The New Television Handbook (5^th Ed.) Media Practice Series

The New Television Handbook provides an exploration of the theory and practice of television at a time when the medium is undergoing radical changes. The book looks at television from the perspective of someone new to the industry, and explores the place of the medium within a constantly changing digital landscape.

This title discusses key skills involved in television production, including: producing, production management, directing, camera, sound, editing and visual effects. Each of these activities is placed within a wider context as it traces the production process from commissioning to post-production.

The book outlines the broad political and economic context of the television industry. It gives an account of television genres, in particular narrative, factual programmes and news, and it considers the academic discipline of media studies and the ways in which theorists have analysed and tried to understand the medium. It points to the interplay of theory and practice as it draws on the history of the medium and observes the ways in which the past continues to influence and invigorate the present.

The New Television Handbook includes:

• contributions from practitioners ranging from established producers to new entrants;
• a comprehensive list of key texts and television programmes;
• a revised glossary of specialist terms;
• a section on training and ways of getting into the industry.

By combining theory, real-world advice and a detailed overview of the industry and its history, The New Television Handbook is an ideal guide for students of media and television studies and young professionals entering the television industry.

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Acknowledgements

Introduction

Part 1

ON Television and Television studies

1 Television and tele-literacy

Television today

Tele-literacy

2 The history of television in the UK

Conditions of possibility

History of television in UK

3 The Contemporary Landscape: UK channels and public service

The three ages of television

The BBC and its future

Commercial UK broadcasters and public service

Ofcom and regulation

Other UK-based channels

Independent Production Companies

Kate Beal: Woodcut Media

4 The Contemporary Landscape: globalisation, multi-channel and multi-platform

Globalisation and multi-channel

Online and multi-platforrm

5 The landscape of television in the United Kingdom: text

The age of superabundance: interstitials and paratexts.

The linear flow: scheduling and branding

Cross-platform, paratexts and interactivity

About genres

Overview of the main television genres

A note on ratings, funding and formats

6 Studying televison

Studying television: an overview

Mapping the field:

Production/Institution

Theorising media power

Texts: theorising flow and overflow

Audience/Reception

Part 2

THE PRACTITIONERS’ PERSPECTIVE

7 Working in television: an overview

Working in television

Programme production types

Production processes

Television work areas

8 Producing, production management and pre-production

Producers

Production management

pre-production

the production period

post-production

distribution

Abigail McKenzie: Talent Team Assistant BBC Children’s

9 Director, cinematographer and the visual dimension

Director and crew

The director's concerns

Types of shot

A fresh perception of the world

10 The visual dimension: cameras, lighting and the cinematographer

Cameras and recording media

Cameras and digital cinematography

Visions of light

Lighting: basic principles

11 Sound recording and the audio space

Television and the flow of sound

Sound recording and audio design

Sound quality

12 Studios and studio work

‘Live’ and ‘as live’

Working in the studio

Studios

QVC: the shopping channel

13 Post-production processes: editing

Editing and post-production

The work of editing

Editing processes

Styles of editing

The final stages

14 Sound, visual effects and preparing for broadcast

The aural dimension: creating the audio space

Sound editing

Graphics and visual effects

Post-production: preparing for broadcast and distribution

Luke Sothinathan: VT technician

Part 3

PROGRAMMES AND GENRES

15 Drama and Television Narrative

Thinking about narrative

Fictional narratives: drama

Narrative theory

Narrative realism and other realisms

Identity and narration

16 From Documentary to Factual Entertainment

Contemporary factual programming

Brief history of UK documentary

Documentary and contemporary sub-genres

Research for factual programmes

Interview techniques

Documentary and factual ethics

Anne Parisio: Parisio Productions

17 News, politics and television as information

Lisette Johnston

History

Types of news and current affairs

Television news teams

The news agenda

Producing the news

Gio Ulleri Journalist/filmmaker

PART 4

TRAINING AND INDUSTRY CONTEXTS

18 Training, education and getting into the industry

Training and getting into the industry

RedBalloon and Solent Productions

19 Opening up the industry: diversity and access

Diversity and access

MAMA youth project

Bob Clarke: Executive producer MAMA youth project

Jonny Yapi- My Story

Training and opportunities: list of useful references

20 Hannah’s Diary

Hannah Mellows: Office assistant/runner

Contacts for entry-level jobs

21 Making Programmes: Pitching and Commissioning

Turning an idea into a commission

Opportunities and funds

Glossary

Bibliography

Programme references

Index

Patricia Holland has worked as an independent filmmaker, a television editor and a freelance journalist. She is currently a writer and researcher specialising in television history, and lectures at Bournemouth University, UK. Her most recent book is Broadcasting and the NHS in the Thatcherite 1980s (2013). She is the author of the first and second editions of The Television Handbook.