Digital Media Cultures - Global Television: The Triumph of the Format

In this lecture we were introduced to the idea of formats used in television. A format is a set of elements in particular combination. A key commodity in the international TV trade, a market tested form that reduces risk. "Programme concepts that can be repackaged to suit particular market tastes" (Freedman 2003).
Examples of formats currently are things such as X Factor, Strictly Come Dancing, Come Dine With Me, American Idol, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (WWTBAM).

WWTBAM was one of the first major formats that travelled across the globe to a massive audience.

• Devised by Paul Smith of Celador.
• First aired in the UK and now there are over 60 of them.
• A format 'bible' was produced and all of the shows follow it - it includes demographics, budgets, production timetables, etc.
• A film was produced based on the show - 'Slumdog Millionaire'.
• They count as 'local programming' and so avoid domestic quotas.

Why study formats?

Formats are products of a global TV industry and they are examples of 'glocalised' cultural products. (Glocalised is a term that combines the use of global and local TV). They allow us to think about cultural diversity and homogeneity in global and local media. 

How new are formats?

Formats were first seen in 1950 through the show 'Whats My Line'. Most early formatting was around quiz and game shows. More recently formats have diversified into factual TV. Entertainment values are key to most formatted programming (seen through shows such as Big Brother).

Why have they emerged?

Formats have resulted in common views in what works and what doesn't in terms of formatted TV shows. Drama and documentaries don't always travel well globally.

• In competitive global markets, pursuits of TV exports through formatting is a way to 'maximise corporate profits' (Freedman, 2003).
• Example - Endemol - 2004 1 billion euros 25000 hours of TV over 800 formats.
• As privatisation, deregulation and technology have eroded national media systems, successful formats can be used to give a producer or broadcaster competitive advantage.
• Broadcasters - success of formats allow us to produce more home grown programmes.
• Critics - McChesney, Boyd Barrett et al - formats are part of media imperialism - media domination by western society.
• We might argue that a show like Big Brother has much to tell us about our own culture and how it is changing. 
• Bazalgette has argued that Big Brother democratized TV by regarding ordinary people as interesting and worthwhile.
• Take in to consideration the amount of people who cut their teeth on talent/reality shows and our now world famous - is this a democratisation of the talent process?
• Perhaps what causes most disquiet is how entertainment values have colonised factual programming.
• In a multi-channel environment formats are likely to be more significant.

My Reflection

I found the concepts of formats easy to understand and it is easy to see in the industry currently through all the formatted shows that are airing. I am becoming a bit bored of slide show presentations. As I have said a lot; I prefer to do hands on work so that I understand concepts more and physically learn them, this is just the way I like to do things. I suppose I will have to make do for now!

You Learn Something New Everyday

The most interesting thing that I found out from this lecture was the fact that 53% of the worlds formats originate in the UK because we have significant funding from our Public Service Broadcasting (PSB).

Speak Soon!

Image courtesy of www.christarrant.net