Terms to Study for Test #3

Television 1 - Instructor J.Varner

Return to Joni Varner's Main Page

You will need to bring a Scantron (#882) Form to class (buy in the LACC bookstore) and a #2 pencil. This is NOT an open book test but you can use an English/Foreign Language Dictionary. There will be a total of fifty questions in the format of multiple choice & True/False will include lectures & videotapes.

Test #1 Terms Test #2 Terms Test #3 Terms

Chapter 10: Ratings

A.C. Nielsen rates 210 TV markets
SAMPLING is used to rate media consumption
Sweeps Weeks: (4 times a year)
February, May, July, November (+3 big markets)
Arbitron rates 268 radio markets (95 rated year round)
RADAR weekly telephone calls for radio ratings
Nielsen CASSANDRA rates syndicated TV programs
Nielsen National Hispanic Television Index
Nielsen Home Video Index rates cable nets (p. 310)
Nielsen/NetRatings: internet use (p. 313)
Techniques used to gather data on TV viewing:
- Diaries (162 Markets) (p. 292)
- People Meters (48 Markets)
- Coincidental Phone Calls (p. 297)
Nielsen's DMA (Designed Market Area) is one or more counties in which stations located in a central city are the most viewed (p. 302)
- METRO is the Home County
HUTS (households using television) (p. 304)
PUR (persons using radio)
CUMES used in rating radio - unduplicated listeners measured over days (p. 306)
RATING: percentage of people watching a program out of the total number of households (p. 304)
SHARE: percentage of people watching a program out of the total households watching television
HYPOING-attempt to influence ratings during sweeps
LOP (Least Objectionable Program) theory (p. 309)
Ave. U.S. TV household viewing: 7 hours 16 mins./ day

Chapter 11: Effects

Theories of Mass Propaganda:
- Bullet or Hypodermic Injection Theory (1920s)
- The Two-Step Flow Theory (mid-1950s)
- Selective Perception (p. 318)
- Boomerang Effect
- Accommodation Theory (p. 319)
The Play Theory (p. 336)
The Glow & Flow Principle (p. 336)
TV Violence (pp. 337- 340)
- Telecomm. Act of 1996 requires V-Chip in new TVs

Chapter 12: Regulation & Licensing

U.S. Constitution gives Federal Government power over international relations & war leaving all other power not specified as federal to the states
"COMMERCE CLAUSE" Constitutional Article I Section 8(3) "to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the several states" (p. 344)
Congress has power to regulate - but day-to-day authority to FCC - using:
PICON (Public Interest, Convenience Or Necessity) - gives FCC power to regulate things not specified by 1934 Communications Act (p. 347)
U.S. Pres. appoints 5 FCC commissioners for 5 years
FCC: 1) legislative, 2) Executive 3) Judicial (p. 347)
FCC formally grants & revoke licenses & make fines
FCC informally uses JAWBONING (not in book)
1934 Communications Act-rewritten many times (1996)
Channels are "licensed" for "limited periods of time" (Maximum 8 years)
Employment Practices (p. 354)
Some spectrum auctioned for cash by the FCC (p. 353)
How to Put a Station "ON THE AIR" (pp. 352-353):
- 1) Find a Channel (allotment tables)
- 2) Get CP (Construction Permit)
  - (24 months for TV, 18 months for Radio)
- 3) Meet these three Qualifications:
- U.S. Citizen
- Enough money for 90 days
- Prove technical ability & FCC standards
LPTV (low-power television) 1982 - regular channels in the existing band. First to have licenses by lottery
Some No license services, like carrier current radio
Cable Systems licensed by local municipality (10-15 yr)
Cable TV is NEITHER a common carrier NOR a broadcast service
Cable Systems regulated by the 1992 Comm. Act
1965 -1996 local phone companies could not operate electronic media
Almost all media licensing & practices were deregulated in the 1980s

Chapter 13: Constitutional Issues

First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution = freedom of speech & press
"Marketplace Of Ideas" & "No False Ideas"
1st amendmentprotects from government & not private censorship
First Amendment Parity (p. 376):
- 1) Channel Scarcity
- 2) Conflict In Licensing
- 3) Intrusiveness
U.S. legislation makes laws to punish unprotected speech (p. 378):
- LIBEL (defamation by published words) broadcasting
- SLANDER (defamation by spoken words)
U.S. Criminal Code (section 1464) punishable "any obscene, indecent, or profane language by means of radio communication."
Cable Act of 1984 (fines & prison for anyone): "transmits over any cable system any matter which is obscene or otherwise unprotected by the constitution"
CDA (Communications Decency Act) of 1996 tried to make obscenity over the Internet illegal but was overturned (p. 386)
Fairness Doctrine by FCC in 1949 ended in 1987 = obligates stations to give "equal time" controversial issues /opposing views
Congress kept two parts of doctrine:
- Personal Attack Rule (notify offended person in 1 wk.)
- Political Editorializing Rule (right to respond when licensee endorses )
U.S. Supreme Court upheld FD 1969 in RED LION decision (p. 396)
- AM/FM station WGCB (John Morris & Fred Cook)
Copyright law of 1976 allows authors & inventors to:
- License their works in exchange for royalties
- Copyright © - Books, music, motion pictures, broadcast programs computer programs & arts.
- NOT copyrightable are, titles, brand names , logos, & slogans. (Some can be trademarked)
- Lasts the life of the creator plus 70+ years (p. 401)
Public Domain/ Fair Use
Compulsory Licensing
Fair Use not for pirating cable TV but allows for recording signals "off-the-air" on your VCR in your own home (1976 "Sony Betamax" suit)
Internet Copyright issues (pp. 403-404)
Music is licensed for radio/TV (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC)

Chapter 14: Global View

Four categories = amount & kind of political control for electronic media
- 1) PERMISSIVE (U.S.A.) free-enterprise system gives what audience wants rather than what needs
- 2) PATERNALISTIC (BBC in the UK, CBC, NHK), no advertising/ money from receiver license fees. Gives what audience needs
- 3) AUTHORITARIAN (People's Republic of China) the state finances & operates the broadcast systems much of world does this (becoming privatized)
- 4) PLURALISM combining aspects of the three systems together
(ITU) International Telecommunications Union - an affiliate of the United Nations coordinates technical & legal aspects of international broadcasting.
World TV standards (p. 413): PAL, SECAM, NTSC
Three Main Sources of Broadcast Funding:
- 1) Advertising
- 2) Receiver Fees (average $150 year)
- 3) Central Government Budgeting (the most used)
U.S. is frequently accused of cultural imperialism because it advocates a "free flow" of programming to other countries who desire a "balanced flow" (p. 418)
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, & Cultural Organization) (p. 420)
NWICO (New World Information & Communication Order) (p. 420)
TRANSBORDER BROADCASTING: "To inform & persuade people in closed societies impossible with 'in-person' messages"
80+ countries "External Broadcasting" (short wave radio)
- 1) BBC WORLD SERVICE
- 2) VOICE OF RUSSIA - Formerly Radio Moscow
- 3) VOA (Voice of America) arm of the U.S. Information Agency 52 languages (no programs to the U.S.)
4) WORLD NET (1980s) external TV service / U.S. diplomatic posts
U.S. Surrogate Services (pp. 421-422):
- Radio Liberty (RL) for U.S.S.R.
- Radio Free Europe (RFE) for East Europe
- Radio Marti for Cuba
- Radio Free Asia for China & SE Asia
Peripherals (Commercial Transborder) - commercial stations profitable in countries other than their own
Pirate Radio (p. 423)
INTELSAT (International Communications Satellite Organization)
DBS (Direct Broadcast Services) in countries with low cable penetration
Cable TV has 60+% penetration in the U.S. - but is higher in smaller countries
VCRs popular where a countries broadcast services fail to satisfy demand

Test #1 Terms Test #2 Terms Test #3 Terms

There will be a total of 50 questions in the format of Multiple Choice and True/False.

There will also be extra credit questions on the video tapes that have been shown in class.

Return to Joni Varner's Main Page