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Module Title Research 1 - Television Studies 2020/21
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Marking Criteria – Please study this page carefully

Assignment ONE

0 – 39% 40 – 49% 50 – 59% 60 – 69% 70 – 79%

Fail Third 2:2 2:1 First

Criterion 1 Articulation of research interests.

Discussion of Discussion is based Discussion is based Discussion fully Discussion offers

research interests on engagement with on assessment of assesses range of excellent assessment of
Relates to module content with module content and full range of module
does not relate to limited range of
learning some understanding demonstrates clear content and
module content. module content
outcome 1 of contemporary understanding of demonstrates critical
issues in relation to contemporary issues understanding of
television studies and in relation to contemporary issues in
industrial context. television studies and relation to television
industrial context. studies and industrial
context.

Criterion 2 Identification of, and engagement with, scholarly sources.

Little or no sources Identified some A range of sources A wide range of A wide range of sources
listed. Attempt to find suitable sources have been identified sources have been have been identified and
Relates to
appropriate aligned to research and are largely identified and are are highly suitable for
learning
academic sources is interests. Some suitable for identified suitable for identified identified research
outcome 2
cursory. engagement with research interests. research interests. interests. Engagement
sources. Engagement with Engagement with with sources
sources sources demonstrates demonstrates a well-
demonstrates a well-developed developed
understanding of understanding of understanding of
theoretical theoretical theoretical
underpinnings of underpinnings of underpinnings of
television studies. television studies. television studies.
Sources are critically
engaged with.

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 Assignment one

1. “Competitive writing: BBC ‘Public Service’ television light entertainment and comedy in the 1970s and

1980s”

Comedy has always been a crucial public service and the key to target audiences. The study shows how

BBC uses light entertainment to inform and engage at the same time. With the launching of ITV, BBC

was threatened to lose large audiences due to lack of distinction. The Television production was

enforced to develop divergent approaches which would be essential for its survival. Additionally, BBC

was pushed to emphasize that critical success matters just as much as popularity.

The author analyses how BBC practices a few strategies, which highlight the undeniable differences in

the writing BBC used. A fundamental change BBC makes is the format shift in the program. The time and

the structure of the broadcast are viewed as an important aspect in light entertainment writing. BBC

takes advantage of that change. Having an uninterrupted hour with no commercial breaks enables BBC

to develop a distinct form of comedy – ‘organic’ comedy (Muir, 1966). The reading points out how the

lack of commercials show the differences between BBC and ITV comedy. Moreover, the storyline is

important part of comedy and light entertainment. BBC plot-themes are representing socio-constructive

ideologies, by using semiotic elements and aiming for ‘intricate’ subplots (Goodwin, 1998).

In conclusion this article demonstrates how BBC was forced to respond to competitors. Focusing on

diversity is essential for BBC’s success in alternative comedy. They possessed their kind of internal drive

and culture (Alex Sayle, 2005). Furthermore, using distinctive strategies was considered vital for comedy

cultivation as a whole.

2. Regional British television drama in the 1960s and 1970s

British television drama in the 1960s and 1970s is produced by two regional centres: Granada Television

and BBC English regional drama. They are contrasting examples of regional British television drama.

Granada produces programs for its own regional audiences while BBC – for a national audience. The

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"golden age" for British television drama is regarded as the 1960s and 1970s because the development

of television drama was actively pursued.

The article highlights how ITV and BBC are upholding a reputation for producing ‘quality’ distinctive

drama. It also emphasizes the importance of dialects for the authenticity of the drama (John Finch,

1970). Another important aspect is to give prominence to the locations and the production. In fact, ITV

is the first program to use mobile video for drama production. The ITV programs represent society and

its problems which contributes to the sense of realism. However, BBC was concerned with regional

culture and identities. There are several series produced, outlining different social issues that have the

intention to represent work by new writers.

The author reflects on how Granada and BBC produced two types of regional drama production in the

golden period. ITV produces regional drama meant for a ‘local’ audience and a national audience. The

production is mainly portraying regional culture and identities, which makes Granada’s drama output

slightly different. On the other hand, BBC produces a diverse combination of regional representations.

Both ITV and BBC set a ground for regional drama allowing future drama production to create more

global–oriented ‘regional’ programs, rather than a centralized production. They highlight political,

cultural and social affairs in contemporary television. (Shuster, 2018)

3. Format, Cooking, and competition as television values

The structural format in television along with competition contributes to the evolution in genre and

narrative. In this article ‘format’ is described as a television convention, rather than a type of regulation.

Soon, competition programs were invented and immensely popularized. Taking this information into

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account competition and the structural format benefit the lining up of cultural meanings of identity,

labor, and consumption not only in food Networks but in contemporary Television as a whole.

Additionally, cooking shows manage to expand their audience in terms of age and gender. It is

historically known, cooking shows, in the beginning, are broadcasted from a studio or home. Later on,

competition is considered an effective strategy in the industry. The change elucidates the transition

from a traditional format to professional production. The audience engagement and interactions are

visibly increased, so is the cultural expansion. This particular skill is highlighted as a crucial television

value. The natural and domestic production of repetition and predictability is how television survives.

Food TV represents social ideologies that the audiences consider “natural’. Food culture is illustrated as

traditional lifestyle television, whose popularity demonstrates an example of audiences’ ideological

relationship with food and media in general as popular culture.

The author offers a perspective that the structural format is essential for television as it increases the

popularity and success and engages audiences by interactive activities, which enables the viewers as a

subculture to feel part of the program. Therefore, format development and competition cultivation are

extremely encouraged and fundamental for television.

4. The Fashion Florrick and Flotus: On feminism and Gender Politics, “Quality Television”

The term “Quality Television” appears as a result of two fundamental technologies. Cable television and

the so-called Video Home System contribute to the development of broadcasting and television

distribution (Kristin Thompson, 2010). “Quality” here is a complex of structures, genre hybridity, and

production methods (Sean Fuller, 2013). Broadcast television communicated quality through the

structure, narrative, and different representations. The sense of realism is essential for the discourse of

quality in TV production. This particular sort of realism is constructed by a shot on location, costumes,

language, and history.

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The author uses the American series “The Good’s wife” as an example to emphasize the importance of

costuming and wardrobe, the language, and target audience. The quality discourse here communicates

that the show is about Politics and feminism. The female leads in the series as illustrated as independent

and educated women which once again connotes a sense of ‘quality. ‘The Good’s wife’ is elucidating the

feminist definition of ‘quality' definition, mainly by using language from feminism. The series is known to

politicize clothing to enhance the quality aesthetic and target a ‘quality’ female audience. Moreover, the

show represents various gender politics and ideologies that shape women’s character. TGW is described

as a source of information regarding issues such as race, gender, age, and sexuality.

Overall, The Good’s Wife borrows feminist language to connote a feeling of seriousness and at the same

time ridicule the male-oriented ‘quality’ television. The social and cultural issues display women in a

progressive and contemporary environment, which has the purpose to classify broadcast television as a

meaningful activity for ‘quality’ female audiences.

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Bibliography

Finch, J (1979) Cuddon return. London: Souvenir Press.

Fuller, S. (2013) “Quality TV”: The reinvention of U.S. television. The University of Sydney

Goodwin, P. (1998) Television Under the Tories: Broadcasting Policy 1979–1997. London: BFI.

Mintz, L. E. (1985) Ideology in the Television situation comedy. Studies in Popular Culture.

Muir, F. (1966) Comedy in Television: A Lecture, BBC Lunchtime Lectures. London: BBC.

Sayle, A. (2005), interview.

Sendur, E. (2019) Reading the New Golden Age of Television: On Contemporary Series. Available at:

https://networks.h-net.org/node/14467/discussions/4306304/%E2%80%9Creading-new-golden-age-television-

contemporary-series%E2%80% (Accessed: 30 October 2021)

Shuster, M. (2018) New Television: The Aesthetics and Politics of a Genre. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Thompson, K. (2010) Film History: An Introduction. McGraw-Hill Education