The Television Industry

About the lecture

In this module, we look more closely at the television industry. In particular, we will focus on: (i) how the television industry is shaped by production, distribution, and reception; (ii) the shift from regulation to deregulation with less oversight; (iii) the shift from public service broadcasting to commercial objectives; (iv) the effects of globalisation and conglomeration; (v) examples and explanations of aggressive takeovers and intellectual property acquisitions; (vi) the effect of new technologies, such as algorithms, IP restrictions, and geo-blocking; (vii) how branding and marketing strategies have become crucial for success, including a discussion of the value of established intellectual properties; (viii) the localisation of global processes; and (ix) the increasing interest in sustainability in TV production.

About the lecturer

Dr Simone Knox is Associate Professor and Head of Department for the Department of Film, Theatre & Television at the University of Reading. She specialises in the analysis of television and film, especially style and medium specificity, acting and performance, adaptation and translation (including dubbing and subtitling), the politics of representation, and the lived experience of screen culture. She has written widely, including her book Friends: A Reading of the Sitcom.