In the casting container
Guest commentary The boom in format television continues unabated. It reflects the bizarre economization of the media system worldwide, says Gabriele Siegert.
Guest commentary The boom in format television continues unabated. It reflects the bizarre economization of the media system worldwide, says Gabriele Siegert.
Who will be the Swiss "MusicStar" on Saturday? Is the American "Bachelor" all a sham? And does it mean the downfall of the West when German pseudo-celebrities practice jungle (close) combat? In the young "Big Brother" tradition, the formats mentioned achieve something that is becoming increasingly difficult: They generate attention and dominate the public conversation. So what do TV formats have that other programs don't? Formats are serial productions that have a common structure, which is filled anew in each episode. They therefore consist of a combination of the familiar and the new, which appeals to viewers. Just like the protagonists, who are people like "you and me" or at least suitable for everyday comparisons. They stage authenticity. Formats are therefore forms of expression of popular culture and celebrate corresponding audience success.
Formats are also defined by their scheduling modes, target group references, logos, music and studio design. They therefore take into account and utilize current TV market conditions. Their identification as a brand enables minimal legal protection. This is a prerequisite for international marketing. The format producers, who are often intertwined with media groups, market them, including their experience, in order to create identification opportunities in other countries through national adaptations. This gave rise to a new branch of the media industry, the format trade.
TV broadcasters around the world acquire format licenses including market knowledge or follow the trend with imitations. And even if the plagiarisms rarely achieve the success of the original formats, the ratings are occasionally enough to keep them going for a while. Formats also provide ample opportunity to offer the advertising industry new forms of cooperation or to generate additional income through televoting, SMS services and the Internet.
And the other media? They are eagerly practicing follow-up journalism. This allows them to score points with their audience, which - depending on the target group - has "acquired" a considerable amount of knowledge about the rules of the game, candidates and processes (i.e. consumer capital) and now wants to contribute and expand this knowledge.
Conclusion: TV formats are not Shakespearean "Much Ado about Nothing". Rather, they are the prototypical form of television under the conditions of a market that is regulated but influenced by economic imperatives in a highly idiosyncratic way. Anyone who wonders about karaoke, cockroaches and the like, beyond all elitist airs and graces, cannot help but reflect on the structures of the media system as a whole.
> Gabriele Siegert is Professor of Media Economics at the Institute of
Journalism Studies and Media Research at the University of Zurich.
Who will be the Swiss "MusicStar" on Saturday? Is the American "Bachelor" all a sham? And does it mean the downfall of the West when German pseudo-celebrities practice jungle (close) combat? In the young "Big Brother" tradition, the formats mentioned achieve something that is becoming increasingly difficult: They generate attention and dominate the public conversation. So what do TV formats have that other programs don't? Formats are serial productions that have a common structure, which is filled anew in each episode. They therefore consist of a combination of the familiar and the new, which appeals to viewers. Just like the protagonists, who are people like "you and me" or at least suitable for everyday comparisons. They stage authenticity. Formats are therefore forms of expression of popular culture and celebrate corresponding audience success.
Formats are also defined by their scheduling modes, target group references, logos, music and studio design. They therefore take into account and utilize current TV market conditions. Their identification as a brand enables minimal legal protection. This is a prerequisite for international marketing. The format producers, who are often intertwined with media groups, market them, including their experience, in order to create identification opportunities in other countries through national adaptations. This gave rise to a new branch of the media industry, the format trade.
TV broadcasters around the world acquire format licenses including market knowledge or follow the trend with imitations. And even if the plagiarisms rarely achieve the success of the original formats, the ratings are occasionally enough to keep them going for a while. Formats also provide ample opportunity to offer the advertising industry new forms of cooperation or to generate additional income through televoting, SMS services and the Internet.
And the other media? They are eagerly practicing follow-up journalism. This allows them to score points with their audience, which - depending on the target group - has "acquired" a considerable amount of knowledge about the rules of the game, candidates and processes (i.e. consumer capital) and now wants to contribute and expand this knowledge.
Conclusion: TV formats are not Shakespearean "Much Ado about Nothing". Rather, they are the prototypical form of television under the conditions of a market that is regulated but influenced by economic imperatives in a highly idiosyncratic way. Anyone who wonders about karaoke, cockroaches and the like, beyond all elitist airs and graces, cannot help but reflect on the structures of the media system as a whole.
> Gabriele Siegert is Professor of Media Economics at the Institute of
Journalism Studies and Media Research at the University of Zurich.
