Television Versus the Internet

This book will explore the questions raised by the technological developments that have encouraged the multiplication of TV channels. TV is moving through a period of rapid change. Governments around the world are switching from analogue to digital forms of transmission to further expand the amount of content that TV signals can carry. At the same time, competition for eyeballs has also grown from outside that traditional marketplace with the emergence of the Internet. The roll-out of broadband and increased bandwidth has had the greatest impact on television because online technology can readily convey the same content. All these changes have created a great deal more competition for viewers within the traditional TV marketplace. The Internet has proven to be especially popular with young people who have adopted its applications to a far greater extent than their elders, though even the latter have now begun to take up online activities in significant numbers. Are these audiences the same? Do people make a choice between these two media or do they use them both at different times and for different reasons? Can television utilise the Internet in profitable ways to enhance its market position? Will television have to evolve from its current state to provide the kinds of content reception services to which people have become accustomed in the online world? If it does need to change to survive, will this nevertheless mean a radical new configuration of content and the disappearance of 'channels' with fixed, pre-determined programme schedules?- Examines the implications of new interactive communications technologies for the way people will use television in the future- Presents an analysis of changing styles of television viewing and changing orientations towards television- Examines the growing importance of the broadband internet as a source of information and entertainment

Barrie Gunter is Professor of Mass Communication and Head of the Department of Media and Communication, University of Leicester. He was formerly Professor of Journalism Studies at the University of Sheffield and previously worked in the broadcasting sector. He has published 47 books and over 250 book chapters, journal articles and other reports on a range of media, marketing and psychology topics. Among his current interests are the adoption and use of internet and digital TV applications.

PrefaceAbout the authorChapter 1: Audience evolution patternsGrowth of media supply and television viewingGrowth of the InternetImplications of media expansionThe position of television in societyChanging patterns of consumptionDoes one medium cannibalise another?Models of displacementIncrease-decrease relationshipCompetition or synergy?Ensuring access, diversity and qualityConcluding remarksChapter 2: The importance of television and the Internet to media consumersHow important is television to people today?The importance of digitalThe importance of channelsAre we satisfied with television channels?The importance of programme service valuesThe importance of programme genresBehavioural evidence of what is important to media consumersThe importance of the InternetConcluding remarksChapter 3: The functional overlaps of television and the InternetThe importance of media motivesThe attraction of the InternetConditional displacementOverlapping functional displacement of television by the InternetNon-overlapping functional displacement of television by the InternetConcluding remarksChapter 4: The future of television as an information sourceThe valued attributes of television newsTelevision versus the InternetImportance of different information sourcesImportance of different news sources: Internet users versus non-usersThe future for television newsTime devoted to television newsLevels of use of online newsReceptivity of new news sourcesNews source displacementCredibility of offline versus online newsImportance of news brandsConcluding remarksChapter 5: The future of television as an entertainment sourcePerceived importance of different entertainment sourcesThe Internet as an entertainment sourceVideo viewing onlineContinuous measurement of online video viewingOnline video viewing versus televisionVideo game playingConcluding remarksChapter 6: Future audiences, future servicesTelevision versus the Internet: continuing distinctionsThe promise of digitalFuture audiencesFinal thoughtsReferencesIndex