Live Tweeting: Enhancing or Diminishing the Viewing Experience?

Post by: Molly Noonan 

Remember the days when you had to be sitting in front of your television screen at 8pm to watch the finale of American Idol? You had to be watching just so on Friday morning you could talk about how happy you were that Carrie Underwood won. Although American Idol is currently airing it’s 13^th season, the days of just talking about it with classmates or co-workers are long gone. Now, instead of just talking about it with friends or family, you can talk about it with virtually anyone in the world, thanks to social media outlets like Twitter.

There’s nothing worse than accidentally reading a spoiler, this has happened to me way too many times just by going on Twitter.  If you are an American Horror Story fan and just happen to not be in front of your television at 10pm on Wednesday night and go on Twitter around 11 pm, forget it. Read through your newsfeed you just may unintentionally get a recap of the episode, whether you want to know or not. It is clear that Twitter has changed the dynamics of television viewing, but is it harming the experience?

Although Twitter may be at fault for spoiling an episode if you do not watch it live, it also has proved to be more than just twitter users outlet for expression or networks attempt to get shows trending on Twitter. Twitter was the saving grace for NBC’s “Community”. The kickoff episode for the 4^th season had very low viewership, only 4 million viewers. With such low ratings NBC didn’t think twice about taking it off the air. But, this was not the end of “Community”. According to a Wired article, fans were so upset that they turned to Twitter to get Community trending, and miraculously got the show back on the air (Vanderbilt 1). In this case Twitter saved Community, but it can also hurt a show. Ratings are not only decided by the number of viewers anymore but also number of tweets and trending topics related to the show. Nielson is now publishing Twitter Ratings, or the most talked about shows on Twitter. This fall “Breaking Bad”, “The Walking Dead” and “American Horror Story: Coven” topped the list (Nielson 1).

If you have a twitter account it’s not secret that live tweeting has become a huge phenomenon and today it is apart of the viewing experience. Just log on to your twitter feed on Thursday, February 29^th around 10 pm; I guarantee your feed will be monopolized by “Scandal” fans live tweeting. The networks are also accepting the fact that live tweeting has become apart of the viewing experience and their embracing it. Almost every show not has a “hashtag” at the bottom of the screen like “#TheVoice” or “#TheBachelor.” According to Nielson ratings Twitter does impact viewers as far as what and when we watch. In one study the results showed that “live TV ratings had a statistically significant impact in related tweets among 48% of the episodes sampled” (Galliart 1). It’s not just fans that are tweeting either. Kerry Washington and the cast for “Scandal” do a great job of not only live tweeting during the show, but also keeping fans engaged and excited during breaks in seasons. In the end Twitter has changed how we watch television and has proved to be both beneficial and harmful at times. It’s not about whether it’s good or bad though, this is how television viewing is now and we just must accept it.

Works Cited:

Galliart, Jessica. "Twitter: And the Tube." Editorial. Chicago Tribune 7 Aug. 2013: n.      Page. ProQuest. Web. 16 Feb. 2014.

"Newswire." Tops of 2013: TV and Social Media. Nielson, n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2014

Vanderbilt, Tom. "The Nielsen Family Is Dead." Wired.com. Conde Nast Digital, 17       Mar. 0013. Web. 16             Feb. 2014.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cfzSYYj8qk

Has Television Entered an Age of Ultra-Hype?

        If you watched the Emmys this past year, you heard this current era the “Golden Age of Television” with shows like Breaking Bad, Mad Men, and The Walking Dead taking the country by storm.  All of these shows have had several season for the excitement and fan base to build, but it seemed as though this past year everything had finally reached a boiling point, clearly driven by the climatic end of Breaking Bad, which as 9/10 people on the street will tell you, is the greatest show TV has ever seen.  What is it about these shows that have whipped audiences into such fervor?

       Ok, I’m going to make a confession. I still haven’t actually started Breaking Bad. I know. Yes, it seems totally awesome. Yes, I know something’s wrong with me. For someone looking at the show from an outside perspective, the hype over Breaking Bad was like nothing ever seen before.  Friends of mine who I had never seen care particularly about any shows one-way or the other. These were friends who would casually watch a show when it was on, out of order, or start a series and leave it unfinished. Suddenly the story arc of chemistry teacher-turned-drug lord Walter White was sacrosanct, and everything became second in importance to the newest episode of Breaking Bad. And they were a part of the 10.3 million people who sat glued to the TV for the last ever Sunday night with Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul.(Deadline)

        From my perspective, this super obsession over shows is something new.  Think back to the dark days of 2003 before any of this super-fandom. Sure most of us were 11-12, but do you remember anyone freaking out over any of the network dramas on at that time. There have always been the consistently popular shows. Seinfeld was, and continues to be, a fan favorite. Then there were shows like the X-Files, which generated a massive cult following. But did any of these shows garner the mass critical and popular appeal that some of the shows today have? Were their writing, casting, or plotlines so much worse for it?

      The argument could be made that this over-exaggerated hype of primetime television started with LOST in 2004, which provided a unique blend of mystery and mass appeal that earned it such a wide base of viewership.  I remember the frenzied buildup surrounding the series finale of that show, and even that came nowhere near the wave of some of today’s shows.

        Maybe part of the hype comes with the added ability to binge-watch shows, through Netflix, Hulu, or any of those random, virus-ridden 3^rd party sites that most of us are more than willing to risk our hard drives for. And yet, when it comes to some of these shows, it seems like the trend is reverting to the past, when people sat down around the TV at 9pm on a Sunday to watch the show the moment it airs, not wanting to wait to catch it the next day unless they absolutely have to. 

        In many ways some of the frenzy surrounding shows like these seems to have taken a turn away from the patterns of other TV shows over the past few years. Go on Facebook after a particular lauded episode of say, House, and it was more than possible you could run across a status containing a spoiler, ruining the episode for you. Now look at your Facebook or Twitter during an episode of Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, or The Walking Dead. Like as not, not a single person is spoiling that show for anyone else. Sure there are the requisite “BREAKING BAD, I CAN’T EVEN!!!” but on the whole, everyone is treating the show, and their fellow viewers, with a degree of respect almost out of place in this day and age.

       Social media no doubt plays a huge part in this TV phenomenon. Through the simplicity of Facebook or Twitter, the average person is able to share their love of a show with their friends, family, or random strangers with a depth of enthusiasm that would’ve required attending a fan convention just a decade previous.  The interface between cast, creators, and fans brings a whole other element of obsessive fandom. 

        Take Community for example. I love Community, and like its other fans, I was deeply concerned when the question of its cancellation was brought up.  A grassroots social media campaign was started, helmed by the stars of the show itself, and the people of Facebook and Twitter responded in an overwhelming wave of enthusiasm, #SixSeasonsAndAMovie became a rallying cry within the online world, and, if the current status of the show is any indication, six seasons and a movie is just what Community fans will get.

      Who knows if this is just a trend, doomed to die down after the finales of those much hyped shows still running. Networks are always looking for the next to take their place, but can any capture that magic hold over audiences like Breaking Bad, Mad Men, or Game of Thrones?

DeMorales, Lisa "Broadcasters Ambushed By Hysteria Around ‘Breaking Bad’ Finale" Deadline.  30 September 2013 

The V-Chip: Managing Explicit Media Content

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was established in 1934 as a government agency who is responsible for regulating “interstate… and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable in all of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. possessions” (FCC.gov). Over the years, the FCC has witnessed great advances in communication technologies, and has had to grow and adapt to such changes. One of the more well known and highly visible regulations that the FCC implements are television ratings, know as “TV Parental Guidelines”. At the start of a television show, a small black box appears in the upper left hand corner of the TV screen. The FCC has reviewed the TV show and has determined what age group the show is suitable for as shown by the box. The ratings appear during the first 15 seconds of a program and sometimes after commercial breaks. Ratings do not appear for news programs, sports, and movies on premium channels (FCC.gov). The guidelines are as follows:  

Image provided by TVGuidelines.org

The TV Parental Guidelines are a system that is intended to help parents determine what shows are suitable for their children. As many of us have studied, the FCC has hoped to create a sort of “safe harbor” during specific broadcasting hours as a way of protecting young children from explicit or adult content on television.  However, the growing rate of DVR penetration has created a bit of a problem. According to David Poltrack in his presentation “Outlook For the Broadcast Networks”, DVR penetration in households is growing slowly, but growing none-the-less (Poltrack). This, combined with subscription services such as Netflix, and the growing ability to watch TV programming not only on a television but on a tablet, smartphone, or laptop as well, has caused some difficulty in protecting children from adult content in television shows. In fact, children between the ages of eight and eighteen are estimated to spend seven and a half hours per day using electronic devices, including the Internet and laptops (Steele 307).

With the wide accessibility of any and all television shows, how can the FCC be sure that younger viewers are not accessing content designed for an older audience? “Combining the unprecedented availability of broadcast television programming with the ease with which children can access the Internet and the family DVR, the safe harbor rationale just does not make sense any longer. There are no longer any hours where it is significantly less likely that children will have access to the programs” (Steele 307). Some individuals may find it necessary for the FCC to implement stronger regulations in

Who doesn't love Elmo?

regards to programming. Stronger regulations 

could help prevent children from accessing adult material. However, such regulations could impose on the First Amendment rights of Americans (Steele). While it is impossible for the FCC to monitor all methods of media access that children are exposed to, tightening regulations for the sake of minors prevents adults from information and programming that they are rightfully allowed access. Unless we all are prepared to live in a world where television revolves around Dora the Explorer and Sesame Street, a better solution needs to be found.

There is currently one technology on the market that could be useful in monitoring television access. The V-Chip became standard in all televisions manufactured after January 1^st, 2000 that are 13 inches in diameter or larger. The V-Chip allows a television to block programming based on the show’s rating. The V-Chip is also equipped to “block programs based on any future rating system” (FCC.gov). Parents can easily program the V-Chip to automatically block programming depending on rating.  Due to the great success and accessibility of the V-Chip, the same technology could be used in other devices that children use to access media content. Equipping computers, tablets, and smartphones with the same technology would allow parents to better monitor and control the content that their children have access to. Currently, there is no single device or technology that can monitor usage across multiple platforms, be it TVs and computers or programming and the Internet. Additionally, parental control services that do exist often come at a cost, whether it be an upfront cost for a child-friendly device, or a subscription package (FCC.gov).

There are a variety of different types of “kid-friendly” tablets on the market that sell for a range of prices. The cheapest Wi-Fi enabled devices sell for around $100, while the more expensive versions top out around $250. The tablets are specially designed to be knocked around, come with a wide array of apps for children, and are equipped with parental controls all without skimping on quality software (Crisp). Such tablets are a step in the right direction. Equipping children’s tablets, computers, and TVs with V-Chips would give parents the ability to control the content their child is exposed to. Creating a universal V-Chip system to sync parental control information across multiple family devices would be an ideal solution to help protect children from adult media content.

Emily Hauser

Works Cited

Crisp, Simon. "Choosing the Best Tablet for Kids." Gizmag. N.p., 3 Nov. 2013. Web. Feb. 2014. <http://www.gizmag.com/kids-tablet-buying-guide/29588/>.

Federal Communications Commission. Web. Feb. 2014. <http://www.fcc.gov>.

Poltrack, David. "The Outlook for the Broadcast Networks (Powerpoint)." 2011 UBS 39th Annual Global Media and Communications Conference. 5 December 2011.

Steel, Elizabeth H. “Examining the FCC’s Indecency Regulations in Light of Today’s Technology”. Federal Communications Law Journal; Dec 2010; 63,1; ProQuest Central.

The Netflix Addiction

Nicolette Illiano

Think back, if you can, to a weekend when you were younger. If you were having a sleepover with your friends or spending a night in with your family the “must-have” was a rented movie from Blockbuster. The word itself brings back so many memories. In today’s technologically advanced society it’s hard to even think about going to a store to rent a movie anymore. We have so many different options to watch both movies and television shows through the Internet. One of the most popular streaming sites is Netflix, which I’m sure you’re all familiar with.

Contrary to popular belief the company wasn’t always based on Internet streaming and wasn’t nearly as popular as it is today. In his article “The History of Netflix and the Future of Television,” Ilan Mochari discusses how Netflix began. Back in 2000 Netflix was an unprofitable 3-year-old company with 300,000 subscribers. For one flat rate per month Netflix users would access the company website and select a movie (or movies) that they wanted to rent. The DVD would be shipped out from one of the companies DVD warehouses and arrive to the customer the next day. There were no late fees and Netflix paid for postage both ways. While this sounds like a great deal the company was no competition for Blockbusters 7,700 stores, so Netflix CEO Reed Hastings “offered to sell a fourty-nine-percent stake and take the name Blockbuster.com,” basically offering to be Blockbuster’s online service. Blockbuster declined, which was probably one of the biggest mistakes the company made considering they went out of business in the fall of 2013. One month before Blockbuster’s “white-flag” announcement, Netflix had 31 million U.S subscribers.

Now, the Netflix that I just described is probably not the Netflix we’re used to, or even the one we use today. However, the company does still offer this feature as a separate plan from their unlimited Internet streaming. Most of us use Netflix for online streaming of our favorite movies or TV shows, which is a feature that was brought to the company in 2008. For $7.99 a month a Netflix subscriber is given access to unlimited streaming of over 75,000 titles. And the great thing about it? You can stream anywhere, any time on over 200 different devices including game consoles, mobile devices, and Apple TV and Google TV. I repeat: you can watch countless movies or TV shows whenever you want to. While this is probably one of the greatest things to ever happen, it’s also one of the most dangerous. Why? Because Netflix users tend to spend hours on end binge-viewing a TV series or several movies. In his article on Gizmodo, Brian Moylan refers to this as “Netflix Streaming Syndrome.” He humorously describes a few of the symptoms of this “disease” including, “Insomnia brought on by watching every episode of a compelling series in a row at the expense of getting a good night's sleep. Anti-social behavior as a result of staying in and making it a "Netflix night" rather than going out in public and seeing other human beings. Blackouts induced by spending an entire day watching movies back-to-back,” and goes on by saying, “With Netflix's streaming plan, your very humanity is in jeopardy.” As funny as these statements may be, they are extremely accurate. As I sit here and write this blog post it’s taking all of my might to not “take a break” and watch an episode, or two, or three of the series I recently started. We all have those days where we say “just one more episode” before we start an assignment or go to the gym. Five episodes later we decide to go to sleep instead.

As if having multiple seasons of popular shows and thousands of movies wasn’t enough, Netflix has recently begun releasing their own original series’. Some of these include Bad Samaritans, The Ropes, Orange is the New Black and House of Cards (which was just confirmed for a third season with season 2 being released on Feb 14^th). These shows are only available on Netflix and, surprise, all episodes of the season are released at the same time. More binge-viewing anyone?

But these are the things that keep the company so popular. According to Eriq Gardner and the Hollywood Reporter, Netflix’s stock rose 296 percent in the year of 2013 making it the second best performing U.S stock. The company spends about $2.7 billion on content, but has made a profit of about $32 million in the last quarter. Mochari’s article ends with the prediction that by 2016, “half of all television will be delivered via the internet,” and that “Netflix can grow to 90 million U.S subscribers, almost triple its current amount.” With numbers like these and an instant gratification society like ours, I don’t see Netflix going anywhere but up in the future. 

Works Cited

Gardner, Eriq. “Netflix Gets Wall Streets Silver Medal in 2013.” The Hollywood Reporter. 30 Dec. 2013. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.

Mochari, Ilan. “The History of Netflix and the Future of Television.” Inc.com. 30 Jan. 2014. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.

Moylan, Brian. “Do You Suffer from Netflix Streaming Syndrome?” Gizmodo.com. 25 Apr. 2011. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Puv1lS00ho0