ABSTRACT
Depending on the kind of system on which it is aired, programming represents the bottom line of broadcasting. In systems relying on commercial advertising for their support, the value of programming is based on how many viewers any given presentation attracts, which in turn translates into rating points and income for the network or station. In systems operated by public corporations that rely on sources of funding other than advertising, the purpose of programming is oriented principally to the educational, social, and/or political purpose of the operating entity. In 1993 Shimon Peres, foreign minister of Israel, was quoted as saying that the greatest threat to Israel “isn’t a military invasion, but a cultural invasion, and cable television is more dangerous to our identity than the Intifada.” Most programming in the United States is oriented to the commercial bottom line: the highest ratings and, therefore, the lowest common denominator.
