Television Communication: Participants, Language, and Societal Impact

Participants in Television Communication

Television communication involves several key participants:

• Issuer: This refers to a large public or private consortium controlling multiple communication-related companies, such as television chains and radio stations.
• Receiver (Spectator): Television reaches nearly the entire society. In Spain, for example, 98% of households have television, and the wide variety of content is a major cause of mass consumption.
• Message: Television images are designed to captivate the audience. They create the illusion that viewers are witnessing events firsthand, but these images are not reality. They are fast and fleeting, requiring viewers to grasp the moment. Their captivating nature also means the viewer has little time to think and reflect on what they have seen. Television footage often aims for spectacular and sensational content, intended to elicit an immediate and emotional reaction from the viewer. Ultimately, news images strive to immerse us in the events.

The Language of Television

Television has adopted significant resources from both film and radio:

Influence of Film

• Framing and Shot Types: Television employs a range of shots, including wide shots, medium shots, close-ups, and detail shots.
• Camera Angles: This refers to the position where the camera is situated. Most television images are taken from a natural angle, but certain programs also utilize high-angle (chopped) and low-angle shots.
• Camera Movements: Especially in youth and music programming, there is extensive use of camera movements like panoramas and tracking shots (traveling).

Influence of Radio

Television has adopted the emphasis on verbal information, dialogue, and the strategic use of music and sound effects from radio.

Castilian Spanish on Television

The language spoken on television largely corresponds to everyday spoken language. This spoken language is particularly evident in the narratives or monologues of presenters, even when reading pre-written texts.

A key characteristic is that television's oral language has, for various reasons, drifted away from cultivated and grammatically correct usage. Television professionals have adopted a more spontaneous style, aiming for a direct, conversational feel. Furthermore, the communication often employs colloquialisms and a form of false rhetoric, characterized by elongated expressions. Moreover, many current programs feature public participation, where participants' language skills often leave much to be desired.