Viewing Blog 1: "People Just Do Nothing"

Starting off as just a heavily improvised comedy Youtube web series by a group of friends who made fun of
their own youthful interests(Steve Stamp, 2014), People Just Do Nothing caught the interest of Ash Attala; a
British Television Producer, most known for Producing the UK mockumentary 'The Office', who aired the show
on BBCThree on 17th August 2012. Since Then the show has sprawled into one of the UK's most popular
Television Shows, gaining a slot on the flagship channel 'BBC1'.

People Just Do Nothing is a mockumentary style programme that follows the lives of aspiring DJ's; MC
Grindah, DJ Beats, DJ Steves and Chabuddy G, who between them run the pirate radio station Kurupt FM
from a flat in Brentford, West London.

BBC Three may have been the chosen channel for this programme because it essentially prides itself on
bringing younger audiences to high-quality public service
broadcasting through a mixed-genre schedule of innovative UK content featuring new
UK talent (BBC Three Service Licence, 2013). It's clear to see that BBCThree is renowned for its comedy
shows from the success of People Just Do Nothing and other shows such as Fleabag, Cuckoo and Josh.

The main source of the comedy of the show is the characters themselves, they are deliberately stupid and they
thoroughly believe that their little pirate radio show on the outskirts of London has made them famous. Their
characters present a social stereotype for lower-class people in the UK known as "Chavs"; But what is a
'chav'? According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, a chav is an insulting word for someone, usually
a young person, whose way of dressing, speaking, and behaving is thought to show their lack of
education and low social class(meaning of chav in the English Dictionary, n.d.). The show makes fun of
parts of the music industry too, for example in the Episode I watched for this blog (Season 3 Episode 1) the
crew hire a real music studio and the person they hired it off offers them advice on how to use the equipment but
they just insult him and push him out of the room like they already know how the equipment works, when it is
quite clear to the audience that they have no idea how to use it. This type of Self
The show makes fun of parts of the music industry too, for example in the Episode I watched for this blog
(Season 3 Episode 1) the crew hire a real music studio and the person they hired it off offers them advice on
how to use the equipment but they just insult him and push him out of the room like they already know how the
equipment works, when it is quite clear to the audience that they have no idea how to use it. This type of Self-
deprecating humour appeals very well to BBC Threes target audience of 16-34-year-olds, especially the
younger half that may live in London or similar places as what takes place on the show could relate to aspects of
their life.

What makes this show work so well is as I said before; the self-deprecating humour and relatable appeal to the
younger audiences. People love watching other people be dull-witted/dense. "Every character is really, quite
comfortingly, dense, and their inability to read scenarios correctly is the source of nearly all the comedy. Its
mind-bending mundanity and pared-down plotlines are the perfect compliment; to create more involved
narrative arcs might undermine what is so special about the show: namely, how studiously stupid it all
is"(Rachel Aroesti, 2016). It is a very subjective matter on whether or not you find this self-deprecating and
chav type humour funny, but reviews seem very positive with 8.6/10 on IMDB and 94% positive Google User
reviews.

The success of the mockumentaries such as "The Office" and "People Just Do Nothing" will most likely persist.
They are clearly regarded as high-quality television and are well received by almost all audiences. The style has
entertained audiences and critics through various mediums for decades, and many have recognized its
importance.

References
(Steve Stamp, 2014) People Just Do Nothing - from Youtube to BBC Comedy Feed to full series

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/writersroom/entries/2581a2b6-568d-37ee-b183-0abeac686191

(BBC Three Service Licence, 2013). [ebook] BBC, p.1. Available at:

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/regulatory_framework/service_licences/tv/2013/bb
c_three_sep13.pdf

(Meaning of chav in the English Dictionary, n.d.) In: Cambridge English Dictionary:

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/chav

(Rachel Aroesti, 2016) Bare jokes: how People Just Do Nothing made sitcoms funny again

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/sep/22/how-people-just-do-nothing-made-sitcoms-
funny-again
BBC Radio 5 Live: Fighting Talk

Fighting Talk is a sports panel show broadcast on BBC Radio 5Live during the English football season, chaired
by Irish sports presenter Colin Murray and four guests who are invited to compete for points by expressing their
opinions and views on topical events of the past week.

As it is a mainly sports-based show, 'Fighting Talk' would appeal to a very wide range of
ages and the listener base would predominantly be male. The show is broadcast on
Saturday's at 11am; This time fits in perfectly with their target audience as these sorts of
people would most likely be listening on the way to work, on a lunch break, in their car,
or generally in their own home.

According to the BBC Radio 5 live service licence, The remit of BBC Radio 5 live is to provide live news and
sports coverage. It should be BBC Radios main outlet for breaking news by bringing its audience major news
stories as they happen. It should provide context to its news and sports coverage through wide-ranging analysis
and discussion. Programming should be designed to inform, entertain and involve. The service should appeal to
news and sports fans of all ages and from all ethnic backgrounds and areas across the UK. (1)

One suggestion I would have for the show is to lessen the use of sound effects especially while somebody is
trying to make a serious point. An example of this is the show I listened to for this blog, The panellists were
giving their opinion on the NFL players kneeling in protest at the US National Anthem, random soundbites of
Donald Trump saying You are Fake News would be played and it frustrated me, I understand that it is a light-
hearted mainly-comedic show but it ruined the point that the Canadian journalist was trying to make, Simon
Cross, one of the producers of the show has stated that a sound effect is played when somebody gains a point or
loses a point(2).

The show is essentially a game show focused on sports and comedy, elements are included such as a serious
news segment, a weather segment, audience questions/links and very over the top sound effects which play over
each guest as they are speaking. However, they also feature topical conversations about the weeks news, with a
comedic twist.

Whilst Fighting Talk may not be for everyone, it definitely has a loyal following that has stayed with it for a
long time, which not many radio shows can do.

References
(1) BBC Radio 5 live Service Licence, 2016 [ebook] BBC, p.1.

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/regulatory_framework/service_licences/radio/2016
/5live_apr16.pdf

(2) BBC. 2017. BBC Radio 5 live Fighting Talk FAQs.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5lNs09w5Yrm9RgCx03Bv4cl/faqs
Eden: Paradise Lost

Eden was a unique Channel 4 series/experiment following a group of 24 people who are shipped away to the
Scottish Highlands for one year with the aim to attempt to build a new society away from the technology of
today and the hectic pace of modern life. The first season started off as just "Eden" but due to very poor
reception and unbeknownst to the participants, it was pulled from Television after a mere 4 episodes, and later it
was broadcast again under the title 'Eden: Paradise Lost' focusing on what went wrong during the experiment.

Much of the criticism of the show was from animal welfare groups after vet Rob cut open a pregnant sheep and
pulled out its unborn lamb. The ewe and lamb were taken back to camp where they were cooked and eaten.
Participants then put the sheeps skull on a pole and used the lambs fur as a cover for a hot-water bottle.(1)

The show was broadcast on Channel 4 at 10pm. Channel 4 is the perfect channel for this very experimental
programme as they are all about trying new and Unique ideas which is exactly what Eden is. On their
commissioning website, they state "Channel 4 has a world-class reputation for innovation and is ready to invest
in the next generation of creative content. Our ambition is to be the most Creatively Diverse broadcaster in
Europe. "(2). The timeslot of 10pm is also perfect for this type of show, as it is during the UK watershed time of
9pm to 5:30am(3) meaning that they can broadcast unfiltered lives of the participants without having to censor
out swearing and violence.

The initial key draw to the viewers is the fact that these people will be living in conditions that are so abstract to
today's modern society for an entire year, bringing them out of their comfort zones and testing them to
their limits, giving the viewer a chance to, in a way, experience it from the comfort of their home. Also, the fact
that the show seems so unfiltered and natural with seemingly little to no interaction with the outside world.

A similar show to Eden is 'Big Brother', another experimental reality show on Channel 4, where 15-20
contestants live in a house for about 90 days constantly being filmed by cameras as they go through challenges
set by the producers and each week someone is evicted from the house by vote until one person is left who wins
100,000.

References

(1)Hodge, M. and Sandeman, G. (2017). Channel 4 survival show Eden sees episodes slashed as it
haemorrhages viewers AND contestants. [online] Thesun.co.uk. Available at:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/2657923/channel-4-survival-show-eden-sees-episodes-slashed-as-
it-haemorrhages-viewers-and-contestants/#comments [Accessed 12 Oct. 2017].

[online] Thesun.co.uk. Available at: https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/2657923/channel-4-survival-

show-eden-sees-episodes-slashed-as-it-haemorrhages-viewers-and-contestants/#comments.

[Accessed 12 Oct. 2017].

(2)Channel4.com. (2017). Creative Diversity - Channel 4 - Info - Commissioning.

[online] Available at:

http://www.channel4.com/info/commissioning/4producers/creative-diversity [Accessed 12 Oct. 2017].

(3)Ofcom. (2016). What is the watershed?. [online] Available at: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-

demand/advice-for-consumers/television/what-is-the-watershed [Accessed 12 Oct. 2017].
BBC Radio 4: Don't Log Off

Don't Log Off is a Documentary radio series hosted by presenter Alan Dein, who through Facebook and Skype,
talks to random people all around the world about their issues and their life in general. Every episode features
many different conversations with many different people about a wide range of subjects, for example, the
episode that I listened to (Series 7 episode 4) synopsis states "Tonight he connects with a civil engineering
student from Kathmandu two years on from the earthquake that devastated parts of Nepal, a Jamaican living in
Panama City who is waiting to fulfil his childhood dream of joining the US army and a man in Tanzania,
expecting the birth of his first child."(1)

The episode was broadcast on Tuesday on BBC Radio 4 at 4pm, this time would be perfect listening time for
somebody just finishing work or relaxing at home. The show mostly appeals to an older age group from 18-60
as it isn't engaging enough for children but it is very interesting for more mature audiences that enjoy hearing
about different cultures and lives across the world. The main elements that make up the programme are Alan
Dein himself and the interesting people he talks to. Alan also provides context for some the conversation and
he directly talks to the listeners of the show, subtle music is also played in the background to help liven up the
conversation and keep the listener engaged.

A similar show that's on BBC Radio 4 Extra is 'Radio Lab' on the BBC website its described as "a show about
curiosity. Where sound illuminates ideas, and the boundaries blur between science, philosophy, and the human
experience."(2) It is a talk show where they place a philosophical or scientific question at the start and discuss it.
This show has a much more serious tone than 'Don't Log Off' but it also has a similar mature target audience
who are interested in the issues and lives of people all around the world in the past and present day.

References
(1)BBC. (2017). Episode 4, Series 7, Don't Log Off - BBC Radio 4. [online]

Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07knqy7

[Accessed 12 Oct. 2017].

(2)BBC. (2017). To See or Not to See, Series 2, Radiolab - BBC Radio 4 Extra. [online]

Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b097lzd4

[Accessed 12 Oct. 2017].
Kicked Out: From Care To Chaos

Kicked Out: From Care To Chaos is a documentary created by former Salford University student; Rebecca
Southworth as she traces her own life abused as a child and then taken into social services care. She explores
why so many people end up living such troubled lives after they leave the care system (1).

The documentary was broadcast on BBC Three which in my opinion is the perfect choice for this type of
programme as they themselves state that BBC Three should provide an environment for the development of
new ideas and talent and for existing talent to take risks, becoming a genuine laboratory for BBC One and BBC
Two(2). The fact that BBC Three is seen as an experimental programme for the BBC they can push the
boundaries of what they broadcast which is proven with the many hard-hitting, edgy subjects that would never
be broadcast on BBC One such as one I watched recently; 'Stacy Dooley Investigates: Kids Selling Drugs
Online'(3). BBC Three is also more focused towards a younger audience they state; the channel is disciplined
in its focus on young audiences and 16-34 year-olds are its center of gravity: people who are young in spirit and
mindset(2).

The personal connection that Rebecca Southworth has with this documentary has greatly increased its
authenticity and its impact on the audience as she herself was taken from an abusive family home aged 13 and
placed in care(4). The documentary gave us insight and an angle into the care system, and how Rebecca was
part of a tiny minority of the 10,000 16-18-year-olds who leave social-services care every year, as far more end
up in prison, homeless or as sex workers (5).

Another similar documentary to this would be 'Professor Green: Living in Poverty'; "In this intimate
documentary, he sets out to uncover what life is like for young people living on the breadline today. Over a
period of months, Professor Green spends time with ten-year-old Kelly Louise, whose family have just been
evicted from their home. They can't afford a deposit on a new property and facing the possibility of being
homeless"(6). "Professor Green (aka Stephen Manderson) has done well, but he grew up in a home where there
was a lot of stress over money"(6) This is similar to Rebecca's film as Professor Green has an intimate
connection with the subject of the documentary which makes the film much more authentic and believable for
the audience as the filmmaker actually understands the situation these people are in.

References
(1) BBC. (2017). Kicked Out: From Care to Chaos - BBC Three.

[online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04xwl4l

[Accessed 20 Oct. 2017].

(2) Bbc.co.uk. (2017). BBC - BBC Three - Commissioning.

[online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/tv/articles/bbc-three

[Accessed 20 Oct. 2017].

(3) BBC. (2017). Kids Selling Drugs Online, Stacey Dooley Investigates - BBC Three.

[online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0581cdx

[Accessed 20 Oct. 2017].
 (4) Lapping, B. (2017). Kicked Out:From Care To Chaos, BBC3 | News | Blakeway North.

[online] Blakewaynorth.co.uk. Available at: http://www.blakewaynorth.co.uk/news/kicked-outfrom-care-to-choas

[Accessed 20 Oct. 2017].

(5) Thesun.co.uk. (2017). Kicked Out: From Care to Chaos, The Get Down and Mafiosa...all at your fingertips.

[online] Available at: https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/3225010/kicked-out-from-care-chaos-the-get-down-

and-mafiosa-all-at-your-fingertips/
[Accessed 20 Oct. 2017].

(6) BBC iPlayer. (2017). Professor Green: Living in Poverty.

[online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p059b6sp/professor-green-living-in-poverty

[Accessed 20 Oct. 2017].
Heavy Toll SoundCloud

Heavy Toll is a short radio documentary which was created by Salford University
student Tabitha Konstantine broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra in June of 2017. The
documentary itself is a dramatic story about a train driver and guard who witnessed
a suicide(1). The documentary didnt go unnoticed as it was awarded 'Best Student
Radio Feature' at the annual Charles Parker Radio Awards in Sheffield(1). It has
been described as "a truly powerful story, beautifully and sensitively handled. It
had excellent mixing and very revealing interviews which paint a horribly vivid,
very human picture of train suicides and their effect on train staff. (2).

ThError! Filename not specified.e fact that it was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra was part of the prize for
creating it, it is unsurprising that it was broadcast on this station due to the vast flexibility throughout it, Radio 4
Extras remit states that the remit of Radio 4 Extra is to provide speech-based entertainment and that its
schedule should include comedy, drama, stories, features, and readings(3). This means that listeners of all ages
and backgrounds can listen to this station to discover new and interesting content from aspiring producers, I
would consider it the BBC Three of BBC Radio.

Straight away the show is hard-hitting, the words were clear and bold with the soft music in the background
explaining this is the best way she could have edited this story as it doesnt give suspense or tension It just
straight up gives the reality of the situation to the listeners. The contributors were accompanied by actuality
soundbites that are relevant to what is being told, these effects help cut the interview up and make the listener
become immersed in the show, helping them paint a vivid visual picture in their head. The way silence was used
greatly raised the tension of the story being told, it gives the listener a chance to stop and think about what has
happened.

References

(1) Staff.salford.ac.uk. (2017). Salford Staff Channel-Home | University of Salford, Manchester.

[online] Available at: http://staff.salford.ac.uk/newsitem/5684

[Accessed 22 Oct. 2017].

(2) Cpatrust.org.uk. (2017). Charles Parker Prize Winners 2017 | The Charles Parker Archive Trust. [

online] Available at http://www.cpatrust.org.uk/prize/prizewinners-2017/

[Accessed 22 Oct. 2017].

(3)Radio 4 Extra Service Licence. (2016). [ebook]

[online] Available at:

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/regulatory_framework/service_licences/radio/2016/radio4extra
_apr16.pdf
[Accessed 22 Oct. 2017].
Video Game High School

Video Game High School (VGHS) is an action/comedy web series that was first uploaded to online video
sharing service named YouTube. The story follows Brian, a young FPS player stuck in a town where he
doesnt belong. His fortunes change when he scores a massive kill against the worlds top amateur player:
VGHS senior The Law (1). The series was funded through the use of a crowdfunding service called
'Kickstarter', but what made people donate to this project?. The people behind the show already had a giant and
loyal fanbase through their Youtube Channel 'FreddieW' (later changed to 'Rocketjump') which featured weekly
videos mainly based around creating live-action shorts with video game themes through the use of very high-
quality special effects for independent content creators. In 2010, a short film about a real-life portal gun was
uploaded to the FreddieW channel setting the template that they would use to thrive. Real Life Portal
Gun represented a leap forward for the channel and foreshadowed VGHS's success.(2)

The Kickstarter campaign for season one of VGHS had a goal of $75,000 to be raised, but due to the continuous
high-quality uploads on Youtube and the loyal fanbase, they raised a staggering $275,725 with 5,661 backers.

According to the shows creator, Freddie Wong, to make a successful Kickstarter campaign The perks need to
be interesting, especially when it comes to physical goodies. And more importantly, there needs to be an aspect
of exclusivity or rarity. Weve done props from the show, signed poster, and had DVD covers and poster
designs that you could only get through the crowdfunding campaigns. Sure, we sell products in our store, but
getting something exclusively through the campaign is different(3) VGHS has a massive cult following, with
more than 110M views for the three-season run(2) its success is no surprise to me after watching
RocketJump's high-quality videos for so many years.

I might just go rewatch the series right now in fact...

References
(1)Kickstarter. (2017). Video Game High School. [online] Available at:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/freddiew/video-game-high-school

[Accessed 29 Oct. 2017].

(2) Think with Google. (2017). How RocketJump's Video Game High School Scored Over 110M Views in 3
Seasons on YouTube. [online] Available at: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-resources/how-
rocket-jump-scored-110-m-views-on-youtube/

[Accessed 29 Oct. 2017].

(3) Hurst, S. (2015). Video Game High School's Freddie Wong Shares Secrets to Crowdfunding Success
| Crowdfund Insider. [online] Crowdfund Insider. Available at:
https://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2015/04/65587-video-game-high-schools-freddie-wong-shares-secrets-
to-crowdfunding-success/

[Accessed 29 Oct. 2017].

99% Invisible - The Containment Plan

99% Invisible is a popular radio show and podcast about design, architecture and all the thought that goes into
the things most people dont even think about(1) The show began as a Kickstarter project in July of 2012, and
from then to now "5,661 backers pledged $170,477 to help bring this project to life"(1) The creator and host,
Roman Mars, has said that he wanted everyone to feel like we really accomplished something incredible,
instead of the constant call for donations where you dont know if your couple of dollars matter(2) The attitude
of the host seems very appealing to potential listeners as Roman makes them feel important and tells them how
their donation will matter and will make a difference.

What I noticed when listening to a certain episode called "The Yin and Yang of Basketball" was that the
production quality of the show is very high shown with the way that sound effects are seamlessly implemented
at relevant times. When the topic of Steph Curry was introduced, sound clips of commentators screaming his
name after scoring for the Golden State Warriors. Every time Roman speaks, his words are carefully chosen and
provide great detail to the show. Presenter/producer Roman Mars has a warm, inclusive tone with interviewees
and listeners, and the sound effects are well chosen(3) This warm tone appeals to the listeners because the
assumption is that the audience understands whats going on(3) which means they will be more comfortable
and immersed into the podcast due to the fact that they are listening to a subject they are passionate about.

The main technique that the people behind 99% Invisible used, aside from the promotional video, was 'perks'.
As the main overarching subject of the show is 'Architecture and Design' the perks were more focused towards
the listeners with similar passions as the host; for example, the $15 reward is "Notebook: One of our custom
designed 99% Invisible pocket-sized notebooks with grid paper inside. Cover selection randomly chosen by
us."(1) This tells me that the people with these similar passions about design would love this reward as it fits
right into their interests.

This show would be very difficult to turn into a webisode series as the whole theme of the podcast is in the way
sound is used "The stories are engaging and conversational, but have a precise sound design that is multilayered
and tightly edited."(1) However, I believe that some of the episodes could be turned into webisodes, such as the
Basketball one I listened to could be a one-off special.

Overall I enjoyed this podcast a lot, it was an interesting listen I will likely listen to more episodes in the future.

References
(1) Kickstarter. (2017). 99% Invisible: Season 3. [online] Available at:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1748303376/99-invisible-season-3

[Accessed 29 Oct. 2017].

(2) Maly, T., Maly, T., Pardes, A., Stinson, E., Pierce, D., Stinson, E., Gonzalez, R. and Stinson, E.
(2017). How 99% Invisible Will Change Public Radio. [online] WIRED. Available at:
https://www.wired.com/2012/07/99-invisible/

[Accessed 29 Oct. 2017].

(3) Sawyer, M. (2013). Rewind Radio: 99% Invisible. [online] the Guardian. Available at:
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/may/26/99-per-cent-invisible-radio-review

[Accessed 29 Oct. 2017].

My Week as a Muslim - Channel 4

This week I looked at "My Week As a Muslim" - a one-off Channel 4 documentary that follows Katie, a middle-
aged mother with some very controversial views on the Muslim community and culture, she "admitted she
would be scared to sit beside a woman wearing a burka, and reckoned they should be banned" (1). To try and
alter Katie's questionable views, she is taken to live with a Muslim family for one week, the twist is, through the
use of prosthetics she is transformed into a British-Pakistani Muslim woman and must live as one for the week.
The show was broadcast at 9pm on the 23rd of October. The reasoning for this specific time is stated on
Channel 4s commissioning page, 9pm is the home for Britains most talented documentary directors and that
the channel is always looking for films that reflect contemporary Britain in a compelling and often entertaining
way (2)

Channel 4s remit states they are to be "innovative and distinctive, stimulate public debate, reflect cultural
diversity and inspire change in peoples lives." (3) I would say that this documentary in particular sticks to that
remit perfectly, for example, the subject of the documentary which is Katie herself, has her own views on the
Muslim culture completely changed by the end of the film, therefore inspiring a change in her life. As for the
public response, the programmes controversial subject caused widespread debate over Social Media and
spanning ranged reviews, with the Independent going as far to call it racist by using blackface [4]. While on
the opposite side of the debate, the Telegraph said it "was a privileged insight into what it's like being Muslim
in Britain today" and "that ignorance really is the breeding ground of prejudice and hate." I agree with the
Telegraphs opinion as the documentary shows how Muslim people are just as normal as anyone else, and it is
just the ignorance of the people that causes so much hate towards their culture.

On Monday the 22nd of May 2017, a suicide bomber cowardly detonated a suicide bomb in Manchester Arena, killing 22
men, women, and young children that just wanted to see their favourite pop star, Ariana Grande, perform. My Week As A
Muslim was in the middle of filming when the bombing happened, and the show took a massive U-turn, as one article
describes; Understandably, Katie had severe doubts about continuing, but Saima convinced her that, because of the
tragedy, this time more than any other would give her a sense of what it was really like to be a British Muslim. When the
backlash and suspicion was at its height(1)

To conclude was the programme successful?

Well, going by Channel 4's remit, Yes; The documentary ticked all the boxes for the Channel and timeslot. If
were going off how audiences received it, no. The producer, Fozia Khan, had to go as far as writing an article
defending the programme, saying it was made to educate, rather than offend(5).

References
(1) O'Donovan, G. (2017). My Week as a Muslim was a privileged insight into what it's like being Muslim in Britain
today, review. [online] The Telegraph.
Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/week-muslim-privileged-insight-like-muslim-britain-today-review/
[Accessed 5 Nov. 2017].
(2) Channel4.com. (2017). Documentaries - Channel 4 - Info - Commissioning. [online]
Available at: http://www.channel4.com/info/commissioning/4producers/documentaries [Accessed 5 Nov. 2017].
(3) Channel4.com. (2017). What is Channel 4? | C4 Corporate. [online]
Available at: https://www.channel4.com/corporate/about-4/who-we-are/what-is-channel-4 [Accessed 5 Nov.
2017].
(4) Lusher, A. (2017). Channel 4 mocked for blacking up white woman to disguise her as Muslim. [online] The
Independent.
Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/my-week-as-a-muslim-channel-4-
documentary-black-up-brownface-row-white-woman-islamophobia-racism-a8016911.html [Accessed 5 Nov. 2017].

(5) Khan, F. (2017). I produced My Week As a Muslim. Its intention was to educate, not offend | Fozia Khan. [online] the
Guardian.
Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/oct/23/producer-my-week-as-a-muslim-
brownface-documentary [Accessed 5 Nov. 2017].
S-Town

S-Town is an American NPR podcast series, that was created by This American Life producer Brian Reed.
The first few episodes of the seven-part series comprise a baffling, rapidly expanding set of mini-stories,
involving one narrative twist after another about murder, mental health, impending societal collapse, and
clocks (1) The podcast itself can be accessed on their independent website 'https://stownpodcast.org/'.

The story behind the podcast "all started with an email. A man named John B McLemore sent a note to the
general email address of the podcast This American Life, with the subject line John B McLemore lives in Shit
Town, Alabama. Reed, a producer on the show, scanned the email and decided to take it to the editorial team,
even though he wasnt exactly sure what the story was, other than a small-town resident with a large vocabulary
complaining that the scion of a wealthy family was bragging that he got away with murder. He invited This
American Lifes producers to come investigate for themselves."(2)

Podcasts have become increasingly popular over the years in both the US and around the World which can be
shown through the fact that 40 40% of the US population has listened to a podcast in 2017 up from 36% in
2016 and 50% of all US homes are podcast fans (3) The use of the podcast medium to tell this story was a
very clever choice to make, as it allows the producers to do things differently to mainstream Radio or
Television, by telling a compelling story through the use of phone calls and sound effects that let the listener use
their imagination. Reed himself claimed, The podcast format would free us to do things that we couldnt pull
off on the radio (2) Reed is most likely talking about telling the uncensored story of a mentally troubled man,
something that most definitely wouldn't be allowed on the mainstream radio.

S-Town became extremely popular, as in the first month alone, the seven-episode series was downloaded more
than 40 million times That beat previous records set by Serials second season and is several times larger than
the podcast audience for the pioneering show This American Life, which started on public radio in the 1990s
(4) This podcast and it's form of storytelling has had so much success because in short, it seems the podcasting
world is now at a point where its both early enough yet big enough that excellent new hit shows can
zoom far beyond recent prior hit shows, and that those audience numbers can be meaningfully large(4)

In my opinion, the podcast was very interesting and the twists of the stories that it entailed were very well
executed. You can easily tell that the podcast was well produced and well researched, it deserves all the
recognition it can get.

References
(1) Vox. (2017). S-Town is a stunning podcast. It probably shouldn't have been made... [online]
Available at: https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/3/30/15084224/s-town-review-controversial-podcast-privacy
[Accessed 5 Nov. 2017].
(2) Locker, M. (2017). Bittersweet home Alabama: S-Town, the next podcast from the makers of Serial. [online] the
Guardian.
Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/mar/28/s-town-podcast-makers-of-serial-brian-
reed-julie-snyder [Accessed 5 Nov. 2017].
(3) Stands, T., Us, A., Policy, P., Disclosure, A. and Tester, O. (2017). 2017 Podcast Stats & Facts (New Research From
August 2017) - Podcast Insights. [online] Podcast Insights.
Available at: https://www.podcastinsights.com/podcast-statistics/ [Accessed 5 Nov. 2017].
(4) Recode. (2017). What S-Towns success says about the state of podcasting. [online] Available at:
https://www.recode.net/2017/5/9/15592044/s-town-podcast-ira-glass-nicholas-quah-million-listeners [Accessed
5 Nov. 2017].
Taboo - BBC One

Taboo is a period drama series that was first broadcast on BBC One on the 7th of January 2017 and was then re-
aired on BBC Two in March of the same year. Set in 1814, series one follows James Keziah Delaney, a man
who has been to the ends of the earth and comes back irrevocably changed. Believed to be long dead, he returns
home to London from Africa to inherit what is left of his fathers shipping empire and rebuild a life for
himself(1) The show was broadcast on BBC One, as it perfectly fits into what they want out of a Drama, on
their Drama commissioning page, they state that we want to challenge our viewers and the boundaries of BBC
One by taking ambitious risks with edgier programmes(2)

Taboo is a perfect example of an "edgy" programme with its dark tone, scenes of torture and incest; and themes
of corporate greed in the British Empire. Taboo was shown on BBC One after the watershed on a Saturday night
and on BBC Two, on a Tuesday night, "between 9:15pm and 10:10pm"(3) It was broadcast at this time, as being
past the 9pm watershed allows the show to use strong language and violence and be overall 'darker' without the
need to censor it for children, it was also shown on BBC Two as they state they are a mainstream channel with
an edgy, angled perspective on the world (4) very similar to how BBC One treat their Dramas. This show fits
with a typical BBC Two Drama as they are mostly themed very dark and gritty with shows such as the gangster
Period Drama 'Peaky Blinders' which was written by the same screenwriter as Taboo; Steven Knight.

The series follows a segmental process, the programme series with its distinctive
forms of repetition and favoured forms of problematic Most episodes of the series have a cliffhanger that
leaves the audience wanting more, it ends on Delaney burning a letter from his sister that begs him to "keep the
secrets of the past buried deep" straight after a scene where he refuses to give his inherited land to the East India
Company. The show itself took many different and complex angles, Its not enough that Taboo deals with
long-buried sins and secrets there must also be incest and exorcisms, slaves and spies, gunpowder plots and
increasingly gruesome deaths (6). If this wasnt shocking enough, there is extreme violence (6) and
language, opening the BBC to the Game of Thrones generation(7), and this, in my opinion, is the direction
British television should keep going.
References
(1) Bbc.co.uk. (2017). BBC - BBC One and FX announce second series of Taboo - Media Centre. [online]Available at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2017/bbc-fx-announce-second-series-of-taboo
[Accessed 12 Nov. 2017].
(2) Bbc.co.uk. (2017). BBC - Drama on BBC One - Commissioning.
[online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/tv/articles/drama-bbc-one
[Accessed 12 Nov. 2017].
(3) What time is Taboo on TV tonight?, W. (2017). What time is Taboo on TV tonight?.
[online] Radio Times. Available at: http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-01-07/what-time-is-taboo-on-tv-
tonight/
[Accessed 12 Nov. 2017].
(4) Bbc.co.uk. (2017). BBC - Drama on BBC Two - Commissioning.
[online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/tv/articles/drama-bbc-two
[Accessed 12 Nov. 2017].
(5) Ellis, J (1992). Visual Fictions: Cinema, Television, Video (revised. ed). London; New York: Rutledge). Retrieved 9
November 2017.
(6)Hughes, S. (2017). Naysayers be damned! Tom Hardy's Taboo is a work of Wicker Man genius.
[online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/feb/23/naysayers-be-
damned-tom-hardys-taboo-is-a-work-of-wicker-man-genius
[Accessed 12 Nov. 2017].
(7) British Film Institute. (2017). The best British TV of 2017 so far.
[online] Available at: http://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/lists/best-british-tv-2017-so-
far?utm_content=buffer9fff3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebookbfi&utm_campaign=buffer [Accessed 12
Nov. 2017].
Quake - BBC Radio 4

Made up of 12 short form audio pieces, Quake is set as the search for survivors begins after a deadly
earthquake(1) The first episode Trapped Man was aired on BBC Radio 4 on the 14th of May 2017. Quake is
much more than a simple podcast, there is an animated version, readings, facts, and with a Virtual Reality
headset you can watch the first episode in 3D, as if an earthquake is actually happening to you(2) Quake is
such an innovative and fresh idea, Quake is designed as something that can fit into whatever space you have
available in the day, choosing episodes to suit or listening to the whole thing as a podcast(3) Also as they state
in the first episode of the podcast, you can listen to each episode in any order you want allowing audiences to
create their own narrative(3)

The story of Quake is inspired by the remarkable digital revolution in humanitarian efforts and the anonymous
philanthropy of a global community(4) in other words, Quake explores the way people come together after a
tragedy on a large scale. The sounds and effects and voice acting convey such emotion and immersion to the
listener, essentially taking them under the rubble with the characters or on the ground searching for survivors.
The use of headphones is essential when listening to this radio drama, as the use of ASMR to convey these
situations really does bring the episodes to life.

Some people say that The slow-paced visuals offer an extra dimension to each episode (1), people also hold a
different opinion of the series, stating that The characters are too thin, the plot too linear (2), and with a
project such as this being an experiment, opinions like this could be a big detriment for the future of this and
similar series. All in all, I highly recommend this drama, the innovative use of so many different media
platforms and high-quality voice acting kept me hooked on the entire series.

References
(1)Quake, B. (2017). BBC Radio 4 Ventures into VR for Online Audio Drama Quake.
[online] VRFocus. Available at: https://www.vrfocus.com/2017/04/bbc-radio-4-ventures-into-vr-for-online-audio-
drama-quake/
[Accessed 12 Nov. 2017].
(2)Pressreader.com. (2017). PressReader.com - Connecting People Through News.
[online] Available at: https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-daily-telegraph/20170518/282385514446109
[Accessed 12 Nov. 2017].
(3)Jill Sherman, M. (2017). BBC breaks ground with virtual reality earthquake.
[online] Thetimes.co.uk. Available at: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bbc-breaks-ground-with-virtual-reality-
earthquake-53p58v9rc
[Accessed 12 Nov. 2017].
(4)BBC. (2017). Quake - Uncover the story - BBC Radio 4.
[online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5XK8RMGYlHZ42n4YbRwJfKV/uncover-the-story
[Accessed 12 Nov. 2017].