As we are advancing towards a society where a majority of our media consumption revolves around handheld mobile devices like laptops and phones, I can see why the significance of traditional television can start to decrease as our preference for media platforms changes. Or rather, we are discovering the many alternative platforms of content consumption and start to have a preference for those that are easier to access and use on a day to day basis. After reflecting on the role that television plays in my own life, I realized that I barely even use the TV anymore. I have a TV in my room but I use Apple TV, which directs me to other platforms like Netflix and Youtube that can also be consumed on either my phone or laptop. However, TV’s are still prevalent as a mass medium due to its simplicity in usage, allowing it to dominate as a platform for specifically mono-media content that is strictly audiovisuals and nothing more like those on our mobile devices (Kim 2018, 55). This allows for television viewership and usage to remain the same, however then the actual amount of active engagement viewers have can be questionable. As an effect of our fast paced society and unlimited accessible information, attention spans are also becoming shorter. While the original functions of TV’s are not changing, viewer habits are in order to catch up to the amount of information available at a given time (Kim 2018: 55). As a result, Korean broadcasting companies need alternative ways to grasp audience retainment and offer services that are unique to broadcasting television. Which is why more shows nowadays require the involvement of viewers, especially through social media, as they can take advantage of the “para-social” (Cho et al 2018: 5) relationships that aid in the “production and circulation of K-pop” (Kim 2018: 56). Audiences are now involved with the media by being the “decision maker” (Cho et al 2018: 6) of broadcasted shows like Arirang TV’s After School Club. This shifts and redefines the idea of producer and consumers within live broadcasting contexts, as the virtual relationships between viewer and content becomes more important than the independent content itself. Shows are no longer “really about stars but about these worldwide fans… as they continue to tweet, retweet, Google, YouTube stream, and constantly press “Like” buttons on Facebook" (Kim 2018: 89). In my opinion, this explains the wide success of creative content that thrives off of social media and real-time audience involvement. New creative content and media is then adapted for the purpose of generating and nurturing relationships with the viewers (Cho et al 2018: 6), creating valuable real life connections apparent in the fan culture of Korean popular culture specifically. In a way, the audiences now take on a new identity of being both the consumer and producers of the content they enjoy, creating a situation where both audiences and production companies can benefit from the interactions. ReferenceCho, Daegon, Seok Ho Lee, Yeawon Yoo, and Hyo-Youn Chu. “Television Singing Competitions Create Stars? Empirical Evidence from the Digital Music Chart in South Korea.” Journal of Cultural Economics 42, no. 130 (2018): 1-20. Kim, Sukyoung. K-pop Live: Fans, Idols, and Multimedia Performance. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2018. AuthorKristy Lin
15 Comments
Vanessa
10/24/2018 06:14:57 pm
I have been a TV child and have always preferred watching things over reading. As I age and as technology improves, I can see why I don't watch TV as often. I don't even have a TV at my place and I'm living just fine with online platforms such as YouTube and Netflix. However, every time I go back home to Taiwan, I watch the actual TV channels that I grew up with. Although sometimes I get bored with the replayed contents, I feel nostalgic every time I watch Taiwanese TV shows, especially on an actual TV.
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Han
10/24/2018 08:17:47 pm
When I went back to China, I experienced the same thing!! I wasn't sure if it was because I was living with my grandparents, but they solely relied on their TV for media content. But, when talking to other (younger) people, I think majority will use qqtv or Iqiyi to catch up on news/tv shows. The thing I found using those two chinese apps is that people's comments are on the actual video. So if you're watching something like Idol Producer, you can see comments like "CAI XUKUN!!!!!!1111" when he's on the screen. These types are interactions make the watching experience more engaging, for sure! It creates a feeling as if you're watching with your friends who are making comments as you are watching along.
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Kristy
10/24/2018 10:29:46 pm
I remember that show and that name... that was fun to watch haha
Kristy
10/24/2018 10:36:16 pm
I totally agree with you Vanessa! I also grew up watching Taiwanese Dramas and TV shows, and I remember the really old Taiwanese variety shows that were super popular and even broadcasted here in Canada. The same thing goes for my experience with Hong Kong dramas too. Hong Kong dramas were a big part of my childhood, especially if we are talking about TV and broadcasted shows because I remember coming home from school everyday to watch a certain drama that aired at that one certain time slot. This was even a family thing, and we would all watch it together. But now that Chinese and Korean entertainment has adapted so well to the technological advancements, and they have the proper funding for even bigger shows and such, I find that Taiwanese and Hong Kong dramas are being drowned out.
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Han
10/24/2018 08:10:36 pm
It's funny you mentioned that our attention spans are decreasing, as it took me 5 tries throughout today to finish this discussion xD hahaha. But, I also think I'm lucky to have been part of the last generation of kids who grew up with TVs and set airing schedules. It taught a lot about time management and found I would focus on the tv show that was airing more carefully and closely since I knew the next re-run wouldn't be until late at night. And now, I find myself re-watching the same episodes of the same show multiple times because I often get distracted from a text message or by another social media platform. For technology to be adapting to the 'shortening attention span' we're experiencing, I think this will only encourage our bad habits (procrastination, low focus, short attention span). For example, before as kids, if we were bored out of our minds, we wouldn't be able to just 'find' things to do so easily. Now we have our phones, our tablets and laptops where we can just open an app such as YouTube or Instagram, and we can literally find endless content on there to distract ourselves from our work. And because social media has become such a huge platform, there is content for all ages, all types of interests. On one hand, it's great that we can find/learn anything from the internet, but on another, it's probably led us to become 'lazier' (because why put on makeup, pick out a set of clothes, and go out with your friends when you can just open an app such as Instagram/Facebook and be equally entertained). But, for the entertainment companies out there, this is probably exactly what they want.
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Aneet
10/25/2018 12:05:02 am
I think that along with our attention spans, our patience is decreasing as well. For shows on TV, we have to wait for the specific time it will air, and then sit through several ads. With advancements in streaming sites and social media, we don't have to wait for anything; rather, we can watch what we want to whenever we would like, with no ads or anything else in the way.
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Kristy
10/25/2018 12:32:18 am
That is so true! which is why sometimes we go on our phones while watching TV and stuff... my dad just leaves the TV on now and hes not even watching most of the time haha
Chaeree
10/25/2018 01:03:53 am
I think the same too! People often crop some scenes that were interesting or were the highlight of the episode of the TV show and upload them on other social media platforms. Since it is so much more convenient and can be played at anytime and anywhere that people won't even bother watching the full length of the TV shows anymore. Even these short video clips were too long for some people that they end up not finishing watching it and skipping to other videos.
Chaeree
10/25/2018 10:39:21 am
I totally agree with your idea particularly the part where you said virtual relationships between viewer and content becomes more important than the independent content itself. The original media contents like TV shows which are aired on the actual television mainly target domestic fans in Korea because they have specific showtimes which correspond to Korean time. However, short clips from the original TV shows are now on social media platforms and can be accessed by anyone in the world and at anytime. Therefore, greater number of people can consume this media content. Moreover, people can share their thoughts and converse freely on their own social media platforms whereas original TV contents require to meet certain restrictions in order to be aired on TV shows. Therefore, consumers play even more significant roles than the original content itself since it is not limited to time, place, and under less control. Media contents that were created on any social media platforms such as YouTube are now a more powerful strategy of promoting artists than TV too. The most representative example includes Hani from EXID. Even though EXID often was aired on TV music shows, she and her group were not so popular until one of her fans uploaded her personal video of Hani dancing. People started commenting about how pretty she was and how they loved her. It finally led to their interests in the group and now they are now one of the successful K-pop artists now. Since social media platforms are much easier to access than TV, it's more convenient for people to consume K-pop related media via their mobile devices rather than TV which makes it super powerful.
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Clara
10/25/2018 04:34:36 pm
But do you think that because our attention spans are so short nowadays, it has led to television shows having to produce even more captivating moments to catch our eye? Or even, to make it into the short, highlight clips that Chaeree mentioned? If so, then technically, the television shows that we are watching nowadays, and that are popular, would be considered "the most exciting shows yet".
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Ariel
10/25/2018 09:30:11 pm
Television plays a much smaller role in our media consumption today than it used to. These music shows are becoming popular also through online streaming, as most music shows are re-aired through online portals such as YouTube. Contemporary pop no longer depend on TV for fan consumption. Online resources offer so much more convienience and flexibility for both the fans and the entertainment companies there is essentially no need for television to exist. Music shows can be broadcasted solely online and it will be just as successful through reshares and large fan bases.
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Emily
10/30/2018 03:34:42 am
Hi Kristy, thank you for this essay! I really enjoyed your refreshing approach towards the role of TV, and how it is coded cynically in a way since you link the current approach of TV producers/ programs to a dependency on social media and prosumers (who also thrive on social media), rather than being able to achieve successful viewer rates independently as a medium. One thing I would add is that it would be helpful to specify "Korean TV" when you begin transitioning from your reflection of Western TV consumption to discussing the characteristics of shows in Korea. Good job! :)
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