QE Media

Question 4 (worth 30 marks)

 

4(a) Pick two TV comedies you have studied. Discuss why they were scheduled:

 

• On the channels that chose them

• On the days and times they were transmitted           (15 marks)

 

 

You will need to know two programmes on two different television channels. (Answers that only discuss one programme or discuss two programmes on the same channel are highly unlikely to gain marks above level 2).

 

You should discuss two contrasting comedy programmes and show how they fit their different institutional contexts. However, you could discuss how very similar comedies are used on different channels.

 

The question asks for a discussion of the relationship between institutional context and scheduling practices, on the one hand, and the texts you have studied, on the other.

 

Do not simply focus on your chosen texts OR simply list facts about the institution. You need to explain how your texts fit the institution (brand/ethos/identity) and its scheduling.

 

Briefly identify other programmes on those channels and the ways the channels market themselves. Has the institution branded a time slot, e.g. ‘Thursdays are funny’.

 

You should mention regulatory requirements (e.g. Public Service Broadcasting) in terms of the watershed and limitations on content.

 

Mention the channel ethos and history in relation to the distinctiveness of the BBC or Channel 4, for example, if these are relevant to your texts. You should state whether the texts are scheduled on mass audience or niche audience channel. Try to explain the nature of those niche audiences. Better answers will make reference to viewing figures so use these to illustrate institutional context.

 

You need to identify the days and times of transmission for both your two texts and be able to discuss which programmes were scheduled before and after them. You could even mention which programmes were scheduled on competing channels/stations at the same times.

 

Attempt to evaluate how these time slots would attract the target audience for the texts, whether this is a mass or niche audience. Use evidence from the schedules to back up this evaluation, Don’t just guess. Identify scheduling techniques e.g.: stacking or blocking.

 

Level 4 (12-15 marks)

• Excellent comparison of the two chosen texts

• Precise and accurate use of terminology

• Shows detailed knowledge of TV or radio channels and scheduling with understanding of how programmes reflect institutional contexts

• Thorough understanding of how channels use scheduling to reach audiences  

• Ideas expressed clearly and fluently in well structured sentences with few, if any, errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar.

 

Level 3 (9-11 marks)

• Clear comparisons of the two chosen texts

• Some accurate use of terminology  

• Shows sound knowledge of TV or radio channels and scheduling with some understanding of how programmes reflect institutional contexts  

• Sound understanding of how channels use scheduling to reach audiences

• Ideas expressed with some clarity and fluency; errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar do not obscure meaning.

 

 

 

4b Show how these two programmes offer their audiences different pleasures.                                                                               (15 marks)

 

Higher level answers will explicitly identify and contrast a range of pleasures offered by the text with detailed examples of these pleasures by reference to one or more episodes of the programmes. These pleasures may range through comedic effect (types of humour) to narrative pleasures (e.g. opportunities for identification and narrative resolution), generic pleasures, audience uses and gratifications, pleasurable themes, and so on.

 

Middle level answers are likely to discuss fewer pleasures, with little or no explicit contrasting, and more limited examples, probably from only one programme or part of a programme.

Lower level answers are likely to describe the texts with little identification of pleasure beyond the text ‘being funny’.

 

 

 

Level 4 (12-15 marks)

• Shows detailed knowledge of audience pleasures

• Thorough understanding of how programmes offer audience pleasures

• Thorough understanding of differences between programmes

• Detailed and appropriate exemplification

• Ideas expressed clearly and fluently in well structured sentences with few, if any, errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar.

 

Level 3 (9-11 marks)

• Shows sound knowledge of different audience pleasures

• Sound understanding of how programmes offer audience pleasures

• Some understanding of differences between programmes

• Relevant textual exemplification

• Ideas expressed with some clarity and fluency; errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar do not obscure meaning.