101d final study guide - Prof Curtin PDF

Preview

Summary

Prof Curtin...

Description

FAMST 101D Final Exam Study Guide Fall 2018 1) Explain the public service broadcasting paradigm developed by the BBC during the 1920s and early 1930s? How did that differ from the aims and practices of commercial radio in the United States? Why, according to Hilmes, was the relationship between American and British broadcasting so important? How did US radio affect British radio and vice versa? Moreover, why did these two institutions have such a powerful influence on the development of broadcasting around the world? ● John Reith brought the BBC from private to public service ○ In the 1920s, cultural access was defined by class, gender, generation, ethnicity ■ Elite cultural spaces marked by sense of belonging ● Theater, cultural venues ● Churches, clubs ● Libraries, schools, parks ● For workers: pubs, union halls, music halls, churches ■ BBC = universal access to info and entertainment ● A national audience ● Reith: responsibility to carry “everything that is best” into every home possible, avoid hurtful; give public what they need not what they want but few of public know what that is ○ Mission of professional broadcasters, provide people with things they may not even know they need or want ● Hilmes article: ○ Under Reith, unlike American system, BBC resisted: ■ Advertising ■ Idea that audience is a commodity ■ Audience segments (workers, women, locals) ■ “Popular” programming (vulgar, sentimental, feminine) ○ But, BBC criticised for elitism ● In 1930s: pressure to diversify ○ Workers pay biggest share of BBC fees (from receiver sales and listener license) ○ Need to mobilize masses w/ info and entertainment for hard times ○ Elitism bred into BBC, but here having to account for two things ■ Biggest group of listeners = working class people ■ Moving into period of conflict and we need these people ● Changes/innovations, beginning in mid-1930s ○ Did not have wall to wall sound like in America ○ Style: fixed point scheduling, informal address ■ Changed to tighter, more predictable scheduling; more like US = more predictable ■ From formal to informal (think crooning - intimate “you” or “you” of masses) ○ Genres: comedy, variety, amateur and game shows ○ Audience research: Listeners Bureau, research to serve professional judgment ■ In US to gather info on listeners to buy/sell airtime

■

● ●

This was to serve judgment of the broadcast, what they favor as far as the programming is concerned ■ More sensitive to audience around the mid-30s Radio has influence over masses and US/UK already have strong influence globally, also their radio markets are predominant BBC mediating tensions between popular and elite culture

2) How did radio change the nature of public life for citizens of the United Kingdom? Identify some of the ways in which, prior to the arrival of the BBC, cultural experiences differed depending on one’s gender, class, or social status. How did radio affect one’s access to cultural resources? How did it alter the flow of information and ideas in British society? ● 1920s → 1930s ○ Cultural access was defined by class, gender, generation, ethnicity ■ Elite cultural spaces marked by sense of belonging ● Theater, cultural venues ● Churches, clubs ● Libraries, schools, parks ■ For workers: pubs, union halls, music halls, churches ○ BBC = universal access to info and entertainment ■ A national audience ● Races at ascot, Symphonies at queen’s hall, Royal events, Speeches by prime minister, Political rallies, Lectures by intellectuals, Shakespearean dramas, Readings by poets and novelists, Church services, Football, rugby, tennis ○ All this stuff becomes available to EVERYONE via the BBC ● TV transition -- seeing Queen Elizabeth’s coronation ○ Rejecting class, gender spaces 3) Given John Reith’s vision of public service broadcasting, why and how did the BBC alter its policies in the late 1930s? In what ways did the coming of television and the ITV further encourage reforms in British broadcasting? ● Altered more towards US model → appeal to audiences, becoming more informal to keep masses/workers ● ITV vs. BBC ○ First time BBC had competitor ○ Same public service mission / principles as BBC ○ But also allowed to run advertising (first time in UK that’s allowed) ○ Competition → had to have more popular style ■ More issues raised ■ Tough questions asked ○ Reporters align w/ viewers ○ Enhances autonomy of broadcasters ○ Put politicians in uncomfortable positions, even visiting diplomat from Japan (clip) ○ Idea that it represents its listeners as opposed to leading its listeners ○ Ex: journalist Robin Day

4) Why was broadcasting (radio and television) such an important element of British monarchy and empire? Consider, for example, King George VI’s decision to declare war on Germany via radio and Elizabeth II’s decision to allow live television coverage of her coronation? How did the relationship between monarch and subject change during the radio era? How did it change during the television era? What were the implications for British society? For the British empire? ● Important to the monarchy because they’re able to relate to the public, access private spheres ● Elite moments or cultural spaces previously inaccessible are able to reach everyone ● Monarchy can garner more support, especially from the masses and working class people ● King George VI → war on Germany via radio ○ In the 30s, threats of war from Germany influenced the push to diversify ○ Need to appeal to popular opinions and masses, not just the elites ● Elizabeth II → coronation televised ○ Allow these elite moments to make it into the home, be available to everyone ○ Social structures defined by space ○ Most commoners would not have access to the abbey @ time of coronation ○ Now commoner has access b/c of TV ● Refute elitism in favor of universalism and access 5) Explain why, according to Robin Jeffrey, All India Radio (AIR) proved to be such a failure during the post-Independence era. How did historical precedents (colonial, public service, and political) influence and undermine the development of radio? Why, on the other hand, did movies and newspapers flourish? What made Radio Ceylon, a foreign radio service, so popular in India? What kinds of programming did it offer that AIR did not? Why didn’t the Indian government try to compete with Radio Ceylon and/or try to regulate it? ● Robin Jeffrey ○ India didn’t embrace radio as a mass medium ○ Overlooked its potential to unify ■ Linguistic, cultural, ethnic diversity in India = challenges for unification ■ Radio was the opportunity to bring the nation together under one umbrella; failed to do that ● All India Radio failure ○ Radio for the elite ○ Newspapers only reach about .7% ○ Radio gov’t service, newspaper commercial ○ AIR could reach illiterate population (80%) but… ■ Concerns re rumor, political unrest ■ Censorship: sex, crime, politics ■ AIR mostly info, instruction, and classical indian Literature ○ AIR run by upper caste elites ■ Veterans of nationalist movement

●

●

●

●

■ Gandhi followers - little interest in radio or movies ■ Tight gov’t control ■ Censorship and bureaucracy ○ Banned popular female singers ■ Anxieties re: muslims, courtesans ○ Skeptical of ads and distractions Historical precedents influence/undermine ○ Colonial, public service, and political ○ Indian gov’t emphasized ■ Agriculture, electricity, industry; little attn to mass culture ○ Did not appeal to the masses, just pushed gov’t support Why did movies/newspapers flourish? ○ Film = escape, music, entertainment ○ AIR = timid pro-gov reporting ■ Elite and highly sanskritized hindi ■ Even the prime minister couldn’t understand news reports Radio Ceylon popular ○ Their programming vs. AIR ○ A bunch of different languages ○ Had Ads ○ Interview movie stars ○ More appealing ○ Played music they wanted to hear ○ Radio advertising services ■ Radonda ■ Madras not far from Ceylon ○ Who were primary advertisers ? Target audiences? What do u want done w/ content that couldn’t be done w/ gov’t ○ Transnational, transcultural, transmedia service Indian gov’t did not compete w/ or try to regulate Radio Ceylon

6) How did Emilio Azcárraga Vidaurreta come to dominate Mexican media? What strategies did he pursue? For example, what were his relations with American radio interests and how did they benefit him? What were his relations with Mexican government interests? How did he come to dominate the Mexican media market? Also, be sure to explain the growth of Azcárraga’s multimedia empire and the ways that he used various components (music, film, publishing, sports, etc.) to promote the development of radio and television. In what ways was his programming distinctively Mexican and in what ways was it influenced by external forces? As Azcárraga’s radio and television enterprises grew more prosperous, he began to pursue opportunities abroad. Why? And what strategies did he use to pursue these opportunities? ● Emilio Azcárraga Vidaurreta ○ Phonograph retailer ○ Mexico Music Co (affil RCA victor) ○ 1930 est stations in Monterrey and Mex City

●

● ●

●

●

●

1941 Azcarraga collab w/ competitors ○ Radio Programas de Mexico (RPM) ■ 60 affiliates - half of all mex stations ■ Music, sports, radio, radionovela 1945 established a movie studio 1951 est. XEW-TV → his first station, relations w/ NBC, most powerful in the Americas ○ Then merges w/ 2 competitors ○ 1955 telesistema Mexicano TSM ■ National network ■ Program exports ■ Foreign affiliates ■ 1962- teleprograms acapulco ● Telenovela studio ○ TV: news, sports, talk, music, variety, games … telenovela International activities - radio ○ 1945 RPM has 38 affils in 11 countries ○ E.g., Costa Rica, Colombia, Dominican Republic ○ Signed licenses w/ them like affiliation contracts in US ■ Commit to clear air for certain period of time for certain programs ■ Can sell advert. Regionally Azcarraga business strategies ○ Commercial model w/ US ties ○ National monopoly ■ Political connections ■ Mergers w/ competitors ○ Transmedia ownership ■ Radio, music, sports, publishing, TV, etc Programming strategies ○ Conservative, mass-appeal content ■ News - pro-PRI ■ Music - esp. Ranchera ■ Sports - Azcarraga teams ■ Shows - syndication ○ Spatial expansion via ■ National networks ■ Regional alliances - investments, partners, affiliates ■ Program syndication ○ A powerful media conglomerate, but influenced by US ■ Media imperialism (dominated by US)? ■ Or...dependent development (complicity of local elites)?

7) What were some of the shared features of US, British, Indian, and Mexican broadcasting? Why was radio considered potentially valuable? What concerns did elites have about the

development of radio and how did they choose to address those concerns? In what ways were class and state interests woven into the development of radio institutions and practices? Also consider the ways in which these broadcasting systems followed different historical trajectories. For example, in what ways was India’s experience with radio and television different from Mexico’s? In what ways were they similar? How did the experiences of colonialism and dependency shape the development or radio institutions and programming in these countries? ● Similar - US, UK, India, Mexico ○ US - wall to wall, advertisements, different levels of taste hierarchies ○ UK - started as elite “public service” but started to open up to popular ideas and become more informal to have a wider appeal ○ India - colonial legacy, pro-government, failed to unite the country like newspapers and film did ○ Mexico - mass appeal content, able to extend to multimedia and incorporate other facets as well as collaborate internationally ○ All chose centralized systems that ■ Favored elites and professional expertise ■ Expressed anxieties about the masses ● Why was radio valuable? ○ Development and integration ○ Manage social tensions (gender, race, class, etc) ○ Sustain social hierarchies ● Concerns by elites? Class / state interests? ○ Dependency - complicity of local/national elites to uphold colonial ideologies ● India vs. Mexico → similar and different ○ Re: colonialism and dependency ○ India / Mexico: similar challenges ■ Political change, modernization, poverty ■ But diff contexts: colonial (UK-India) vs. dependent (US-Mexico) ■ Institutional outcomes: ● India - bureaucratic state system ● Mexico - commercial patronage system 8) Amos ‘n Andy was an exceptionally popular radio program, but it proved to be controversial when it was brought to television. Who expressed concerned about the program and what were those concerns? Why was it an especially sensitive time for CBS to put the program on the air? Why did the program eventually fail? Who was disappointed by the removal of the program from the CBS schedule? Why did they support the program? Did CBS do the right thing by bringing Amos ‘n Andy to television? ● Cripps article ● Tradition in racist minstrel show ● Debate (CBS stance) ○ CBS trying to make money and playing it off as representation, something positive ○ NAACP pushing back because it’s not positive representation

○ ○

● ● ● ●

●

●

●

Made money by normal means - not a criminal Catalyst for ■ Black people entry into media ■ Black companies to beat out white monopolies ■ Media execs to start to consider what black audiences want ○ Hired someone to ask if something was ‘ambiguously offensive’ NAACP: did not like, negative rep Black actors: gave them opportunities for leading roles Black TV audiences: ambiguous - shows representation which can be comforting, but at the same time this representation is not great “The show presents the real lived experience of black Americans on the airwaves” ○ CBS: universalism to these themes; target white and black audiences ○ NAACP: idealized in certain ways and doesn’t show violence, racism ○ Audiences: not all can relate to this show, most can’t afford the type of lifestyle on the show ■ Addressing aspirations of black community to participate in this consuming lifestyle Amos’ butchering of English language ○ Reducing to “uneducated black people” ○ NAACP wanting advancement, education (not kingfish or amos represented here) Show not different from The Goldbergs - and everyone including Jews love it! ○ Jewish writing staff, more in tuned to culture ○ This is a white writing staff, not in tune ○ GB - issues rooted in tradition, vs. issues in AA arise from issues of American policy ■ Black history in the US distinct from other ethnic groups NAACP struggled to put up united front ○ Black actors had some degree of agency ○ But class stratified African American community ○ Acknowledgement by networks of black audience as consumers now

9) How did suburbanization affect postwar America and American family life? What role, according to George Lipsitz, did television play in mediating the social transitions then taking place in the United States? Why is the situation comedy an especially appropriate television genre to consider these changes taking place in American society? Be sure to talk specifically about the cultural work of American television with respect to the following programs that we viewed in class: The Goldbergs, Life with Luigi, and The Honeymooners. ● Post WWII - how are we going to come out of Depression and war, reorganize society, keep people feeling happy? ○ Broad, mass middle class consumer society ○ Build highways, get them into automobiles, make them live in suburbia, mid-class well-being

●

●

● ●

● ●

● ●

○ Against “godless authoritarian communism” -- American way better alternative 1945 - 1960 ○ 80% pop growth in suburbs ○ Migration from cities ○ Breeding frenzy - earlier marriage, more children Impact on media ○ Radio prospers 1945-52 ○ TV takes off 1951-55 ○ Movie industry slow to adapt to suburbanization, then ■ 1950s drive in theaters ■ 1960s shopping center theaters Lipsitz article The Goldbergs: ○ How does it mediate tradition and modernity? ■ Traditional extended family ■ “Normal family” is extended family not nuclear family ■ Uncle cooking in kitchen ○ Gender roles ■ Everyone surprised that Uncle David cooking instead of Molly ○ Apt seems relatively spacious for living in urban space ■ This is supposed to be a ghetto ethnic neighborhood - but apt very well appointed Immigrants assimilating to suburban nuclear consumer family ○ Before: extended family, in city, more about saving money Article: mom doesn’t trust credit, then gets credit on buying washing machine ○ Consumerism as solving problems ○ Goldbergs moving from city to suburbs The Honeymooners- poor, always aiming for schemes, dialect, consumerism Problem- situational comedy worked for ethnic families because their struggles were not as imposed by the American system as it was on African Americans

10) What were the FCC’s priorities for the development of television? Who was granted station licenses and why? In what ways did the FCC follow the same principles it used for radio and in what ways did it alter its principles for television? ● 1940s TV policy issues at FCC: ○ Technical standards ■ Image resolution sound ○ Who gets TV licenses? ■ Radio companies, movie studios, publishers ? ○ FCC wants ■ Rapid development ■ National service ■ Distinctive “live” programming ● Didn’t want recycled media from other places

○

○ ○

○

○

Concerns re ■ Cross ownership (publishers) ■ Media monopolists (studios) ■ Similar concerns in radio → chain broadcasting 1941 FCC favors radio companies but also adopts “blue book” 1946 Public service obligation ■ Local live programs ■ Public affairs ■ Balance of commercial and sustaining ■ Eliminate “Advertising excess” Outcome: ■ Regulated oligopoly ● Cbs, nbc, abc ■ Limited competition FCC grants 108 licenses but interference problems ■ VHF signal carries 30-60 miles, but interference carries up to 150 mi ■ 1948 FCC ‘freeze’ begins, lasts until 1952 ● Favors existing licenses ■ ‘Freeze’ stations (VHF) align w/ networks ● 58% NBC, 28% CBS, 14% ABC

11) Why did the initial allocation of VHF television licenses cause problems? How did the FCC solve those problems? Was the FCC’s intermixture policy effective and fair? How did it affect the development of television? ● FCC grants 108 licenses but interference problems ○ VHF signal carries 30-60 miles, but interference carries up to 150 mi ○ 1948 FCC ‘freeze’ begins, lasts until 1952 ■ Favors existing licenses ■ Held those who had applied for VHF ○ ‘Freeze’ stations (VHF) align w/ networks ■ 58% NBC, 28% CBS, 14% ABC ● VHF (very high frequency) stations very profitable during freeze ○ VHF = strong signals w/ low power ○ UHF (ultra high freq) = needs more power, suffers interference ○ Freeze stations don’t want to switch to UHF ■ FCC solution: intermixture, VHF + UHF ○ But UHF disadvantages ■ Many TVs don’t have tuner ■ Smaller audience ■ Lower ad rates ○ Intermixture pushed UHF out ■ TVs had no turner to switch ■ Dumont only had UHF stations basically so they got pushed out

12) Why was television mostly a live medium during the early 1950s? How did the commitment to live TV affect early programming? Which genres and styles of presentation were most influential? What were the generic and stylistic features of the TV variety show and the anthology drama? ● Following radio influence - TV mostly live early on ● How did it affect early? ○ Live made it diff from other mediums ○ Radio live but not visual, film visual but not live, TV could be both ● Genres: variety show, anthology (Bang the Drum Slowly), also ethnic sitcom and comedy ● Anthology: ○ Prestige programming ○ Single sponsor ■ E.g., US steel, ford, philco, alcoa ● US steel nothing to sell to consumers ● Doing it as a PR exercise ○ Format ■ 30 min to 2hr ■ Weekly change of scripts/actors ■ At first adaptations … then originals ■ Intensive production schedule ○ Features ■ Immediacy of theater, intimacy of cinema ■ Theatrical scenes, acts, performance style ■ But also cinema-style close ups, camera work, c...