Kam V and Vi: Public Policy and Television: Improving Technology and Management in Decision-Making

© 2009 Elaine. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 10/9/2009

ISBN: 978-1-4389-6355-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4389-6356-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4670-5324-2 (ebk)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2009906255

Printed in the United States of America

Bloomington, Indiana

Contents

Introduction

Breadth

Theories of Public Broadcast Service

Depth

Issues in Democratic Governance

Depth Bibliography References

Application Component

Application of Democratic Governance

Breadth References

Depth References

Application References

KAM VI

ABSTRACT

Breadth

ABSTRACT

Depth

ABSTRACT

Application

Breadth

Paradigms Of Leadership and

Organizational Change

Bibliography References

Theory, Leadership, and Organization

Breadth References

About the Author

Introduction

This Knowledge Area Module (KAM) applies to a self-designed doctoral program, with a particular emphasis on media arts and democracy in television. This KAM will help fortify an understanding of learning theories as applied to education and democracy aspects of policy issues facing television, especially as the theories relate to domestic and international news–related events. For KAM V, abiding by the theme of theories of media art and democracy, for Breadth, I will examine the theoretical basis of processes associated with free press and communication within public and private television. For the Depth portion of KAM V, I will compare, contrast, analyze, and comment on media art and democracy theorists from the Breadth component with contemporary research issues of public policy in broadcasting television. The application portion of KAM V will include an integration portion of the Breadth and Depth Section, in addition to related material on public television. In addition, the application section will focus on the nexus between media arts and democracy of television. Understanding the nature of a critical aspect of society. In addition, KAM V will include an analysis of factors that tie free press and television together.

Breadth

Theories of Public Broadcast Service

History of Television

This component begins with an examination of the building blocks of media art education and democracy education through public policy, such as examined by Anderson (2006) and Hatch (1997). Inquiry will move into the methods of achieving resources for updating a technology as expanded by Galperin’s point of view and connecting with other theories of media arts and democracy of a free press through public and private television. In addition, there will brief discussions of Sidak, Rosen, and Johnson on free press Television may serve as a form of entertainment. Television is used for the enhancement of aspects of everyday life. Today, society wants education, information, and instruction, and television provides the audience with documentaries or educational programs, creativity, and knowledge. Television offers a wide range of valuable programs and content. It is an integral and vital medium today that can contribute positively to the education of society and people’s awareness of others. Television is one of the most powerful media the world has ever seen. In most cultures, television trends create public preferences and drive public opinions. Thomas (1999) argued that it sets the national mood, links political and commercial centers and decides outcome of elections long before voters steps into public booth (p. 2). If television profits and the decision-making process are diversified into local throughout the country, people would profit from television throughout the world. Stephen (1993) argues that television programming began taking huge steps away from radio formats. It was dominated by several major networks during the 1950s.

In 1964, color broadcasting began on prime-time television. The Federal Communication and Commission Act helped approved a Community Broadcasting System. During the 1960s, a country increasingly fascinated with television was limited to watching exclusively what appeared on several major networks. By the 1980s, politicians and government leaders were familiar enough with the workings of television to be able to exploit the medium to their own ends. In addition, new technology begun to emerged during the early 80’s (Stephen, 1993). Television news first covered the presidential nomination conventions of the two major parties in 1952. The Carnegie Commission Report of 1967 recommended the creation of a fourth, non- commercial, public television network built around the educational, nonprofit stations: Public Broadcasting Service. Unlike commercial networks, the Public Broadcasting Service began to produce educational and political programs. In addition, the forces that dominated the three major television networks were NBC, ABC, and CBS. In addition, home recorders became widely available. During that time, viewers gained the ability to record and replay their programs of choice. The broadcast networks’ share of the television audience eroded from more than 90 percent in the early 1980s to less than 50 percent by 1997.

Author and European editor Mary Jo Hatch is an organizational theorist whose area of research include organizational culture, identity and image, symbolic understanding in and of organizations, and managerial humor. Some of her work created an atmosphere on how theories may best serve as a positive or negative influence on society. As a theorist of organizational behavior, Hatch describes how public policy helps influence the much-needed debate on increasing technology. Public Broadcasting Service, through the means of public television, increases the demand for implementing more improved service. Hatch (2004) argues that technology is centered as a black box into which resources tend to flow and from which products and services emerge. Therefore, since technology is basically a black box that transports information from one point to another point, one can say that television serves as a visual messenger between facts and fictions. In other words, what you hear tends to resonate compared to reading textual, written information. Therefore, a recent survey, in Newsweek Magazine (2007), stated that after surveying more than 1,000 adults, most people tend to grasp more by visual contact compared to reading or writing. However, with Public Broadcast Service available through the free press, television serves a critical purpose for not only entertainment but democracy and education.

An opportunity to be heard depends on whether you can afford to be heard" (Moyer, 1999). In Free Speech for Sale, Bill Moyer examines how industries with deep pockets use their power to gain access to the media to influence public debate. In 1996, Congress passed the Telecommunications Act. The Telecommunications Act provides control over the flow of information about democracy and public organizations, countering the growing dominance of big media. In addition, Moyers (1999) argues that ownership of the media is the central issue that society faces today. Society, as whole, should be able to voice its opinions.

Building Blocks as Tools of Media Arts in Education

First, media arts in education focuses on self-expression and creativity. In a bid to develop sophisticated audiences, museum education has been a strong outlet for the hands-on approach to media education. In Media Education Elephant, Tyner (1991) argues that non-profit media arts organizations are also providing educational models through partnerships with schools and sponsorship of independent student video production programs(p. 22).

Hands-on video production is especially popular with those students who are doing poorly in the traditional classroom. Esteem accrued through media production is a result of completing a project from beginning to end with adults who care. The good feeling produced by working in an endeavor that approximates broadcast media simply is a borrowed esteem that defers true empowerment in order to keep students busy in activities that are self-absorbents. True self-esteem, which enables students to give back to their communities, grows out of the mastery of skills, in addition to identifying, analyzing, and overcoming the daily erosion of human dignity in an unjust society (Tyner, 1991).

Tyner (1991) listed a bulleted list of building blocks that can serve as media arts in educational learning: a). Production programs serves as a learning tool for education purposes. b). In introduction, independent films grabs the attention of the audience. c). Video programming is equal to classroom teaching. d). Media artist ability to persuade learning and teaching enhances television (p. 33).

Theory of Marx and Galperin on Media Art

and the Democracy of Television

It may argued that during the last half century, the computer and television have been vital pieces of technology that have kept the public informed. The computer revolutionized the way society works, and television sometime revolutionizes the way society relaxes. In addition, both revolutionize the way we remain abreast of what is going on around us.

If one is to contrasts Maslow’s theory of development of free press with that of Marx, it may be argued that freedom of the press of public and private television was meant for advertisement from an organizational theory. Hatch (1997) argues that Karl Marx was best known for a theory of capitalism. Marx’s views on public television have been influential in the development of theories of the media. Even though his views was found to be critical and radical, the role of education in television has maintained the status quid pro quo of class dominance that all of society should be able to express the art of learning from the free speech of public and private television. Sometime, opinions and views are fought between dominance of classes; control the capitalist; and media professionals are influenced and affected by a dominant culture.

These opinions include Marx’s theory of capitalism. Hatch (1997) argues that capitalism should rest upon production of the executive. He also argues that capitalists placing workers control over work managerial control creates competition among workers in different pay (p. 29).

Karl Marx believed that all people in a society should somehow earn capitalism. In his own theory of capitalism, Marx also believed that in order to be able to control organizational system, one would have to counter attack different sides of control systems (p. 31). Cognitive and communicative functions may produce freedom of expression, which becomes the basic of a new and superior form for viewers. However, much of the understanding of free press by the public has been gleamed from research into democracy and media arts education, since television is geared towards freedom in democracy.

Use of technology as signs of improving technology through public policymaking

The use of ideas and interests regarding technology among public and private interest groups tends to persuade public opinion regarding television public policy. In

"Beyond Interests, Ideas, and Technology: An Institutional Approach to Communication and

Information Policy," Galperin (2004) briefly examines three alternative theoretical approaches to communication. In the article, the author examines the special-interest group approach, ideological group approach, and technology group approach.

Based on the outcome of public policy debates within legislatures, it can be stated that for some major policy issues in the media, telecom, and information technology industries, computing groups and organizations advocate different courses of action for public service broadcasting in communication. Within the taxonomy of theoretical approaches, there tend to be theories that promote public service broadcasting.

Special-interest groups, ideological groups, and technological groups connect public policy and choice. The special-interest group approach is geared toward a development of what most considered their own beliefs. In this approach, policy outcomes are typically explicated by the considered their own available to interest groups and their support coalition. In other words, policy outcomes are a function of the power that each interest group is able to amass and wield in support of preferred outcomes (Galperin, 2004). Acts by special-interest groups play a major role in support of public policy for television by elected officials. Pluralists regard elected officials and bureaucrats as rather neutral brokers of compromises between competing stakeholders while neo-Marxists tend to think of elected officials and bureaucrats as systematically captured by the most powerful leaders. While considering the relationship of special-interest groups with those of other groups, society tends to agree with the robust-stand special-interest groups. These groups focus on the balance of power between interest groups, the key explanatory variable of regulatory action. In addition to power, there are many theories on special-interest groups seeking to improve communication on public service broadcasting.

Today, stakeholders might be the most vital decision-makers in special-interest groups.

Stakeholders are included in big and small governments. However, a desired outcome of plurists may be based decisions by supplying goods and services to special groups at least cost efficient (Galperin, 2004, p 55).

Special-interest groups may play a major role in influencing public perception of major news issues. Whether promoting freedom of speech or freedom of religion, certain interest groups push agendas for unheard voices. In short, when identifying winners and losers, it is not enough to make casual assertions about the determinants of public policies. While communication and information policy scholars often equate favorable outcomes with interest group power, more rigorous attention to links between competing social demands is necessary; therefore, government action is needed. According to Galperin (2004), the ideological approach plays a critical role in the shaping of communication and information policy and permeates policymaking, alleviating uncertainties; at times, it may help define acceptable courses of action. In "the context of high informational uncertainty, some beliefs contains nation of policy problem, acceptable courses