Yr 10 - Background to Television in the 2010s

1.Explain technological convergence. [2] 

The combining of technologies that were originally unrelated to become more closely integrated and united as they advance and develop.

2.Explain 'channel surfing'. [2]

The consistent and constant scrolling or changing of channels in search of something the viewer finds interesting and/or entertaining.

3.Give 3 examples of how channels create brand loyalty [6]

An example of how brands create loyalty with their viewers is by providing specially catered content for a very specific audience. By aiming content to a very specific and niche community, the brands sacrifice a large portion of their viewers for continuous, loyal viewers that will stay with the brand throughout it's adaptation of its content over time, e.g Doctor Who.

Another example of how brands create loyalty is through their dependence on the streaming service to promote their brand alongside their content through entertainment - for example, the service will roll the end credits showing the branding of the content alongside promotions and cross promotions of the next available show, providing entertainment and information to keep the viewer 'hooked' to the channel while they subconsciously note the branding of the credited content.

Lastly, 'on demand' content from the same streaming service is often provided alongside 'live' content (e.g. BBC iPlayer and (the numerous BBC channels)). This is often used to allow the viewer to scroll and watch through content they may have missed, or saved for later - building trust in the streaming service and branded content as they know it will appear 'on demand' if they miss the 'live' showing. For example, the development of 'long form television drama' reflects how viewers may need an 'on demand' service to continuously watch and gain attachment to the content, rather than if it was completely 'live', the viewer could miss an entire episode and lose interest after not fully understanding the plot from the beginning of the series.

4.What is 'long form television drama' ? [2]

'Long form television drama' is a type of content designed as a series of episodes, commonly split into 'seasons' or 'parts', containing a continuous and entertaining plot, accompanied by sub-plots. The spreading out of this dramatic story over a series of episodes builds interest and fascination in the story, as it continues through various sub-plots usually in each episode to 2-3 episodes which lead to the final confrontation of the main plot at the end of the series. This provides more time for the series to expand and world-build to entertain the viewer compared to a movie, which commonly lasts between 1-2 hours.