Core Post 5 – Week 13 – Post-Digitization TV

Post digitization television is a topic that has always intrigued me but one that I have never understood. As someone who has been an avid television audience member since I can remember, I’ve always wanted to feel more involved with the content as well as the makings of each show. When reality television came into fruition, I realized that the television industry had found a way to engage with their viewers and could feel involved with the outcomes of their format. But as time went by and more reality TV shows were on-air, it also started becoming more scripted, with other audience members and I only seeing what production houses wanted us to see. However, the one thing I did understand was that this idea of an even more personal relationship with the audience was the only way television would be able to survive with the introduction of the Internet and digital media platforms. 

Amongst the three readings, Parks’ readings were what drew me in the most. In the initial few paragraphs she goes into detail about ‘postbroadcasting’ and ‘personal television’ and how they have become vital to the growth of television today. For me, her definition of postbroadcasting stuck the most – ‘referring to television’s current transformations as part of an ongoing set of historical struggles played out over and around the medium rather than as a “byproduct” of the digital revolution’ (pp. 134). Since its inception, television has gone through a constant evolution to keep up with the times. From big bulky television sets that required an antenna to get a fix on the channels to the streaming channels of Netflix or Hulu being played on sleek paper thin television screens, it has seen a the maximum amount of change amongst all mediums of communication. And the biggest factor that played a role in this transformation is the demand for different types of content by the audiences every time. In order to stay relevant, show formats have had to undergo tremendous amounts of change, reaching the format of Twitch shows today, where you spend time watching people play games or watch a show themselves.

This kind of format resonates with what Parks’ ends her piece with i.e. ‘we need to turn on our television, engage with them, and talk more about what we want to see’ (pp. 153).  That is exactly what has given rise to platforms like Twitch, YouTube Red, and Facebook Watch etc. where audience members have interacted with the content creators directly to voice their opinions and tell them what they need. It’s going to be an interesting format to watch out for, especially in terms of how it will continue to evolve and what forms it might take.