Classification of Television Programs: Introduction
In the United States, television shows are extremely common. Many people spend a lot of time watching television to keep them informed about the situation in the world, for entertainment purposes, or for children to watch educational programs.
On the other hand, not everyone is using television to watch the program. With the appearance of the Internet, this has now become another source of entertainment where people can watch their favorite shows they missed on the television.
Through the television shows, people can gather news about the economy, the weather, the war, or even news about their favorite celebrities. They can also watch programs about cooking if they wish to learn new cuisines. Via television, new products are shown in the advertisements. This keeps people aware of the latest innovations. Advertisers use television to promote their products or their company.
Entertainment has also been very inviting to viewers. It is one of the many things that keep people occupied whenever they are alone. There are various interesting shows for kids. Not to forget, there are television shows that require parental guidance.
Classification of TV Shows: Types
There are varied ways to classify television shows. Television shows include advertisements, events, kids, lifestyle, movies, music, series, and sports (CTAM Advanced Cable Solutions Consortium 3). Advertisements are programs that promote products. These include product showcases, classified ads, infomercials, movie trailers, and personal ads.
Events are programs that promote special activities or occasions, such as parades, political events, and concerts. Kids’ shows are programs that are designed for children. These include art, mathematics, science experiments, and cartoons.
Lifestyle shows are those that provide a background or story behind personal preferences. These consist of ethnic programming, human interests, hobbies, culture, holiday, and DIY (CTAM Advanced Cable Solutions Consortium 3).
Nowadays, performances are not shown only in theatres; there are television shows that feature plays that have already been performed in theatres. Movie shows range from featured films, documentary films, independent films, animated movies, and made-for-TV.
Music channeled on television via different shows and video clips that feature the latest songs. These music television shows are sometimes used by artists to promote their new album or CDs. Songs played on television shows vary as well. They can be mellow music, rock, hip hop, etc. depending on the schedule set by the show.
There are also television shows that are intended to be ongoing. This is called the ‘series.’ Series air regularly. Some series shows are shown on certain days of the week. However, because they are ongoing or have a continuation, they are known as series.
There are also shows about sports. These shows feature sporting events. They can be taped, delayed, or live. They can also be edited; nonetheless, the content remains the same. Sporting events shown on television include football, basketball, swimming, soccer, or even Olympic events.
Classification of Television Programs: Conclusion
Television shows are rated accordingly to ensure that young viewers will be properly guided (RTÉ Television – On-Screen Classification par. 1). Ratings can be another way of classifying television shows. Through ratings, the people, particularly the parents, are being made aware of the kind of television shows that would be good for their children.
Through ratings, shows that contain violence, sex scenes, and other scenes not suited for young audiences can be avoided (RTÉ Television – On-Screen Classification par. 2). Thus, according to the above-mentioned, television shows can also be classified according to their target audience. Television shows’ classification varies depending on what the people want to watch.
Works Cited
CTAM Advanced Cable Solutions Consortium. “Genre and Show Type Classification.”CableLabs 2010.
“RTÉ Television – On Screen Classification.” RTÉ Ireland’s National Television and Radio Broadcaster. n.d.