National Broadcasting Research Articles

Audience Listening as a Path for Public Service Media: The Case of “La Gran Consulta” in Spain

ABSTRACT In an era marked by disinformation and eroding trust in social institutions, public service media (PSM) face significant challenges in audience engagement and redefining their role within the digital media ecosystem. “La Gran Consulta” (LGC) [The Great Consultation] emerges as a groundbreaking initiative by Radio Televisión Española (RTVE) aimed at involving the public in shaping the future of national broadcasting and its digital transformation. This study critically examines LGC as a paradigm of effective audience listening, employing the theoretical framework of the architecture of listening. Through primary data from project outcomes and interviews with key personnel, this paper analyzes the implementation and impact of LGC, offering insights and strategies for similar initiatives across Europe. The findings provide a foundation for a renewed framework and mandate for public television, emphasizing the role of audience participation in fostering trust and enhancing public service media’s relevance in contemporary society.

ONTOGENESIS OF CLEAR IMAGE: CONTEMPORARY TELEVISION AND FILM PROGRAMMING ON RADIO TELEVISION OF SERBIA IN THE DIGITAL AGE FROM AN EDITORIAL PERSPECTIVE

This paper examines the transformation of television production, specifically focusing on film programming within the digital environment from an editorial perspective at Radio Television of Serbia (RTS). The study delves into the transition from traditional analog broadcasting, where a single film was aired once a week, often a western, to the complexities of modern digital television production, which incorporates advanced organizational and technical skills, as well as the integration of contemporary technologies in program realization.The research highlights the increasing importance of editorial work in creating diverse and engaging content that caters to various demographic groups, with a special focus on the responsibilities of editors in shaping program quality and audience engagement. As television production has evolved into a leading creative sector, it now encompasses a wide range of genres, multimedia content, and interactive media, reflecting significant changes in both cultural and organizational strategies within the media landscape.The paper also explores the impact of globalization, technological advancements, and changing cultural policies on the development of national public service broadcasters like RTS. It discusses how these institutions have adapted to the challenges posed by a rapidly changing media environment, such as the increasing demand for efficiency, the expansion of content, and the inclusion of marginalized social groups in the programming.Through the examination of editorial practices in contemporary film programming, this work aims to offer insights into the evolving role of editorial decisions in shaping television content, as well as their contribution to the broader cultural and educational objectives of public broadcasting in the digital age.Top of Form

Administration through imposing a fine? A fine as a legal instrument of administration of the broadcasters’ operation in Poland

The aim of the paper is an analysis of the legal structure of the administrative fine under the Polish Broadcasting Act, as well as an analysis of the practice of its application by the authorized administrative body, which is the Chairman of the National Broadcasting Council. The main problem of the paper is formulated as the question whether imposing a fine on broadcasters is an important instrument for administering their operations in Poland. In order to answer the posed question, an analysis of the legal regulations and administrative decisions of the Chairman of the National Broadcasting Council was conducted. For this purpose, the dogmatic-legal method and the case study method were used. As a result, it has been concluded that imposing a fine on broadcasters in Poland is not only a significant instrument for regulating their operation, but also a highly repressive practice that can be misused. Such a practice should be retrieved both at the legal and application of law levels.

Stakeholders Perception of Court Ban on NBC’s Power to Impose Fine

On January 17th 2024, the court banned the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) from its usual practice of imposing fines on erring media organisations. The study examined the perspectives of stakeholders on the Court ban on NBC’s power to impose fines, using qualitative research design. Key Informant Interview KII was conducted with media practitioners, lawyers, academics, and NBC officials using Interview Guide as a Data Collection instrument. The study, anchored on Social Responsibility Theory, revealed stakeholders’ diverse perspectives on the ban. While some believe it will limit NBC’s regulatory power others believe the injunction will not affect their regulatory powers in any way. The study in conclusion emphasised the need for NBC to explore alternative regulatory mechanisms to effectively oversee the broadcast sector. It finally recommended the need for stakeholders to convene round table discussions in order to address issues affecting the broadcast media industry.

News‐Driven Household Macroeconomic Expectations: Regional vs. National Telecast Information

AbstractUsing variations in the human‐annotated topic content of national and regional telecasts, I explore the link between aggregated daily news and household unemployment, inflation, and economic situation expectations in France. Beyond the information included in national statistics, household expectations embody news information on topics related to the state of the economy, such as deficit, living cost, and economic crisis. Inflation expectations additionally incorporate news on taxes, energy, and especially oil. Distinguishing regional from national television broadcasts reveals that household expectations incorporate both regional and national news, with news on local labor market conditions having a prominent role.

Mediating women: the International Council of Women and the rise of (trans)national broadcasting

ABSTRACT Almost from the start of radio broadcasting, the International Council of Women (ICW) took particular interest in the medium, founding a Broadcasting Committee in 1936. This article examines the organisation’s approach to radio as it emerged in the late 1920s and 1930s. It explores these developments through the identities of three women who steered the ICW’s broadcasting work: the internationalist French-American Laura Dreyfus-Barney; the Swedish journalist and women’s rights campaigner Margareta von Konow; and the ‘model fascist’ Italian mathematician Maria Castellani. It reveals the range and scope of ICW feminisms, the roles of its members as both activists and professionals, how women’s radio expertise was defined, and, finally, how radio broadcasting became a key part of ICW strategy.

IMPACT OF MASS MEDIA ON LOCAL BUSINESSES CASE STUDY IN MANGOCHI DISTRICT

Every business one way or the other gets advertised, it can be a poster on one’s door or a commercial advert on the national broadcasting station. The aim of all these efforts is to attract customers, increase awareness, and introduces a new product and many more. Mass media is the only platform that allows entrepreneurs to reach a wide area because of its ability to extend media coverage. Mass media refers to a diversified collection of media technologies that reach a larger audience via mass communication. Mass media is every wide area that cover different media channels form print media, electronic media and social media. All these aspects are part of mass media. Therefore, having noted what mass media is, this study will aim at finding the impacts of mass media on local businesses in Mangochi district. The research will try to find how local entrepreneurs are using mass media in their business, the challenges that local entrepreneurs are facing in relation to mass media, benefits that local entrepreneurs are obtaining with the help of mass media and many more. The aim of this study is to find whether mass media is important to a local business or not. This study will use qualitative method in collecting and analyzing the data. The researcher will collect the data from 40 prominent business entities with Mangochi using a questionnaire and will analyze the data using the thematic data analysis. From, the analysis the research will present the findings in a discussion form and a comparison with the literature review will be conducted. The aim of comparing the two (actual finds and literature review) is to know whether the researcher’s findings are corresponding to what other people have already find out. Finally, the researcher will write a report on his findings and give a recommendation. KEY WORDS: mass media, local businesses, social media, challenges and benefits.

Is Australia's urban-regional schism on climate reality or rhetoric?

Research and popular discourse have not settled on whether there exists an urban-regional divide on climate. In Australia, we observe rhetoric in the public sphere suggesting such a divide. In this paper we examine whether the urban-regional schism on climate reflects the reality of Australians' opinions on climate change. We conducted a quota survey of the Australian population (N = 2,952) and measured opinion across seven climate and seven social issues. We found limited evidence of an urban-regional divide on climate change and most social issues. However, urban and regional Australians’ attitudes differed on one item: perception of difference between urban and regional people. We suggest that urban-regional divide rhetoric may appeal to rural identifying people, not regional residents per se. We also identified the role of media habits: consumption of ABC (the national broadcaster) or Sky News (News Corp subscription channel) are significant predictors of climate opinion.

‘Well they Weren’t Married!’: The Marriage Bar at Radio/Telefís Éireann 1962–72

This article examines the use of the marriage bar at the Irish national broadcaster Radio/Telefís Éireann from 1962, when the station went to air, until 1972, when the station lifted the bar. The marriage bar was a regulation that required women to give up their jobs upon marriage. It applied, on a statutory basis, to all female civil servants, and as a cultural practice for most lines of white collar employment in Ireland. This article takes the Irish national broadcaster as a case study to examine the implication of the bar in the media sector in Ireland. It looks at multiple classes of women at the national broadcaster and examines the varied implementation of the bar and its impact on female workers. To that end, it looks first at women at the higher levels of the station who worked as department heads and producers. It then moves on to discuss the marriage bar’s impact on women who worked on screen at Radio/Telefís Éireann. Finally, it looks at women in the lower ranks of programme making roles who worked as Production Assistants and Research Assistants. It argues that the Irish national broadcaster utilised the marriage bar similarly to other public sector bodies in that it was used to reinforce a male breadwinner ideal within the organisation. This article will discuss multiple classes of women workers at the station drawing out some of the differences and similarities in the bar’s implementation across classes. It will first discuss the ways in which the marriage bar was applied to producers and directors, the highest-ranked female workers at the station. It will then move on to the treatment of married women who worked on screen before addressing women who worked as production assistants and research assistants. Significantly, those who worked as PAs and RAs represented some of the lowest ranking women at the national broadcaster. Finally, the article will discuss the end of the marriage bar at the station.

Word of the year 1919

In Iceland, the word of the year is chosen annually, both by the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service and the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies (AMI). We explore the possibility of doing the same but for a year more than 100 years ago. We try using the same methods as AMI does for our times. This approach has various limitations, which we discuss, and raises many questions, such as how much texts from journals and periodicals reflect the actual word use of the time.

Public Discourse on the Israel‐Hamas War 2023: A Comparative Analysis of Lithuania and the United Kingdom

AbstractThe conflict between the Israeli government and Hamas escalated on 7th October 2023, with the media playing an unprecedented role in shaping the perceptions and narratives surrounding the ongoing tensions. The portrayal by the media, often mirroring global viewpoints and biases, has significantly influenced public opinion and international stances, serving as a catalyst for political, diplomatic, and humanitarian interventions. The aim of the study is to analyze the formation of discourse on the Israel‐Hamas war (2023) within the media landscapes of Lithuania and the United Kingdom, emphasizing the role of national broadcasters and uncovering the primary disparities in the information provided by online news portals lrt.lt and bbc.com. Employing the qualitative content analysis method, the study provides comprehensive insights into the subject matter. Moreover, it highlights the approaches of the Lithuanian and UK governments towards security discourse in Europe and their concerns regarding humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip. The study is relevant to shed light on how political decisions and public opinion influence the international community's support for various actors in the conflict, including the manifestation of Islamophobic and antisemitic sentiments.

Fighting for Better Representation of Women in and on RTÉ: Women’s Work in Promoting Gender Equality at Ireland’s National Broadcaster, 1979-1981

This article examines the role that women’s activism and advocacy played in early Irish television and the opportunities for and representation of women in national broadcaster Radio Telefís Éireann (RTÉ). It focuses on two groups: RTÉ’s own Working Group on Women in Broadcasting, which reported in 1981, and the Women in Broadcasting Study Group of 1980, headed by Senator Gemma Hussey. Both investigated practices of employment of women and the roles that they undertook as well as the role of women in RTÉ programs and in television advertising on RTÉ. The article argues that, although there were tensions between the two groups and each group had different interests, different methodological approaches in their reports and were received in the public and by RTÉ very differently, they effectively worked together to compel RTÉ to implement their recommendations and take the issue of gender equality more seriously on a long-term basis.

Telecasting Tokyo to a Locked Down Nation: Australian Broadcast Coverage of the 2020 Olympic Summer Games

This study explored how nationalism was perpetuated by the Seven Network’s broadcasting of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games during a time, in which much of Australia was in various forms of Covid-19 lockdowns. Self-categorization theory was used to analyze all the primetime coverage of the Seven Network’s main channel for name mentions, description of success or failure, and personality and physicality of the Olympians. Results of this study underscore large differences in the way in which the Seven Network portrayed Australian and non-Australian athletes. Whilst the majority of the top-20 most-mentioned athletes list were Australian, non-Australian athletes received the bulk of the name mentions. There were also differences in the ways in which Australian and non-Australian athletes’ success and failure were portrayed. This study contributes to the literature by uncovering how a major sporting event was covered by a national broadcaster during the Covid-19 pandemic and shows that Australian media catered its coverage to its home audience, who were in lockdowns. Thus, interest and viewership of the Tokyo Olympics was high, which might have been the impetus for the Seven Network to create a largely partisan program.

“Stay tuned!"

“Stay tuned!"

State or Public Service Broadcasting? Assessing the Making of a National Television Service in Botswana

This paper uses the political economy framework to examine developments surrounding the establishment and structuring of Botswana Television since its introduction as a national broadcaster in 2000. The focus is to identify the broadcasting model for Btv, and establish whether PSB or SB would be appropriate for a national television in Botswana context. Data obtained through documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews showed that Btv has always been funded and structured to operate from either the Government Ministry of Transport and Communications, or the Office of the President. Consequently, the channel’s broadcasts are predisposed toward the ideologies of the ruling elites, than those of the public. Therefore, we argue that Btv should be re-structured and allowed to operate in the interests of both the state and public. Doing so could result in collective use of state media and safeguard against unnecessary government control. Thus, for developing contexts such as Botswana, we suggest a hybrid model of both PSB and SB.

Eksistensi Radio Melalui Konvergensi Siaran di Era Digital

Radio is a communication medium that must now be able to compete with new media which is currently increasingly massive. The aim of this research is to find out how national private broadcast radio in West Java is able to maintain its existence and the strategies it implements to continue to exist amidst competition with digital information platforms that currently exist. Research respondents were managers of local radio stations in West Java, especially those in Bandung, Cimahi, Sukabumi and Cirebon. This research uses qualitative methods by describing the result of questioners and interviewing and then processing them in the form of descriptive narratives and pie diagram. The results of this research are that almost all private broadcast radio stations in the West Java region that were respondents implemented a convergence strategy to maintain their existence and made changes to their broadcast model management. Some of the convergence strategies implemented are broadcasting via digital streaming, creating more interesting broadcast program content with an audio-visual style such as podcasts, choosing broadcasters who have popularity and character, upgrading broadcast equipment, having social media as a branding and content publication medium, and upload content to YouTube media. This convergence strategy is also carried out to increase interest and the number of advertisers so that they can continue to choose radio as a medium for marketing the products and services offered more widely and in a contemporary style.

More than keyboard heroes? #ichoosefish, disaster framing, and environmental protests in Vietnam

This paper investigates the role of social media in mobilizing environmentalism amid authoritarian restrictions, focusing on the Vietnam coastal pollution of 2016. It contributes to current academic debates by showing how elements that are apparently mundane and irrelevant become the stage for political action within social media. We examined the interface of connective actions (social media activism) – collective actions (protests) and the role of food symbolism in translating digital activism into physical resistance that bridges the distance between rural and urban areas. Data were collected from Facebook and Twitter, as well as semi-structured interviews, policy documents, and national newspapers and broadcasts. Food symbolism, exemplified by #ichoosefish, helped personalize grievances and materialize protest actions amid the government’s countermeasures. The results further show that by using social media, especially Facebook, the activists managed to rationalize their political engagement in a non-participatory context and mobilize protests during political restrictions by arguing that their ‘apolitical’ actions were motivated by food-based grievances associated with personal, environmentalist and nationalist concerns. Food symbolism is thus essential in transitioning from connective actions to collective actions.

Improving access to family planning for women with disabilities in Kaduna city, Nigeria: study protocol for a pragmatic cluster-randomized controlled trial with integrated process evaluation

BackgroundGlobally, women with disabilities are less likely to have access to family planning services compared to their peers without disabilities. However, evidence of effective interventions for promoting their sexual and reproductive health and rights remains limited, particularly in low- and middle-income settings. To help address disparities, an inclusive sexual and reproductive health project was developed to increase access to modern contraceptive methods and reduce unmet need for family planning for women of reproductive age with disabilities in Kaduna city, Nigeria. The project uses demand-side, supply-side and contextual interventions, with an adaptive management approach. This protocol presents a study to evaluate the project’s impact.MethodsA pragmatic cluster-randomized controlled trial design with surveys at baseline and endline will be used to evaluate interventions delivered for at least 1 year at health facility and community levels in comparison to ‘standard’ state provision of family planning services, in the context of state-wide and national broadcast media and advocacy. Randomization will be conducted based on the health facility catchment area, with 19 clusters in the intervention arm and 18 in the control arm. The primary outcome measure will be access to family planning. It was calculated that at least 950 women aged 18 to 49 years with disabilities (475 in each arm) will be recruited to detect a 50% increase in access compared to the control arm. For each woman with disabilities enrolled, a neighbouring woman without disabilities in the same cluster and age group will be recruited to assess whether the intervention has a specific effect amongst women with disabilities. The trial will be complemented by an integrated process evaluation. Ethical approval for the study has been given by the National Health Research Ethics Committee of Nigeria and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.DiscussionDefining access to services is complex, as it is not a single variable that can be measured directly and need for family planning is subjectively defined. Consequently, we have conceptualized ‘access to family planning’ based on a composite of beliefs about using services if needed.Trial registrationISRCTN registry ISRCTN12671153. Retrospectively registered on 17/04/2023.

Perlindungan Hukum Penyiaran kepada Anak terhadap Konten Pornografi dan Kekerasan menurut P3SPS pada Media Televisi

At this time, one of the electronic mass media that’s still loved by the majority people in the world is television, when other mass media such as radio and newspapers are starting to be abandoned and losing their popularity amidst the crazy impact of globalization and modernization, television is still showing it’s existence, through the variety shows by various national broadcasting institutions. In this case, children and teenagers occupy the top rank as the largest number of television viewers in Indonesia. Children and teenagers are a group of people who have a fairly fast learning ability, they can easily follow and learn what they see, hear and through what they experience, so in this case it can be concluded that television is an electronic audio visuals media make a significant contribution to children's learning and growth. But, what if the majority of television shows are not child-friendly, such as the many scenes of pornography, sexuality, physical and mental violence that are still freely shown, not in accordance with the age rating and standard broadcast hours set by the KPI? This research uses a qualitative research method with an approach using a literature review method, which means this research is guided by research journals and several books that have similar discussions, to find out the role of broadcasting law in protecting children against violent and pornographic content on television.

Zambia’s Support for the African National Congress’s Radio Freedom in Lusaka, 1967–1992

ABSTRACT This article explores the contribution Zambia made to the liberation struggle in South Africa by hosting the ANC’s Radio Freedom in Lusaka. It relies on a combination of archival evidence (audio and documentary sources) from both countries, and interviews conducted with the broadcasters and other media workers of both Radio Freedom and the Zambian national broadcaster. The article argues that Zambia offered immense support to Radio Freedom in the form of broadcasting equipment, working space and airtime on the external services of the national broadcaster. While it waxed and waned in the early years, this assistance increased considerably in the aftermath of the Soweto student uprising of 1976, which enabled the ANC to have a sonic presence among its supporters back home, where listening to this radio was illegal. The support given to Radio Freedom was not isolated but part of a wider struggle and solidarity with the liberation movements in the Southern African region fighting white minority rule. Through Radio Freedom, the ANC was able to shape the course of the unfolding struggle and internal political developments and to attain the cultural hegemony of the Charterist tradition over the Africanist and Black Consciousness camp.