24

Work Title: 24
Medium: TV Episode
Episode Title: 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM
Year: 2007
Writer(s): Joel Surnow
"Original" Writer: Yes Writer(s): Robert Cochran
"Original" Writer: Own work?: No
Summary:

24 is a fast paced program, in 'real time', where each hour long program corresponds to an hour in the program. Jack Bauer is a counter terrortist agent, trying to rescue people and stop terrorists. Simultaneously, the White House is politically dealing with foriegn govs and leaks on the staff.

  • Self-Written?: 1
  • Source Name:
  • Source URL:
Era/Year of Portrayal: present_day
Distinctive characteristics of the world in portrayal:

Present day 2007.

Technology

  • Name of portrayed presence-evoking technology: Cisco Telepresence
  • Description of the technology: Cisco Telepresence is a real peice of technology presumably used by the US goverement. It is a system that allows people in differernt physical places to interact with, see and hear each other as of they were all sitting at the same table, in the same room. Half the people sit at a table, while the other half of the table has 3 large TV flat screens set up, to correspond to the real people sitting there. Once the far away people are shown on the screens, it looks as if they are all sitting at the same table. The quality is very vivid and interaction is in real time. Presumably there are cameras recording and transmitting the people.
  • Nature of task or activity: A meeting to discuss world diplomatic issues.
  • Performance of the Technology: very well.
  • Description of creator(s): It is produced and sold by Cisco.
  • Major goal(s) of creator(s): Presumably to make money, advance technology.
  • Description of users of technology: Goverment officials, mostly white men in thier 40s and 50s. One white woman, in her 50s or 40s. They include the President of the US and the President of Russia.
  • Type(s) of presence experience in the portrayal: both
  • Description of presence experience: The presence is interactive and very real. It is as if talking to someone present in the same room.
  • User awareness of technology during experience: yes.
  • Valence of experience: I don't think they enjoy or dislike it - it just is. It makes communication easier.
  • Specific responses: intense parasocial relationships, enhanced communication ability.
Long-term consequences:

good. The communication lets the US and Russia discuss diplomatic issues. The story is not resolved yet, as 24 is an ongoing drama. I assume, however, that the US will not let China recieve Russian technology and that Russia will not attack the US.

Other:

This technology is very interesting as I think it actually does exist. Thus, the portrayal may be quite close to the way it is really used in goverment.

Coder name: Amanda Scheiner
Coder email: amandags@temple.edu
Coder affiliation: Temple University