“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a good book” (Marx, 1984). Television is a technological phenomenon that began in black and white. Today it is a revolution of advancement. From the set top box to high definition plasmas, the television has changed the world. In order to understand how television over the 19th and 20th century changed the way we use technology, this paper will focus on the rapid pace in which new technologies are being developed, the impact television has had on radio and establishing how television was affected by the internet. Finally, delving into the relationship between television and the advertising industry. Television has proven …show more content…
to be a major influence for other forms of new technologies, significantly changing the way we use new technologies.
Televisions influence on the radio was considered negative. People were able to immerse themselves in visual technology. The radio could not possibly compete with this new technology, From Wireless to Web disagrees with this statement. “The introduction of television services in Australia brought vast changes to the radio industry. Radio’s serial dramas, variety and quiz shows – the mainstay of evening programming – appealed less to listeners when they discovered they could watch similar formats on television. Many listeners would rather watch films and shows imported from the United States than sit in a room and listen to a locally produced, original play on the radio. Some radio broadcasters predicted that television would be the death of radio altogether. But radio reinvented itself, and fought back powerfully on two fronts” (From the wireless to the web, 2006-2014). Radio did fight back on many avenues, the invention of the car radio brought competition. It meant that radio could be places that TV couldn 't. The radio changed its reputation by challenging television as being first in the lastest news. The introduction of talk back shows meant people could feel involved and discuss issues of importance. With the introduction of FM (frequency modulation radio) and more channels were available on AM (amplitude frequency), more audiences could be reached. Today, it is evident that the radio is strong and a part of the convergence of technologies. Radio stations are played online via live streaming via our PC 's. Our TV sets are included with radio channels as is the same for our ipods. The convergence of technologies means the radio expands into the future at an accelerated pace.
Television was the beginning of the rapid pace in which new technologies are developing and advancing. This has certainly affected us in a negative way. Mostly through our wallets, through endless amounts of consumption. The rate of technological advancement was once at a steady pace. The radio was established for almost thirty years before the television was developed. Williams states, “Television was invented as a result of scientific and technical research. As a powerful medium of communication and entertainment it took place with other factors- such as greatly increased physical mobility, itself the result of other newly invented technologies- in altering the scale and form of our societies” (Williams, 1974 pp 3). Williams is correct, the change of pace for new technologies developing has altered the scale and form of our socieities. These endless upgrades are exhausting and expensive. This analysis can be identified as consistent since the early period of the TV. In the 1950 's if you owned a TV set before the commercial version was available, you needed to buy a complete new version and at a heavy price. This was similar in the case of the introduction of colour TV, many black and white versions were not compatible and therefore needed to be replaced completely and again at a high price. This example is evident during the change from analogue to digital, impacting at a cost to our society. Today, “Will Americans be willing to replace their television sets every couple of years as various formats rise and fall? How will people who are still making payments on their digital television feel when "the marketplace" decides that they have invested in a loser technology and that they have to start over? Will every television purchase become the equivalent of today 's Mac-vs.-PC agony? What happens when viewers can 't count on their sets being able to receive new programs they read about? Suppose Microsoft makes one of its famous "alliances" with, say, the NFL, and fans who have chosen a non-Gates TV format get frozen out? Will TV Guide publish multiple editions for owners of different systems?” (Tibbetts; BB, 1997 pp 92). Here, Tibbetts indicates the pressure of rapid pace technologies and how ridiculous it has become. This financial burden is consistent when approaching other technologies such as smart phones to PC 's, advancement in technology has become completely unreasonable. The current covergence of television, radio, smart phones and PC 's must eventually slow this process down.
The internet has influenced TV audiences by taking away viewing time from the television.
This evaluation affects advertising on television as companies are concerned they are not reaching target markets through traditional methods. Hansell states, “Television, after all, has proved to be the most powerful medium in history for selling products. And the idea that the rapid growth of the Internet might pull people away from their sets is frightening to many commercial interests, especially since advertisements on line have yet to prove effective for sales of many consumer products” (Hansell, 1998). The Advertising industry has become more diverse by advertising through such mediums as youtube.com, facebook.com and various other social network sites. As Hansell suggests there is no guarantee yet for how effective it actually is. The amount of email spam has risen and is completely out of control. This investment in advertising online is of great concern for televsion. “When the Internet exploded, corporations sought to protect themselves by spending money for online ads and Web sites so they wouldn 't fall behind the competition," said T. Walker Lloyd, executive secretary for the Long Island Advertising Club, a non profit association of advertising firms” (Rifilato, 2000). This has a negative impact on TV, as almost all revenue is obtained through the advertising industry. For the future of TV, significant changes could occur if the internet continues to grow and television …show more content…
audiences decline. Apparently not when considering how audiences feel about advertising on TV .
Television relies heavily on revenue from the advertising industry. The amount of advertising on television is excessive and is ruining television broadcasting. Since the introduction of television the advertising industry has boomed. The TV commercial is considered the most successful mass market format for advertising, this is obvious when evaluating the price companies pay for playing commericals during peak television moments. During the 1950s advertising on TV consisted of companies supporting a block of time on TV such as 'Colgate comedy hour ' and 'Coke time '. In the 1960 's, TV amounted of nine minutes of advertising per hour. Most ads were no longer than one minute long. Factoring what we are dealing with today, an abundance amount of ads. It has become ridiculous, estimating at 250- 5000 messages per day. This excessive amount of ads is desensitizing our society, to a point the advertising is no longer efffective. “Television viewers are finding the amount of ads excessive and ever more annoying. According to a recent study, 60% of consumers have a "much more negative" opinion towards advertising than they did a few years ago, 61% "feel the . . . amount of advertising is out of control," and 65% feel "constantly bombarded" with advertising. Ad avoidance (conscious activity designed to avoid ads) is higher on television than any other medium, and people feel ads on television hinder communication a great deal” (Getz, 2006). This evidence is alarming, the growing amount of negativity must be cause for change. Despite the fact people feel this way about advertising on television, evidence suggests that ads are still proven to be highly effective. But at what cost?
Television influenced a forced change for the radio, the outcome being positive. The rapid pace in which new technologies are being developed is excessive, affecting us negatively financially. Can we rely on the convergence of TV, Radio and PC 's to slow this pace down in the future? This prospect seems far in the distance and from looking into the past, it is obvious our society needs advancements in technology. The internet has taken regular viewing time from advertising on TV. Despite this, audiences are still frustrated. Advertisment on television is excessive and annoying to viewers. As Hirst and Harrison states, “The 20th century was the age of television, but the future of broadcasting is uncertain. The major Australian TV networks are suffering financially as advertising revenues drop and costs keep rising. The only certainty is that after 50 years, most of the programming on TV is still crap” (Hirst and Harrison, 2007, pp.154). It is clear with this outlook, the future of television will be an interesting one. A technology that in some way or another remain a part of our lives, the question is in what form.
REFERENCES
From the wireless to web. (2006- 2014) 'Effect of TV on radio ', viewed 23 April 2014, retrieved from URL: http://dl.nfsa.gov.au/module/104/
Getz, M. (2006), “Drowned in advertising chatter": The Case for Regulating Ad Time on Television, Georgetown Law Journal 94.4: 1229-1264. accessed 20 April 2014, retrieved from URL: http://search.proquest.com.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/pqrl/docview/231611083/abstract/69E553F3EE574477PQ/13?accountid=14543
Hirst, M; Harrison, J.
(2007), “The (recent) history of mass communication”: in Communication and new media: from broadcast to narrowcast, Oxford University Press, Victoria, PP 154.
Hansell, S. (1998), 'Studies differ on internet 's impact on TV ': in The New York Times, viewed 23 April 2014, retrieved from URL: http://www.nytimes.com/1998/09/21/business/studies-differ-on-internet-s-impact-on-tv.html
Marx, G. (1984), 'Groucho Marx ' in: Wikiquote, viewed 1 May 2014, retrieved from URL: http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Groucho_Marx
Rifilato, T. (2000), "Internet advertising at a crossroads", Long Island Business News, vol. 47, no. 38, pp. 1B, accessed 19 April 2014, Retrieved from URL: http://search.proquest.com.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/docview/223626108
Tibbetts, J; B.B. (1997), "Tune In For 1997 's TV Drama -- Convergence between PCs and television seems natural, but will nontechnical Americans put up with the headaches?", InformationWeek, pp. 92, viewed 10 April 2014, retrieved from URL: http://search.proquest.com.libraryproxy.griffith.edu.au/pqrl/docview/229065133/abstract/1D6A50AB84B546E7PQ/31?accountid=14543
Williams, R. (1974), 'Television: Technology and cultural form ': developments in electricity telegraphy, Schocken Books, USA, pp
3.