Television industry contexts

Independent: British viewers can't get enough of foreign-language dramas

Read this Independent feature on foreign-language dramas. If the website is blocked or forcing you to register you can access the text of the article here. It features an in-depth interview with Walter Iuzzolino who curates Channel 4's Walter Presents programming. Answer the questions below:

1) What does the article suggest regarding the traditional audience for foreign-language subtitled media?

• pretentious, dull and, possibly, a little odd.

2) What does Walter Iuzzolino suggest is the key appeal of his 'Walter Presents' shows?

•  foreign language programming was on the periphery; as though, says Iuzzolino, the channels were "restaurants who had put a special on the board". Walter Presents makes the specials board the main offering – so you can't play safe with the televisual equivalent of a cottage pie.

3) The article makes an interesting claim for the popularity of subtitles in the multi-screen age. What does it suggest?

• subtitles are a welcome enforcement for us to focus. "When you read subtitles, you have to be glued to the screen," says Deeks. "That concentration gives a particular intensity to the viewing experience. You just can't multitask when you're watching a foreign-language drama."

4) What are the other audiences pleasures of foreign TV drama suggested by the article?

• the originals still dominate because they have something else: the locale that is such a fundamental part of their appeal. "We all love getting that insight into a different culture," says Deeks. "The unfamiliar setting gives a freshness to genre pieces.", "You develop a love for the distant world because while you're watching, you're in Sweden," says Luzzolino. "If you see something amazing set in Argentina, then Argentina itself, the houses, the people, what they wear, what their voices sound like, the language, is one of the biggest appeals. There is a huge pleasure in that."

Film School Rejects: The foreign TV dramas you're missing out on

Now read this Film School Rejects feature on the foreign TV dramas you're missing out on. This contains some particularly useful background on Deutschland 83's reception internationally. If the website is blocked, you can access the article text here. Answer the following questions:

1) What does the article tell us about Deutschland 83's release schedule?

• Premiering on AMC Network’s Sundance TV in June 2015, the show was the first German-language TV series to premiere on a US network. The fact Germany’s commercial RTL channel received Deutschland ’83 five months after the US both signifies the series’ global appeal as well as foreshadows where the German crime thriller was (and is) to find its audience.
• January 2016 saw the UK premiere of the series on mainstream Channel 4

2) The article contains important statistics on viewing figures in different countries. What were the German viewing figures for the first and last episode? What were Channel's 4's viewing figures for Deutschland 83?

• the German premiere had 3.19 million viewers. Each new episode saw that figure drop, and by the series’ conclusion the figures had fallen down to 1.63 million — it’s lowest figure.
• Channel 4 saw viewing figures reach a peak of 2.13 million viewers in a prime time TV slot, earning it the title of the UK’s highest-rated foreign drama.

3) Who are the two production and distribution companies behind Deutschland 83 and what did they announce in October? 

• The two production and distribution companies are SundanceTV and FremantleMedia, in October they announced that there would be a second series of Deutschland 83

4) How does Walter Iuzzolino use social media to engage audiences in new international TV dramas? How does he suggest this has changed the reception of foreign productions in the UK?

• Walter Luzzolino posts a “Weekend Pick” on his Facebook page and engages with viewers on Twitter.

The Guardian: How tech is changing television

Read this Guardian feature on how tech is changing television. This has some particularly useful aspects from an industry perspective - how TV is made, the different formats of TV drama and more. Answer the following questions:

1) How have streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime changed the way TV drama narratives are constructed?

• With streaming networks releasing all of the episodes in one block – and many viewers of mainstream TV shows now waiting until all the episodes can be watched as a box set – producers of TV fiction have had to rethink. Nicola Shindler says: “Your form of storytelling has to reflect the fact that people could watch [the whole series] straight away. So the hooks at the end of every episode are very important. But you also have to think about how you give information. With a thriller for terrestrial TV, you tend to have a recap at the start of each episode. But, with SVOD [streaming video on demand], you can get straight on with the story.”

2) Why has the rise in streaming led to more complex storylines and an increase in cliffhangers?

• Due to the increase of binge watching shows producers have to find a way to keep people watching their show instead of swapping off to another series as now if they are no longer interested in a show they never have to interact with or watch it ever again.

3) How have the "economics of production" kept TV drama largely sticking to the 45- or 60-minute episode format?

• Shindler explains that dramas – regardless of how they will ultimately be screened – are usually shot in blocks. In order to maximise the use of time, and minimise the cost of actors and crew, while part of a drama is filming, another team is prepping the next section. So, while a streamed drama theoretically need not be divided at all, it still makes logistical and financial sense to hire on episode basis.

4) How has "permanent 24/7 connectivity" changed both the production and consumption of TV drama?

• Permanent 24/7 connectivity has radically altered viewer responses. Live-tweeting by audiences has usefully democratised criticism, but the downside of this new media interaction has been in giving the old media a stick with which to beat broadcasters. Stories about alleged outrage over incomprehensible actors or violent action often turn out to be based on the fact that, from among millions of viewers, a tiny handful tweeted disagreeably.

Media Magazine: Netflix and the Cultural Industries 

Finally, go to our Media Magazine archive and read the article on Netflix and the Cultural Industries (MM63 - page 45). Answer the following questions:

1) What does David Hesmondhalgh argue with regards to how the creative industries have changed since the 1980s?

• He argues that there has been a significant shift in cultural production since the 1980s
• Cultural industries have moved closer to the centre of economic action
• There has been an increase in media corporations owning companies in different sectors of the industry
• Globalisation has meant media texts can circulate more easily across borders reducing North American dominance
• Deregulation has reduced public ownership
• Advertising ‘dollars’ have significantly increased as has cross promotion within texts
• Digitisation has allowed the technology sector to compete directly with traditional media companies
• Niche audiences are increasingly targeted.

2) What is technological convergence? 

• Technological convergence is the digitisation of media which means that every form of media can be accessed on computers.

3) How are technology companies challenging traditional broadcasters in the TV industry?

• Technological convergence has allowed tech companies to directly compete with media companies as they are more familiar with newer tech which allows them to adapt to newer changes quicker then media companies furthermore the money they get from their tech allows them to fund their own creative endeavours e.g. Amazon prime

4) The global nature of modern television means producers are having to consider international audiences when creating content. What example from Netflix does the article use to explain this?

• In order to address such diverse audiences with the same programmes producers have to take great care to ensure their productions can be understood widely. Although it’s true to say that in many countries American culture is, after their own, most people’s second culture and so understanding US-produced texts is relatively easy, that doesn’t mean producers can assume everything will be understood globally. For example, take the monster in Stranger Things named (by the kids) the ‘Demogorgon’ after a Dungeons & Dragons demon prince. To ensure that connection transcended language barriers, Netflix’s team dug into old D&D materials to nail  down how various cultures translated ‘Demogorgon’ in the mid-1970s. (Barrett 2017) Consequently the Demogorgon was renamed in some parts of the world based on what the demon prince of Dungeons & Dragons was called.