The main goal of most channels is to make money. Monetization is carried out by advertising of certain products, and not always of high quality. The wider the audience of the channel – the more expensive a minute of advertising time, so the owners of TV channels are trying by all means to attract people with content. And the content must attract audiences from different social and age categories.
The only exceptions are social projects that are educational in nature. These can be religious or cultural channels with an insignificant target audience.
In addition to the advertising function, there is also an informational function. Until recently, television was the most popular media, today – ranks second after the Internet. News is presented in news stories and programs on almost all channels, and they convey information through the prism of censorship. And here another important, if not the most important, function of television is revealed – propaganda.
In any country with any political system, television transmits the mood of the existing political situation and the established regime. In one form or another, digital propaganda is present everywhere, even in countries that are considered to be the standard of democracy. One example is the federal channels with online political talk shows that are filmed almost daily in Moscow. Every single one of these shows is in defiance of the current government, but no show of an oppositional nature will ever be allowed through the censors.
Another role of television is entertainment. TV channels do broadcast interesting movies and TV series that attract people. Novelties are often shown on the screen before they appear on the Internet. Especially after extensive efforts to combat Internet piracy. The entertainment feature can be conditionally divided into several categories aimed at different audiences:
Children’s channels with cartoons. It would seem that everything is simple – the channel simply broadcasts children’s cartoons and gives parents the opportunity to do household chores or relax while the child watches TV. But not everything is much more complicated. After a while, the child may make a real tantrum with a demand to buy a toy “over there, as in the TV. Therefore, the advertising function here also works great, and it hits the most sore spot – the children.
Thematic channels. These channels are watched by a narrow circle of people who are united by a common interest. This can be a channel about sports, a channel about fishing, cooking or handicrafts channel. Naturally, such projects – this is a great platform to advertise a particular category of products.
Channels about travel, educational and developmental projects. All of these can be classified as social projects. The monetization of such channels remains at a low level and they perform only two functions: entertaining and educational. But there are only a few such channels.
The most popular channels with a large audience try to cover all functions, as it is profitable for the owners of the channel. To date, television is no longer strictly entertainment, it is now the main platform for:
MEDIA.
Advertising.
Propaganda.
And people are not always able to catch that they are trying to advertise a product or impose a political opinion. Everything happens on a subconscious level: for example, a certain brand of shampoo in a favorite television series, or the news in which the presenter talks about all the achievements of the incumbent and the advantages of his new campaign.