Directions: describe how narrowcasting works and name three cable channels aimed at specific target audiences. Your answer may include the characteristics of the channels and the audiences.
Reference: Narrowcasting is the transmission of content aimed at specific audience segments. CNN targets news consumers; ESPN targets sports fans; and HBO targets viewers who would like to watch movies or TV series.
The age of technology enables content producers to reach the mass audience. Unfortunately, it gave the audience a plethora of choices at the same time. This paradigm applies to numerous media sectors, including the TV industry. Nowadays, as television channels find it much harder to attract the audience with mass-oriented content, they gradually resort to narrowcasting. By tailoring the message for a defined group of people, these channels try to establish an interest in their audience. Consequently, a targeted person would be less inclined to switch to other chores, as he/she finds the information worth absorbing. He/she would even share the engaging parts of TV programs with others, thus expanding the range of audience.
Narrowcasting channels abound in China Central Television (CCTV). I would like to analyze CCTV-3 for arts and entertainment, CCTV-9 for documentaries, and CCTV-14 for children's programs.
CCTV-3 offers a combination of performances and variety shows. At many times, it would also invite famous artists to share their life experience intertwined with music. Its topics are relatively casual and leisurely, creating a place for the audience to refresh and relax. This channel is most probably designed for arts lovers (and those who want to kill time).
CCTV-9 provides all kinds of domestic and foreign documentaries (this is also my favorite CCTV channel), satisfying a wide range of tastes. The form of programs is restricted to documentaries, yet its topics are fairly general. No matter for nature, history or politics, a documentary-lover would always find something to indulge in.
CCTV-14 serves as a paradise for children. From funny cartoons to educational programs, the channel has every program a kid would desire. With simple, story-based and educational topics, its programs were irreplaceable in the childhood memories of millions of Chinese children.
Through narrowcasting, everyone gets to watch the programs he/she is interested in, therefore becoming a part of the loyal audience and eventually lifting the channels' revenues.
Narrowcasting has been understood as the dissemination of information (usually via Internet, radio, newspaper, or television) to a narrow audience; not to the broader public at-large. Narrowcasting involves aiming media messages at specific segments of the public defined by values, preferences, demographic attributes, and/or subscription.
As Prof. Zhai says, because the proliferation of cable channels provided viewers with so many choices, broadcasters began to move away from mass-oriented programming in favor of more tageted shows. Whereas the broadcast networks sought to obtain the widest audience possible by avoiding programs that might only appeal to a small minority of viewers, cable channels sought out niche audiences whithin specific demographic groups. This is a process called narrowcasting. Narrowcasting channels usually focus on a single topic, such as news, weather, shopping, or comedy.