1. Chapter 6 – Cable and the Specialization of Television While these slides were created using material from the above textbook, they are not official presentations from the publisher, Bedford/St. Martin’s. In addition, many slides may contain professor’s supplemental notes on various media topics.

2. “Cable has undermined the network era during which television worked as a kind of social adhesive, giving most of the population a common bond, a set of shared programs.” -Media & Culture

3. In This Chapter… Where Does Cable Come From? FCC Mandates Narrowcasting Direct Broadcast Satellites

4. Where does cable come from? Broadcast Comes over the air via towers and antennas using the electromagnetic spectrum Small number of local options available Cable is transmitted through a wire Satellites are launched in space with networks beaming out Cable systems pick up the network signals and supply wires to homes Hundreds of options available

5. Image from Comcast

6. FCC Mandates Must-Carry Rules: FCC established in 1965 Requires all cable operators to assign channels to and carry all local TV broadcasts on their systems Meant better reception of broadcast channels Cable systems don’t like this rule, because it requires them to carry low-rated channels Cable systems believe they should be able to dictate what channels they carry

7. FCC Mandates Access Channels: Mandated in 1972 Requires cable systems in the nation’s top 100 markets to fund a tier of nonbroadcast channels dedicated to local education, government, and the public After Midwest Video U.S. Supreme Court case in 1979, they are no longer mandated –however, most systems still offer them to stay in the good graces of their communities

8. Narrowcasting: providing specialized programming for diverse and fragmented groups It has cut into broadcasting’s large mass audience It provides a niche group for advertisers to specifically target Example: home and garden ads on HGTV Example: car products on Speed

9. Direct Broadcast Satellites DirecTV, DISH Network Offer consumers most of the channels and tiers of service that cable companies carry, at about the same monthly cost Carry between 350-500 basic, premium, and pay-per-view channels – many more options than cable

10. Direct Broadcast Satellites Pros: Digital technology is superior to standard cable and broadcast signals Provides digital-quality pictures and CD-quality sound Offers sports packages on channels not offered on cable Cons: Initial start-up costs Cannot do the “bundle” At first, local channels were not offered on DBS systems, now, most of them are

11. Group exercise page: 231