MPRD 550 EXAM STUDY GUIDE 100% PASS
**What is the goal of programming? - ANSWER To get people to watch advertising and
maximize the size of the audience targeted by advertisers
What is the most important part of programming? - ANSWER Understanding the
audience
What's the difference between network and cable's audience? - ANSWER Network has a
broad audience and cable has a niche audience
What is an example of an OTT service? - ANSWER Hulu
What does OTT stand for? - ANSWER Over the top. It refers to the Internet
**What is the number of TV households? - ANSWER 118 million
What are the top three days for TV viewing? - ANSWER Sunday, Thursday, Monday
What is a programmer? - ANSWER Someone who goes through the process of selecting,
scheduling, promoting, and evaluation programs
What is a program? - ANSWER A unit of content
What three changes in society have dramatically affected programming? - ANSWER 1)
Digitization
2) Internet Access
3) Media Competition
What four things does the Internet provide for media programmers? - ANSWER 1)
Replace movies and TV (influences ratings)
2) Original programs made for web
3) Websites that carry updates and background about TV stars, program plots, and
schedule enhancements
4) Program promotion and advertising (influences ratings)
What is happening to media companies? - ANSWER They are all buying each other and
merging. There is a lot of consolidation. Consolidation leads to more reduce, reuse, and
recycle rather than innovation. For example, Comcast bought NBCUniversal.
What network has seen a large growth? - ANSWER Spanish-language networks
Broadcast - ANSWER Channels that come in from an antenna. For example, NBC, ABC,
Fox, CBS, CW, PBS, Telemundo
,Primetime - ANSWER Shows playing from 8-11 on the East and West Coast and 7-10 on
central and mountain time
How many hours of primetime are there on Sunday? - ANSWER 4
Why are there different primetime's for different regions? - ANSWER When content is
sent out on broadcast signals it goes 8 in the East and 7 in the midwest because there's
a one hour time difference.
What is significant about primetime? - ANSWER There is the largest audience with the
most watched content therefore the most expensive advertisement is done at primetime
and the best shows are played.
What was the first network? - ANSWER NBC
Network - ANSWER Presents 15 hours of programming a week to send out to stations
O&O - ANSWER Owned and operated. Station whose license is owned by a network. For
example, KNBC, KABC, KCBS. Everything East of Mississippi is W and everything wets
is K
Affiliate - ANSWER A station connected to a network by contract but is not owned by it.
For example, NBC Connecticut
What is the most lucrative advertisement medium in the US? - ANSWER Broadcast but it
is quickly being caught up with broadband
Program Clearance - ANSWER Clear time for network programming on affiliates and
O&O programming
Pre-emption - ANSWER Content stops being show for an event such as the President's
speech or breaking news.
Delayed carriage - ANSWER Pre-empt program but later played at a delayed time.
Sometimes if a program contains violence and a school shooting occurs then they'll
pre-empt the show and play it later
Network Compensation - ANSWER Affiliates get paid by the network
Retransmission Fees - ANSWER Cable companies retransmit network programs and
pays the station to play programs
Reverse Net Compensation - ANSWER Networks get a cut of the station's pay from cable
in retransmission fees. This brings in billions of dollars.
Station - ANSWER An O&O, affiliate, broadcast, or independent company.
What does CBS stand for? - ANSWER Columbia Broadcasting Station
How did ABC develop? - ANSWER NBC started in 1926 and had a red and blue network.
, When it was thought that NBC was a monopoly for having two networks they made them
sell one of them. They sold the blue because it was weaker and it became ABC. NBC
became the red network.
When did Fox become a real contender? - ANSWER When they beat out CBS for the NFL
contract.
What was unique about UPN? - ANSWER It aimed at serving youth and minorities and
underserved audiences. It went under in the 2000's.
What happened to UPN & WB? - ANSWER They were abolished and the best programs
went on the CW.
What is unique about MyNetworkTV? - ANSWER The programs that didn't make the CW
went here plus new programs.
What was NBC's original business plan? - ANSWER Advertisers produced the programs
and bought the program-length time. Affiliates paid networks for programs. NBC only
paid for telephone chargers so they couldn't control programs or times but they were
making a ton of money. All of the stars were on NBC at the time.
What is the FCC? - ANSWER They started in 1921 to regulate broadcast frequency. The
head is appointed by the President of the US. If there is a democrat leader then it is
consumer oriented. If there is a republican leader then it is business oriented.
What is CBS' Business Plan? - ANSWER Networks produce the programs and networks
sell spot times to advertisers. Networks pay affiliates to air the programs and affiliates
are required to clear time for the programs. Advertisers switched here because they
could make more money. CBS took control of the programming and time, is paying
affiliates, but is successful because of how many spots they were selling. Within years,
the best stations, stars, and advertisements switched over to CBS and NBC had to
change to CBS' business plan.
Who came up with CBS' plan? - ANSWER Paley
How many Nielsen markets are there? - ANSWER 210
How many stations do Nielsen markets make in the country? - ANSWER 1300-2000
What is the backbone infrastructure that keeps all programming alive? - ANSWER
Broadcast
What is the prime time access rule (PTAR)? - ANSWER It was in effect from 1971-1995.
The first hour of prime time was controlled by local stations where they would play
public affairs programs and local news to enhance the community. There were no
off-net programs. Magazine programming started in this local time. PM Magazine started
in Central Florida where they told local human interest stories.
What is Financial Interest and Syndication (Fin Syn)? - ANSWER This took place in the
**What is the goal of programming? - ANSWER To get people to watch advertising and
maximize the size of the audience targeted by advertisers
What is the most important part of programming? - ANSWER Understanding the
audience
What's the difference between network and cable's audience? - ANSWER Network has a
broad audience and cable has a niche audience
What is an example of an OTT service? - ANSWER Hulu
What does OTT stand for? - ANSWER Over the top. It refers to the Internet
**What is the number of TV households? - ANSWER 118 million
What are the top three days for TV viewing? - ANSWER Sunday, Thursday, Monday
What is a programmer? - ANSWER Someone who goes through the process of selecting,
scheduling, promoting, and evaluation programs
What is a program? - ANSWER A unit of content
What three changes in society have dramatically affected programming? - ANSWER 1)
Digitization
2) Internet Access
3) Media Competition
What four things does the Internet provide for media programmers? - ANSWER 1)
Replace movies and TV (influences ratings)
2) Original programs made for web
3) Websites that carry updates and background about TV stars, program plots, and
schedule enhancements
4) Program promotion and advertising (influences ratings)
What is happening to media companies? - ANSWER They are all buying each other and
merging. There is a lot of consolidation. Consolidation leads to more reduce, reuse, and
recycle rather than innovation. For example, Comcast bought NBCUniversal.
What network has seen a large growth? - ANSWER Spanish-language networks
Broadcast - ANSWER Channels that come in from an antenna. For example, NBC, ABC,
Fox, CBS, CW, PBS, Telemundo
,Primetime - ANSWER Shows playing from 8-11 on the East and West Coast and 7-10 on
central and mountain time
How many hours of primetime are there on Sunday? - ANSWER 4
Why are there different primetime's for different regions? - ANSWER When content is
sent out on broadcast signals it goes 8 in the East and 7 in the midwest because there's
a one hour time difference.
What is significant about primetime? - ANSWER There is the largest audience with the
most watched content therefore the most expensive advertisement is done at primetime
and the best shows are played.
What was the first network? - ANSWER NBC
Network - ANSWER Presents 15 hours of programming a week to send out to stations
O&O - ANSWER Owned and operated. Station whose license is owned by a network. For
example, KNBC, KABC, KCBS. Everything East of Mississippi is W and everything wets
is K
Affiliate - ANSWER A station connected to a network by contract but is not owned by it.
For example, NBC Connecticut
What is the most lucrative advertisement medium in the US? - ANSWER Broadcast but it
is quickly being caught up with broadband
Program Clearance - ANSWER Clear time for network programming on affiliates and
O&O programming
Pre-emption - ANSWER Content stops being show for an event such as the President's
speech or breaking news.
Delayed carriage - ANSWER Pre-empt program but later played at a delayed time.
Sometimes if a program contains violence and a school shooting occurs then they'll
pre-empt the show and play it later
Network Compensation - ANSWER Affiliates get paid by the network
Retransmission Fees - ANSWER Cable companies retransmit network programs and
pays the station to play programs
Reverse Net Compensation - ANSWER Networks get a cut of the station's pay from cable
in retransmission fees. This brings in billions of dollars.
Station - ANSWER An O&O, affiliate, broadcast, or independent company.
What does CBS stand for? - ANSWER Columbia Broadcasting Station
How did ABC develop? - ANSWER NBC started in 1926 and had a red and blue network.
, When it was thought that NBC was a monopoly for having two networks they made them
sell one of them. They sold the blue because it was weaker and it became ABC. NBC
became the red network.
When did Fox become a real contender? - ANSWER When they beat out CBS for the NFL
contract.
What was unique about UPN? - ANSWER It aimed at serving youth and minorities and
underserved audiences. It went under in the 2000's.
What happened to UPN & WB? - ANSWER They were abolished and the best programs
went on the CW.
What is unique about MyNetworkTV? - ANSWER The programs that didn't make the CW
went here plus new programs.
What was NBC's original business plan? - ANSWER Advertisers produced the programs
and bought the program-length time. Affiliates paid networks for programs. NBC only
paid for telephone chargers so they couldn't control programs or times but they were
making a ton of money. All of the stars were on NBC at the time.
What is the FCC? - ANSWER They started in 1921 to regulate broadcast frequency. The
head is appointed by the President of the US. If there is a democrat leader then it is
consumer oriented. If there is a republican leader then it is business oriented.
What is CBS' Business Plan? - ANSWER Networks produce the programs and networks
sell spot times to advertisers. Networks pay affiliates to air the programs and affiliates
are required to clear time for the programs. Advertisers switched here because they
could make more money. CBS took control of the programming and time, is paying
affiliates, but is successful because of how many spots they were selling. Within years,
the best stations, stars, and advertisements switched over to CBS and NBC had to
change to CBS' business plan.
Who came up with CBS' plan? - ANSWER Paley
How many Nielsen markets are there? - ANSWER 210
How many stations do Nielsen markets make in the country? - ANSWER 1300-2000
What is the backbone infrastructure that keeps all programming alive? - ANSWER
Broadcast
What is the prime time access rule (PTAR)? - ANSWER It was in effect from 1971-1995.
The first hour of prime time was controlled by local stations where they would play
public affairs programs and local news to enhance the community. There were no
off-net programs. Magazine programming started in this local time. PM Magazine started
in Central Florida where they told local human interest stories.
What is Financial Interest and Syndication (Fin Syn)? - ANSWER This took place in the
