Untitled Document

Television

Television combines all the elements of storytelling into one mechanism. Sprung from the oral traditions of radio broadcast and the visuals of film, this medium started a whole new revolution.

The first television programs were live broadcasts. Similar to a theatrical play, it gave us a sense that anything could happen. If something went wrong, the audience would see through the ruse. Today, we occasionally see the programs broadcast live and these are usually considered special events. The Super Bowl debacle of 2004 is one example of how anything can and does happen on live TV.

As a story telling medium, television again takes us further along the road of story evolution. In terms of fiction, TV offers the unique personal experience of having the characters of your favorite TV show come into your living room and tell you their stories week after week.

From the story teller's perspective, TV offers the same benefits attributed to the novel. It can develop a story slowly, episodically. The slower the pace of revealing a character is a more interesting development process and ultimately can make for a more intriguing story. For the audience, the time spent each week with the characters offers the element of intimacy. The audience comes to understand the character probably better that they would their own friends and family because they get to see the character in moments alone -small, private moments that no one else can see. Due to this intimacy, there is an effect called para-social interaction. This happens when the audience becomes so attached to the character they actually believe the character is real.

Television began a paradigm shift in the 60's to take on sociological and culture issues. Excellent series such as the original Twilite Zone, use powerful social critique in the form science fiction. By the 70's daring TV shows like All in the Family, took on social and controversial issue directly like racism, sex, and body issues. Ever since TV and cable has had a direct and unflinching force on the psychology of culture and vice versa. The largest wars over censorship and what is considered "inappropriate" have been waged in the 1970's, yet the tight rope is still being walked by many shows. Television is still one of our most powerful social mediums of all time, even while we have the Internet.

Think about what TV shows have "shaped" you or your values as you were growing up, set the tone for what you consider acceptable or unacceptable behavior?..Is it not more/just as powerful than influence from friends or family?

	Television Television combines all the elements of storytelling into one mechanism. Sprung from the oral traditions of radio broadcast and the visuals of film, this medium started a whole new revolution. The first television programs were live broadcasts. Similar to a theatrical play, it gave us a sense that anything could happen. If something went wrong, the audience would see through the ruse. Today, we occasionally see the programs broadcast live and these are usually considered special events. The Super Bowl debacle of 2004 is one example of how anything can and does happen on live TV. As a story telling medium, television again takes us further along the road of story evolution. In terms of fiction, TV offers the unique personal experience of having the characters of your favorite TV show come into your living room and tell you their stories week after week. From the story teller's perspective, TV offers the same benefits attributed to the novel. It can develop a story slowly, episodically. The slower the pace of revealing a character is a more interesting development process and ultimately can make for a more intriguing story. For the audience, the time spent each week with the characters offers the element of intimacy. The audience comes to understand the character probably better that they would their own friends and family because they get to see the character in moments alone -small, private moments that no one else can see. Due to this intimacy, there is an effect called para-social interaction. This happens when the audience becomes so attached to the character they actually believe the character is real. Television began a paradigm shift in the 60's to take on sociological and culture issues. Excellent series such as the original Twilite Zone, use powerful social critique in the form science fiction. By the 70's daring TV shows like All in the Family, took on social and controversial issue directly like racism, sex, and body issues. Ever since TV and cable has had a direct and unflinching force on the psychology of culture and vice versa. The largest wars over censorship and what is considered "inappropriate" have been waged in the 1970's, yet the tight rope is still being walked by many shows. Television is still one of our most powerful social mediums of all time, even while we have the Internet. Think about what TV shows have "shaped" you or your values as you were growing up, set the tone for what you consider acceptable or unacceptable behavior?..Is it not more/just as powerful than influence from friends or family?