| Abstract: | International flows of television programmes are a multimillion-dollar industry about which little is known. In the absence of reliable and well-defined data, policy making in this area becomes virtually impossible at either the national or international levels. An algebraic topological language and approach makes it possible to define structures of television programming at various levels of generality useful for both scientific and policy-making purposes. The interrogation of such hierarchical structures, which may incorporate culturally relative but ideologically pertinent values, constitutes monitoring a complex and dynamic system to make well-informed decisions about future directions. With the aid of modern computers, data-management systems, and analytical software it is possible to see international television flows in any degree of detail required. |
