The Future of Television in the Mass Communication World - Essay Example

HERE HERE YOUR HERE HERE The Future of Television in the Mass Communication World Television has undergone radical transformations since its launch on the consumer marketplace in the 1940s. One need only reflect back on television programs such as I Love Lucy and The Honeymooners to witness societal changes in areas of product consumption, relationship attitudes, and even the variety of humor which was considered acceptable for the time period. Based on consumer attitudes during the time where television was first launched, television programming and advertising has adjusted to fit these values. With each passing generation and new social trend, television experienced significant changes at it progressed through the 20th Century. Television changes are also driven by improvements in technology, giving better picture and sound options through plasma technologies and other digital enhancements. The macro-level environment, in areas of science and technology, continue to evolve television into something much different than its 1940s predecessor. Television will continue to evolve in the future, driven by social and technological changes. In one year, television will look much like it does today, especially considering that high definition televisions and plasma screens are currently in their growth period in the product life cycle. They were only recently launched on the consumer marketplace, revolutionizing the shape and texture of television picture delivery. Technological changes, though rapid, will likely not alter the high-definition format used in new televisions or the flat screen picture which has become a common characteristic of new televisions on the market. In terms of aesthetics, in one year television will remain consistent with its current market characteristics. In one year’s time, social trends will likely not adjust too significantly, therefore the type of programming and the diverse program options will be much the same as today. Currently, reality-based programming is a hot social value, therefore these can be found commonly on network television stations. It is likely that reality-based programming will be a trend which is still noticeable in one year’s time period. Large-scale social changes do not generally take place in such a short period of time. In five years, however, television will likely be considerably different in terms of both the features of the unit and the types of advertising and programming content being shown. Changes to the social landscape will have occurred, changing the variety of programs developed and launched on network channels. Today’s trend is reality-based and family-oriented television shows, however in five years a new social mindset could launch a whole variety of animated programs (or other genres) to cater to the consumer attitude in 2014. It is likely that products will be advertised differently based on these changing social trends, therefore the content and message being expressed in product commercials will likely be different as well. As companies go through different competitive stages in this five year period, their positioning strategies and focus on product attributes will require a new message or format for delivery of promotions to changing consumer values. Between 2003 and 2007, the amount of hours spent watching cable and satellite television increased from 886 hours to 1010 hours (Gluck, 116). This is a significant increase. Therefore, it is estimated that this trend is likely to increase in the next five years, requiring the creation of new channels with innovative content to meet with changing and increasing consumer demand. As lifestyles change over time, such as moving from do-it-yourself renovations to food trends, new channels for a more interactive viewer will likely be part of the content package on many cable and satellite subscribers programming lists. Current technology changes have high-definition as part of television viewing, and one business expert offers that “high definition is the future of television” (Mitra, 1). High definition technology is essentially in its infancy stage, having been launched only a couple of years ago. It is likely that in the next five years, new models with better pixels and definition output will be on the market, offering new models and new viewing features in the process. In the next five years, televisions may also be available in new, lightweight frames which make larger televisions able to be hung on walls without damage to the home or business infrastructure. These changes in manufacturing and technology give better picture quality and the ability to make products using minimal resources, therefore making them more convenient for consumer lifestyles. In five years time, technological evolutions and manufacturing processes will be altered in a way that makes a better television set. In five years, on-demand content will likely be a larger part of the television viewing experience as more companies such as Pay per View come into existence. People in the consumer market like the ease and convenience of being able to watch movies or special features content broadcast directly into their homes and are willing to pay for this so long as the choice is available. Today, there is not a great deal of viewing choice for on-demand services, however as businesses realize this is a growth opportunity, more specialized on-demand content will likely be available in 2014. As consumers become more accustomed to getting their digital content on the web and are using the Internet in higher volumes, on-demand content will likely be their preferred viewing choice over the traditional rental houses such as Blockbuster. It is possible that on-demand services may even provide an easier method of home shopping for the older demographic, having features on the remote which make online browsing easier right from the living room. No matter how the on-demand features or benefits are delivered in 2014, “on demand is here to stay” (packetvision.com, 14). In 2019, television viewing will be radically different, based again on social trends and technological improvements. Networks will have made different investment decisions over those ten years and created different strategic partnerships or new networks. The volume of available channels, available to specialized niche market groups, will likely be much higher. Special channels devoted to skiing, horse training, or any other type of activity can be developed through these network launches, therefore personalizing the television experience in terms of lifestyle. Marketers are using lifestyle promotions, today, to try to create connection with their many product buyers (the consumers) using specialized advertising and it is likely this trend will only continue to evolve. As businesses become more skilled in understanding their consumer markets, they will give different commercial presentations and show their products or services in a new light by 2019. Technological improvements could realistically, in ten years, include holographic television experiences or a new adaptation to virtual reality which makes television more interactive. Growth in the global economy, especially in terms of collaboration between specialists in different science fields and global trade, opens new avenues for the creation of new technologies in today’s world. Over a period of ten years, it is likely that the process of conducting global business will create new scientific technologies which make holographic viewing a reality for consumers, though it would likely be in its infancy stage around 2019. Advancements in projection technology may even make the tangible television frame no longer a reality where television programming is delivered via an installed projection device linked to cable or satellite providers. The ongoing consumer demand for convenience and new technologies would seem to justify that businesses will continue to streamline and innovate their technologies to make television viewing more interesting and relevant to modern lifestyles in 2019. Television will continue to evolve over the next decade, driven by changes in business, society and the scientific community. Television has never remained stagnant since it was first launched on the consumer market and it will also represent opportunities for enhancing society’s entertainment value for decades to come. The technological breakthroughs made today will be tomorrow’s innovations in television programming delivery. Works Cited Berman, Marc. “At the Starting Gate”, MediaWeek, New York. Vol. 19, Iss. 33, 2009. Gluck, Marissa. “The future of television? Advertising, technology and the pursuit of audiences”. University of Southern California, 2008. Viewed 15 Nov 2009 from http://www.learcenter.org/pdf/futureoftv.pdf. Mitra, Kushan. “The flat panel TV buyersguide; Flat Panel TVs are getting cheaper, so maybe, its time you bought one. Here’s a ready reckoner”. Business Today, 2008. Packetvision.com. “The future of television: Making sense of the new media landscape”. Viewed 15 Nov 2009 from http://www.packetvision.com/dmdocuments/PV_TheFutureOfTelevision_Ebooklet.pdf Read More