Television

29th October 2018
L/O: To research the history, companies and regulators in the TV industry

Paper 1: section A

• You will be given an unseen extract from a TV drama to watch and analyse
• You will be asked THREE questions about the extract
• You could be asked about: 
• 1) How MEDIA LANGUAGE has been used to create meaning 2) How the industry has influenced the meaning 3) The audiences reaction to the extract 4) The SOCIAL, CULTURAL and HISTORICAL context 

Terminology:

• A public owned TV channel is a channel that broadcasts information and shows with funding from the government and where the public have access with no fees and is a public service. 
• A commercial TV channel is a channel that uses commercials to fund the production and broadcasting of shows etc.
• Watershed is a certain time period where shows that are unsuitable for children can be shown which is normally after 9pm till 5:30am.
• Convergence is the joining of all different technologies into one. 
• Segmented market is a way to let companies precisely meet a consumers needs and wants.
• Mainstream means the broadcasting company that influences a large amount of people.
• Self-regulating is where the media company has inside sources to regulate them instead of outside sources. 
• A franchise is a group of related media in which several derivative works have been produced from an original creative work like a film where a tv series was based on it then a game was based on the movie and tv series. 
• Channel surfing is where you go through all the channels looking for something to watch.
• PSB means Public Service Broadcasting.
• A TV license is legal permission to install or use television receiving equipment.  
• TV scheduling is the organisation of the shows being broadcasted.
• A conglomerate is a company that owns a group of media networks like radio and TV etc.

1) TV was introduced to the uk in the 1936. 

2) There were only three channels in 1965, they were BBC 1, BBC 2 and ITV.

3) ITV started on 22nd September 1955. 
4) The BBC, ITV, STV, UTV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and S4C follow PSB remits.
5) Ofcom regulate British TV.
6) The ITA regulated ITV and the BBC regulated themselves.
7) More shows. more channels, colour, live TV.  

1st November 2018  
Television industries: Ownership 
L/O: To explore the history of ownership in two key channels 

Public service broadcasting: In the UK the term 'Public service broadcasting' refers to broadcasting which is intended for the public benefit rather than for purely commercial concerns. In the UK, the BBC is the main PSB channel. The BBC, funded by the license fee, initially had a monopoly over broadcasting in the UK. 

BBC

The BBC has 16 channels, some examples are BBC 1, BBC 2, CBBC and BBC 3. There mission statement is "We aim to enrich, inform and to entertain peoples lives through television".The BBC's values are: 

• Trust is the foundation of the BBC: we are independent, impartial and honest.

• Audiences are at the heart of everything we do.

• We take pride in delivering quality and value for money.

• Creativity is the lifeblood of our organisation.

• We respect each other and celebrate our diversity so that everyone can give their best.

• We are one BBC: great things happen when we work together.

The most popular programs on the BBC are Doctor Who, Sherlock and The Apprentice. Some of the most expensive TV series that the BBC has ever made is 'Sherlock' and 'Blue planet 2'. The BBC also has radio stations and a website. The way the BBC make money is through government funding and through license fees that UK citizens are charged so they can watch the BBC and they also sell box sets of TV series they own. The advantages of being publicly owned is that they get funding from the government and that they don't need to show ads to make money. 

Commercial Institutions

These generally have no guaranteed income (even ITV, C4 and C5 which have small PBS remit) therefore it is essential they are profitable, they generate income by: Subscription (Where a viewer pays a monthly fee to watch the channel), Pay Per View (e.g. sky box), Sponsorship, advertising and product placement. 

ITV

ITV have 6 channels which are: ITV, ITV2, ITV 3, ITV 4, ITVBe and CITV. ITV's strategy is "we remain focused on our original vision for ITV as an owner, producer and broadcaster of content. The most expensive ITV program is I'm a celebrity get me out of here! and britains got talent. The most expensive ITV show is The X-Factor. ITV also have subscription channels and websites. 

Duopoly

In the 1960s there were only 2 TV producers, BBC and ITV. Both companies has full control on what shows could be shown and made. They had a big rivalry with both companies having loyal viewers. 

12th November 2018    Serial TV Drama

TV Drama: Contains a series of real life situations which are exaggerated yet relatable, through the use of: themes, settings, issues, and narrative. intended to be more serious than humorous.  

Serial TV drama is defined as any television that is organised into a series of episodes (as opposed to one-off dramas). Typically a series contains 3 to 12 episodes. A serial has a continuing plot that unfolds as the series goes on. 

TV drama sub-genres:

• Romantic - Teen wolf and vampire diaries 
• Crime - Luther and Sherlock 
• Drama - The Walking Dead and West World 
• Fantasy - Merlin and Game of Thrones 
• historical - Vikings and Poldark
• Sci-fi - Doctor Who and X-files 
• Political - Designated survivor and House of cards
• Period - Peaky Blinders and Narcos
• Medical - 
• Teen drama - Skins and 13 Reasons why 

A Serial has a narrative that continues from episode to episode (E.g. Luther, Game of Thrones, Peaky Blinders) 

A series contains the same characters throughout, but each episode isa different story so you can start watching the series from any episode (E.g. CSI, Friends)

Serial dramas are popular with TV broadcasters because they have a range of appeals:

• Familiar characters/stars 
• familiar locations 
• familiar attitudes    

A TV serial drama is a show that has a continuous plot line which unfolds from episode to episode. They normally follow the same story arcs but change it after every couple of series. 

19th November 2018  The Avengers (1965)
L/O: Research the TV show 'The Avengers'

1) The TV show 'The Avengers' was produced by ITC for ITV. 
2) It was aimed at adults as it was aired past 9pm.3) The first episode to air was on the 7th January 1961.
4) It was very popular and had a lot of reruns .
5) They made 6 TV series for the show.
6) The last episode was aired on the 21st May 1969.
7) The budget for series 4 was £1,456,000. So in 2018 that would mean £27,381,572. 
8) Because it was shot on film it meant they could film in different locations apart from the studio and they could do the same scene in different takes without having to do it all as one shot this meant they could add more complex scenes which would be more appealing to audiences. 
9) The 2 main actors in series 4 were Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg. 
10) The dialect of the shows on ITV were mainly the same as working class, whereas TV shows on the BBC had a very posh dialect which would of made the working class people feel looked down upon. Also working class people couldn't relate to middle class but they can with the avengers as its a sci-fi spy show. 

29th November 2018
The Avengers: The Town of No Return
L/O: To explore the narrative, characters and context of series 4 episode 1.

The Narrative

The two secret agents, John Steel and Emma Peel go to the seaside village called Little Blazley. The reason they went there was because 4 previous agents went missing. When they got there they realised that not everyone was who they said they were and they found out a secret organisation is taking away the locals and replacing them with trained soldiers and they have an underground bunker where they are hiding out until they are ready to attack Britain. 

The Characters

The characters were John Steed, Emma Peel, Brandon, Smallwood, Piggy Warren, The Vicar, Saul, Jill Manson, Jill Manson and the school inspector. 

Links to social and cultural context

The Avengers show the sidekick who is a women as a strong, indepen         dent person. This was weird for the generation as women were normally saved rather than actually doing the saving. She also would wear clothes that would reveal her body figure which wasn't the normal thing in the 60s. Both of the main characters were white heterosexual British people who were upper class. Miss Peel was in her late 20s and John Steel was in his late 50s. The main character John was a male and his sidekick Emma Peel. Even though Emma was Johns sidekick they saw each other as equal which was new to TV. Even though Emma was made to look like a strong independent character there was still an element of male dominance in some scenes. 

The Avengers: The Town of No Return
L/O: To analyse representation and use of media language in series 4 episode 1

Britishness

• Drinking tea on the train
• Very small local seaside town 
• The main building was a Pub 
• The main character wears a suite and bowler hat and carrys an umbrella 
• The accent and language use was quite formal 

How was media language used to show the social context of the 1960s?

The camera work showed them both in the shot while they were having the dual. They also incorporated shot reverse on the characters going from one to another while each of them was talking. They also got a close of of the name on the door bell which said 'Miss Peel' and this was new for the 60s as women didn't normally live by themselves in a higher class apartment. With the Mis-En-Scene Miss Peel was wearing a latex/leather suit which revealed her figure whereas Steed was wearing a suite and tie. With the editing there was a couple of shots which would show both of them dealing then it would cut to a close up shot of just one of them as they were saying important lines that would add context to the episode. For sound they added a generic 60s beat that was becoming popular in that era. They also added the sounds of the swords scraping and the footsteps of Miss Peel and Mr Steed as they were running around the apartment. 

The way Miss peel is portrayed in this scene is an independent women who could stick up for herself but they also still put in the views of men are superior when they showed the scene where Steed smacked Peels rear end with the sword. The clothes she was wearing showed a double meaning. The first one showing that Miss Peel is a strong independent women but also that she is still seen as a sexual object by men. When they show her practicing fencing it shows that the views on women doing sports had also changed. 

They also showed the stereotypical english person, who was Mr Steed as he would wear suits and a bowler hat and carry around an umbrella. But Miss Peel showed the evolving side of Britain where its in with the new out with the old kind of thing with new Fashion, Art, Music and views on Drugs and Women. 

In the episode there was an element of male dominance but there was also an element of the two genders being equal. There was a scene where steed smacks Miss Peels rear end which glorified that women on TV are used as a sexual object. 

DIRTI think i need to work on using correct terminology more and explain how media language is used.

13th December 2018 Avengers: Town of no return 
L/O: To reflect and improve exam style question 

Targets:

• Literacy: The basics, Capital letters for names of people, places, titles and episodes 
• Structure: Use the PEEL structure - Point, Evidence, Explain and Link 
• Terminology: Use accurate terminology and media language 
• Context: Avoid big sweeping generalisations, be specific and detailed 

Television in the 2010s   7th January 2019
L/O: Research the 2010s (UK) in terms of social, cultural and political climate of the decade, research TV usage in 2015

Key events in 2015:

• The media picked up on the migrant crisis 
• There was the UK general election 
• The support for UKIP grew
• Ireland legalised same sex marriage 
• The 2015 Paris attacks 

1) The conservatives with David cameron being the prime minister. 

2) The main fear after 9/11 was the threat of terrorist attacks 

3) The Iraq war was being fought 

4) People were protesting about the Syrian Airstrikes, not enough funding for the police and protests against the rise in taxes. 

There was a rise in violence in films which shows our attitudes towards it has changed and we have become for accepting of it. 

Cuffs: series 1, episode 1     10th January 2018
L/O: To analyse the narratives and characters constructed to an opening episode

PC Ryan Draper = Ashley Walters 

PC Jake Vickers = Jacob Ifan 

DS Jo Moffat = Amanda Abbington 

Chief Super Robert Vickers = Peter Sullivan 

DC Carl Hawkins = Shaun Dooley 

DI Felix Kane = Paul Ready

PC Donna Prager = Eleanor Matsuura 

PC Lino Moretti = Alex Carter 

Homework 

Cuffs series 1 episode 1 was the episode that we watched in media. In this episode we were introduced to some main characters. Two of them were PC Jake Vickers who is a man in his early 20s who is white and also is gay. He isn't very well trained as a police officer as his dad is Chief super intendant Robert Vickers so he pulled some strings and jake got in. The other character was PC Ryan Draper. He is a middle aged black man who is the stereotypical cop who wants to be the best at his job. he is a single father of two and is very experienced member of the force. 

Television Industries: 2010's    21st January 2018
L/O: To explore the TV industry in 2010s and the effect on TV shows and audiences

• Break up of 'family' viewing - The fragmented audience: because theres more genres and different platforms to watch different shows
• Erosion of channel loyalty - The BBC viewer or the ITV viewer: Because theres more channels and its easier to change channels people normally have a range of channels and shows they watch.
• Channel surfing - Seeking the eye catching: People will go through channels to find something that looks interesting. 
• Audience as schedule creators: This is because people can watch any show at anytime so they can watch whatever show they want whenever they want.
• 24/7 media - Issues of saturation: You can post your views of anything whenever you want on social media 
• Demand for content: People are always asking for new shows or more series to already running shows.
• Demand for quality - stars; production values: People wanna see well known actors in new TV series with Hollywood level editing and film making.
• Binge viewing: People will watch whole TV series in one sitting 
• Impact of meme TV shows - Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones 
• Search for latest 'on trend' shows to share on social media 
• Need for shock or issue based TV to attract attention 
• TV shows as brands 
• Using Social Media to comment on Live TV

Cuffs

The genre that cuffs is in is called Police Procedural. In the advert they showed the main characters. They Also showed high action scenes like drug busts, car chases and dealing with the public. 

24th January 2018          Cuffs and social values
L/O: To explore todays social values and analyse how these are represented in cuffs 

• Part of winter schedule for 2015 
• Typically aimed for wider family audiences 
• Broadcasted 8pm on a week day 
• Targeted a family audience of 16 to 65 similar to casualty etc 
• Offered a range of characters and storylines to target a wider audience 
• Fits the post 2010 format 
• The storylines supposed to be engaging rather deep or dark as it was before watershed timings 

Social Values

These are ideas that shape how we see the world and our place in it. They shape our actions, what we see as right or wrong, appropriate/inappropriate, acceptable unacceptable. 

Other people, E.g people who drink drive, have different values of people who don't drink drive. 

How does cuffs represent the post 2010 era: 

• In the 1990s the police was accused of racism but in the 2010s the police force was represented as a multicultural unit of people with equal rights for also male and females.

In cuffs there is a range of characters with different Ethnicity's. There is a police officer who is muslim, Another who is oriental, one who is black and there are 4 characters who are in the LGBTQ+ community.

A Tropes is a common or overused theme or device, also known as a cliche or a stereotype. 

• Damsel in distress: Princess leia from star wars 
• Cool old person: Yoda 
• The Mama bear:
• The Papa wolf: 
• The casanova:
• Over protective dad:
• Dark action girl:  

How are characters established in this clip? 
They were established by having an argument, this was due to the tension between the both of them. 

What stereotypes or tropes used?
Ryan is represented as the alpha male as he has dominance over the other officers and is good at his job 

28th January 2018  Cuffs and Genre 
L/O: To analyse the use of genre conventions and media language 

Police drama conventions:

• The audience expects to see a lot of crime fighting and drama about the officers in police dramas 
• Normally the whole series is following a huge investigation then in each episode they are doing smaller investigations which help them in the end complete the huge investigation. 
• You would have the good cop, bad cop, the rookie, the anti stereotypical crime fighting woman. The chilled out or really strict constable.
• Normally in the city but sometimes like the case with shetland they are set in rural locations.
• They would expect the representation of the police as trying to fight crime but having to be careful about public opinion. The representation of the public is that they only want the police when they are in need but hate the place when they do something wrong. The representation of the criminal is that they will do anything they can for there self gain even if it hurts people. 
• The police following protocol then every so often breaking it so they can catch a criminal.  

The Cuffs opening sequence tells us that it is about the day to day challenges to be a police officer. It shows the hardships of being a police officer and there aren't really any gory scenes but there is one where you see a guy hanging from a pier as he hung himself. 

How has sound been used to create meaning?
At the start the music is very quite but as the problem on the nudist beach which PC Ryan draper is trying to deal with escalates the music becomes faster then when the problem breaks apart the music becomes quite again. The music goes along with the fighting between the nudist and the university student. You also hear PC Ryan call in on his radio asking for back up. There was also diegetic sound like the seagulls, the police sirens, the waves crashing, the police dispatch talking to PC Ryan draper. There was also the non diegetic sound like the music and the chief super intendants speech when the shot its on PC Ryan Draper. 

Cuffs and the PSB remit       4th January 2019 
L/O: To evaluate how effectively the BBC meets its PSB remit

PSB Purposes:

• Informing our understanding of the world 
• Stimulating knowledge and learning 
• Reflecting the UK's cultural identity 
• Representing diversity and alternative viewpoints 

PSB Characteristics:

• High quality 
• Original 
• Innovative 
• Challenging 
• Widely available 
• Distinctive 

Cuffs is an original show. It shows what life is like for a police officer both on and off duty. It also shows the difficulties of the job and what the effect is on there mental state. They also show the UK is a multi-national country. They show this with black, asian, eastern european police officers. They also show the different sexuality's as there are also gay police officers. They do the entertaining part by adding police chases both in vehicles and on foot.   

7th February 2019  Tiger aspect and Cuffs

L/O: To explore the media producers of cuffs and their impact on the production

Uses and Gratifications:
1) Personal identity - It meets personal identity by having a wide range of character types
2) Information - We learn the real life struggles for Police officers 
3) Entertainment - It has a wide set of narratives and a frequent amount of action scenes
4) Social Interaction - That the character dialogue carries over to each episode 

In episode 1 it shows us a wide range of characters with different social groups, Religons and sexuality's.

11th February 2019  Exam Preparation 
L/O: To review the exam format and possible question types 
Spend more time on section A as it is worth 45 marks whereas section B is worth 25 marks.

Section A: Television, 3 questions based on extract. Further 2 questions on TV industry, audiences or contexts

The questions can include the following areas: 

• Media language 
• Representation
• TV Industry
• TV Audiences 
• Social and political context

You could be asked about: 

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

Question 3 is the longest question, it will be based on representation and media language.

You could be asked about:

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

Question 4 may ask you about the TV industry in general

You could be asked about: 

• Scheduling 
• Regulation 
• PSB
• Technology 

Question 5 may ask you about the social, political or historical context of either programme 

You could be asked about:

• Influence of social context
• Influence of political context
• Differences between 1965 and now 
• Effects of context on programming

Section B: Lego Movie 

You are likely to be asked 4 questions in this section of the exam: two short answer and two longer answer question. 

You could be asked about: 

• Regulation 
• Film industry 
• Promotional methods

You will need to know between the BBC and the BBFC. 

Questions 8 and 9 will ask you about Promotional methods and ask you to use the Lego Movie as an example to support your ideas. 

You could be asked about:

• Audience appeals
• Targeting audiences 
• Genre conventions 
• Promotional methods used 

11th March 2019
L/O: To go over our Mock exams

Q1) Use more accurate terminology and be more specific. 

Q2) All examples have to come from the extract shown and have to relate the the question. 

Q3) You need to analyse aspects giving detailed examples and judge how far these aspects give a feeling of real life. 

Q4) Describe PSB (Public Service Broadcasting) and its relation with Ofcom.

Q5) Talk about the influence of sexual, racial and ethnic inequalities on television and how attitudes have changed since the 60s. 

Targets

• Do revision
• Actually answer the question 
• Read the question correctly 
• Use correct Terminology 

Targets

• write something down for Q9 
• Answer the questions 
• Do revision 
• Use correct terminology