science

TV format

TV format is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand TV format rather than just read about it. In short: A TV format is the overall concept and branding of a copyrighted television show. The most common type of formats are those in the television genres of game shows and reality shows, though other genres (e.g., sitcoms) are also adapted.

Key takeaways

TV format belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect TV format to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of TV format from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

A TV format is the overall concept and branding of a copyrighted television show. The most common type of formats are those in the television genres of game shows and reality shows, though other genres (e.g., sitcoms) are also adapted. TV formats may be viewed as a form of intellectual property (IP), and are regularly bought and sold, though TV formats are not generally protected under copyright law.

Description A TV format is the overall concept and branding of a copyrighted television show. A format is licensed by TV networks, so that they may produce a version of the show tailored to their nationality and audience. Formats are a major part of the international television market. Format purchasing is popular with broadcasters, due principally to the lower risk associated with an already-proven idea and the preference of audiences to watch programming tailored to their locality.

Examples The most common type of formats are those in the television genres of game shows and reality shows, many of which are remade in multiple markets with local contestants. Examples include Survivor, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Pop Idol and Big Brother that have all proven successful worldwide. Such types of formats are also known as franchises, since rights to the format are usually handled with licenses. Particular models in the genre of sitcoms are often sold as formats, enabling broadcasters to adapt them to the perceived tastes of their own audience. An example is The Office, a BBC sitcom which got adapted as The Office in the United States, Kontoret in Sweden, HaMisrad in Israel, Le Bureau in France, The Office in India, Stromberg in Germany, La Job in Quebec, Canada and La Ofis in Chile.

Companies Leading companies that handle the creation and sales of programming formats include Warner Bros. International Television Production, ITV Studios, Talpa, Endemol Shine and Fremantle.

Legal issues TV formats are viewed as a form of intellectual property (IP), and are regularly bought and sold by TV producers, distribution company and broadcasters. For example, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? has been recreated in 108 territories, while local versions of Idol have aired (over 129 series) in 42 territories receiving about three billion votes, most notable being American Idol. However, TV formats are not generally protected under copyright law. As a result, copycat formats are sometimes created, which seek to duplicate the success of an original format without paying the person who came up with it. Format developers seek to prevent this by various means, including the use of trademarks or withholding distribution of other shows. Establishing "Proof of Review" and exposure to companies reviewing new TV formats is one important aspect of protection by the industry at the Television Writers Vault. The Format Recognition and Protection Association (FRAPA) aims to protect rights to formats and lobbies for legal protection.

See also List of American television series based on British television series List of British television series based on American television series Radio format

References

External links Bournemouth University: TV Formats

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with TV format

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what TV format claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to TV format before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about TV format ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of TV format

In research: TV format appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses TV format in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: TV format is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Media formats, Television terminology, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for TV format outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study TV format in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what TV format means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain TV format out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is TV format in simple terms?

Why does TV format matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study TV format?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on TV format.