TV’s New Economics

Though younger technologies such as Ipods and cell phones signify the emerging digital era in the popular imagination, the transformation of television from a broadcast medium offering limited channels to a digitally enhanced environment of (apparently) infinite choice may be far more significant in social and historical terms. Today’s Forum will examine the changing economic base of American television, the role of audiences and audience-measurement, the broader role of consumption and advertising in the evolution of American television. Our speakers are renowned for their mastery of this complex economic and demographic history.

David Poltrack, one of the media industry’s most respected experts on audiences and audience measurement, was recently named president of CBS Vision, CBS’ new research unit. Since 1994, Poltrack has been executive vice president for research and planning at CBS Television, overseeing all television research activities encompassing audience measurement, market research, program testing and advertising research.

Jorge Schement is perhaps the leading academic scholar of the statistical matrices of consumption and information exchange. He is distinguished professor and co-director of the Institute for Information Policy, Penn State University.