Information Symmetry Of The Two Sides Of Television And Its Influence To The Program Quality

This dissertation takes the theories and methods of information symmetry about market transacting into the television research, and bring forward the notion of information symmetry of the two sides of television. Information symmetry of the two sides of television means the difference between the awareness degrees of program of the broadcasters and viewers in the television broadcasting market. The two sides are in the condition of remarkable information asymmetry if the difference is great. The two sides are in the condition of relative information symmetry if the difference is small. The dissertation studies the asymmetry subject of broadcaster and viewer comprehensively, and discovers the reasons of ascending and descending of the information symmetry of the two sides of television. The problems of the television program quality in the broadcasting phase are explained newly in theory here.The dissertation points out, the information symmetry of the two sides of television is in the transformation circle of "original asymmetry——symmetry ascending——symmetry descending under the new factors——symmetry ascending once again". The dissertation analyses the factors declining the symmetry. Except the inherent characters of television, the increasing of the channels is the main factor. The dissertation analyses the factors improving the symmetry too. Program systematizing (such as more program columns and series appear on the screen) and channel systematizing (such as more specialized channels and channel series appear) of the broadcasters improving the symmetry effectively.The dissertation discusses the three stages which the information symmetry of the two sides of television in China has gone through. From 1958 to May 1966 is the stage of symmetry ascending. From June 1966 to 1996 is the stage of symmetry ascending breaking and resuming slowly, and then improving generally after a short time frustration. From 1997 to the present is the long term in which the symmetry cannot be improved effectively after a great deal of efforts. The dissertation points out that the two sides of television in China are in the state of information asymmetry in general from 1997. In so long a term, the information symmetry of the two sides of television in China has never been improved effectively because the pay-channels have never developed substantially after the increasing of the channels, so the specialized channels cannot develop to the deep. Unfortunately, deep specialization of the channels is the main path to improve the information symmetry in the multi-channel condition. Because of the average income of the Chinese, the pay-channels are greatly blocked. So the information symmetry of the two sides of television in China cannot be improved in the near future.The dissertation figures that the information symmetry of the two sides of television cannot be improved in the long term is the general cause of the quality problems in China today. The author analyses how the information symmetry of the two sides of television influence the program quality by the methods of mathematics and game theory and some models by the two methods. The dissertation analyses how the broadcasters choose the cost, types, depth and elegance or vulgar of the program. By the logical deduction of mathematic and game theory models, the author analyses deeply why the broadcasters will invest fewer program cost, provide "just ok" program to the audiences, broadcast fewer types of the program, choose more vulgar and more superficial program under the condition of information asymmetry. The dissertation points out that the problems of homogenization, vulgarization, superficialization of the television program in China relate greatly and directly to the long term information asymmetry.The authors argues that we should improve the information symmetry of the two sides of television and the program quality by the market mechanism and face the tide of the improvement of technology because the quality of the television program will improve when the two sides of television are in the state of information symmetry and the quality of the television program will worsen when the two sides of television stick in the state of asymmetry for long term. The author suggests that facing the program problems of quality in the television market of China, the government should improve the information symmetry of the two sides of television by restricting the amount of the television channels, adjusting the structure of the channels, boosting the pay-channels and the separation of producing and broadcasting.