PART IV
COMPARISONS OF COMMUNICATION MEDIA SYSTEMS
Media Usage
newspapers
books
cinema
radio
television
video
records/tapes/CDs
advertising
satellites
telephone
postal service
computer communication
Key Factors
strong emphasis on privatization
long-term acceptance of the concept of commercialism
Canadian
broadcast system very different from
Key Factors - US
Newspapers locally based typically one
per city
National magazines with narrower
demographics
Radio primarily local
4 major TV networks plus local stations
Almost all media privately owned and
financed through advertising
Key Factors -
Countrys size and population distribution
proximity to the
multicultural issues between English and French
Central and
Key Factors
Spanish language (except Brazil)
social structures typical of developing countries
political instability
uneven economic growth and development
drug wars limit freedom of press
Key Factors
basic structure includes a well-developed public and newer private system
financed through license fees and advertising
paternalistic programming from public systems
magazines flourishing
new technology providing more access to programming
most countries small and homogenous
less suspicion of government and more of big business
European integration a major factor
Central and Eastern
Key Factors
change in economics
new relationship with politics
new role for mass media
TV beginning to privatize, radio well under way
Private ownership frequently non-local (German)
New members in EU
Albanian State TV
Radio Pristis
bTV
About BTV
Balkan News Corporation represents the first
private national television in
bTV
is 100% owned by News Corporation a
company, active in a variety of areas such as: television, cable and
satellite television, filmed entertainment, newspapers, magazines and inserts,
book publishing, technology, etc. In the Balkan Peninsula, the company
identifies itself in countries like
At present, bTV signifies News Corporations only terrestrial television in the region.
History
Balkan News Corporation was established on September 27, 2000.
On April 6, 2000 the Bulgarian State Commission on Telecommunications officially proclaimed the company a winner in the tender for a first private national television in the country and awarded it with a license.
bTVs first day of broadcast was June 1, 2000.
Our philosophy
bTV is a
symbol of the new.
By means of representing the first
private national television in
bTV offers unique and unexplored on the Bulgarian market forms of broadcast. It provides interactive and sophisticated content, high quality production. It is 100% independent in all given aspects, and its decision-making is chiefly driven by results.
bTV makes a stand for a new and completely different outlook.
Program Acquisitions
Our major program acquisitions so far are:
Time Warner and MGM for movies, series and sitcoms;
UEFA European Champions League with 33 match weeks;
Tepuy International with soap operas;
Saban Entertaiment for movies;
Fox Kids block;
Columbia Tristar for movies and sitcoms;
WWE with two hours per week;
24 childrens classic movies, produced in
BTV is in process of negotiations with TF1 for a large number of French movies.
Local and independent productions:
Currently, we have about 25 shows, produced in-house or as independent productions. To name just a few:
The night show of Slavi Trifonov (ratings reaching 25-27%);
Two TV games
A teenage show SPOKO
A geography show The Globe
A cooking show Bon Apetit
A Candid camera show Sweet revenge
A morning talk show Sincerely and personally
The funniest pets and people on the planet
Audience
bTV conquered 40% of the Bulgarian audience and attracted more than 55% of the advertising market.
Hungarian Media
Key Factors
unifying elements of language, culture, and religion
Western external services popular but less reliance on western news
governments maintain tight control over structure and programming
religion has a strong influence over content
the Gulf War had a major impact on media
9/11 and invasion of
Rise of fundamentalism
Al-Jazeera has become the video voice of the Arab world and is reversing the traditional flow of news
Key Factors
radio established by European power (British, French), TV established after independence
economic conditions and low standard of living have severely effected operations
political fragility
multiple languages within countries
religion (Christianity) has played a major role in media development
Radio Station in Dar
Catholic Radio in Dar
Radio
State TV in
Swazi Times
Key Factors
Western domination effects technology, media, and popular culture
tremendous growth in economy although economic downturn since 1997 has hurt
role of satellite broadcasting
diversity of countries
authoritarian media systems still prevalent
relationship between economic development and media systems
Peoples Republic of
Australasia (
Key Factors
traditionally tied to British and West
increasingly tied
to
large population of non-English speaking immigrants and natives
Ownership Structures
government
private
mixtures
Economics and Financing
general government funding
license fees
advertising
mixtures
other means
Regulation
technical
structural
content
Programming
entertainment
news
music
public service
program production