Reflective TV Cultures Post

Reflective TV Cultures Post:

Condensed Time Work Diary

 Through utilizing a time use diary one thing became very apparent, my standardized viewing habits typically went against that of normative scheduled broad cast viewing, while mostly falling outside of John Fiske definition of scheduling which is “the means by which a day’s broadcasting is arranged.’

The only time in which I utilized broadcast television was when I was using it as a means to either assist in waking up or playing in the background as background noise while cooking or completing chores. When reflecting on my viewing regime surrounding my morning coffee and viewing of Sunrise I realized through habituation I picked from my parents, I have developed viewing behavior that has become more of an instinct than not- a sleepy-eyed Annie reaching for the remote and turning on channel seven while simultaneously being alienated and confused by individuals who preference Today over Sunrise. (Williams 1974)

Another major theme which emerged through an analysis of my viewing habits was the increasing amount of binge watching, both through the platforms of Netflix, Online Streaming, and via my laptops DVD drive. Due to a hectic work/university/internship/ life balance, and travelling home to Robinvale once a month network broadcasting outside of Sunrise and The Project rarely appeared in my viewing habits, however the emergence of a more interactive and audience driven viewing mode allowed me to still make time for this binging.

When breaking up my two choice genres of viewing, two major defining points emerge, satirical cartoon through the means of Bobs Burgers and Archer, and Reality Television/Television that feels naturally cultivated.
Typically the viewing of the satirical cartoon is done before I go to bed, as a means of winding down after a hectic day/week everyday events in a cartoon mode as it draws an emphasis on the less serious side of everyday occurrences and makes for an easy viewing that work almost therapeutically.

On the opposite end I found that I binge watched Parks and Recreation, due to it expertly combining talking-head style interviews with location shooting and enough improvisation to cultivate an overall authentic final show- that felt less like a series starring fictional entities, resonating so strongly that I felt I lacked closure when I viewed it the finale the first time around.

Another major stand out pattern in my recorded viewing was the large binge view of if you are the one, which I find especially engaging due to it combining elements from reality TV, globalism and with a little bit of hate watching on my part, through the emergence of online streaming in the last decade accessibility across most network shows has dramatically increased, putting control in the viewers hands and making viewing more flexible for people like me who don’t have a standardized 9-5 living, while also offering the possibility to watch shows from all over the globe.

In when contrasting with notions outlined by Fiske I noted through exploring my viewing habits the impact the emergence of online platforms such as Netflix, and Torrenting software’s such as Utorrent has had upon the overall television culture that exists. While allowing the old conventions to continue to stand strong, it paves way for more viewer-catered relationships with networks produced shows. Allowing accessibility globally to content across the world to be greater than ever before.

References:
John Fiske, Visible Fictions

(Williams, Television, Technology & Cultural Form,)‏ 1974