AMERICAN PUBLIC BROADCASTING
January 20th Tutorial
Tuesday Tutorials: 05 (2:30pm) and 10 (3:30pm)
Maia Tozer: mtozer13@schulich.yorku.ca
Agenda
• Blog
• Reminder: Private vs. Public Broadcasters
• Group Questions
• Discuss Questions
Our Blog:
•
yorkfilm2401.wordpress.com
Key Points from Today
• The importance of Public Broadcasters!
Questions we will cover today
1.
Describe Public Broadcasting in the US before 1967.
2.
What is the Public Broadcasting Act (PBA)? The Corporation for Public
Broadcasting (CPB)?
3.
Describe the funding model of US public broadcasting? How has it survived?
4.
From the Case Study, discuss American Public Broadcasting abroad and it’s
purpose.
5.
Discuss Sesame Street, it’s target audience, funding model and format.
6.
How was Sesame Street criticized and praised?
Private vs. Public Broadcasting
• What’s the difference?
Private (Commercial) Broadcasters
• Private (commercial) broadcasting is the broadcasting of television
programs and radio programming by privately owned corporate media, as
opposed to government, state or public sponsorship.
• Funding: To gain capital and finance themselves, private broadcasting
companies sell advertising space (commercials) to advertisers.
• Advertisers flock to popular programs that have a large audience because (it is
believed) more people will see the ad. Broadcasters tend to charge higher
prices for these advertising slots to increase profits.
• Therefore, it is in a private broadcasters “best” interests to broadcast the most
popular shows, despite their quality, subject or theme, because they will attract
advertisers and generate more revenues.
• Fun Fact: The Super bowl! Generates approx. 125 million viewers. Average
cost of a single 30sec. advertisement during the Super Bowl is $3.5 million US.
FIFA world cup finals generate approx. 350 million viewers…
Public Broadcasters
• Public broadcasting refers to radio, television, and other electronic media outlets
whose primary mission is public service.
• This means that programs are broadcast for the public benefit rather than for purely commercial
purposes.
• These programs include local news coverage, religious broadcasts, historical programs,
children’s programs, and arts and science programs.
• These programs tend to not interest private broadcasters because they are seen as not commercially
viable or profitable.
• Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees,
individual contributions, commercial financing and most importantly, public financing
(TAX Dollars).
• Many countries have public broadcasters, which get funding from the government (taxes)
to broadcast television shows and radio programs. Examples of public broadcasters are
BBC in Britain, and CBC in Canada. (BBC has almost double budget than CBC)
• This means public broadcasters follow a mandate and mission.
• Usually about, educating, informing, entertaining, diversity and national identity.
Importance of Public Broadcasters
Why is Public Broadcasting so important?
• Public Broadcasting
• Educational, Informational, Multi-cultural, Diverse topics, Crediable,
Unbiased, Entertaining
• What’s happening today?
• Funding Cuts
• Internet!!
Example from Canadian Broadcast System
• Public Broadcasters include:
• CBC
• TVO
• Tele-Quebec
• Knowledge
• Private Broadcasters include:
• Bell Media
• Shaw Media
• Corus
• Rogers Broadcasting
• Quebecor
• Not a Broadcaster, an Over-the-top service:
• Netflix
Groups: Questions we will cover today
1.
Describe Public Broadcasting in the US before 1967.
2.
What is the Public Broadcasting Act (PBA)? The Corporation for Public
Broadcasting (CPB)?
3.
Describe the funding model of US public broadcasting? How has it survived?
4.
From the Case Study, discuss American Public Broadcasting abroad and it’s
purpose.
5.
Discuss Sesame Street, it’s target audience, funding model and format.
6.
How was Sesame Street criticized and praised?
1) Describe Public Broadcasting in the US before 1967
•
1) Describe Public Broadcasting in the US before 1967
• So far, have mostly learnt about broadcast system as a commercial entity
• Commercial television became the standard for the American industry
• US government was against public broadcast television in the early years,
actively discouraged it.
• In 1934 Congress rejected Wagner-Hatfield bill - this would have allocated 25%
of US broadcast frequencies for educational use
• Universities and colleges operated a lot of early Television stations, and actively
wanted public broadcast bill. However, most of them disappeared by the 1940s.
• A number of small educational stations re-emerged in the 50s – funded by
various charities
• In 1960, Newton Minnow chairman of FCC calls television a ‘vast wasteland’
(“poor quality programming” see Chapter 12)
• Once novelty of TV wore off, many people became more critical of television.
• 1963 a network called National Educational Television (NET) was created and funded by the Ford
Foundation. Ford Foundation (later CPB) funded production and distribution of educational programs
• National Education Television (NET) folded into Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in 1970
2) What was the Public Broadcasting Act (PBA)?
Public Broadcasting Act (PBA):
2) What was the Public Broadcasting Act (PBA)?
Public Broadcasting Act (PBA):
• Congress passed the Public Broadcasting Act in 1967
• This gave non-commercial broadcasters a national mandate.
• Act was based on the creation of competing stations governed by
overlapping government bureaucracies Public Broadcasting Service
(PBS) & Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which allocated
funding to all the public stations.
2) What was the Public Broadcasting Act (PBA)?
Excerpt from the Public Broadcasting Act
• The Congress hereby finds and declares that ... it is in the public interest to
encourage the growth and development of public radio and television
broadcasting, including the use of such media for instructional, educational,
and cultural purposes; ... public television and radio stations and public
telecommunications services constitute valuable local community resources
for utilizing electronic media to address national concerns and solve local
problems through community programs and out-reach programs; ... a private
corporation should be created to facilitate the development of public
telecommunications and to afford maximum protection from extraneous
interference and control
President Lyndon B.
Johnson signing the act
2) The Corporation for Public Broadcasting?
Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB):
2) The Corporation for Public Broadcasting?
Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB):
• CPB oversaw operations of PBS and also allocated funds to National Public
Radio (NPR) which was founded in 1970, aired 1971
• CPB administered and distributed funding to local stations to produce
educational programming.
• Expensive to produce own programs, and thus this system was initially not
very successful
• PBS was created to distribute programs to local stations that could not afford
to make their own.
• CPB is now a network of 300 stations in which a small number of affiliates in
large cities make most of the programming.
3) Describe the funding model of US public
broadcasting?
US Funding Model:
3) Describe the funding model of US public
broadcasting?
US Funding Model:
• Originally, would be dependent on Congress’ biannual decision of exactly how
much support to give to public television and radio.
• Under both Nixon and Reagan administration, government funding was regularly cut.
• Chronically underfunded
• Domestic American public television gets funding from private sponsors
• Includes corporate and charitable donations, public donations and congressional
appropriations.
• Since it relies on funding from public and corporate charity, it is more subject
to manipulation by politicians than in other countries.
• Reason that public broadcasters to “play things safe”
3) How did Public Broadcasting survive?
Survival of Public Broadcasting:
3) How did Public Broadcasting survive?
Survival of Public Broadcasting:
• It filled a certain niche: provided serious programming to college educated
audiences (as opposed to commercial “garbage” – think reality shows now) and
educational television to children.
• Public television positively affected Commercial TV: Programming for children and
adults increased in quality.
• Political lobby groups for audiences emerged – part of larger consumer advocacy
movement
• Pressures placed on private broadcasters
• In 1975, made “family viewing time” between primetime (7-9 pm) where
programs were suitable for all ages.
• Public television like PBS boomed in the early 70s – leading to an increase in
innovative children’s programming, documentaries, news and opinion programming
Examples of Successful PBS Kids Programs
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Sesame Street (1969-Present)
Arthur (1996-Present)
Barney and Friends (1992-2010)
The Berentstain Bears (2003-2006)
Caillou (2000-2010)
Clifford the Big Red Dog (2000-2003)
Curious George (2006-Present)
Bill Nye the Science Guy (1993-1998)
The Big Comfy Couch (1992-2006)
Dragon Tales (1999-2005)
Kraffts’ Creatures (1996)
Maya and Miguel (2004-2008)
Teletubbies (1997-2005)
The Magic School Bus (1994-1998)
4) From the Case Study, discuss American Public
Broadcasting abroad and it’s purpose.
Case Study: American Public Broadcasting Abroad
4) From the Case Study, discuss American Public
Broadcasting abroad and it’s purpose.
Case Study: American Public Broadcasting Abroad
• US Government had already established a well-funded public broadcasting system before the
creation of the CPB and PBS
• Wasn’t available to American Audiences
• Institutions like the Voice of America, and Armed Forces Radio and Television were designed
to provide information, entertainment, diplomacy and propaganda to foreign audiences
and to American service personnel working abroad. Set up to influence public opinion
worldwide to support American ideologies.
• Began at start of WWII when OWI (Office of War Information) rented private radio stations
• Voice of America – activities were designed to appeal to:
• the elites of the various targeted countries.
• the decision makers in the hopes they support American objectives.
• Voice of America – now run by Broadcasting Board of Governors, oversees foreign
broadcasting activities of US Government
• CIA had also funded a number of public networks since Cold War. No longer funded by CIA
5) Discuss Sesame Street including its funding model,
target audience, and format.
Sesame Street 1969 – today
• Funded:
• Target audience:
•
• Format:
5) Discuss Sesame Street including its funding model,
target audience, and format.
Sesame Street 1969 – today
• Has been on the air for 40 seasons (amazing!)
• Funded: Produced by Children’s Television Workshop (CTW) originally got funding from
CPB, later turned to combined funding system through merchandising: books, toys,
software and live events. Merchandising very lucrative and make programs less
dependent on government subsidies*
• Target audience is pre-school children. Early childhood curriculum intended to promote
social and cognitive growth and prepare disadvantaged children for school.
• Amongst most successful cultural exports, it sells its program to broadcasters 120
countries. Also goes into co-productions
• Format of show grew out of the CTW research into how best to reach children and
engage them in learning. (This is data analytics today)
• Each episode is divided into 4 minute segments – keeps kids engaged
• Segment dealing with numbers or letters are designed to resemble a TV commercial. In
a way that mimics the rapid pace of television advertising.
• Example: Wanda the Wacky Witch Brought to you by the letter W.
• Lots of Celebrities participate in Sesame Street particularly the letter/number segment.***
40 years of Sesame Street
• Celebrities
6) How was Sesame Street criticized and praised?
Critics and Supporters of Sesame Street’s format
6) How was Sesame Street criticized and praised?
Critics and Supporters of Sesame Street’s format
• Critics thought this “advertising” approach further ties children into the ideology of
consumerism at a very young/impressionable age. They also point to the show’s
dependence on merchandising as a means for paying for production.
• Supporters felt the show taught respect and tolerance for diversity
• Many segments take place in working class inner city hood with multi-ethnic and multi-
racial population
• This widened the appeal of the show to include children of all racial and socio-
economic backgrounds.
• Made Sesame street much different from the white segregated TV shows of 60s
America.
Clips
• Michelle Obama on Sesame Street
• Feist on Sesame Street
• Adam Sandberg on Sesame Street
• Adam Sandler on Sesame Street
• Katy Perry on Sesame Street
• Sesame Street on Jimmy Fallon!
Synopsis:
Sesame Street - Episode 1 (Nov 10th 1969)
• Synopsis: http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Episode_0001
• In the first episode of Sesame Street, Gordon takes a girl named Sally on a
tour of Sesame Street, introducing her (and the viewers) to the various
characters on the show.
• On the street, Sally meets the human cast - Gordon, Susan, Bob and Mr.
Hooper -as well as two Muppet characters, Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch
• Ernie and Bert appear for the first time, and Kermit the Frog gives a lecture
on the letter W, interrupted by an early version of Cookie Monster.
• Also featured in this episode are the first installments of the "Number Song
Series" and "Jazz" cartoons, the first appearance of a group of Anything
Muppets, and the first performance of "One of These Things”
Eyes on the Prize (1987) and Eyes on the Prize II (1990)
Info:
• PBS known for partial funding and airing of documentary films and TV series.
• Most impressive: 14-hour long Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years
1954-1964 and Eyes on the Prize II: America at the Racial Crossroads (19651985)
• Compilation documentary, which uses archival footage to tell story of Civil
Rights Movement and its aftermath.
• Got an Oscar nomination for one of its episodes (very unusual)
Series Description
• Produced by Blackside, Eyes on the Prize tells the definitive story of the civil
rights era from the point of view of the ordinary men and women whose
extraordinary actions launched a movement that changed the fabric of American
life, and embodied a struggle whose reverberations continue to be felt today.
Eyes on the Prize (1987)
Eyes on the Prize, Episode 1: “Awakenings”
• Aired on PBS: Jan 21, 1987
• Deals with Montgomery Bus Boycott, the murder of Emmet Till and other
early events in the history of the civil rights movement
• Individual acts of courage inspire black Southerners to fight for their rights:
Mose Wright testifies against the white men who murdered young Emmett
Till, and Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat to a white man in
Montgomery, Alabama.
Next Week – Jan 27th
African Americans in Film and Television
• Readings: Textbook Chapter 16
• Screenings: Color Adjustment (1991), Not Just a Game (2010)
• Extra: Do the Right Thing (1989) – Written and Directed by Spike Lee