Blog Post 2: Television is a Catering Service

Isabella Wood – 109094674

CCS 313.01

Brent Smith-Casanueva

Blog Post #2

Television is a Catering Service

The article Television Habits Leaving Cable Behind written by a Staff Writer of the Herald Tribune brings up the point that basic cable Television is becoming outdated. “The raw truth is, television simply fulfilling the needs of viewers anymore. The modern viewing audience has more sporadic habits than the audience of the past.” (1) Now, there are more mediums sprouting for audiences to indulge in their own visual pleasure.

When Television first became popular between the 1950s and 1960s there were a few basic programs with a newscast here and there. All shows had a set time and channel that they were shown on. If you weren’t ready to watch them at the time that they were on, then you missed it and that was that. Not to mention, the channels were also very limited. There were maybe only four or five.

Television now has completely changed in regards to what is available to the public audience. If you want to watch a certain show you can pretty much do that whenever you want to. “The time of watching is varied from live to on-demand.”

(2)

There is also a show for every interest on TV now. If you want to watch a thrilling show about drugs, might I suggest Breaking Bad? Or what if you want to watch a show about people competing to be the best chef? Have you seen Top Chef? What about Iron Chef? Or maybe you’re more in the mood for a comedy. Have you seen the latest episode of New Girl? If you’re in the mood for a genre, no matter how specific it is you will most likely find a show that correlates.

Not only are there many shows, but there are also a multitude of mediums to satisfy this continually developing audience. In the industrial world 98% of households own at least one Television set. (3)

Now producers of shows have to keep up with not only the content of their shows, but also how their show is being shown. The medium that the show is being shown through is just as crucial to the audience as what the show is about. If you have a show shown through only one medium then less people will watch it. Availability is what is most important now. “”The medium is the message” because it is the medium that shapes and controls the scale and form of human association and action.” (4)

The development of Television is due to innovation and connection with the Internet. Now not only are there thousands of channels offered by our cable and satellite providers, but there are also other mediums to show Television shows from. If you have an Apple TV then you can use Netflix, Hulu Plus, Showtime on Demand, HBO GO, YOUTUBE, PBS, and more. That’s just one little box and it offers all of that. It’s more than a lifetime of programs to watch. “TV is more diverse, more diffuse, more popular, more powerful, and more innovative than ever.” (2)

References

1.     "Television Habits Leaving Cable behind." ASU Herald. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.

2.     Miller, Toby, and Andrew Lockett. "P. 175-189." Television Studies. London: BFI Pub., 2002. N. pag. Print.

3.     "Digital Divide: Global Household Penetration Rates for Technology."Bright Side of News. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.

4.     McLuhan, Marshall. "Introduction." Understanding Media. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Print.