The use of international television formats by public service broadcasters in Australia, Denmark and Germany

Abstract

Today, the use of internationally licensed television formats, developed in one market and sold for local adaptation, is a widespread practice amongst commercial broadcasters around the world. But how has this trend impacted on public service broadcasting? Public service stipulations include the provision of content that informs and educates, helps imagine the nation, enriches the lives and culture of its citizens and provides an inclusive public sphere to support democracy. Can internationally franchised programmes fulfil these remits? And to what extent are they employed by public service broadcasters? Responding to criticisms of the international, commodified character of formats in general and their staple, reality TV and lifestyle entertainment more specifically, this article provides a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the use of international formats by Australian, Danish and German public service broadcasters. The article hopes to contribute to media policy debate and concludes by arguing that, even in the relatively few instances where formats have been employed, the benefits outweigh the concerns raised.

¿Qué Hemos Aprendido sobre la Radiodifusión de Servicio Público en el Mundo? Una Revisión Sistemática de la Literatura y Sugerencias para Investigaciones Futuras

“…Aunque la educación y la cultura son dos de las principales obligaciones de la RSP (Esser & Majbritt Jensen 2015;Grummel 2009;Pajala 2010;Shepperd 2014), se debe centrar la atención en la cultura artística e internacional. Estudios anteriores sugieren que los valores culturales y educativos se adaptan mejor a los intereses políticos y democráticos (Huntsberger 2014;Pajala 2010;Shepperd 2014; Steemers y D'Arma 2012); de hecho, en algunos estudios, el término "cultura" se refiere a la identidad nacional o local (Debrett 2009;Flew 2009;Spasovska e Imre 2015).…”

General-television programming in Europe (UE5): Public versus commercial channels

“…Fiction, together with information and infotainment or info-show are the main genres scheduled, both from a quantitative and qualitative perspective (De-Bens; De-Smaele, 2001; García-Muñoz; Larrègola, 2010). The latter also highlights the importance of the circulation of formats and their adaptation for local television markets in Europe (Bourdon, 2012;Cebrián-Herreros, 2004;Esser;Jensen, 2015;Chalaby, 2009;Frau-Meigs, 2006;Moran;Malbon, 2006;Wolf, 1984).…”