NBCNBCNational Broadcasting CorporationNational Broadcasting Corporation

1950s – sets standard for color TV 1950s – sets standard for color TV (with FCC)(with FCC)

Creates “magazine” format for Creates “magazine” format for selling advertising – shifts program selling advertising – shifts program creation from advertisers to creation from advertisers to networks.networks.

Huntley-Brinkley Report changes the Huntley-Brinkley Report changes the style and length of network newsstyle and length of network news

NBC takes a diveNBC takes a dive

Drops to third place in 1970s behind Drops to third place in 1970s behind even lowly ABCeven lowly ABC

Hires Grant Tinker as president and Hires Grant Tinker as president and makes comeback in late 1980s.makes comeback in late 1980s.

Shows like Cheers, Hill Street Blues Shows like Cheers, Hill Street Blues and superhit The Cosby Show take and superhit The Cosby Show take NBC to the top of the ratings.NBC to the top of the ratings.

General Electric Buys RCA and General Electric Buys RCA and NBCNBC

1985 – G.E. buys its old competitor1985 – G.E. buys its old competitor G.E. slashes NBC budget – especially hurts G.E. slashes NBC budget – especially hurts

the news divisionthe news division But NBC develops big hits – Seinfeld, But NBC develops big hits – Seinfeld,

Frazier, E.R., Friends.Frazier, E.R., Friends. G.E. gobbles up cable channels: Arts and G.E. gobbles up cable channels: Arts and

Entertainment, Court TV, American Movie Entertainment, Court TV, American Movie Classics, Bravo, Sports Channel America, Classics, Bravo, Sports Channel America, and the History Channel. and the History Channel.

ABC Happy DaysABC Happy Days

Perennial ratings loser ABC finally Perennial ratings loser ABC finally has a big hit with Roots … based on has a big hit with Roots … based on Alex Haley’s novelAlex Haley’s novel

Roots – the most successful mini-Roots – the most successful mini-series, an innovation in itself. series, an innovation in itself.

Other successes: Wide World of Other successes: Wide World of Sports, Happy DaysSports, Happy Days

ABC is bought by . . . ABC is bought by . . . Capital Cities – 1985Capital Cities – 1985 Disney 1996Disney 1996

• The Disney ChannelThe Disney Channel, , ABC FamilyABC Family, , ToonToon Disney Disney, the , the ESPNESPN group and group and SOAPnetSOAPnet. Disney also holds substantial . Disney also holds substantial interest in interest in LifetimeLifetime (50%), (50%), A&EA&E (37.5%), and (37.5%), and E!E! (40%). (40%).

• Through ABC, Disney also owns 10 local television Through ABC, Disney also owns 10 local television stations, 26 local radio stations, and stations, 26 local radio stations, and ESPN RadioESPN Radio, , Radio DisneyRadio Disney, and , and ABC Radio NewsABC Radio News, which carries such , which carries such radio personalities as radio personalities as Sean Sean HannityHannity and and Paul HarveyPaul Harvey. . Buena Vista TelevisionBuena Vista Television, which also is a part of the Media , which also is a part of the Media Networks unit, produces such syndicated television Networks unit, produces such syndicated television programs as programs as Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, , Live with Live with Regis and KellyRegis and Kelly, and , and Ebert & RoeperEbert & Roeper..

Other NetworksOther Networks

Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation launches the Fox Network in 1985launches the Fox Network in 1985

Began with six company owned Began with six company owned stations as affiliatesstations as affiliates

First shows: Married . . . With First shows: Married . . . With Children (ran 11 years) and short Children (ran 11 years) and short lived Tracy Ulman show which lived Tracy Ulman show which spawned the longest running sitcom spawned the longest running sitcom ever … The Simpsonsever … The Simpsons

Fox Plays BallFox Plays Ball

1993- bids 1.58 BILLION DOLLARS for 1993- bids 1.58 BILLION DOLLARS for rights to four years of National rights to four years of National Football Conference. (NFC)Football Conference. (NFC)

NFL agrees to the deal.NFL agrees to the deal. Clearly established Fox as the fourth Clearly established Fox as the fourth

major network, equal to the big major network, equal to the big three.three.

How Radio Paved the Way For TVHow Radio Paved the Way For TV

Government decided to go with free Government decided to go with free market system for radio with oversight market system for radio with oversight rather than government controlled systemrather than government controlled system

Established Federal Regulatory system – Established Federal Regulatory system – FCCFCC

Developed programmingDeveloped programming Developed networksDeveloped networks Advertising systems for broadcast were Advertising systems for broadcast were

developeddeveloped

Top Ten Media Companies-U.S.Top Ten Media Companies-U.S. 1 Time Warner 1 Time Warner 2 Comcast Corp. 2 Comcast Corp. 3 Viacom (CBS)3 Viacom (CBS) 4 Walt Disney Co. (ABC)4 Walt Disney Co. (ABC) 5 NBC Universal (General Electric Co.) 5 NBC Universal (General Electric Co.) 6 Cox Enterprises 6 Cox Enterprises 7 DirecTV Group 7 DirecTV Group 8 News Corp. (Fox)8 News Corp. (Fox) 9 Gannett Co. 9 Gannett Co. 10 Clear Channel Communications10 Clear Channel Communications

Public BroadcastPublic Broadcast

Before 1967 college and some local Before 1967 college and some local radio stations had educational radio stations had educational programming. Very few TV stations.programming. Very few TV stations.

The Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 The Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 created the Corporation for Public created the Corporation for Public Broadcasting - a funding Broadcasting - a funding organization to develop public organization to develop public television and radio networks.television and radio networks.

Public NetworksPublic Networks

National Public Radio – (NPR) 1967National Public Radio – (NPR) 1967 American Public Radio – (APR) mid American Public Radio – (APR) mid

1980s1980s Public Broadcast System (PBS) 1967 Public Broadcast System (PBS) 1967

TV networkTV network

How Public Media is FundedHow Public Media is Funded

Subscriber (listener) donationsSubscriber (listener) donations UnderwritingUnderwriting Government fundingGovernment funding

Controversy Creates Funding Controversy Creates Funding ProblemsProblems

1970s – Nixon administration claimed 1970s – Nixon administration claimed public television had a left wing bias – public television had a left wing bias – began funding cutsbegan funding cuts

Conservatives continued to attack public Conservatives continued to attack public media, cut fundingmedia, cut funding

Public media had to rely more on Public media had to rely more on corporate funding (underwriting)corporate funding (underwriting)

Corporate sponsors refuse to fund Corporate sponsors refuse to fund programming they considered politically programming they considered politically incorrect (damaging to corporate incorrect (damaging to corporate interests)interests)

CPB Board Member Forced to CPB Board Member Forced to ResignResign

November 4 2005 Kenneth November 4 2005 Kenneth Tomlinson resigns as head of CPBTomlinson resigns as head of CPB

A disgraced Tomlinson was shown A disgraced Tomlinson was shown the door at the CPB two days after the door at the CPB two days after their IG issued a report detailing their IG issued a report detailing Tomlinson's efforts to impose a Tomlinson's efforts to impose a partisan agenda on PBS and other partisan agenda on PBS and other publicly funded programming. publicly funded programming.