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Cite this as: Šámal, Z. 2019 Archaeology in the Czech Media: Does anyone care?, Internet Archaeology 51. https://doi.org/10.11141/ia.51.6

1. Introduction

'Archaeology is just a hobby for a small group of people, it is totally uninteresting for the majority population, and it is entirely useless – I mean, completely useless, for other people – like me – it gives nothing back at all, and you do not need it. So, you uncover the foundations of a church – what's that for? What's does it mean to the society? It's nothing. What means another old pot? Nothing – it has value only for a small group of people who like it. It is something like collecting insulators – others also do not care about them.' ¹

This authentic quote taken from the discussion under one of the contributions to an Archaeology group on Facebook serves as a simple reason why archaeologists must communicate with the public and explain the essence and importance of its activities. If archaeologists are not to be perceived as expensive hinderers of public highway construction, as an exclusive group of 'boys and girls that speak an incomprehensible language to each other' or only as harmless state-supported autistics mumbling over sherds and stones, they have to learn new ways to disseminate information about their work, popularise it to a broad audience, and prove that they are not just doing what the original writer of the introductory statement is accusing them of.

It is necessary to understand that the relationship between information and archaeology is multi-layered and also includes the issue of processing and distribution of archaeological information intended for the general public, as well as the basic idea of the expectations and behaviour of the audience, the functioning of media mechanisms and the possibilities of particular types of media. A scientific archaeological article or a study as the outcome of specific research activity in and out of the field always targets a minimal number of professional consumers. Informing the public, however, gives the activities of archaeologists a broader social context and helps to form the self-confident identity of the discipline, i.e. archaeology. It is fortunate that the professional community has not seen the idea of archaeology as a public activity as a necessary evil and useless marginality for a long time. Moreover, simultaneously, archaeology does not need to complain about a lack of interest in the mass media. However, media outputs with archaeological themes always enter into a network of a complex number of other themes, and perhaps it may be useful to have at least an indication of the impact that such information actually has on that particular media environment. This article cannot provide universal answers to such questions, but it attempts to offer some insights into specific aspects that affect reflections and work of journalists as information providers – and also a specific idea of how archaeological themes can actually fare from the viewpoint of their recipients and their interests. However, this statement is limited by the sample size – five specific archaeological themes presented on three platforms used by Czech TV news, specifically television broadcasting, the web and Facebook.

Even though the analysis is purely practical, it is appropriate to give some insight into particular aspects that make up the topic. The relationship of archaeology and mass media and the popularisation of the field have received some research attention in recent years, and these studies have provided some observations of a general nature, as well as practical suggestions and advice (e.g. Laštíková 2015; Mikešová 2012; 2014; 2015; 2016). In the dynamically developing sphere of mass media, however, the term 'change' hides not only the development of media technologies, mechanisms and platforms but also the changing behaviour of the audience, influenced by many economic, social and technological factors. Media companies, be they public or private, are being transformed into institutions that create original, varied or identical content for different platforms, such as television, the Internet or social networks (Moravec 2016, 14-16). There is a global convergence process, which meant, in the beginning, the ability of different networks (or network platforms) to provide the same content and similar types of services, as well as combining different user devices such as phones, TVs, or personal computers into a single device. However, technological convergence has also led to content convergence and a gradual change in the behaviour of recipients of the media content. New technologies have personalised the original mass consumers of traditional television broadcasting, and they have become much more active in searching for a variety of content. The audience has become scattered, and participate directly in the creation and distribution of content within social networks and various internet platforms (Moravec 2016, 22-24).

As part of this global process, one of the most critical domestic public service media – Czech Television (ČT) – with an internet platform that complements the traditional linear television broadcasting, is also trying to take into account that besides the traditional viewers of television screens an increasing number of consumers obtain their news or other content from computers, phones or tablets (cf. for example, the annual activity report of the ČT for the year 2016). ČT is trying to distribute such content through different channels, websites and services (iVysílání ČT – internet broadcasting of the ČT), and social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram². The current legislation (Czech Television Act), Statute of the Czech television, and the basic self-regulatory standard (Czech Television Code of Conduct) do not regulate the activities of the institution outside the specified TV broadcast (or do not mention them at all), and, therefore, ČT is produces only such content for the so-called new media that are created for the needs of TV broadcasting.

If we concentrate only on ČT News, the origin of the contributions analysed below, it means that the contributions and their themes are produced to meet the needs of TV broadcasting, in this case especially for news channel ČT24, the leading news programme 'Events' (Události in Czech), and the main regional news programme the 'Events in the regions' (Události v regionech in Czech)³. The news site www.ct24.cz and its daily production are based on video footage recorded for the needs of this television service, which is complemented by agency news or other related and further developed content. The latest component of television news – the so-called social networks redaction team⁴ – is responsible for distributing the TV or web content on social networks. The redaction team also formally adapts the contribution to this user-specific environment within its time and budget constraints⁵.

The relationship between public service television and archaeology can be generally deduced from the text of the Czech Television Act, as well as from the Code of Conduct of the ČT, which states that 'ČT shall actively contribute to better understanding, comprehension and dissemination of national and European culture and cultural heritage' ⁶. In order to fulfil this task, ČT is equipped not only on the basis of its financing (concession fee) but also with the provision of appropriate programme space (in the case of the news it is the ČT24 channel). Institutional and organisational back-up represents another important aspect since it is based on a relatively large number of editorial structures, a network of regional reporters, and a specific scientific editorial board⁷. Experience from practice, however, reminds us that the primary task of the news is, above all, the reflection of current events, among which scientific topics usually do not appear. It is also true that there are many scientific and other disciplines awaiting media attention, as well as tasks prescribed by the Code of Conduct of the ČT. Thus, archaeological information can represent only a very small proportion of the wide range of the ČT news. Its impact can, however, be quantified reasonably accurately when using the methodology applied by ČT and other media market players.

2. The Subject, Methodology and Terminology of the Analysis

For the purposes of the subsequent analysis, five original reports (contributions) broadcast within the main news programme 'Events', respectively the Events in the Regions, between June and October 2017 will be used. In adapted forms, the contributions were also published on the ct24.cz website and on the main ČT24 Facebook channel.

Altogether, ČT broadcasted 104 contributions exclusively or partly related to the field of archaeology (news, reports, interviews, etc.) in the programmes and programme blocks on channels ČT1 and ČT24 within the analysed period⁸. The ct24.cz news site published 42 separate contributions focused on archaeological topics from home and also abroad, in separate editorial articles and articles derived from the TV broadcast⁹.

The five analysed topics represent a mixture of the so-called exclusive themes (i.e. processed within the media environment of the Czech Republic exclusively for ČT News – three contributions) and topics derived from public information (published on the basis of an original press release from a professionally involved institution – two contributions). On the other hand, the level of media reflection of purely scientific topics has not been observed since it is often, for various reasons, more or less inconsistent with the scientific nature and terminology, and contains necessary simplifications (see Laštíková 2015). Furthermore, we have summarised the contributions based on the requirements that ČT places on the TV reports. Last, but not least, the selection of themes in terms of their archaeological significance has not been evaluated. In any case, however, these are topics from the daily news overview that have been selected by the editors, i.e. persons who have a decisive influence on the content and structure of the media products for which they are responsible (in this case the main ČT News programme, the daily content of the ct24.cz and the ČT24 Facebook channel).

The data presented are of a purely quantitative nature and concern the interest of the viewers/users to whom topics have been submitted and which were processed by the Department of Research and Analyses of Czech Television (ÚVA ČT in Czech)¹⁰. The data for television audiences are given in the parameters used within the standardised electronic audience measurement operated in the Czech Republic by companies associated with the Association of Television Organisations (ATO)¹¹ and provided by Nielsen-Admosphere¹² company. As far as TVR (television audience) is concerned, the absolute number of viewers who watched the contribution (broadcast) is provided, the market share represents the percentage of all viewers in the Czech Republic who watched TV broadcast over the period under review¹³.

The website visits are reported by the number of real users (RUs), i.e. individuals who have visited the site. The number of pages viewed refers to the actual consumption of the site¹⁴. Categories are again based on recognised measurement methods and standards within the NetMonitor research project run by the Internet Development Association (SPIR)¹⁵.

As far as the social network Facebook is concerned, information on how many users use this particular platform to distribute content is essential. To achieve this goal, various behavioural parameters for each particular user are monitored. The 'Like/Follow' function, which is the most important for distributing the post on the user's personal pages, has been used for the ČT24 channel by up to a quarter of a million users so far (258,600/249,847 as of 10 November 2017). Therefore, certain topics are offered primarily to these users, and the 'view' category gives their number. However, the fact that a particular post was offered to a user does not mean that the recipient, i.e. user, actually consumed it, or read more than the headline. The actual acceptance and impact of the post are more a reflection of the value associated with video viewing, the opening of pictures, and the data collectively referred to as 'responses, comments and sharing'. The following figures are based on the methodology used experimentally by ČT and provided by the external tool supplier, SocialBakers company.¹⁶

Each analysed news story is complemented by context information:

• Total audience rating and share of the news session on the channels ČT1 and ČT24¹⁷;
• The daily audience on ct24.cz;
• Parameters of the most successful post published within the given week on ČT24's Facebook.

3. Spectator and User Interest in Selected Archaeological Themes

Select title to expand

4. What Does all this Mean?

The figures stated above, albeit limited by the environment of the ČT News, can clearly illustrate some generally valid rules of daily media traffic, but perhaps they also confirm partial conclusions meant for experts who are, in these cases, the source and the starting point of the topics and are interested in the media coverage of their research.

The sample has confirmed the well-known and generally accepted fact that the most effective way to publicise a topic extensively across the media and society is to issue a press release. The effect is increased by inclusion in the ČTK service, which is taken by the majority of the editorial offices in the Czech Republic, thus ensuring its distribution. The image-filled press release represents a 'free content' in the world of cost-cutting media, including cuts in personnel. The interest of the media beyond the local horizon can be enhanced by a more generalised communication of the release (see, for example, The discovery of a bronze vessel in the region of Pardubice and The discovery of Prague's oldest city gate).

In the case of television news, it is evident that the information can reach hundreds of thousands of viewers. The figures given above refer to the main ČT News programmes, and it should be noted that if such information was broadcast in the main news programme of the private TV NOVA, the figures could be doubled. However, we have to take into account that private TV news has not shown any systematic interest in archaeological topics in the long term. Comparing the audience share of the particular reports with the overall audience of the programme also illustrates that archaeological themes may suffer from their inclusion in the less exposed sections of the news programme. However, even this conclusion is relative: the editors do not necessarily need to qualify the archaeological themes as 'a curiosity at the end' and then the number of viewers is equal to the total number of viewers of the programme (cf., for example, The Great Moravian finds from the hillfort of Prague-Vinoř). In the specific environment of the Czech TV market, however, the seemingly outsider position of the above-mentioned 'final curiosity' slots can be equally relative (cf. A Viking among the Přemyslids). On the contrary, such a position can also have, due to the constant movement of viewers from one TV channel to another, its advantages³⁹. Let's admit, however, that this may be a useful piece of information, but in practice, it is not possible to influence it because the reporter who prepared that particular contribution cannot influence its position within the news scenario – this task belongs to the editor.

Among the most important advantages of ČT as a natural media partner at a national and regional level is the existence of a thematic Science department, which besides its own programmes (Hyde Park Civilisation, Science ČT24) also prepares the scientific topics for the daily news of the ČT24 channel and the main news programme 'Events' (such as, for example, The discovery of a bone skate in the region of Přerov, A Viking among the Přemyslids). Another rather important factor, especially for the regional scientific organisations, is the existence of permanent news regional representation of Czech Television in all regions of the Czech Republic (cf. the reports The discovery of Prague's oldest city gate, The discovery of a bone skate in the region of Přerov, The discovery of a bronze vessel in the region of Pardubice).

It is also clear that the importance of social media networks is increasing because they increase the number of recipients of information by tens of thousands. Compared to the data regarding the so-called most successful post of the week, archaeology need not be considered an unimportant discipline. Among the aforementioned strong competition from themes deriving from 'everywhere' and about 'everything', the five examples noted above were not sensations but reached a very decent standard according to the ČT criteria. However, it should be mentioned that social networks often involve very superficial consumption, consisting of reading a headline, or a brief summary of the essence of the story. On the other hand, their advantage is that these networks can reach a younger and more active audience, in contrast to the traditional TV broadcast. It is also appropriate to know that social media networks can occasionally also offer archaeological posts and themes in a professionally acceptable form and can serve as a desirable source for professionally-orientated posts, for example, as well as posts from smaller institutions, including regional ones. These have substantially smaller user intervention, and also have a reduced ability to produce their own content.

Even the relatively low audience data of the ct24.cz website do not indicate a lesser interest in archaeological topics. They more likely correspond to the ranking of the ČT news server among the news servers in the Czech Republic and the fact that this site is more frequented, especially in the case of extraordinary events of a serious character (elections, natural disasters, terrorist attacks etc.). Longer term statistics, instead, suggest that archaeological themes are doing exceptionally well, compared to other scientific topics⁴⁰. Their effectiveness is reduced if an attractive visual component does not accompany them (see, for example, The discovery of a bone skate in the region of Přerov). Posts related to known persons, whether they are of domestic or foreign origin, also do not attract so much attention, which is somewhat surprising. On the other hand, the relevance of the theme attractiveness is significant (see, for example, A Viking among the Přemyslids).

A quantitative analysis of audience and attendance data cannot take into account all aspects affecting the presentation and impact of archaeological topics in the changing world of the mass media of today. But if the anonymous author of the introductory lines used a rather extreme claim that 'nobody cares', when we look at the data, even in such an abbreviated form as presented here, it turns out that the opposite is true. And in fact, given the general rise in popularity of archaeology on TV, it's not just the archaeologists who care either.

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