Question 4
Example responses -
Miranda and The Big Bang Theory
A* response:
4a. Explain why two programmes were chosen by two different channels. Then explain why each channel chose one time and one day to schedule the programme.
Programme 1 Programme 2
Name: Miranda Name: The Big Bang Theory
Channel: BBC One Channel: E4
Time: 8.30pm Time: 9pm
Day: Thursday Day: Thursday
Miranda originally began on BBC2, a channel used quite a lot to test out new TV material to see how the audience react to it. Before this, it began on radio, but it had such positive reviews that it progressed up into BBC1. BBC1 is the ‘flagship’ channel most viewed by people. It shows the mostly mainstream TV shows as it attracts a large audience. Miranda is shown on a BBC channel pre-watershed because it doesn’t have anything explicit, only innuendos rather than actual ride content. This is typical of almost all BBC content as the shows have minimal searing, with little rudeness, as it is more of a family show. The BBC attracts a wide audience, with Miranda being aimed at people aged 16-35, although it does still attract other age groups.
Miranda was first shown in 2007 and ended a series finale on News Years Day 2015. It was shown on a Thursday as it attracts a wide audience so its mid-week so more people are likely to be watching TV. 8.30pm is a time where most people tune into TV, so was shown at this time to attract more viewers as people are home from school and work.
Comparingly, The Big Bang Theory is shown on E4, a niche channel attracting a younger audience. E4 is part of the Channel 4 company which is a more diverse channel. E4 attracts younger viewers because of its uniqueness, such as the estings (idents) used. E4 mainly broadcasts comedies, all similar slightly so that viewers are more likely to carry on watching the channel after the programme they wanted to watch finished. It follows a stripping schedule to entice more audiences. TBBT is shown at 9pm on Thursdays for the same reason Miranda is. It is the prime time for watching television and, because E4 is a commercial channel, it is clearly a popular show as it costs more to display the adverts around this time, supporting and sponsoring the show. During this time, people will be home from work and school and watch the television. Programmes that attract a similar audience are shown around the same time as TBBT, for example ‘How I met Your Mother’ is shown around the same time as TBBT because it is likely to attract the same audience.
15/15
4b. Discuss how two programmes offer different audience pleasures.
Give at least one example from each programme.
Programme 1: Programme 2:
Name: Miranda Name: The Big Bang Theory
Miranda offers audience pleasures through the use of escapism explained in the Blumler and Katz’s Uses and Gratifications theory. They explained that TV comedies are often used to escape reality. Miranda is a situation comedy and offers escapism because it causes you to forget about our problems and get lost in the show.
TBBT, also a situation comedy, also offers a variety of audience pleasures, It uses familiarity to please the audience, for example in the episode ‘The Fuzzy Boots Corollary’ Sheldon takes five minutes to decide which chair to sit in pleasing the audience as it offers a sense of familiarity within the show which attracts audiences.
Comparingly, Miranda uses relatability to please the audience. Many of the scenes are something that the audience can relate to as the main themes of the show is work, friends and relationships, for example, when Miranda embarrasses herself in front of Gary multiple times for example when she is dressed as a transvestite and Gary Walks in. The whole scene is about misunderstanding and embarrassing moments, so attracts the audience because while this exact thing may not have happened to them, they can relate to many of the scenarios in one way or another.
Additionally, TBBT uses exaggeration for humour as in the episode ‘The Tangerine Factor’, Leonard is sweating profusely and excessively as he prepares for his date with Penny. The audience finds this scene funny and pleasurable because it’s relatable, which causes escapism and you’re so into the programme you forget about what you were previously worrying about. The exaggeration of his sweating is relatable as one of the shows main themes is relationships, along with work. He audience can relate to their first dates with someone and find it funny.
Furthermore, Miranda uses slapstick to cause the audience to feel superior to Miranda because when she constantly trips, falls or makes a fool of herself, we feel we’re superior and wouldn’t do things like that, cause us to laugh – another audience pleasure displayed.
15/15
C/D response:
4a. Explain why two programmes were chosen by two different channels. Then explain why each channel chose one time and one day to schedule the programme.
Programme 1 Programme 2
Name: The Big Bang Theory Name: Miranda
Channel: E4 Channel: BBC One
Time: 8.30pm Time: Between 8.30 – 11.40pm
Day: Thursday Day: Friday
Programme 1 was selected to be put on the E4 channel because of the fact that it’s a comedy and wouldn’t fit on Channel 4. E4 was aimed to hit a target audience between 16-35 and was promised to be like Channel 4 without the boring bits. The reason it is shown at this time is because it is getting close to the watershed but isn’t entirely meant to be in the watershed. It’s pre-watershed - meaning that it may have some sexual innuendos or jokes here and there but nothing too obvious, no nudity, but may have some bad language, but again nothing too serious. In this time schedule people are aware that it’s coming up to the watershed so may become inappropriate for certain viewers.
Block programming, Comedy Night Thursday, Niche Channel.
The reason Miranda is aired on BBC One is because of how popular the show became and moved from BBC Two over to BBC One to gain more of an audience and to get more people watching it. Similarly to The Big Bang theory, it is aired in pre-Watershed and is close to the Watershed because it will contain rude jokes, sexual innuendos and language. Reason being in the Watershed the majority of the time is because certain episodes won’t have as much rudeness in it as others which is why some episodes will be shown at 8.30 because they aren’t as bad as some of the ones that would be shown after the Watershed.
Discuss BBC 1 – Mass audience, flagship channel, primetime slot.
12/15
4b. Discuss how two programmes offer different audience pleasures.
Give at least one example from each programme.
Programme 1: Programme 2:
Name: The Big Bang Theory Name: Miranda
The audience pleasure for someone that watches Programme 1 would typically be aged between 16-35 and is for people who like the idea and come back every week for the new episodes. For the people that watch programme 2, these are people on BBC One who enjoy the chat she does in the episodes and how she interacts with the people around her by looking into the camera and effectively speaking to us.
6/15 – Revise audience pleasures.