honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, November 21, 2003

Taming your television

By Hal Boedeker
Knight Ridder News Service

Television, the box of ironies, is the most puzzling contraption on the planet.

Viewers often condemn the medium even as they log decades in front of it. Americans are averaging 4 hours 13 minutes of watching per day, a profound chunk of time.

The small screen has been branded the vast wasteland, the prime reducer of attention spans and the chief spoiler of minds, but it spreads more entertainment and news than any other force in society.

The main irony today: It's the best and worst of times for quality programming. Proliferating channels mean more scintillating choices and also more televised spam.

Making sense of that burgeoning multiplex in your house can be daunting. Some people never try. Yet the unexamined life of the TV viewer presents problems: It might be worth living, but it's mighty confusing.

Many viewers forget they're in control, no matter what executives are dictating the schedules. Television is here to serve you, not the other way around. Your time is a more precious commodity than anything television is selling.

The challenge becomes to watch with a plan, to make the programming and technology work for you. Here are 12 suggestions:

1. Take the TV schedule and chart your viewing. You wouldn't wander into a movie theater without knowing what you're going to see. Treat the small screen the same way. Know when your favorites air, when they're in reruns, and when they're pre-empted. Realize that a bonus "Friends" episode means a repeat.

Sometimes, programmers pull last-minute changes that confound everyone. NBC dropped new episodes of "The West Wing," "Law & Order," "Friends," "Scrubs," "Will & Grace" and "ER" so the shows wouldn't face postseason baseball on Fox. Maddening? You bet.

2. Talk about television. Don't let the programs just wash over you. Compare notes with family and friends. Look to the Internet, where programs are debated.

There has always been resistance to taking television seriously because it's in the home and so accessible, says television curator Ron Simon of the Museum of Television & Radio in New York.

"Still, there are people who will tune in to one or two series as appointment TV, not caring for the medium as a whole," he adds. "They will recognize the shows hold their own against anything in film or literature."

3. Never forget that television is a business. The small screen exploits the nostalgia that viewers feel for, everything from "The Brady Bunch" to Walter Cronkite. But seeing the medium in clear-eyed terms can save you a lot of heartache when your low-rated favorite (say NBC's "Boomtown") goes on hiatus.

"Television might be about art and commerce, but commerce has the upper hand," says Robert Thompson, a professor of media and popular culture at Syracuse University. "Every six minutes it reminds you by breaking for commercials."

4. Understand the demographics driving the broadcast business. ABC, Fox and NBC base their business on bringing in the 18-to-49 crowd. CBS caters to an older audience while UPN and the WB target younger viewers.

"If there's something that's misunderstood, it's the feeling that the networks never listen," says Tim Brooks, executive vice president of research at Lifetime. He is also co-author of "The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows," which just published its eighth edition.

"There's probably no entertainment medium that listens more than television," Brooks says. "They do focus groups. We have this ratings system. It's a vote that goes on all the time. It's the pure democracy of television."

If you're outside the desired demographics, look elsewhere. So many channels — A&E, the History Channel, BBC America — give you options. Vote with your clicker.

5. Know the sweeps periods. The major ones are in November, February and May. The broadcast networks air big-ticket offerings to bolster their affiliates' ratings, which help establish advertising rates. During sweeps, networks will pre-empt low-rated series, bring on guest stars and schedule life-changing plots, especially in 9 p.m. dramas before the late news.

This jockeying among the networks is about money and bragging rights.

6. The ratings don't tell the whole story. Television is a personal, intimate medium. You might not like any of the series that sit atop the Nielsen ratings. Find your own favorites and enjoy them.

"Fifty-seven channels and nothing on — that's out of date," author Brooks says. "There are so many alternatives. If you're willing to take time to look — many people aren't — you will find things. There are so many networks, so many smart people putting together shows."

"Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" quickly raised the profile of Bravo. The detective series "Monk" boosted USA, and the plastic-surgery drama "Nip/Tuck" elevated FX.

"If you're simply paying attention to what everyone is talking about, you run the risk of missing thousands of other programs you might really like," Thompson says. "Many people didn't know where Bravo was until 'Queer Eye.' That is every cable channel's dream come true."

7. Know your TV history. It puts what's happening today in context. Recognize the pivotal programs, from "I Love Lucy" to "All in the Family," from "Hill Street Blues" to "Seinfeld." Experience the beloved classics by watching Nick at Nite and TV Land.

"Television is no longer just about the new stuff," Thompson says. "Television is a cultural supermarket and also a cultural antique store and a museum. If you can't find something good on television, you're not looking hard enough."

Author Brooks says television has gone through three major periods. It started with experimentation in New York in the 1940s and '50s. The focus shifted to Hollywood production in the late 1950s, with ABC, CBS and NBC dominating into the 1980s. With the rise of cable in the 1980s, an era of choice started flourishing.

"Sports in the evening, kids' programs at night, cooking shows all day long, news 24 hours a day — you have choice around the clock, which you didn't before," Brooks says. "The riches available on television today outshine any period of television history."

8. It's a 22-episode world — most of the time. The broadcast television season extends nearly 36 weeks from late September through mid-May. That means you're going to encounter repeats. You're bound to see them in December because of the holidays. They also can air in the nonsweeps months of January, March and April.

The new fall series start with limited orders, from seven to 13 installments. Good ratings ensure they will be picked up for the whole season and reach the 22 mark. Midseason entries can start with seven installments and disappear quickly if they don't grab attention.

Some cable series, such as HBO's "The Sopranos" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm," might make only 10 to 13 episodes per year.

It pays to know how your favorites perform in the ratings because that will indicate how many episodes you'll be seeing. Be sure to check the weekly ratings.

9. Make the technology work for you. If the commercial bombardment has you down, TiVo can save you from the onslaught. Or tape and fast-forward through the interruptions.

When taping, remember that network scheduling can be screwy. Add minutes before and after the desired time slot to ensure you get all of the program.

Cable, digital, satellite — you need the technology if you can afford it. You're missing out if you're restricted to broadcasting.

10. Click judiciously. There's no denying that roaming through the menu can be fun. It's easier to bounce through comedies than dramas or HBO series. But if you wander too much, the viewing can turn fruitless.

"We've become a very impatient society," Brooks says. "Some of the texture in life is lost when you're racing all the time. You might find something if you give it a couple of minutes."

11. Act as programmer yourself. With a DVD player, you can buy or rent series, from "Little House on the Prairie" to "Six Feet Under," and watch at your own speed.

"Treat TV and the DVD player as a library," Thompson says. "You can bypass HBO and buy seasons of 'The Sopranos.' "

12. Know who created the series. Writers with distinctive voices guide the standout series. Think of Rod Serling on "The Twilight Zone" and Steven Bochco on "Hill Street Blues."

Dick Wolf made "Law & Order" what it is. The same goes for David Chase on "The Sopranos" and Aaron Sorkin on "The West Wing." The fortunes of David E. Kelley are closely watched because of a career that includes "Picket Fences," "Ally McBeal" and "The Practice." It pays to recognize the main players and their writing styles.