News Director at a television station - Essay Example

? HUM/176 Star Hall July 21, of Phoenix Part I The position of news director at a television station is a complex job that requires analytical abilities and making tough decisions that affect the general public and the organization. On many instances news directors have to decide among different stories to cover and air during the news telecast. I am currently facing a dilemma on which story to choose as the lead story for the program. The two stories are the decision of the city council to shutdown three days a week the city parks and the death of a celebrity. These types of decisions are not always simple and they can vary depending on the circumstances. In the television business ratings are important. Programs that are able to obtain higher ratings can be used by television stations as cash cows that generate extra revenues because companies are willing to pay higher prices for ads aired in shows that have higher ratings. If I was faced with a scenario in which my news program had achieved low ratings during the last few weeks then I would choose the death of the celebrity as my lead story. Celebrities are icon figures that the general public follows closely. When a celebrity dies the entire media covers the story because people want to know about it. Another reason for choosing the celebrity story over the recreation parks story is because at the beginning of a news telecast it is always important to catch the attention of the viewers. A lot of television watchers are very impulsive viewers especially when it comes to watching news. If a person likes the initial news of the telecast the company increases the chances of retaining the viewer throughout the entire program. The news story about the city council shutting down the recreational parks three days a week has a lot of social impact. A lot of mothers are going to be affected by this decision because they will have no place to take their kids to play during the days the parks are close down. This news story despite its importance to society would not be chosen by me as lead story when I have a sure top news story that can bring in better ratings. As I mentioned earlier in this industry one has to adapt and make decision depending on the circumstances. During political campaign season this story has greater appeal because of the political angle associated with the recreational parks story. During such as season due to the social impact and political implications I would not hesitate to choose this story as my lead. Both stories were good, but the story that brings better ratings should be the priority for a news program. The media industry is facing some tough times as the corporate world is spending less on advertising and the internet has provided a cheaper channel that is taking business away from traditional media such as television stations. Advances in information technology are allowing for faster distribution of information than ever before (Shermerhorn & Hunt & Osborn, 2003, p.348). References Schermerhorn, J., Hunt, J., Osborn, R. (2003). Organizational Behavior (8th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons. Part II The television device was invented in 1927 by Philo Farnsworth. Television became very popular soon after it reached the market because the device fascinated people as it provided great entertainment for the entire family. The television industry has impacted our society deeply and has helped shape our culture. Many television programs were designed to educate people about social causes that affect culture. For example the 1980’s program A Different Stokes starting Gary Coleman showed Americans that biracial families worked because love has no color. A lot of other programs have taught people about different aspects of our culture. Law and Order fans have learned a lot about the American judicial system and its law enforcement. Television has helped document our history. The first space mission to the moon, Apollo 11, was covered by television in 1969. A lot of important events such as the Olympics have been enjoyed by billions of people around the world because of television. “Of all the mass media, television exerts the most powerful influence and has received the most intense study” (NesSmith, 1995, p.113). Movies and television reflect our culture in many ways. Car enthusiasts and the street racing culture was very well illustrated in the blockbuster movie franchise the Fast and the Furious. A new niche in television programming was born when MTV made reality TV popular through the release in 1992 of The Real World. This series showed a real life view at the culture of young adults and how they are dealing with the economic and social realities faced in American society. Documentary movies such as Al Gore’s The Inconvenient Truth showed how the industrial activity of the 20th century led to global warming which is an environmental problem that impacts all inhabitants of earth. A popular show created by the History Channel that teaches its viewers a lot about the subcultures of America and about the history of many antiques and important events is Pawn Stars. The first gaming console called the Odyssey was invented in 1972 by Magnavox Corporation. In the 1980’s Nitendo and Sega led a revolution in the gaming industry as millions of teenagers became addicted to video games. In the 21st century Nitendo, Sony, and Microsoft have capitalized on this industry with its Wii, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles and its subsequent versions. The gaming industry is a multi-billion industry and a cultural phenomenon among teenagers and young adults. The internet has allowed for interactive games with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 2 as the leaders in the interactive gaming segment of the industry. Interactive gaming is portrayed as a hip subculture by the media. In the popular TNT series Franklin and Bash the two hip lawyers are seen in a scene playing interactive games. There are a lot of controversial video games in the industry. There is violence in video games and other controversial topics such as nudity and obscene language. A controversial series of video games is Grand Theft Auto. There are other hot controversial topics in the gaming industry including theft of copyrights due to illegal copies of the games. In foreign countries such as China many people don’t respect the copyrights laws and piracy of video games is a common occurrence. References NesSmith, W. (1995). Social Sciences: An Introduction to the Discipline. Forth Worth: Harcourt Brace College Publishers. Read More