Multi-Channel Transition

Multi-Channel Transition-Began in the early 1980s and lasted about 20 years. There were many changes that happened during this transition such as the invention of the remote control, the video cassette player, and analog cable systems expanded viewer’s choice and control. Producers adjusted to the government regulations and networks were forced to give up some of the control they had over program creation. Subscription channels emerged with no advertisements and the method for measuring audiences grew with the Nielson’s People Meter. This era gave viewers more choice and control over what and when they wanted to view a program. New broadcast networks emerged such as FOX in 1986, The WB in 1995 and the UPN in 1995 and all added great competition to the original networks, NBC, ABC, and CBS. The percentage of people who watched network television dropped from 90% to 64% in the 1980s. The remote control became standard on most television sets in the 1980s and that helped the viewers break away from the network era. The VCR further helped viewers to break away from the network era by enabling them to record a program and view it when they wanted to the VCR also allowed people to build personal libraries. All of these new innovative technologies allowed the viewer greater choice and control over specific media. The emergence of so many new networks and channels changed the type of programming produced in order to gain more ratings points. Producers started to develop programs that might be more satisfying to a specific audience member. Producers and advertisers were now able to target specific people and appeal to a narrower group. The ability for cable channels to succeed with smaller audiences made broadcasters mission more difficult, because viewers now had the option to choose which program would satisfy their needs.

During the network era there were only three networks NBC, ABC, and CBS. The elimination of the fin-syn rules allowed networks greater involvement in production. With so few networks to choose from they (first three networks) held the upper hand in negotiations with studios. With the multi-channel transition production companies now had the upper hand with more networks to buy their shows. Where once the networks had control the production companies now held control.

New Distribution During the Multi-Channel Transition

During the multi-channel transition, distribution windows expanded to include cable networks, direct sale on VCR tapes, and then DVD and VOD (Video On Demand). More recently they have also come to encompass Internet websites, where episodes can be downloaded or streamed. There has been such a high growing variety of ways for networks to reach viewers, which has also decreased some of the risk of unconventional programs, because new distribution routes provide opportunities to make money on shows that fail to achieve high ratings during network runs. Internet distribution also provides a venue for additional and supplemental programming.^[1]

Before the multi-channel transition, signals broadcast over the air was the only way television was able to come into the home. During the mutli-channel transition however, a range of possibilities developed. Cable and satellite became common mechanisms of delivery, and companies such as AT&T and Verizon also joined the competition of distribution during the mid-2000s. In 2006, broadband internet distribution of video became overwhelmingly popular, which diminished the domination of cable and satellite as the only source for most channels to be able to reach the home.^[2]

References

1. ^ Lotz, Amanda D. "Revolutionizing Distribution: Breaking Open the Network Bottleneck." The Television Will Be Revolutionized. New York: New York UP, 2007. 120. Print.
2. ^ Lotz, Amanda D. "Revolutionizing Distribution: Breaking Open the Network Bottleneck." The Television Will Be Revolutionized. New York: New York UP, 2007. 121. Print.

Lotz, Amanda D. (2007) The Television Will Be Revolutionized. New York, NY: New York University Press. p. 12-15

Lotz, Amanda D. (2007) The Television Will Be Revolutionized. New York, NY: New York University Press. p. 83-85