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Electronic Magazines Soft News Programs on Network Television
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By William C. Spragens
ISBN: 0-275-94155-8
ISBN-13: 978-0-275-94155-0
168 pages, tables
Praeger Publishers
Publication: 6/30/1995
List Price: $103.95 (UK Sterling Price: £59.95)
Availability:
Media Type: Hardcover
Also Available: Ebook
Trim Size: 6 1/8 x 9 1/4
Subjects: Reviews:
  • The emphemeral nature of television news has always been a major obstacle in its analysis. Spragen's work is, therefore, a promising addition to the body of literature purporting to examine and scrutinize the phenomenon of such electronic news magazines as 20/20, Dateline NBC, and Prime Time Live.
    —
    Choice
Description: The traditional documentary programming of network television's bygone era has given way to the recent explosion of ratings-driven, personality-based news magazine programming. While ostensibly conforming to a high standard of public service, these magazines, as even some of their producers admit, must succumb to the forces of public appetite and profit maximization in order to be competitive. This study examines this phenomenon of the "electronic magazine" and shows how the soft news programs affect the public's view of American politics and culture. Maintaining the distinction between the syndicated, tabloid-style programming (whose survival depends almost entirely on rating success) and the more responsibly conceived network magazine programming, Spragens provides a thorough content analysis of "60 Minutes," "Dateline NBC," "20/20," and similar network series. His study traces the development of the television magazine genre from the original "60 Minutes" through the current crop of news programs; it tracks the soft/hard or sensational/serious content dichotomy and its relation to ratings; and it draws conclusions about the trends in soft news programming and their impact on the American public.
Table of Contents:
  • Preface
  • Introduction
  • The Development of Magazine Programming
  • Early Soft News Programs: "60 Minutes"
  • Trends Away from Traditional Documentaries
  • Content Analysis of 1992 "60 Minutes" Programs
  • Beginnings and Development of "48 Hours" Series
  • "Street Stories" Program Content in 1992 and 1993
  • "West 57th" Contents; HIV/AIDS and Ocean Salvage Segments
  • Aggressive Trends in Programming on ABC Magazines
  • Audience Rankings (1985-1993) -- Interpreting Data
  • "Tabloids" versus Magazine Programs: Networks' Role as Standard Setter
  • Appendix One: "60 Minutes" Broadcasts
  • Appendix Two: "48 Hours" Broadcasts
  • Appendix Three: "Street Stories" Broadcasts
  • Appendix Four: "20/20" and "PrimeTime Live" Broadcasts
  • Appendix Five: "Dateline NBC" Broadcasts
  • Bibliography
  • Index
LC Card Number: 94-42845
LCC Class: PN4888
Dewey Class: 070.1
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