Resulhan Öztimur
Dumbing Down as Content Portfolio Strategy
A Comparison of Public and Private TV Broadcasting in Germany
ISBN: 978-3-8366-3495-3
Herstellung: Diplomica® Verlag GmbH, Hamburg, 2009
Zugl. COLOGNE BUSINESS SCHOOL - International Campus, Köln, Deutschland,
Bachelorarbeit, 2009
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Table of Contents
1
Introduction...
1
1.1 Problem Formulation...
1
1.2 Research Question...
2
1.3 Research Objective...
2
1.4 Methodology...
2
1.5 Thesis Organisation...
3
2
Terms and Definitions...
5
3
Literature Review...
10
4
Theoretical Framework...
11
4.1
BCG Matrix...
11
4.2
Customer Satisfaction Model...
12
5
`Dumbing Down'...
14
5.1
Attributes...
14
5.2
`Dumbing Down' as Process and Product...
15
6
Sources of `Dumbing Down'...
18
6.1 The Society...
18
6.1.1
Population Profile...
18
6.1.2
Tendencies in Interests...
20
6.2 The Networks and Programmes...
25
6.2.1
Network Objectives and Missions...
25
6.2.2
A Historical Snapshot...
27
6.2.3
Current Televisual Landscape...
28
6.2.4
The Strategy...
35
7
Survey...
38
7.1
Quality in German Television...
38
7.2
Quality Evaluation...
39
8
Case Study by the Example of ZDF and RTL...
45
8.1 The Programme Portfolios of ZDF and RTL...
46
8.2
Content Analysis on the Basis of Genres...
52
9
Results...
57
10
Conclusion...
59
11
Appendix...
61
12
Bibliography...
78
1
1. Introduction
"I listened to the entire festivity and I was appalled. There were small television
excerpts being offered with some clowns, some nonsense, idiocy, filth, complete filth.
This is what is being broadcasted in Germany each day. The directors say that the
audience wishes so, as if the audience was a crowd of idiots." On October 11
th
, 2008,
German literature critic Marcel Reich Ranicki rejected the German Television Prize
honouring him for his lifetime achievement. In front of rolling cameras, Ranicki made
his standpoint very clear that he finds the current television landscape rubbish and dull.
His words are the result of 25 years of private televisual content development in
Germany. Today's media environment has changed drastically. Each day we find more
and more TV programmes which are designed for an audience that demands no
intellectual work and wants to be entertained. This matter of entertainment has
exclusively formed the television networks' programming strategies concerning their
content. Consequently, the offer of daily soaps ("GZSZ"), reality TV ("Big Brother",
"Dschungelcamp") and game/casting shows ("Deutschland sucht den Superstar") has
risen, while the offer of classical formats such as fiction film, documentaries and
sophisticated programmes ("Das literarische Quartett") has decreased.
1.1. Problem Formulation
Since the establishment of private broadcasting in 1984, the television offering in
Germany has not only changed quantitatively but also qualitatively. Today, we have a
range of more than 50 German private TV broadcasters with an enormous variety of
programmes. In recent years, we have been experiencing a downward trend of content
quality, which is defined as `dumbing down'. The problem arises that in the battle for
ratings, intellectual demand fades into the background of sole entertainment. This
approach has evolved into the main content portfolio strategy of private television. But
is it only the private broadcasters' blame or are ARD and ZDF also striving for audience
ratings in their programming methods? Is television in fact dumbing the culture down or
is it making it smarter? Which side triggered the effect of `dumbing down' the media
or the audience? These questions still remain unanswered. Therefore, this paper
intends to analyse the matter of `dumbing down' as well as the interrelated content
portfolio strategy.
2
1.2. Research Question
This thesis paper will investigate and answer the following research questions:
·
RQ1:
What are the cause and effect of `dumbing down'?
·
RQ2:
How does `dumbing down' interrelate with the broadcasting networks' content
portfolio strategies?
·
RQ3:
What are the effects of `dumbing down' on television programming?
1.3. Research Objective
This paper aims to analyse the hypothesis that TV broadcasting networks focus on less
intellectual programmes in order to ensure high ratings. In doing so, the null hypothesis
that television serves as an educational medium will prospectively be falsified. Further,
by comparing public and private TV in Germany, it will be determined whether or not
there is a difference in tendencies toward shallow content. It is important to note that
the research will only refer to the mainstream analogue television landscape in
Germany. Since a broader analysis of both digital and analogue offerings would go
beyond the scope of the thesis, it has been decided to focus on the traditional
television format.
1.4. Methodolgy
The motivation to write about the television landscape in Germany emerged after
listening to literature critic Marcel Reich Ranicki's words at the German Television Prize
and later in the thirty-minute discussion with showmaster Thomas Gottschalk on ZDF.
Animated by this, the research questions were formulated analysing the interrelation of
`dumbing down' and television content portfolio strategy. After conducting internet
research (EBSCO Host and Google Scholar), a collection of articles and books was
gathered. Since it was difficult to find literature with a direct link between content
3
portfolio strategies and today's culture, the research was split into both separate topics.
The next step was to arrange the articles into their particular themes such as
programming strategies, quality of the media, programme genres and analyses, TV
viewers conduct and finally academic as well as scientific research papers. However,
the process of collecting relevant literature turned out to be continuous throughout the
completion of the thesis. Afterwards, the theoretical framework was set in order to
tackle the issues and problems. It was decided to use the BCG Matrix and the
Customer Satisfaction Model from Kano. For the purpose of analysing the viewers'
responses to current TV news programming, a survey was conducted by the author.
Further information about the online survey will be employed in the appendix. Also, in
order to conclude the thesis and to contrast public and private television programming,
a case study was undertaken based on the research of Yin (2002). Here, the author
analyses and compares the programme portfolios of ZDF and RTL in order to assume
the profitability of the various genres. Lastly, the attempt to obtain expert interviews
with the network RTL failed because the Vice President of Strategic Program Planning
felt that the title of the thesis displayed a "wholesale condemnation of private
television".
1.5. Thesis Organisation
In the organization of the Bachelor's Thesis, the general problems as well as the
research questions were formulated in order to establish a central basis for the
upcoming research. The methodology depicts the approach that has been complied
with in tackling the problem. Chapter 2 employs a list of terms and definitions for the
purpose of clarifying technical knowledge that is relevant in the course of the thesis.
Chapter 3 reviews the literature that served as a fundamental information source. In
chapter 4, the theoretical framework is explained. There, the models of the Boston
Consulting Group (BCG Matrix) and of Kano (Customer Satisfaction Model) are
clarified serving as a basis for later applications. The fifth chapter analyses the term
`dumbing down' and allocates various attributes to it so as to undertake a health check
of various programmes from the main German networks ARD, ZDF, RTL, Sat.1 and
ProSieben. Chapter 6 deals with the roles of the receiver and the sender of the
medium, respectively the society and the television networks, in an attempt to
determine the sources of `dumbing down'. There, the population of Germany is
4
depicted and an analysis of its programme choices is determined. The second
subchapter comprises the networks' objectives and mission statements (as stated on
the networks' web pages) for the purpose of understanding their motivations for
television programming. After presenting a historical snapshot of television content, the
current landscape is illustrated in order to identify the interrelated strategies. Chapter 7
contains a survey conducted by the author. Here, the author investigated the subject of
quality and its meaning within the context of television. Further, he employs the results
of the online survey regarding the audience's satisfaction with current news
programmes. Chapter 8 is the case study which uses the comparative example of ZDF
and RTL. After determining their programme portfolios and allocating the genres to the
BCG Matrix, the tendencies towards content of both networks are analysed. Chapter 9
summarizes the findings of the previous chapters followed by the conclusion drawn
from the research.
5
2. Terms and Definitions
This chapter will define and explain the technical terms with reference to the subject of
television programming. The following definitions are listed in alphabetical order.
Audience Flow
The term `audience flow' conceives "audience members as flowing from one program
to the next" (Eastman and Ferguson 2006: 15).
Broadcasting
"Spreading a modulated electromagnetic signal over a large area by means of a
transmitting antenna" (Eastman and Ferguson 2006: 412).
Daypart
,,A period of two or more hours, considered to be a strategic unit in program schedules"
(Eastman and Ferguson 2006: 416).
Dual System
,,Das Modell des dualen Rundfunks, in dem öffentlich-rechtliche und private
kommerzielle sowie nicht-kommerzielle Rundfunkanbieter in unterschiedlicher
Trägerschaft nebeneinander existieren" [The model of dual broadcasting, in which
public and privately commercial as well as non-commercial broadcasting providers
coexist in different operations] (Roßnagel and Strothmann 2004: 16).
Documentary
"A program that records actual events and real people" (Eastman and Ferguson 2006:
416).
Drama
"A prime-time series program format, usually one hour long, contrasting with situation
comedy. It includes action-adventure, crime, and doctor shows; adult soaps; and other
dramatic forms" (Eastman and Ferguson 2006: 417).
6
Dumbing Down
The Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary defines "to dumb sth down" as follows:
"to make something simpler and easier for people to understand, especially in order to
make it more popular" (Cambridge Dictionaries Online 2009d).
Factual Television
Factual television or factual entertainment documents realism with actual events and
actual people mirroring the society to itself (Bignell and Orlebar 2005: 106).
Feature Film
"A theatrical motion picture, usually made for theater distribution (...)" (Eastman and
Ferguson 2006: 418).
Infotainment
A programme that originates from the convergence of the two formats information and
entertainment.
Least Objectionable Programming
"A theory holding that viewers select not the most appealing program among those
available at one time but the one that offends fewest viewers watching together; it
presumes that channel switching requires an active effort occurring only when the
channel currently being viewed presents something new and objectionable" (Eastman
and Ferguson 2006: 421).
Magazine Format
"A television or radio program composed of varied segments within a common
framework, structurally resembling a printed magazine" (Eastman and Ferguson 2006:
422).
Network
"An interconnected chain of broadcast stations or cable systems that receive
programming simultaneously. This also refers to the administrative and technical unit
that distributes (and may originate) pre-planned schedules of programs" (Eastman and
Ferguson 2006: 424).
7
Prime Time
"Television daypart; in practice, 8 to 11 P.M. (EST) six days a week and 7 to 11 P.M.
Sundays. Technically, any three consecutive hours between 7 P.M. and midnight"
(Eastman and Ferguson 2006: 426).
Programming Strategies
The following definitions refer to the six strategies that are relevant for the essence of
the thesis. These are listed in alphabetical order.
Blunting is "match[ing] the competition by scheduling a show with identical appeal"
(Eastman and Ferguson 2006: 131).
Hammocking tries to prevent an audience reduction by placing a presumptive weak
programme between two strong shows (Eastman and Ferguson 2006: 129).
Leading-in "places a strong series before a weaker (or any new) series to give it a jump
start" (Eastman and Ferguson 2006: 129).
Leading-off or anchoring means "beginning an evening with an especially strong
program" (Eastman and Ferguson 2006: 129).
Linchpinning or tentpoling is defined as focusing "on a central, strong show on weak
evenings (...) to hold or brace the ones before and after it" (Eastman and Ferguson
2006: 130).
Stunting "includes scheduling specials, adding guest stars, having unusual series
promotion, and otherwise altering the regular program schedule at the last minute"
(Eastman and Ferguson 2006: 131).
Rating
"A rating is an estimate of the percentage of the total number of people or households
in a population tuned to a specific station or network during a specific time period
(daypart)" (Eastman and Ferguson 2006: 50).
8
Reality shows
"Low-budget television series using edited tapes of real people in contrived situations
or at their jobs (supplemented by on-camera interviews and reenactments), especially
police officers, fire crews, and emergency workers, or games" (Eastman and Ferguson
2006: 427).
Sensationalism
The Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary defines "sensationalism" as follows:
"when newspapers, TV, etc. intentionally present information in a way that is intended
to excite or shock people" (Cambridge Dictionaries Online 2009h).
Series
"A program that has multiple episodes sharing a common cast, plot line, and situation"
(Eastman and Ferguson 2006: 429).
Share
"A share is an estimate of the percentage of people or households that are actually
using radio or television and are tuned to a specific station or network during a specific
daypart" (Eastman and Ferguson 2006: 50-51).
Situation comedy (sitcom)
"A program (usually half-hour in length) in which characters react to new plots or
altered situations" (Eastman and Ferguson 2006: 430).
Soap opera
"A serial drama generally scheduled on broadcast networks during weekday
afternoons" (Eastman and Ferguson 2006: 430).
Third Person Effect
"A person exposed to a persuasive communication in the mass media sees this as
having a greater effect on others than on himself or herself. Each individual reasons: "I
will not be influenced, but they (the third persons) may well be persuaded"" (Davison
1983: 4).
9
Water Cooler Effect
A network externality (benefit) regarding "the role of television viewing as a common
experience that people discuss `around the water cooler'" (Seabright 2007: 106).
10
3.
Literature Review
This review will present the literature that was essential to the completion of this
Bachelor's Thesis. This refers to industry-related journals, books and academic
research papers. The literature review also serves as a guide to draw the relevance of
already published literature to the present thesis.
In "A Portfolio Theory Approach to Network Program Selection", the authors Barry R.
Litman, Seema Shrikhande, and Hoekyun Ahn from the Department of
Telecommunication at Michigan State University explain the relationship of programme
management and investment portfolio management. According to the authors, the
broadcasting networks' programmes are assets that generate returns for a given level
of risk. Consequently, a "portfolio is a set of different assets that investors hold to
maximize their wealth" (Litman, Shrikhande and Ahn 2000: 57). The article gave a
clearer understanding of the nature of programme selection in terms of decisions for
financial investments.
The media journal "Media Perspektiven" annually publishes its programme analysis of
ARD, ZDF, RTL, Sat.1 and ProSieben. In edition 4/2009, "Politikthematisierung und
Alltagskultivierung im Infoangebot" [Thematisation of politics and cultivation of
everyday life in the information offering] employs a detailed analysis of the German
networks' portfolios comparing private and public TV broadcasting in their topics and
formats. This article is important to the research since it serves as a valuable
information resource.
"Media Programming. Strategies and Practices" by Susan Tyler Eastman and Douglas
A. Ferguson focuses on the strategies of media companies in their programming
efforts. The book also approaches the subjects of programme and audience research
as well as various genres of television programming. Since the book also employs an
extensive glossary on media terms, it was a very effective means for the Bachelor's
Thesis.
11
4. Theoretical Framework
This chapter includes explanations to the theoretical models used by the author. The
following framework will be applied in the course of this thesis.
4.1 BCG Matrix
In order to analyse the portfolio management approaches of television networks, the
matrix model developed by the Boston Consulting Group is an important tool. The BCG
Matrix employs a deeper understanding of a company's product portfolio. It can be
used to decide on the future of various products. Since it determines the economic
viability of the company, it gives information on whether or not to invest in a product, to
keep it, or to liquidate it (12manage.com 2009b).
Figure 1: The BCG Matrix
Source: Adapted from 12manage.com
12
Figure 1 shows the division of the matrix into four categories. The star has a high
growth rate and a high market share. Stars demand high investments but they
generate large amounts of cash in return. Once the business growth rate declines,
market share should be kept in order to turn stars into cash cows. A cash cow has a
low growth rate but a strong position in the market. Hence, little money should be
invested in this kind of product, which nevertheless generates profits. Products that are
identified as dogs should be eliminated. They have a low growth rate as well as a low
market share. Therefore, they are not valuable for the company if they do not generate
any cash. Question marks have a high growth rate but a weak position in the market.
Thus, these products use large amounts of cash but generate only few profits in return.
Question marks have the potential to be turned into stars with the help of high
investments. If the market growth slows, they may turn into cash cows. If the growth
slows and the product fails to succeed, it may turn into a dog (12manage.com 2009b).
4.2 Customer Satisfaction Model
The Customer Satisfaction Model from Kano measures whether or not customers are
satisfied with a product. The model is divided into six categories defining quality. The
first three attributes directly influence customer satisfaction. Basic factors are essential
to a product and a lack of these will result in dissatisfaction. However, since these
factors are regarded as given, they do not cause customer satisfaction. Excitement
factors have the potential to increase satisfaction by delighting the customer but do not
cause dissatisfaction if they are not present. Performance factors are linear to both
ends because they may result in satisfaction if performed well or may cause
dissatisfaction if the performance is low. The other three attributes are of little or no
consequence to the customer and his decision. Indifferent attributes are not subject to
attention. Questionable attributes are uncertain of their relevance to the customer.
Reverse attributes are expected to be removed (12manage.com 2009a).
13
Figure 2: The Customer Satisfaction Model from Kano
Source: Adapted from 12manage.com
By complying a questionnaire among customers, their satisfaction with a product and
its attributes can be determined.
14
5. `Dumbing Down'
This chapter will deal with the topic of `dumbing down'. First, defining attributes will be
assigned to the term in order to analyse its deeper meaning. After having completed
the characterisation of `dumbing down', it will be categorised into two types of focus
points: process and product. These categories will place the term within the context of
media management conducting a programme health check.
5.1 Attributes
In order to ascribe appropriate attributes to the term `dumbing down' it is important to
understand its meaning in general in order to draw a worst-case scenario displaying its
collateral effects. As the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary defines `dumbing
down', it is the method of facilitating content so as to gain popularity. Hence in this
context, it infers a strategic approach at the society of a culture that assumably lacks a
certain level of intellect. It can be further deduced that the majority of the society is
affected by this decline of intelligence. As a consequence, the producers of products
and services, such as TV programmes, proceed on the assumption that simplistic
things are demanded from the consumers, respectively the mainstream. The result is a
supply of `dumbed down' products developed for a `dumbed down' culture. This
scenario is a straightforward deduction of the definition. Thus, it allows the allocation of
attributes to the term `dumbing down'.
In the following, a list of attributes will be assigned to `dumbing down' in order to
explain the term in a continued sense. The definitions are retrieved from the
"Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary".
Banal: "boring, ordinary and not original" (Cambridge Dictionaries Online 2009a)
Credulous: "too willing to believe what you are told; easily deceived"
(Cambridge Dictionaries Online 2009b)
Dumb: "stupid and annoying" (Cambridge Dictionaries Online 2009c)
Infantile: "typical of a child and therefore unsuitable for an adult" (Cambridge
Dictionaries Online 2009e)
15
Lowbrow: "(of entertainment) not complicated or demanding much intelligence
to be understood" (Cambridge Dictionaries Online 2009f)
Mindless: "1 stupid and meaningless; 2 not needing much mental effort"
(Cambridge Dictionaries Online 2009g)
Furthermore, `dumbing down' includes the decline of literature and intellect, a media-
directed culture, the unimportance of education, sensationalism, the fall of tradition and
family, the decline of institutional values, the consumption without objection, public
sexuality, and also the focus on quantity instead of quality.
5.2 `Dumbing Down' as Process and Product
In order to form a relevance to media management, `dumbing down' will be analysed
within the context of the two categories process and product.
`Dumbing Down' as a Process
In the process of `dumbing down', the first step is the recognition or the assumption that
people demand less intellectual content from the television programmes. Once the
ideas for existing and possible programme formats are gathered, it is being decided
upon the least objectionable programming (LOP). Paul Klein (as cited in Johnson 2006:
161), who was the programming head of NBC in the years 1960, explained his LOP
theory as follows. "All a show has to be is least objectionable among a segment of the
audience. When you put on a show, (...) you get your 32-share. That's about [a third] of
the network audience, and the other networks get their 32 shares. Then we can add to
that by our competitors' failure they become objectionable so people turn to us if
we're less objectionable. (...) Melodrama's good, (...) a little tear here and there, a little
morality tale, that's good. (...) That's least objectionable. It's my job to keep my 32, not
to cause any tune-out a priori in terms of ads or concepts, to make sure there's no
tune-out in the shows vis-à-vis the competition". This programming approach becomes
apparent in the product portfolio of various television networks.
16
`Dumbing Down' as a Product
The result of the process of `dumbing down' is the product, respectively the
programmes. The attributes that were assigned to the term `dumbing down' in chapter
5.1 can be used in a health check to identify television programmes as `dumbing down'.
In the following, one programme (that seems adequate in this context) from each of the
main networks in Germany (ARD, ZDF, RTL, Sat.1 and ProSieben) will be presented
and evaluated. Thereby, a perception of unsophisticated programmes will be
established.
"Verbotene Liebe" on ARD is a soap opera targeted at a young audience. The main
concept of the soap is a forbidden love between two twin siblings who were separated
after birth but later coincidentally meet again. The show continued evolving around this
main thread introducing several `forbidden love' affairs and currently there exist
approximately more than 3400 episodes. Among others, the topics and contents can
be classified with attributes such as banal, lowbrow, mindless, unimportance of
education, public sexuality, the fall of traditional values and the focus on quantity
instead of quality.
"Wetten, dass ..?" on ZDF is a show that has been successful for more than two
decades. Since 1987, Thomas Gottschalk has been presenting the programme. The
concept is about ordinary people who have a talent of doing something special. They
bet that they can perform their extraordinary talent and celebrities on the show stake
their bet or counter bet. In the end, the viewers vote for their act of choice in order to
determine a "Wettkönig" [bet king]. The show is decorated with entertainment
performances and celebrities. It is also known for engaging in the stunting strategy
extending the show in the last minute. Attributes that match this programme are
lowbrow, mindless, media-directed culture and sensationalism.
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