plot convention

-time frames-length

-dramatic formal

-Institutional constraints-fines

External reality

-societal norms

-legal system

-cultural values

-rites and rituals

-fads and fashions

TV PROGRAMS

NON-NARRATIVE NARRATIVE

TV PROGRAMS

NON-NARRATIVE

-non-scripted stories

-social actors

-directly address/ acknowledge audience

-cheap to produce

NARRATIVE

TV PROGRAMS

NON-NARRATIVE

-non-scripted stories

-social actors

-directly address/ acknowledge audience

-cheap to produce

NARRATIVE

-scripted story

-episodic

-actors-recurring cast

Genre/Types of programs

NON-NARRATIVE NARRATIVE

Genre/Types of programs

NON-NARRATIVE

-talk shows

-game shows

-sports

-reality

NARRATIVE

Genre/Types of programs

NON-NARRATIVE

-talk shows

-game shows

-sports

-reality

NARRATIVE

Comedy

-cartoons

-Seinfeld

Drama

-soap

-family

-SCI-FI

Genre Evolution

Caused by Audience expectations due to sophistication/boredom/competition

Genre Evolution

Primitive – Original rules derived from old medium

Genre Evolution

Primitive – Original rules derived from old medium

Classical – Matured and firmly established rules

Genre Evolution

Primitive – Original rules derived from old mediumClassical – Matured and firmly established rulesRevisionist – experimentation, bending or breaking of rules (genre bending) ie

“firefly” sci-fi-western, “Mary Hartman” comedy-soap

Genre Evolution

Primitive – Original rules derived from old mediumClassical – Matured and firmly established rulesRevisionist – experimentation, bending or breaking of rules (Genre Bending)Paradic – makes fun of firmly established rules

Genre Evolution Examples

SITCOM

“I love Lucy”

“Father knows Best”

“Roseanne”

“Married….with children”

Genre Evolution Examples

Western

“Lone Ranger”

“Gunsmoke”

“Wild, Wild West”

“F-Troop”

Genre Evolution Examples

Comedy/Variety

“Your Show of Shows”

“Carole Burnett Show”

“SNL”

“Dana Carvey Taco Bell hour”

Genre Evolution Examples

Reality

“Candid Camera”

“Cops”

“Survivor”

“Joe Schmoe”

TV Programs are unique commodities

Immaterial No Physical properties of ownership

TV Programs are unique commodities

Immaterial

Novel

No Physical properties of ownership

One time event

TV Programs are unique commodities

Immaterial

Novel

Nonexclusive

No Physical properties of ownership

One time event

FREE for all

TV Programs are unique commodities

Immaterial

Novel

Nonexclusive

Near-zero Marginal cost

No Physical properties of ownership

One time event

FREE for All

TV Programs are unique commodities

Immaterial

NovelNonexclusiveNear-zero Marginal costRapid Product InnovationShort Shelf life

No Physical properties of ownershipOne time eventFREE for AllValue diminishes if not ever changingOdds for failure are great

Television in particular requires that the audience:

Return week after week

Season after season

Same time, same channel

TV Programs audience

Consumer Consumed

TV Programs audience

Consumer

Target audience

Voluntary

Communal, yet isolated

Selective, yet uncritical

Delivered programs

Consumed

TV Programs audience

Consumer

Target audience

Voluntary

Communal, yet isolated

Selective, yet uncritical

Delivered programs

Consumed

Target manipulated

Demographic 18-49

Delivered to advertisers