MCCCD Official Course Competencies:

THE206  1995 Fall – 1996 Summer II

Introduction to Television Arts

1.

Describe the functions and artistic responsibilities of each of the major members of a television crew. (I)

2.

Describe and apply principles of aesthetics used in the critical analysis of a television show. (I)

3.

Identify the technical elements of a TV show and explain how those elements are used to stimulate different emotional responses from the audience and to illuminate the lives of the characters. (I)

4.

Describe the characteristics of live drama, vaudeville, radio, and movies as sources of material in early television. (I)

5.

Analyze several significant TV shows to explain the techniques television artists use to express their ideas and values. (I)

6.

Describe historic television programming breakthroughs, including their impact both at the time and later. (I, III)

7.

Identify the names and major works of significant TV artists from the beginning of TV broadcasting through the present. (I, III)

8.

Describe how TV has reflected and interpreted major events in the last 45 years. (I-VI)

9.

Describe the characteristics and representative examples of major TV genres, such as sitcoms, social comedies, dramas, news, sports. (I, III, IV, V)

10.

Describe the use of live drama, vaudeville, radio, and movies as sources of material in early television advertising. (II)

11.

Describe both the benefits and negative impact of television ads on viewers. (II)

12.

Identify and describe issues which television advertising is likely to encounter in the future. (II)

13.

Describe programming strategies for success in commercial television and non-commercial programming. (III)

14.

Describe major views about the impact of television shows of various genres on the American public. (III-V)

15.

Describe factors common to both national and local television news shows, such as topic selection, limitations on depth of news coverage, and importance of personal attributes of news anchors. (IV)

16.

Describe various theories on the impact of television violence on viewers. (V)

17.

Describe the evolution and social impact of the use of sex on television. (V)

18.

Describe regulation of television, such as licensing requirements, providing equal time, and the fairness doctrine, and the impact on both television and its viewers. (VI)

19.

Compare television programming and its impact in the United States with that in other countries. (VII)

MCCCD Official Course Outline:

THE206  1995 Fall – 1996 Summer II

Introduction to Television Arts

I. Development of television shows from the 1940's into the 1990's

A. Comedies on television

1. Sources

2. Major stars and programs

3. Major trends

4. Analysis of shows

5. Impact on American culture

B. Dramas on television

1. Sources

2. Major stars and programs

3. Major trends

4. Analysis of shows

5. Impact on American culture

C. Sports on television

1. Sources

2. Major stars and programs

3. Major trends

4. Analysis of shows

5. Impact on American culture

D. Documentaries on television

1. Sources

2. Major stars and programs

3. Major trends

4. Analysis of shows

5. Impact on American culture

E. PBS

1. Sources

2. Major stars and programs

3. Major trends

4. Analysis of shows

5. Impact on American culture

F. Westerns

1. Sources

2. Major stars and programs

3. Major trends

4. Analysis of shows

5. Impact on American culture

G. News

1. Sources

2. Major stars and programs

3. Major trends

4. Analysis of shows

5. Impact on American culture

H. Game shows

1. Sources

2. Major stars and programs

3. Major trends

4. Analysis of shows

5. Impact on American culture

I. Late night television

1. Sources

2. Major stars and programs

3. Major trends

4. Analysis of shows

5. Impact on American culture

J. Television coverage of politics

1. Sources

2. Major stars and programs

3. Major trends

4. Analysis of shows

5. Impact on American culture

II. Effect of television advertising on contemporary culture

A. Types of television advertising

B. Early history of television ads

C. Benefits of television advertising

D. Negative impact of television ads on viewers

E. Future of television advertising

F. Ratings as a basis for advertising costs

G. How ratings control advertising

H. Impact on the viewer

III. Programming

A. Terminology

B. Historic programming breakthroughs

C. Strategies used for successful placement of television shows

D. Counter-programming

1. PBS

2. Cable

IV. Television news

A. Internal biases ("Harvest of Shame")

B. Preparation and formatting of nightly national and local news shows

C. Influence of the biases and personal attributes of news people

V. Violence and sex on television

A. Theories of violence

B. Sex: landmark shows and their impact

VI. Regulation of television and its impact

VII. Comparative television: the United States and other countries