STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY

For more than a decade, the PTC has been famous in public policy and media advocacy circles for its videotaped archive of prime-time broadcast network programming and extensive computer database documenting 20 years’ worth of television content. Combined, these powerful research tools have helped the PTC establish its reputation as the nation’s foremost authority on television content.

In 2008, the PTC took a quantum leap into the 21^st century. Under the PTC’s new digitization project, all prime-time broadcast television, and a substantial amount of original cable programming, is now recorded and stored digitally, directly into the PTC’s computer system.

Beginning in February, 2008, every minute of TV programming is now stored on hard drives that hold up to 1,500 hours’ worth of shows — as contrasted with the 8 hours previously possible on a single videotape. By the project’s one-year anniversary, 8,936 hours of television programming had been recorded. This digitization gives PTC analysts the ability to extract video clips of offensive or indecent content, which can then be displayed on the PTC’s website or used in advocacy efforts.

Progress is currently underway in converting the PTC’s videotape archive of TV shows recorded from 1989-2007 to digital format — over 17,000 VHS tapes containing more than 115,000 hours of programming.

Transcription data is stored in the PTC’s custom-designed Entertainment Tracking System (ETS) database. This database, which has been the linchpin of the PTC’s research, was completely redesigned in 2008 to facilitate in-depth analysis of TV content and to allow the information the PTC analysts track daily to become fully integrated with the PTC’s website, giving activists the tools and information they need to take action.

Finally, 2008 saw the completion of the PTC’s small but complete in-house studio and video production facility. Its digital camera, editing system and audio workstation allows us to capture, edit

and deliver video information to DVD, the Internet, and other media formats. This facility has made

possible the production of a monthly video update of the PTC’s activities hosted by PTC President Tim Winter. Other projects in the works include a weekly video advisory to parents, video movie reviews, and updates about PTC programs.