Junior Media Studies Blog

  Historical, social and cultural contexts 1) What radio stations were offered by the BBC before 1967?  The BBC offered many different radio stations to the audience before 1967 such as BBC Radio Home during 1939-1967. This broadcasted education programmers and the news. This type of radio is mainly speech-based. Also, BBC Radio Light 1945-1967, which mainly highlighted light programmers such as comedy and drama. Finally, BBC Third, from 1946-1976, this broadcasted intellectuals arts-based talk and music. 2) How was BBC radio reorganized in September 1967? What were the new stations that launched?  BBC Radio Home was replaced by Radio 4. BBC Radio Light was replaced by Radio 2. BBC Radio Third was replaced by Radio 3 These new stations were introduced as the old stations didn't appeal to a younger audience - they weren't seen as cool and were too formal.   3) What was pirate radio and why was it popular?  Pirate Radio is a specific radio broadcasting. Pirate ...

  Audience 1) Who is the target audience for Doctor Who? Do you think it has changed since 1963? The target audience for Doctor Who (An Unearthly Child), according to Demographics and Psychographics, would be most likely White British and middle-class (considering the representation in the actual episode consisting only of this), and primarily teenagers (teenagers are stereotypically more likely to enjoy science fiction), although any age from around 10 to 40 and above would also enjoy it. For gender, it was likely aimed towards a male audience, as a result of STEM being a stereotypically male area. However, since 1963, this has definitely changed - female viewership of Doctor Who has increased, and gendered genres have become more relaxed. Perhaps, it has even become a more female-centred show, as science fiction is a similar genre to fantasy, which has over time become very popular with women (in literature, shows, etc). 2) What audience pleasures are offered by Doctor Who - An U...

1) Read this audience rating guide for His Dark Materials. Based on the screening and this article, who do you think the target audience is for His Dark Materials and why? What about psychographic groups? You can revise Psychographics here. I believe his dark materials is aimed middle-class teenagers of any race or gender given the inclusion of multi-racial characters and an equal balance of male and female characters, the protagonists being teenagers is what also leads me to believe that the show is aimed at them because they'd find their ages something that they can relate to. What psychographics might be interested are adventurous personalities who seek out interesting ideas and answers. 2) What audience pleasures are offered by His Dark Materials - The City of Magpies? Apply Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory to the episode. Make sure you provide specific examples from the episode to support your ideas. Personal Identity:  Devoted fans of the fantasy genre wo...

  1) What is the BBC's mission statement? The BBC's mission statement is to inform, educate and entertain. This means: to provide information; to support learning for people of all ages; to produce creative output; to have diverse content, and to reflect the United Kingdom, its culture and value to the world. They seek to act in the public interest through providing high-quality content and services. 2) How is the BBC funded? The BBC is funded by the TV licence fee. Currently, the licence fee is currently £174.50 (subject to change) a year, which is around £15 a month. This fee must be paid by any household that wants to watch live broadcast TV or iPlayer. This pays for BBC TV, radio, website and iPlayer. A TV licence is unnecessary for Netflix or other international streaming services. They also gain some income from their commercial services: BBC Studios and BBC Studioworks. 3) What must the BBC do to meet its public service broadcasting responsibilities? (Look at the five bu...

  1) What is the BBC's mission statement? The BBC still follows its original mission statement from 1927: 2) How is the BBC funded? the BBC is primarily funded by the licence fee with the additional fees income from commercial activities 3) What must the BBC do to meet its public service broadcasting responsibilities? (Look at the five bullet points in the notes above). To provide information (that is supposed to be balanced) To support learning for people of all ages To produce creative output To have diverse content (such as with its representations) To reflect the United Kingdom, its culture and values to the world 4) Who is the regulator for TV and Radio in the UK? You can find details on this in the notes above. The BBC is regulated by OfCOM (the Office of Communications). OfCOM oversees all media channels and produces a code of conduct that all media channels must follow or have their licence to make content removed and/or be fined heavily.  5) How is TV and Radio regula...

  1)   Television: Introduction to TV drama 2)  Doctor Who: Language and Representation 3)  Doctor Who: Audience and Industries 4)  His Dark Materials: Language and Representation 5)  His Dark Materials: Audience and Industries 6)  Industry contexts: the BBC and public service broadcasting

  Language and contexts 1) Write a summary of the notes from our in-class analysis of the episode. You can use your own notes from the screening in class or  this Google document of class notes  (you'll need your GHS Google login).  Camerawork and sound: A range of different futuristic sounds and sci-fi music to emphasise the mysterious atmosphere in the junkyard and the TARDIS. Mise-en-scene:  Teenagers dressed like they are in the 60's.   Lighting in-between the episodes contrast calm and normal feeling when in school transitions to a dark and gloomy feeling when building up to the search for Susan and when inside the Junkyard. Props - The old antiques inside the junkyard is shown and the police box representing the Tardis. 2) How can we apply narrative theories to this episode of   Doctor Who ?  Todorov's Equilibrium: The doctor becomes a villain. Propp's character theory: The Doctor is Susan's grandfather  Barthes's enigma and action...