TV in the 2010s

How many channels are there these days? (approximately)
In the 1960s, TV was only broadcast at certain types during the day. Is this still true in 2018?

Define the following phrases and explain their significance when discussing TV in the 2010s: 
channel loyalty
channel surfing
streaming content
‘box sets’
TV stars
production values
narrative
continuity announcements during the end credits

Why are ‘hooks’ at the opening of each programme so important in the 2010s? How do we see this at the start of Cuffs? Is this true for The Avengers too?

Copy this:
Ownership, funding and regulation 
Television in 2010s Britain is provided by a wide range of industries:
• publically-owned PSB television providers (BBC, C4)
• commercially-owned PSB television providers (ITV, C5)
• commercially-owned non-PSB television providers (e.g. Sky, Sony, Viacom, Disney)
• foreign state-owned providers (e.g. those for Russia Today, Al Jazeera)
• commercial streaming-only services (e.g. Amazon, Netflix).

and this:
Much television is provided by international media conglomerates. Cuffs, for example, was produced by Tiger Aspect Productions, a successful ‘independent’ production company which is part of a group (Endemol Shine Productions) currently 50% owned by 21st Century Fox. This media conglomerate owns, wholly or in part:
• 20th Century Fox film studio
• Fox News
• 20th Century Fox television
• Sky UK/Ireland/Deutschland/Italia/Amstrad
• Fox Digital Entertainment
• Fox Music
• Endemol Shine.


TASK:
What do you know about Public Service Broadcasting and why might that effect the portrayal of gay and Muslim people in Cuffs?


Cuffs was shown before the watershed – before 9pm, when programmes containing material unsuitable for children cannot be shown – this includes sexual content, violence, graphic or disturbing imagery and swearing.
How has this affected the content of Cuffs?

Media producers: Tiger Aspect and Cuffs 

Cuffs was produced by Tiger Aspect for the BBC.
Research Tiger Aspect.

• What shows have they produced? Are these similar to Cuffs?
• Julie Greary created the show. What else has she created? How are these shows similar?
• How can you tell Cuffs was primarily designed for British audiences?
• What were the viewing figures for Cuffs and how does this compare to other TV shows?

TV Audiences

Cuffs was broadcast at Wednesday 8pm.

When producing Cuffs, 'the darker content expected of a police drama had to be balanced with lighter, family-friendly fare.'

What examples can you remember from Cuffs that prove this?

Changes in social and cultural contexts mean that television audiences expect diverse representations in their television programmes.
What examples of this can you see in Cuffs?


Uses and gratifications

What uses and gratifications does Cuffs fulfil? Make specific notes under the following subtitles:

• Personal identity - who do audiences relate to?
• Social interaction and integration - what would the show cause people to talk about?
• Entertainment - how does the show entertain?
• Surveillance - what do audiences get to see and learn about?

TV in the 1960s

•Black and white

•Only three channels (BBC1, BBC2 and ITV)

•Only broadcast at certain times (approx. 4pm – midnight on weekdays)

How would people’s viewing habits have been different in the 1960s?

Key word: duopoly‘a situation in which two suppliers dominate the market’

BBC was (and is) a public corporation governed by Royal Charter and funded by the licence fee.

ITV was the only commercial channel and was highly profitable. It could afford larger budgets than the BBC.

How would these factors have affected the programming on both of these channels?

Global TV

The Avengers was originally aired at 9.05pm (primetime) on Saturday 27 November 1965.

Earlier that day, the only foreign programme broadcast that day was ‘Lost in Space’, an American sci-fi series.

The Avengers was sold to over 90 countries by 1969.

ABC (the American Broadcasting Company) invested $2m in the fourth series of The Avengers. This led to:

•It being shot on location, not just in a studio

•Greater camerawork

•A more sophisticated soundtrack

•The following series being filmed in colour

Consider: what are the possible disadvantages of an American company investing in a British TV show?

The differences between BBC and ITV

ITV was seen as a working class channel

BBC was seen as more middle class

The BBC’s flagship drama of the 1960s was based on novels by a Nobel prize-winning author

ITV’s The Avengers was seen as more daring, youthful, irreverent and sexy.

Do you still think that there is a difference between ITV and BBC?

Television audiences in the 1960s

Both BBC1 and ITV aimed to attract mass audiences

They expected to keep audiences for the whole evening

(BBC2 was self-consciously niche)

Programmes such as The Avengers allowed ‘tent pole’ scheduling – the evening’s viewing was held up by popular shows

The series format meant that people stayed loyal to a channel

Resolutions in each episode meant audiences could miss a show and still watch the next one

Uses and gratifications

Personal identity – audiences could see themselves in…

Steed, who represented a debonair English gentleman with a lightness of touch

Peel, who represented Swinging London in her self-confidence and sexuality

Social interaction

Households watched TV together and fewer programmes meant people would be talking about it at work, on the bus, etc.

The enigmatic relationship between Steed and Peel got people talking

Entertainment

Audiences were more naïve in the 1960s and TV could offer a magical escape

This was a spy drama, formulaic, but always exotic and exciting

Surveillance

This show could provide a sense of looking into an inaccessible world:

•of the upper middle classes

•and espionage

Write up your notes in PEE format.

The scene begins with an establishing shot. This is a close up of a skull. It is strange for an establishing shot not to be a wide shot, which would normally set the scene. However this close up suggests something feels a little bit too close for comfort. The skull symbolizes death and foreshadows what is about to happen to Smallwood in this scene. The camera then zooms out to show a churchyard and Smallwood walking through it. The sounds of his footsteps can be clearly heard, suggesting loneliness and being isolated. The other sound that can be heard at this point is church music and a choir singing ‘All things bright and beautiful’ which juxtaposes the feeling of foreboding suggested by the skull and Smallwood’s loneliness.

How social contexts influence television programmes

This is a typical question that you might be asked in your GCSE exam:

Explain how social contexts influence television programmes. Refer to The Avengers from 1965 to support your answer.

In order to answer a question like this you need to show an awareness of the social context and to be able to make references to specific moments from the show.

Firstly, take a moment to consider what was significant about the social context of the 1960s.

Then watch the start to The Avengers again. 

Make notes on any interesting examples of how the social context may have influenced the programme.

Then begin to write a response:

Explain how social contexts influence television programmes. Refer to The Avengers from 1965 to support your answer.

Here are some sentence starters:

During the 1960s, views were different. One thing that has changed during the last fifty years is... (remember to ensure your point is about social context)

An example of how this social context shaped TV programmes, such as The Avengers, is...
This is interesting because...
If this programme were to be made today, then...

Another way that the social context shaped TV programmes is...
However, The Avengers did not simply follow what was socially acceptable. It challenged views too. For example...

Overall, The Avengers has/has not been affected by the social context...

1960s Context

SCH contexts 1960 from TomEccles4

Narrative Strands in Cuffs

Throughout the first episode of Cuffs there are a few narrative strands (or different stories) running through the story.

How many can you think of?

      An example would be Jake Vickers' first day as a police officer and his working relationship with Ryan Draper.

      ACTIVITY 1: Make a list of all of the narrative strands that you can think of. (The following character list might help...)

•PC Jake Vickers

•PC Ryan Draper

•DS Jo Moffat

•DC Carl Hawkins

•DI Felix Kane

•Chief Supt. Robert Vickers

•Simon Reddington

•Keegan Benson

•James Quirk

•Mohammad Bangash

•Amit

For more characters in this episode, visit Imdb Cuffs Characters List (Episode 1)

ACTIVITY 2: Explain why you think there are so many narrative strands.

• Which are the most important?
• Which are the minor stories?
• Why do you think a new narrative strand is introduced before an old one has been resolved?

Analysing the montage

Towards the end of the first episode there is a montage scene, playing the song 'Youth' by Daughter whilst a number of narrative strands are shown.

Youtube Link (start at 49:53)

ACTIVITY 3: Analyse this scene, commenting on:

• the use of camera angles and editing
• the effect of sound
• the narrative strands
• the overall effect on the audience

You will need to choose and print off at least three screengrabs and then write 100-200 words about the overall effect of this scene.