Levine (2001), "Toward a Paradigm for Media Production Research"

Levine (2001) observed the industrial practices at General Hospital to determine the ways the show was produced. She suggests breaking media production research into five constraints: constraints, environment, routines and practices, characters and stories, and the role of the audience.

1. Levine (2001) examined the financial constraints placed on design personnel at General Hospital. As shows gain more or less prestige, their budgets grow or shrink accordingly, forcing production personnel to be more creative in their design choices.

2. Levine (2001) noticed that the production environment functioned in terms of gendered norms. The gendered division of labor behind the General Hospital scenes also shaped the production of the show.

3. By "routines and practices," Levine (2001) refers things like continuity design and editing and production schedules.

4. Characters and stories are produced within the guidelines of social norms. Lots of people contribute to the final characters and storylines, so it is important that all staff understand the goal of the developing production elements.

5. Audience communications are usually read by low-level interns, Levine (2001) observes. Therefore, audiences are considered only in aggregate, through lists compiled and delivered to executives.