1.What are the main points in this chapter?
-Technology and the development of cable.
-The cable industry is being dominated by few large and powerful companies.
-Cable comes together with broadcasting.
2.What evidence does the author provide to support these points?
-The advantage of cable is that it can transmit hundreds of cable channels without interference like with television their is more room for interference.
-With this domination problem it may continue with even fewer owners that will monopolize the industry. This could cause and increase in prices because they will have taken control of their competitors.
-In the 1990's cable and broadcasting worked together to influence the forms of media presented to themselves in public.
3.Is this evidence convincing?
-Yes, cable has seemed to taken over vs. television these days.
4. Would someone from a different world view be convinced?
-Yes, I think so.
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Chapter 6
1.)Telstar: First Satellite
In 1960 the United States and the Soviet Union sent the first satellite into space to orbit around the earth and from here AT&T launched Telstar, the first satellite known to transmit information down to earth and was also able to receive information. This could transmit both telephone and television signals and from there both the United States and Soviet Union were able to control Telstar so it could travel a safe path all the way around, orbiting earth. By the 1990’s satellites became a lot more advanced and equipped with more transponders (relay points on a satellite that perform the receive-and-transmit functions) so shows like MSNBC and Discovery Network could rent these transponders which cost millions of dollars to rent. This invention made television and cable so much more computerized and created television as a new medium. This is convincing because scientists developed fiber-optic technology that sends coded information with a lazar beam. This could be convincing to other countries because they were involved in the development of this invention and new form of media.
2.) Cable vs. Broadcasting
In the 1970’s when cable became a little more advanced and popular, it was a threat for broadcasting, but the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had to seriously set down rules and laws so cable would not over-take the industry. The FCC re-affirmed must-carry rules (established in 1965) which assigned cable operators to carry all local TV broadcasts on their systems. From there access channels were then assigned in 1972 to the top 100 televisions markets and for free public-access channels. The FCC created lease channels for citizens that were able to be purchased or rented to produce longer programming. Campbell provides the evidence that the FCC said that cable systems should act as common carriers, services that don’t get involved in channel content, and should offer part of their services to small companies. This eventually led to franchising in the late 1970’s.Tthis is convincing because these rules and franchising still apply to present day.
3.) MTV and its Influence on Cable
MTV, also know as music television, changed the world’s cultural landscape in 1981 when it was first broadcasted, reaching countries all over the globe. It grabbed the attention of young viewers everywhere and opened a new medium for singers, dancers, and musicians. Everything from pop, rap, r&b and alternative and punk rock played on MTV, and now in 2008, it is now bigger than ever. It was the biggest and only networking to show music videos that were made by artists. From MTV, they started shows like The Real World, a hit reality televisions show that came onto the scene in the early 1990’s. It was the first reality television show that showed everything from the good, the bad and the down right ugly. This show created a medium for regular every-day people, a road to future stardom. Campbell supports this information with asserting that record labels could spend as much as $50 million a year to produce music videos and all this is very convincing to me because I have been watching MTV for 10 years now.
I think its interesting to see the shift from network TV to cable TV just in one days time. Think about it, during the morning and early afternoon most people are watching morning talk shows or soap operas which are on networks. Then in the later afternoon and after school hours cable takes over with MTV and cartoons. And during the after work crowd and prime times its back to network TV for news and weekly shows. Thats just in one days time that people are shifting back and forth, or at least thats my demographics TV schedule.
Cable TV provides an array of options where as network TV is pretty predictable with the types of shows. Especially with the popularity of MTV and the other channels that came from that idea.
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