Global Media Formats

The rise of format programming has had an enormous impact on the media in the past few decades. Since the 1990s, formats have come to dominate TV schedules and have become symbolic of the way the media are changing in the face of the digital revolution. Formats have been developed as global businesses in the cut-throat environment of international media sales. Formats include game shows, factual entertainment programmes and drama. This course will provide a comprehensive introduction to the rise of TV formats from the 1950s until the present day and will also examine current trends in television-making especially with the advent of the internet and growth in digital channels.  The course will examine the range of issues related to formats at pre-production, production and post-production stages. We examine especially how the television industry is adapting to the digital era and the key role of TV formats in that economic and social development. The course will consist of seven combined lectures and seminars and will run from November until the end of semester.