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MPRD 550 LATEST EXAM QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS (2025)
**What is the goal of programming?
To get people to watch advertising and maximize the size of the audience targeted by advertisers
What is the most important part of programming?
Understanding the audience
What's the difference between network and cable's audience?
Network has a broad audience and cable has a niche audience
What is an example of an OTT service?
Hulu
What does OTT stand for?
Over the top. It refers to the Internet
**What is the number of TV households?
118 million
What are the top three days for TV viewing?
Sunday, Thursday, Monday
What is a programmer?
Someone who goes through the process of selecting, scheduling, promoting, and evaluation programs
What is a program?
A unit of content
What three changes in society have dramatically affected programming?
Digitization
Internet Access
Media Competition
What four things does the Internet provide for media programmers?
Replace movies and TV (influences ratings)
Original programs made for web
Websites that carry updates and background about TV stars, program plots, and schedule enhancements
Program promotion and advertising (influences ratings)
What is significant about primetime?
There is the largest audience with the most watched content therefore the most expensive advertisement is done at primetime and the best shows are played.
What was the first network?
NBC
Network
Presents 15 hours of programming a week to send out to stations
O&O
Owned and operated. Station whose license is owned by a network. For example, KNBC, KABC, KCBS. Everything East of Mississippi is W and everything wets is K
Affiliate
A station connected to a network by contract but is not owned by it. For example, NBC Connecticut
What is the most lucrative advertisement medium in the US?
Broadcast but it is quickly being caught up with broadband
Program Clearance
Clear time for network programming on affiliates and O&O programming
Pre-emption
Content stops being show for an event such as the President's speech or breaking news.
Delayed carriage
Pre-empt program but later played at a delayed time. Sometimes if a program contains violence and a school shooting occurs then they'll pre-empt the show and play it later
Network Compensation
Affiliates get paid by the network
Retransmission Fees
Cable companies retransmit network programs and pays the station to play programs
Reverse Net Compensation
Networks get a cut of the station's pay from cable in retransmission fees. This brings in billions of dollars.
What is unique about MyNetworkTV?
The programs that didn't make the CW went here plus new programs.
What was NBC's original business plan?
Advertisers produced the programs and bought the program-length time. Affiliates paid networks for programs. NBC only paid for telephone chargers so they couldn't control programs or times but they were making a ton of money. All of the stars were on NBC at the time.
What is the FCC?
They started in 1921 to regulate broadcast frequency. The head is appointed by the President of the US. If there is a democrat leader then it is consumer oriented. If there is a republican leader then it is business oriented.
What is CBS' Business Plan?
Networks produce the programs and networks sell spot times to advertisers. Networks pay affiliates to air the programs and affiliates are required to clear time for the programs. Advertisers switched here because they could make more money. CBS took control of the programming and time, is paying affiliates, but is successful because of how many spots they were selling. Within years, the best stations, stars, and advertisements switched over to CBS and NBC had to change to CBS' business plan.
Who came up with CBS' plan?
Paley
How many Nielsen markets are there?
How many stations do Nielsen markets make in the country?
1300 - 2000
What is the backbone infrastructure that keeps all programming alive?
Broadcast
What is the prime time access rule (PTAR)?
It was in effect from 1971-1995. The first hour of prime time was controlled by local stations where they would play public affairs programs and local news to enhance the community. There were no off-net programs. Magazine programming started in this local time. PM Magazine started in Central Florida where they told local human interest stories.
What is Financial Interest and Syndication (Fin Syn)?
This took place in the early 70s. Networks limited in program ownership. It was eliminated in 1995. Networks had to buy shows from independent producers. This was the rise of independent producers because they could sell in syndication and make money. This changed the face of TV and syndication. Money in TV was no longer made by networks but by syndication. This was a pro business model and low consumer model. It was pro talent, directors, and producers.
What is the broadcast perspective for multi-channel distribution?
You only get one channel
Companies that own multiple systems around the country. They are not connected but stand alone systems.
What are the top MSO's?
Comcast : 24,000,
Time Warner : 13,000,
Cox Communications : 5,000,
Charter : 5,000,
Cablevision System : 3,000,
Bright House Networks LCC :2,000,
What is happening with MSO's as far as consolidation?
Charter is buying Time Warner and Bright House which will make it #2 on the top list.
What are the top 6 cable programming by subscription?
TBS
Discovery
USA
TNT
Weather
Nickelodeon
What is al a carte?
When you pay extra for everything you add to your TV package. This is good for the consumer but bad for the channel. Many channels wouldn't be financially supported and they would be gone, which means that many jobs would be lost. Price would also go up for the channels (subscription), which means you'd be getting less channels for the same price.
**Describe and evaluate evolution of viewers choice and control over viewer choice.
You had to physically get up and change the dial and tweak the antenna. Not much control because only 3 channels.
Now you have the remote so you can change the channel.
The invention of the VHS. Revolutionary because now you won't miss a show if you can't watch it during airing time because you can just record the show. This is the first time you see time shifting.
Cable becomes a bigger deal. They start having original programming when HBO airs Sex and the City.
DVD and blu ray came out. It was better quality than the VHS.
Tivo/DVR came out, which mushroomed our capacity. We can record multiple programs and watch them whenever or wherever we want to. It changed programming strategies.
Streaming. It doesn't change when I watch but it changes where I watch. It also introduced the idea of binging. It changed the social structure of viewing and talking about viewing. Original programming is driving viewership and subscriptions.
Least Objectifying Programming
A show didn't turn anyone on or off so people would just stay and watch it.
Synchronous
Linear: start to finish. You watch when it's available and there aren't many choices. This is what the antenna, remote, and VHS were.
Who wants to know shares?
Networks and programmers
Do ratings and shares work for streaming?
No
What are SWEEPS?
When four times a year they cover all of the TV shows and marketing on TV. Nielsen uses people meters in larger markets and diaries in smaller markets to gather audience viewing behavior that is converted into ratings, shares, and demographic information for local TV stations and a growing number of cable networks.
**In what months do SWEEPS occur?
February, May, July, and November
**What is DMA and why is it important?
Designated Market Area. There are 210 across the US. DMA is based on broadcast signals. They are determined by where the broadcast signals are.
What are the top 10 all-time shows ever and why is this relevant?
1) MASH (83)
Dallas (80)
Roots (77)
Super Bowl (82)
Super Bowl (83)
Winter Olympics (94)
Super Bowl (86)
Gone with the Wind Part I (76)
Gone with the Wind Part II (76)
Superbowl (78)
These will always be the top 10 because there were only 3 channels at the time and less TV households.
Syndication
The buying and selling of program content to networks, stations, and station groups.
First-Run Syndication
It plays for the very first time on syndication. For example, Ellen. Every episode is new and sold to networks.
Is network, either broadcast or cable, syndication?
No! The first run, or first time you see it, is on a network. For example, NCIS is on CBS.
**What is stripping?
When you spread out a show over 5 days for an entire year.
**How many episodes do you need in order to see a show twice in a year?
152 weeks x 5 days = 260/2 = 130!
How many seasons does it take in order to play 130 episodes a year?
6 seasons, which is a $88 million syndication package.
How many shows make it to season 2?
Less than a third
Moral of the story, what is the number one benefit of syndication?
Makes A LOT of money
What are the leading syndication programs?
Wheel of Fortune
Judge Judy
- Jeopardy
[These have been number 1 for 30 years]
What times do syndicated programs normally play?
9 - 12, 4-6, 7-8, 11-11:30, and 2-6am
How do you sell syndicated programs?
Cash
Barter: bargain advertisement time
barter & cash: some money, some time. Most common
When does a program cost more?
When it costs more for advertisement
Station Group
Companies that own stations on television. Example, Ion Media, Univision, CBS. They are media companies that own TV as well as papers and other media formats. You're not supposed to own more than 35% of the country's channels but the FCC is not enforcing the laws.
When do networks release new shows?
They have a fall premiere when they play a season of 22 episodes
**What is the name for the video guide channel?
Split Screen
**(ON EXAM) The goal of programming is defined as ________________
Maximize the size of an audience for advertisement
Why is broadcast programming unique?
There's no direct cost to consumer for most popular shows
How does advertisement's abilities to market products to huge audiences affect economies-of-scale?
It decreases the per-item cost of products
What is the most important part for broadcast networks?
Understanding the audience
Who is the programmer's primary customer?
The advertiser
Genre
A type of program
Dual Appeal
Something for both older and younger viewers
Program Lore
The "formula" to a successful TV show
What are a programmer's duties?
Choose materials, build a schedule, promote, and evaluate
Where do many networks buy their programs?
From their parent corporation
Single Signature Programs
Cable networks seek for this to capture the attention and give definition to the whole network.
