TV

Friday 4th November 2022

Television: Industries & Audiences:

L/O: to research the history, companies & regulators in the Television Industry

Publicly owned TV Channel: owned or funded by the public and is accountable to them. funded by the government & license fees.

Commercial TV Channel: privately owned by larger companies and corporations. funded through advertisements. ITV

Convergence: The merging of different types of media. Process of joining different technologies into one device.

Watershed: the time when TV programmes which might be unsuitable for children can be broadcast. Before 9pm and after 5:30am

Segmented market: audience divided into different groups depending on taste and interests

Mainstream: conventional newspapers, television and other news sources that most people know about and regard as reliable. Content shared by most people and regarded as normal and conventional

Self-Regulating: not regulated by a regulating company, regulated by themselves.

Franchise: a collection of related media in which several derivative works have been produced from an original creative work of fiction, such as a film, a work of literature, a television program or a video game. License from company of a product to use format/show/ideas.

Channel-Surfing: constantly flicking between channels. Frequently changing from one channel to another. 

PSB (Public Service Broadcasting): made for the public to provide news, entertainment etc. and not for financial gain. Have to fulfil certain requirements.

TV license: A fee paid to view programmes on a TV, computer etc.

Scheduling: What time a programme is aired on a channel. the pattern of timing of an advertising which is represented as plots on a flowchart on a yearly basis.

Conglomerate: a company that owns numerous companies involved in mass media enterprises. A large company made of smaller companies.

1) 1936

2) three, BBC, BBC2 and ITV

3) 22 September 1955, first commercial channel

4) the BBC, those providing channel 3 services (ITV in England and Wales, STV in Scotland and UTV in Northern Ireland), Channel 4, Channel 5 and the Welsh language service S4C.

5) OFCOM

6) Independent Television authority

7) colour TV only just started, more channels, tv regulators.

Friday 11th November 2022

Ownership & Regulation:

L/O: to explore the ownership & regulation of BBC1 & ITV

Commercial: made to make money.

Publicly Owned: the public donate to or own the channel.

ITV and channel 4 are commercial channels

The BBC is a PSB channel and follow a strict Remit.

Ofcom regulates the BBC externally

The BBC is granted a license to broadcast by a ROYAL CHARTER, which must be renewed every 11 years.

A ROYAL CHARTER is something granted by the current monarch which guarantees independence and outline the duties and purposes.

The BBC's main Ethos is to 'inform, educate and entertain'. Lord Reith outlined the PSB principles (can be called Reithian Principles).

1)  The BBC's mission is "to act in the public interest, serving all audiences through the provision of impartial, high-quality and distinctive output and services which inform, educate and entertain". 

We have established a set of values for everyone working at the BBC. They represent the expectations we have for ourselves and each other, they guide our day-to-day decisions and the way we behave.

Our values are:

AUDIENCES are at the heart of everything we do
CREATIVITY is the lifeblood of our organisation
TRUST is the foundation of the BBC - we’re independent, impartial and truthful
We RESPECT each other - we’re kind, and we champion inclusivity
We are ACCOUNTABLE and deliver work of the highest quality
We are ONE BBC - we collaborate, learn and grow together

2)  The Royal Charter is the constitutional basis for the BBC. It sets out the BBC’s Object, Mission and Public Purposes. The Charter also outlines the Corporation’s governance and regulatory arrangements, including the role and composition of the BBC Board.

The current Charter began on 1 January 2017 and ends on 31 December 2027.

The Royal Charter is the constitutional basis for the BBC. It sets out the BBC’s Object, Mission and Public Purposes. The Charter also outlines the Corporation’s governance and regulatory arrangements, including the role and composition of the BBC Board.

The current Charter began on 1 January 2017 and ends on 31 December 2027.

The Government will carry out a mid-term review of the Charter, focussing on governance and regulatory arrangements. This review is not a full Charter Review and so will not look at the BBC’s mission, purpose or the method by which it is funded.The Government will carry out a mid-term review of the Charter, focussing on governance and regulatory arrangements. This review is not a full Charter Review and so will not look at the BBC’s mission, purpose or the method by which it is funded.

3) A standard TV licence is currently £159
A TV licence is required if you:

watch or record live TV programmes on any channel
download or watch any BBC programmes on iPlayer - live, catch up or on demand

This applies to any provider you use and any device, including a TV, desktop computer, laptop, mobile phone, tablet, games console, digital box or DVD/VHS recorder.
The public pay for a TV License

1) Peaky Blinders - BBC1/ BBC2

2) Panorama - BBC1

3) Pointless - BBC1

4) BBC news - BBC1

5) The Chase - ITV1

6) Come Dine With Me - Channel 4

7) Yorkshire Cop: police, racism & me - Channel 4

8) Strictly come dancing - BBC1

Commercial Channels:

funded by advertisements, product placement, pay per view, sponsorship, subscription

ITV1, Channel 4 & Channel 5 are commercially funded channels which also have to fulfil some PSB requirements

Channel 4 is commercially funded but publicly owned - any profit made goes straight into making new programmes rather than to the shareholders.

ITV:

ITV's vision is to be 'More than TV', building upon ITV's unique and winning combination of creativity and commercial strength

By the 1950's, many felt the "BBC represented a high-culture snobbery that many leftists associated with an oppressive class structure.". There was a "desire for a playful, commercial, anti-citizen address as a counter."

This came along in 1955 in the hsape of ITV.

As a terrestrial broadcaster, it has a PSB remit to follow. It is a non-profit.

• Broadcast items of national importance
• produce a variety of programmes for a wide audience
• produce accessible content

Friday 25th November 2022

1) 6 channels:

ITV1

ITV2

ITV3

ITV4

ITVBE

CITV

2) to entertain and connect with millions of people globally, reflecting and shaping culture with brilliant content and creativity. A leader in UK streaming and an expanding global force in content

3)

4)

5) Dr Who?

6)

Tv Audiences

L/O: to explore how audiences consume TV Dramas and the appeals

both BBC1 and ITV1 need to be popular and appeal to a mass audience to meet there PSB remit.

BBC1 has to meet PSB remit and justify license fee

ITV1 has to attract advertisers to fund channel.

Technology has changed how we consume TV:

Catch-up TV

Streaming Services

Recorded

Live

Phone

Tablet

Pc

TV set

people watch live Tv for second Screening (encouraging the audience to post about it on social media whilst watching it) and audience interactivity (if the programme encourages the audience to vote)

Theory: The Active Audience:

The focus on debated as to whether an audience is ACTIVE or PASSIVE

A PASSIVE AUDIENCE accepts and believes everything a media text tells them. They are easily influenced and don't question any messages conveyed.

An ACTIVE AUDIENCE interacts with a media text and makes its own decisions about whether to accept and believe everything. They question messages and may interpret meanings differently

Nowadays, the audience has:

more channel competition (channel surfing)

Different available platforms

second screening

interactivity is possible

peak viewing time is between 6pm and 10;30 pm

Audience ratings (how many viewers watch live) are measured by the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB)

The Watershed is between 9pm & 5.30am

During these hours, broadcasters can show content that is not suitable for children up to the age of 15. 18 rated content cannot be shown until after 10pm.

The 1960's

L/O: to research the social, historical and political context of The Avengers.

known as the swinging sixties. Traditional values around sex and marriage became more liberal.

WW2 ended. Britain had no economy, people returning from war, industry had stopped. Late 40s was about recovery. Family centred values.

The 60's had a push for civil rights.

Key things in the 1960's:

Moon Landing - 1961

JFK as president - 1961

JFK assassinated - 1963

MLK was assassinated - 1968

Civil rights act -

Cold war - 

Vietnam war -

Malcom X assassinated -

Hallucinative Drugs -  

Friday 2nd December 2022

The 1960's

L/O: research the social, historical and political context of The Avengers.

lots of change in the 60's. Drove by the younger generation. Labour party in power.

Cold war had been happening since WW2 between the soviet union and the western powers. It had hit its height at 1965. Britain was a part of NATO - 12 western countries who agreed to support each other in the face of a soviet attack. To retaliate, The Soviet Union formed a pact with seven other communist countries. 

Anxieties about nuclear war were common as both sides (soviet union & the US) were building up their weapons and armies. In 1962, The cuban missile crisis took place over a week when the two countries took the world to the brink of nuclear war.

Both sides used espionage (spies) as a way of discovering what the other side was doing and planting false information. A number of double agents were found guilty of spying in the early 60's and either defected or imprisoned. This meant that espionage was a common theme in films/TV programmes.

The Avengers:

John Steed

Emma Peal (M appeal (male appeal))

Town of no return:

beach

Person walks onto sand in a black bag

meet Emma Peal

travel on train to town

going to Little Blazeley by the sea because two agents disappeared when something suspicious was suspected of the place.

meet guy on train (he is visiting his brother)

arrive at town

arrive in pub

meet "Piggy Warren"

meet headteachers

Emma & John go to their rooms

Friday 9th December 2022

The Avengers: Town of No Return

L/O: to explore the narrative, characters and appeal of Series 4, Episode 1

John Steed: Skilled spy agent 

Emma Peal: Skilled spy agent, made for the male appeal

^

espionage was a popular theme in the 60's, commonly used in the cold war, The episode is based on the cold war and the communist armies invading.

Piggy Warren: the "name" of the landlord with the moustache. The landlord is an imposter. The real Piggy Warren is a person who died in action.

Mrs Manson: Teacher. one of the imposters

Mr Brandon: School inspector. one of the imposters

Tom Smallwood: Brother of the person on the train, Blacksmith, one of the imposters. We never meet the real Tom Smallwood.

Personal Identity

Information

Entertainment

Social Interaction

The Avengers:

Personal Identity:

Younger Generation may relate to Emma Peal: her style, female - rights for women, a female in a powerful position, tough, intelligent, equal.

Older Generation may relate to John Steed: his style

upper class - identify them as role models

reinforcing views and values

English 

Information:

Cold war - invasions, espionage, imposters, foreign power invading.

inform about the upper class

informative for american's on British lifestyle

Entertainment:

entertaining for people in the 60's, comedic, 

characters

escapist plots

de-stressing from watching the show

enjoying the danger of the heroes' situation

enjoy steed and peal's relationship

repetitive narrative: different villain that the heroes defeat

Social Interaction:

People would be talking about it in the 60's

likely to talk about a women being in a powerful position

watching it together with family/friends

personal relationship with familiar characters of Steed/Peel - substitute for real life interaction.

a sense of Britishness - gained in Britain & abroad.

Context:

cold war - USSR & Communist Allies vs Western Allies

nuclear threats

threat of invasion

espionage

uniform worn by the enemy was Russian

Fifth Columnists were a group of people who secretly supported the enemy and undermined the country from within.

The Episode references WW2 films like "Went the day Well?" from 1944. In both cases, the English country village is an illusion, as sinister intruders are impersonating stereotypical British characters.

Emma Peal & John Steed: Upper Class & English - connotes that they are intelligent - reassuring to audience as they reach the caliber of spies.

Scene where Emma Peal is explaining the invasion to John Steed - not taken seriously, shows that the main characters do not have to worry as they know what they are doing

Steed saluting to the sound of marching soldiers & in the mirror at airfield. Reminds the audience that Britain triumphed in the war.

The fight scenes - John Steed having secret weapons such as his hat and umbrella - reminds the audience that he always has a trick up his sleeve. Over-exaggerated. British & heroes won the fights.

Enemies are represented as Russian - reminds the audience that the Russians lost the war and the British will win again.

Emma being intelligent and figuring out what is happening in the town - Comforts the audience

the whole series isn't fully taken seriously

Emma defeated enemies by herself - presents her as strong.

Spies winning/completing the task.

Friday 6th January 2023

CONTEXT - The Avengers: Town of No Return

to analyse representation and influence of social & cultural context in Series 4, Episode 1

Characters: Emma Peal, John Steed - Emma Peal confident strong female lead, John Steed stereotypical english gentlemen. "piggy Warren" - extremely welcoming 

1960's values & attitudes:

Equality was being protested for - Rights for Everyone. Females still weren't seen as just as important as men

Class division: Middle class - husband worked for money, wife stayed at home. Many lower class were homeless.

Very Heteronormative

John Steed is a stereotypical English Gentleman, Main male Lead, stereotypically strong & intelligent. Fights using metal bowler hat and umbrella

tough intelligent women:

1) Emma Peal is an intelligent, tough woman. This is seen throughout "The avengers" and is done to subvert the stereotypes of women being weak, idiotic and in need of saving.

Women seen as sex objects:

2) Emma Peal was created to appeal to the male gaze (hence the name Emma Peal( M Appeal)) this reinforces the stereotype that women were made for men to be attracted to.

Ideological tension about gender roles:

3)

gender stereotypes are subverted when Emma Peal overpowers John Steed in a fencing Match, However she is tricked into losing to him when he cheats and she gets trapped in the curtains.

Steed - Older Generation:

Bowler hat: Symbol of British 'City Gent'; reinforced and used to overcome enemy

Black Umbrella: 

3-piece suit: Tailored, prim & proper gentleman. English stereotype of being "fancy"

Pub Scene question:

Mise-En-Scene: Pub decorated with war planes - stereotypical english pub - Happy, Welcoming landlord;dartboard;locals unwelcoming to new people.

John Steed Dressed as a stereotypical english gentleman

Editing: Eerie music when something strange happens

Camerawork: zooms in on characters faces frequently - signifies importance

Sound: Eerie music

1) In "The Avengers: The town of No Return" media language is used to portray the attitudes and values of England in the 1960's. The pub that "Piggy Warren" owns is decorated in a stereotypically english fashion - with war planes, a dartboard and a welcoming landlord with unwelcoming locals. This introduces the american audience to a stereotypical version of England.

Friday 13th January 2023

The Avengers: Extract Analysis

L/O: to explore elements of media language and practice how to analyse an extract.

Q1) Analyse clip using element of media language

• Camerawork
• Mise-En-Scene
• Editing
• Sound

Most likely: Mise-En-Scene, Camerawork

Camerawork: 

Shot type, Angles, Movement

Steadicam: on the cameraman's body

Shallow focus: only focuses on one thing

Focus Pull: moves the focus to another thing

1)

shaking/jerking movement - seems handheld

tracking - immersed in the action, highlights them as important, 

mainly mid shots and close ups - intensity

POV shot - Emma peal's POV, seeing the dead enemies and then Steed.

Canted angles - shows chaos 

Mise-En-Scene:

Everything that you can see in the scene

Blocking: how you place people in a scene

1)

Welcoming landlord, Dartboard, unwelcoming locals - stereotypical english pub

war planes - involved in the war, set up for fighting, connotations of war.

Mr Smallwood, John Steed and Emma Peal are well dressed compared to the country folks.

Editing:

juxtaposition: the choice of shots used.

non-continuity editing: things that don't happen in a linear fashion (not in 'Cuffs' or 'The Avengers')

crosscutting: two sequences happening at the same time.

1)

match cut - fire on moustache - larger fire in forge - danger -> greater danger.

pace of editing got faster as fight went on, shows intensity

Friday 20th January 2023

The Avengers: Extract Analysis

Sound:

sound bridge: two scenes connected by music as it carries on over each scene.

Parallel sound: sound & visuals match

contrapuntal sound: sound and visuals are different. i.e. hearing traffic while scene shows waves on a beach.

1) church organ sound: tension - suspense, dramatic reveal of threat. non-diegetic

choir: diegetic, setting the scene for a church, cuts out 

Extract: answering question.

How was camerawork used to create meaning?

- mainly mid shots and close ups

changes between high angle and low angle shot of the inspector and Emma Peal.

- tracking gun - highlights importance of weapon, adds drama to the reveal - shows Ainsbury is imposter

1) In the Avengers, tracking is used to show the gun that Ainsbury is holding. This is done to add suspension and drama to the reveal of Ainsbury's betrayal, as he was previously believed to be a good person when really he is just another imposter. This makes the audience feel the tension of the scene, highlighting the danger that Emma Peal is facing. Tracking is also used to follow the real school inspector, as he collapses to the ground, dying, whilst trying to warn Emma Peal of the imposters. Tracking the inspector highlights the importance and brings meaning to his character, making the audience feel sympathetic for him in his fragile state.

high angle shots are used to show the School Inspector on the floor, showing he has no power and is weak, fragile and dying. This is contrasted with the low angle shots used to show Emma Peal, which shows that she is nonchalant and in control of the situation.

Friday 27th January 2023

Television in the 2010's

L/O: to research the 2010s (UK) in terms of social, cultural and political climate of the decade; research TV usage in 2015

Cuffs was released in 2015

- Conservatives won UK election

- David Cameron

- UK Independence Party (Brexit vote was 2016) - anti immigration, 'patriotic', far right

- The attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo

- Yemen, Iraq, Nigeria, Syria (registered as two wars), Afghanistan, Somalia, Ukraine and Pakistan had continuations of ongoing wars in 2015.

- Afghanistan war, Syria war, Korea- Nuclear

- Isis

- Youth culture of i-phones, drugs, violent video games, rap music 

- black lives matter

- anti austerity rallies

- Equality act of 2010 - any discrimination was illegal (sexuality, race, gender identity)

- post 9/11 - cyberhate, fear of terrorist attacks

2015 vs 1965:

Some of the main differences between 2015 and 1965 would be the development towards are more accepting place in society - such as the Equality act in 2010 making England are more accepting place for everyone. However, 2015 was post 9/11, so a huge proportion of the country was against immigrants and anyone who wasn't caucasian. This also meant that the fears of terrorist acts was heightened around the world. This is different to the fears of espionage during 1965.

Cuffs:

Friday 3rd February 2023

Cuffs: Series 1, Episode 1

L/O: to analyse the narratives and characters constructed in an opening episode.

Friday 17th march 2023

Cuffs: Series 1, Episode 1

L/O: to analyse the narrative and characters constructed in an opening episode

Personal Identity:

relate to characters

Jake: gay, male, white, police officer

Ryan: black, single dad, police officer

Donna: Female, confident

Lino: Italian

Mental health struggles (i.e depression, suicidal thoughts), multiple ethnicities, multiple genders, different sexualities, Different types of families (mom with cancer, single dad)

Jakes sexuality not defining his character

Information:

daily life of a police officer, lawyer, detective, attorney

Entertainment:

Humour (beach scene, Lino eating food, Lino running with hands full)

action

escape into a fictional world 

seeing the police teams personal lives and relationships with each other

Social Interaction:

discussing characters (similarities shared with them), Discussing experiences (racism, mental health struggles)

Feeling as if they are part of the team

builds personal relationships with characters

twitter & facebook at the time - comment online about the programme

Ensemble cast: multiple main characters - Cuffs

social realism - as close to real life as possible, grounded in the real world, 

appeal:

police

set in Brighton

younger people aspiring to be police officers

Cuffs & Social Contexts:

more gender equality compared to 1960s

class structure is less seen

acceptance of different sexualities

acceptance to outsiders/foreigners (different to 1960s)

less evident patriarchal society

multicultural society - quality act 2010

changing attitude towards police

stronger roles for women to reflect gender equality:

a) Donna: more of a leader/more skilled than Lino

b) women having higher roles in the police force - positions of authority

c) 

Change in attitude towards masculinity. Different male roles presented in a positive light:

a)Lino: unfit, not particularly presented as masculine, used as a 'joke' character

b)Nathan: fragile, scared, substance abuse, struggling with mental health issues

Traditional 'masculine' and 'feminine' qualities are not reserved for particular genders:

a) Police force is not seen as a 'men only' job - i.e the stereotype that women couldn't handle difficult/ dangerous tasks

PC Lino Moretti:

Subverting traditional stereotypes of men being strong and in shape. Lino is out of shape, and struggles to keep up with everyone else. He is always seen eating, and is shown to be less skilled/talented than his peers.

PC Jake Vickers:

Subverting traditional stereotypes of gay men being very extreme (either flamboyant or butch). His sexuality does not define him, and he is nurturing towards his mother.

Ryan Draper:

shows both traditionally masculine and feminine qualities

Jake vickers:

diffident (not confident), inexperienced

antistereotypical

Lino Moretti:

unfit, 

antistereotypical

Carl Hawkins:

sociable, confident

stereotypical

Felix Cane:

timid, introverted

antistereotypical

Friday 31st March 2023

The Hero: Jake Vickers - main character, task to be a police officer

The villain: Chief Robert vickers - Blames Ryan when Nathan dies, only cares about his son and not Nathan

The Donor: Jo 

The Helper: Ryan Draper - helping Jake to be a Police Officer

The princess: Arresting the criminals/saving the victims (Nathan, the little girl) 

The princess' father: Robert Vickers
The dispatcher: Jo, Felix

The False hero: 

Propp's theory is more difficult to apply to a TV drama series (ie cuffs), as there is an ensemble cast, and the characters roles change quite frequently. 

multiculturalism - differences in ethnicity is accepted

racism is presented in a negative way

Cuffs attempts to challenge the negative view towards the police through showing the positive attributes they have against the negative ones. For example, they care about the victims - such as Nathan - who is struggling with drug addiction. They attempt to help him recover from his addiction, and are not heartless.

Friday 28th April 2023

Exam Preparation

L/O: to review the exam format and possible question types

synonyms for show:

portray

display

present

indicate

imply

depict

construct

represent

Q1:

Analyse the extract using one area of Media Language and giving two examples

• Sound
• Editing
• Camerawork
• Mise-en-Scene

5 marks (5 minutes)

Editing:

pace

juxtaposition

transitions

cross-cutting - cutting across two scenes

CCTV camera in shop - Realism,  Police procedural, Police would look over footage as evidence.

fast pace cuts during car chase - tension, excitement, Jake's adrenaline kicking in

Q2:

Analyse the extract using Media Language and representation and make a judgement

• How particular viewpoints have been shown
• How certain groups have been represented
• How the audience have been positioned 
• How certain values have been constructed

10 marks (10 minutes)

Make a judgement at the end of the analysis

Q3:

Use the extract and your knowledge of TV to make a judgement

• How particular viewpoints have been shown
• How certain ideas or values have been represented
• How the audience have been positioned
• How the context has effected the meaning

Media Language

Media Industry

Media Audience

Media Representation

Q4:

Tv industry & audiences

Refer to either TV dramas studied

• Scheduling (i.e Watershed)
• Regulation (OFCOM)
• PSB 
• Technology (recording after broadcast)
• Audience Appeals (U&G, PIES)

5 mark question (5 minutes)

Explain ideas fully, specific examples

All terrestrial channels are PSB, BBC has PSB remit, has to create programmes for everybody to enjoy, BBC funded by the Public through the License Fee

Q5:

Context

asks about:

• Social
• Political
• or historical 

of either programme

Differences between 1965 and 2015

10 marks (10 minutes)

Specific events and dates