This is what I’ve got so far…I’m more concerned about the limiting word count (hence the rather small essay structure and chapters)! Any suggestions welcome!
Research Question
To what extent does brand credibility and reputation contribute to the longevity of a television channel?
Introduction
Brief overview of current market, how many channels, terrestrial vs digital (well established vs new).
Chapter One – Branding and Rhetoric
The consequences of promises and breaking them, i.e. credibility and reputation. Notes from discourses linking advertising/marketing that can apply to TV channels. (Cialdini, Bell)
Chapter Two – Case Study – Failures – ITV Digital/Bravo (UK)
ITV Digital – Tried to capitalise on introduction of digital television, attempt to use ITV brand to piggyback its credentials/reputation. This was the origins of the PG Tips Monkey and Jonny Vegas!
Bravo – Multiple revamps through its history. Rebrand that simply did not work, rise of other digital channels which appealed to same male demographic. BSkyB, who took over Bravo when it bought TV Living Group, said it was too similar to Sky 1’s demographic.
Chapter Three – Case Study – Successes – Dave/Fox
Dave – UKTV-G2…dying channel, “invisible”, strong programming content, weak identity. Success led to the whole of UKTV’s portfolio to be rebranded. Many awards won. (Link with Bravo rebrands)
Fox – The curse of “the fourth television network” broken by Fox. Strong programming from The Simpsons in 1990 led to the surge in reputation of delivering quality content and the poaching of NFL from NBC. In 2008, it overtook the big three as the most watched network.
Conclusion
Weigh up contribution of credibility/reputation for each example.
(Case Studies)
Positive: Dave (from unknown to UKTV whole rebrand – broadcaster of the year), Fox Broadcasting Network (first US network to break “the Big Three” since 1986), Seven Network (rebrand to challenge top Australian Channel, Channel 9), Channel 5 (rebrand, new programming to entice younger audiences as well as from multi platform users, still trying to find its identity)
Negative: ITV Digital (trying to tap into the digital market), Bravo (despite being well established, it closed in 2011, 7 months after a rebrand), Setenta (big promises for an already saturated market, poor business model like ITV Digital)
aboids
alberto39vitullo
alexiaxenia
Dubia Vianey
cantimor
chiaracomiotto
The Graphical Researcher
josemmc
marievandriessche
Minh Trang Cao
paulinagajewska
ChristianC
soilikethis
MA GMI 2012 
Well jeff, you piece looks really well organised and quite effective! the way you bring your analisys is good. Actually I am not a good follower of television, especially the english one! However I can suggest you some ideas, for example,
web tv? Iphone and Ipad Apps? many famous channels are betting on this kind of new innovations to keep their positions high.. suggest many examples, ( I love channel 4 advs )
Don’t know if this can be useful for you, but it is what I thought!
Alberto
Thanks for the feedback Alberto!
It’s great that you mention all these multi-platform content players as for my 1.3 I want to go into all these new technologies and how it does keep a channel “alive”. I will most probably ask you for your help when the major project starts!
This sounds like a really good final direction of your essay subject Jeff! Kudos!!
I really like how it will obviously relate to your future goals with Red B and so will undoubtedly help you with 2.3/ unit 3 etc etc, even if it don’t feel so much like it now! All that reading for those discourses must be useful somehow!
Talking of the discourses, it is really evident that you have used your knowledge from them in this subject, which I think will be refreshing (instead of just relying on completely new knowledge), and also (i’m guessing?) our discussions that came from the discourses will have proved useful! If the tutors can spot the links between our blog discussions and your essays I can only imagine that as a plus point.
In regards to your original research question, what is your conclusion do you think? You have many case studies, and also the theory of creating a good rhetorical brand image, and the dangers of that, but how much does it affect longevity? (I’m not suggesting new avenues by the way! Just curious!).
Don’t worry about feeling that you might not be going into enough detail, like you said, there is limited word count, just try and remember that it will most probably end up being a brief encounter on all sections/ subject areas.
ummmmmmm….. that’s it! It’s all gooooooood from there! Sorry I don’t have anything of knowledge and intelligence to give you lolz
Thanks Abi for the words of encouragement!
Yes after all that reading it’s nice how things can relate back to our own personal projects and interests, I am so aware of persuasive techniques now!
Thank you so much for being my discussion buddy through the texts, it has really helped clarify things and strengthened understanding, I don’t think I would have put in as much effort if I didn’t have you spurring me on!
In regards to the conclusion, I’m…not entirely sure yet! There are several factors that determine a channel’s longevity, sometimes it is a lost of a channel’s identity and so it is forgotten, sometimes other new channels offer the same promises and better them. I think a lost of identity could reflect a weak reputation, and the latter a failing credibility (or a stronger reputation from competing channels)…that made sense right?
And that clip – AMAZING!
if by “spurring on” you meant the pooing of emails in your inbox then YEAH!!!
Hi Jeff,
ok – here’re a few comments on your essay/structure. I’m not familiar with TV channel branding and positioning, but you obviously are!
Anyway, I hope my musings may be of some use…
Good solid question and it looks like a well thought-out structure – so writing it should be a piece of p**s!!
Ok, in more detail, section by section…
Credibility & reputation – do you think you need to explain why you’ve chosen these lenses to judge the success of a channel? Also to what extent is longevity the main measure of success? Or explain why you’ve chosen longevity maybe?
Chp 1
In what way does a channel make / break promises? What is the spoken/unspoken contract that a channel makes with its viewers and how does it establish this relationship? Don’t know if that’s particularly relevant but it might be useful to nod at workings of this mechanism.
Chp 2
Wow, this all sounds good material to work with and you’ve done your research thoroughly. It will be interesting to watch you tie in theoretical frameworks which shed light on what went on. And by contrast how the real world sheds light on or challenges theoretical notions.
Conclusion
As you weigh up your examples in relation credibility and reputation, hopefully this will reveal some underpinning behaviours or concepts or a model of dynamics which you can use to understand both the building of credibility and reputation, and it’s value in terms of channel success.
Anyway, it seems that you’ve got your essay all in hand with a very clear research question which gives focus to your research and thinking. All you have to do is continue writing I guess!
Best of luck!
Chris
Hi Jeff!
Like Alberto, I don’t watch TV in London and also in Istanbul (except football matches and some crappy reality shows when I’m not sober hehe). But, your research subject sounds so much interesting for me as we are in a significantly evolving era of communication (multi-platform content players). Investigating positive and negative examples for your research question will give us the readers an opportunity to gain a knowledge of the dynamics for the longevity of a television channel in this evolving era, which is quite exciting. There are many players in the game of communication in comparison to 10 years ago, so it would be great to see your research and comparison of terrestrial and digital ways.
Good luck!
Hello Jeff sorry for me late reply.
Your research question sounds quite interesting, I don’t know exactly the cases you have put about the tv, I’m not a big fan of it! So, in this aspect I can’t help you so much. But regarding to your topic I think, definitely the credibility and reputation plays an important role in the longevity of a tv channel.
First,I think the length and quantity of TV commercials on a TV channel have a impact on the audience, if a tv channel emit lots of these, they probably prefer to watch movies online or just watch another channel.
On the other hand, I guess the quality of the programs, shows, movies… broadcasting also affect on the credibility of a tv channel.
However, the age and the kind of the audience who watch this tv channels also have a impact in the reputation of a tv channel.
Hope you find it helpful Jeff!
Anyway, I see with the examples you have put, you have a good knowledge of the matter.
Good luck mate!
Interesting point Jose / Canti – ie watching content online or on “multi-platform content players” as Canti puts it.
How is the existing model of a TV channel evolving to take account of what is essentially looking like a dissolution of the idea of a TV channel?
ie – to what extent will TV channels be relevant in a few years?
Throughout the 20th C, huge FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) corporations had migrated from being monolithic brands, to being constellations of brands giving the illusion of being separate entitities and brand-spaces to the casual observer/consumer.
In reality of course they are all part of the same corp.
I wonder if this analogous structure will have any bearing on the evolution of TV channels. Already the production of most TV content is already atomised into multiple sub-contracting production houses and tiny outfits.
Best,
Christian