Blog #5

1. The major technical standards that were established in the 1940’s was analog television. Analog television worked by using radio waves to watch TV. However, analog TV was taken over by digital signals which allowed people to watch TV with more channels, better image quality, and sound. Digital TV also allowed customers to view TV on their phones and laptops.

2. The sponsorship of network programs changed during the 1950’s by increasing the program length. TV programs used to have a single sponsor for a show which meant that the advertiser has complete control of what content they can show during the program. Broadcast networks were getting upset because there was no control in the arrangement of advertising. However, the population of viewers and cost of television grew which offered more opportunities. They also increased the program length to a half hour or longer to increase program costs for advertisers.

3. Mobile devices and computers challenged the TV and cable industries by allowing viewers to watch their TV shows on laptops and their cellphones. The television industries came out with DVR’s where viewers can record their shows whenever they want. The amount of people who use their phone to download and watch TV shows on their phones have increased eight hours a day.

4. The government imposed many rules and regulations to restrict the networks power.  One of them was the Prime Time Access Rule (PTAR) which reduced the networks control of the programming time from four to three hours.  Another regulation that they enforced is the fin-syn which attacked the TV oligopoly.  They also limited the amount of non-news shows by telling them to find production companies and film studios to program their show.

5. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 changed television and cable industries by allowing phone companies long-distance calls and cable companies to be in each other’s market. It also allowed cable companies to sell telephone service but it doesn’t allow phone companies to sell internet service to customers.

6. Television’s roles as a national cultural center has changed over the years by the development of VCR’s, DVR’s, DVD players and phone companies that have internet. These inventions have influenced individual’s special needs and it changed TV’s role. The reason why cable channels survive is because they re-run TV shows and movies.