When reading the Detweiler and Taylor article, the metaphor that resonated with me the most was television – from a town square to a tribe. The authors pose the question: how did a medium designed to bring people together gradually segregate audiences? In my opinion, this segregation was inevitable and a necessary process that needed to take place for the growth of television. Detweiler and Taylor suggest this niche programming continues to subdivide American viewers by age, class, race, gender, and orientation and that more than half of our television viewing is done alone. However, I do not see this as a bad thing.
I love television. And as a self-admitting TV addict, I can tell you why I believe this direction toward personal programming is so great. Before I get started, it might be significant to note that I just realized when I say “television”, I am not longer referring to the appliance or the television set. When I say “television”, I am talking about the television shows and programs. Although television, as Detweiler and Taylor mentioned, was a medium that was originally designed to bring people together, I believe it is more useful and powerful as a medium for personal entertainment.
Digital video recorders, thousands of channels, downloading torrents, and on-demand streaming of shows online all provide audiences with personalized television experiences. The multitude of channels that airs shows targeted towards specific audiences definitely segregates people but it also caters to the needs of groups with different interests and values. These networks and sitcoms that catered to niche markets provided characters audiences could identify with, which made television more meaningful. With our busy schedules, who is able to sit down for an hour (or two. . . or six) every week to “tune in” to their favourite shows? I can’t remember the last time I sat on the couch to watch a television show when it was on. Instead, I watch shows online! It allows me to watch what I want, when I want it (sorry for sounding like a Rogers
Although television once brought people together physically, I feel as though the true “bringing together of people” happens when two or more talk about a television show or a recently aired episode. For example, I absolutely love the show GLEE. I prefer to watch the show alone because I wouldn’t want to risk missing one of Sue Sylvester’s witty lines after being distracted by the person next to me. Maybe that’s a bit hardcore, but for me, the social bonding doesn’t happen when a television show is airing. . . it happens when I can talk about it with friends the next day.
Although television was once a medium that brought people together physically, it has evolved over time to cater to individual needs and continues to serve as a “town square” when people discuss television shows.
I wholeheartedly agree that, in this modern age, the ability to watch television shows alone has grown by leaps and bounds. You mention DVRs, torrents and online streaming as ways that the audience has been segregated.
ReplyDeleteBut I think we can trace back this segregation even further than that: to the rise of multiple television homes. The rise of multi-television homes occurred, at least in my family, around the early-to-mid 1990s. I had a TV set in my room when I was 14 (that was in 1996), but we had two sets – one in the living room; one in the basement – as early as 1991. This allowed for my mom to watch what she wanted and my dad (and usually me, since it was mostly sports) to watch what he wanted. Now, there are three of us living under one roof, and not only do we have our own TVs, we have our own high-def TVs, with all the necessary accoutrement.
I also see a dearth in what I refer to as appointment viewing. I just recently wrote about Lost, which I view as the last of the shows that needed to be watched when it aired. But aside from live sporting events, there really is not one show I see on the TV schedule that can be considered “must-see.” I have spent the better part of a year looking for another show that my friends and I can experience together, but to no avail. I love the communal aspect that a great television show can provide, but sadly none seem to exist in the current TV climate.
Having said that, The Office is the only show that I watch with any regularity that I do not watch when it airs. However, the only reason for that is because I am usually on a Go bus coming home when it is broadcast.
Perhaps I am the last of a dying breed, but I still do carve out the necessary time to watch my favorite shows when they air – South Park is the only exception because it airs later in Canada than it does in the United States. If it aired at the same time, I would not watch it online – and I still hold out hope that another Lost will come around so I can once again share an experience with some of my friends.
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ReplyDeleteHey Vanessa, sorry I totally forgot to do this before! Lol but here is the link to my response to your post :)
ReplyDeletehttp://faithbooknews.blogspot.com/2011/02/response-to-vanessa-lees-go-away-im.html
Vanessa I completely agree with you, who would have thought the only time my family is all together for a significant amount of time is when American idol is on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights. It’s the only time we get to spend as a family, socializing during commercial breaks and literally grasping the whole American idol experience by becoming judges ourselves.
ReplyDeleteWith everyone’s busy schedules it is hard to coordinate “ family time” where we can all come together without any complaints, “ can we do this later grey’s anatomy is on.” The individual watching television even disrupts communication in my household, “ dad please be quiet one tree hill is on” or the infamous, “ girls all in the family is on can’t you just keep it down”. It is clear that if it is not enjoyed by all television can cause major complications. Instead, when we are all together enjoying a show there are no issues that occur, I’d even constitute it as family bonding time. It’s hard for me to ingest that our family bonding time is spent while judging young adolescent teens sing their hearts out, but hey every family has their fetish’s.
Also, in terms of wanting to be alone during glee, I am completely on the same page with the show teen mom 2. I feel that if I am watching the show with company I do not get to fully express my emotions, due to the fact that I cry like a baby over complete strangers I’ve never met before. I embody their emotions, and feel as though what’s going on in their lives is happening to me. It is not nearly the same when you have siblings commenting on how crazy Jennelle’s mom is, or how stupid Chelsea is for letting her cheating ex-boyfriend Adam move back into her house. It’s just not the same.
Overall, it is definitely agreeable that television serves many purposes, such as bringing families together, or letting one fully express their inner emotions. But at the end of the day, if television can bring my family together, that is fully fine by me.
-Watch on!