Culture or commerce: the TV concept-developer at work

An empirical study to the influence of tensions between culture and commerce during the development of television programs.

Moniek Jansink, MA

November, 2009

Culture or commerce

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Set up-Theory

-Method

-Results

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What is a TV Concept?

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‘The crust is the same from week to week, but the filling changes’

E. Stashef, 1951

Theory -Critical Political Economy approach

-Unique Character of TV programs - User Value - Economic Value

-Dutch Media Landscape

- Cultural Industry- Fear of Cultural Homogenization- Mechanical Reproduction

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Tension

Finding answers…Research Question

How does the tension between culture and commerce influence the way TV concepts are developed for the public

and the commercial Dutch television.

-Grounded Theory - Interviews

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Results-4 themes

-3 levels - Macro- Meso- Micro

And a lot of frustrations….

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Theme 1: Motivation

- Story Telling-Challenging

‘Many people don’t see it as a profession. Since everybody watches TV everybody thinks they can make it as well. That’s

weird isn’t it? Just as weird when I would be writing to a hospital that I’ve

discovered a new open heart surgery technique.’- Talpa Content-

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Theme 2: Realisationa. Initiative

-Free vs. Structured

‘ I’m more the kind of person that colors inside the lines that somebody else has drawn for me.’ -IDTV-

‘When I walk in Amsterdam tomorrow and I see everybody wearing yellow hats, I want to know what it’s all about, and, can we do something with that?

That’s your total curiosity’ –KRO-

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-Research helps:-To scale a phenomenon-To decide on a approach-To sell the program

‘We now have an online database, in which we register all our previous ideas. So that we can easily check how a program is

made in de passed and what we thought of it’ - EO-

Mechanical Reproduction?

Realisationb. Research

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-Codes & Structure-Gut Feeling

‘It’s hard to estimate the potential of a program. It’s often a feeling you get when more and more people are

enthusiastic about your idea.But indeed, the holy grail is unknown, you never know if an

idea will turn out succesfull.’- IDTV-

Realisationc. Potential

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Realisationd. Developing

‘It’s complicated. You have to please several parties all at once: the viewer, the channel and your members or advertisers. But I

see this as a challenge!’- EO-

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RealisationDeveloping

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-Negotiation-Creativity-Reputation

‘It’s like a game of chess: netmanagers versus the makers and makers versus other makers.’

- NCRV-

Realisatione. Developing – On Air

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Innovation

‘Television is a mass-medium, that needs to serve the mass. This means that you can never be too creative. Since you have to serve so many people, you will always stay on the

middle of the road.’- PALM Plus-

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-Safety

-Reputation

‘Networking is the most important thing. You have to know the people, in this way the door is always open. You open

the door earlier for a friend than for a stranger.’- IDTV-

Innovation

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Satisfaction-Ratings-Personal Satisfaction

‘The more viewers, the better. TV is a MASS medium’ -PALM-

‘I won a Golden Rose for ‘Gospel in Paradiso’. A show nobody watched, but it was great to make and to be able to

really help people.’ –PALM-

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Conclusion-No automatic process of Concept Development.-Debating helps creating

-Public vs. Commercial

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?Thank you for your attention!

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Moniek Jansink

moniekjansink@hotmail.com