Questions And Topics We Can Help You To Answer
TELEVISION: Explore three (3) of the websites listed below related to television. Obviously, most of these sites are linked to actual television programs or networks, so if you watch television, your summary should discuss the similarities and differences between the online site and the television site. If you are not a television watcher, your study may deal strictly with the websites but you should point out what differences you see in the experience of actually watching TV and the experience of the looking at the websites. The point of the assignment is that as the Internet has grown, television has been forced to have an Internet presence, just as other media, such as newspapers and magazines, have had to have Internet sites. It's all a perfect example of narrowcasting or targeting of audiences.
Here are the sites to look at. Be sure you look at three of them before you submit your 200-300 word assignment.
The first three are cable related and the third and fourth are network shows that are among the highest rated around these days.
ESPN: http://espn.go.com--Remember, this was a sports cable network first. Now look at how it's evolved.
The Weather Channel: www.weather.com--This was the cable station critics said would never make it. Who would support 24/7 weather?
Discovery Channel: http://www.discovery.com--Popular health, science, animal and other educational shows are found here.
Grey's Anatomy: http://abc.go.com/primetime/greysanatomy--Even if you do not watch the television show, notice the links that give you access to all kinds of information. In particular, check out the one about medical information--find it by clicking on "Grey's Anatomy Extras" and going to "Medical Case Files."
The Big Bang Theory: http://www.cbs.com/shows/big_bang_theory/--If you are not familiar with this show, the website might not appeal to you; the programming probably has more of a "cult following" than the others listed above. Notice particularly how this site is connected to Facebook and Twitter. How do you think social media comments affect the popularity of this show? What other aspects of this website might make it more appealing to a younger audience than the sites above?
