The scholarly article "Television: Back to the Future" talks about how although TV keeps changing, one thing remains constant. Television viewing behavior continues to stay the same by following "law like" patterns that have remained in place for over 40 years. It is because of these patterns that the author suggests that television will remain the most effective advertising vehicle for many years. This article made me ponder the idea if television is doomed after all. If the prediction that television is going to remain the most effective advertising tool then whose to say it will just roll over and die? The article adds that using these television behaviors like special reach of high-rating programs, channel loyalty, low program repeat rates, lack of segmented audiences, and weak genre loyalty can be used to guide advertisers in buying the most effective TV schedules. This is one key ingredient that gives television an advantage over online media. The advertisers are going to want to spend their money on a sure thing. In past communication classes I remember covering how effective online ads are compared to television ads. It proved to be that television ads were more effective in the study.
I chose this article because my groups Webisode final project deals with the future of AM radio. When looking for an article I was trying to find different aspects and factors of the broadcast industry that could help a medium stay alive and are frequently used by the majority of people. By finding out what helps an industry stay afloat I could determine better what the future of AM radio has in store and observe different ways that it can adapt and survive. I feel as though although the information in this article seems new to me it is not new to the broadcast industry. Advertisers are very knowledgeable of their demographic and know when its the right time and place to advertise the product they want to sell. The highest bidder will get the best time and place to advertise.
In chapter 2 of the Media Programing text it talks about how important it is for a broadcasting network to know who their demographic is for the particular show that is being aired on the network. After reading this scholarly article it clarified to me once more how important advertising dollars are to networks. This is a prime example of why television remains at the top of the list for media in my opinion.
Relating to the real world it all comes together. The top products that have the advertising dollars to spare are going to go to the prime time networks that get the most views and best ratings to expose their product to the public. That is how these companies stay number one. The brand that is being advertised is everywhere and you trust it. Its important to stay at the top for these particular companies to get the results they want.
