Soap Opera - Primary Research Results

1. Primary Research Results

2. What are the most common storylines used?
This feedback connotes that the random sample of people I used think that relationships
are the most common storylines used in soaps. Although murders was also chosen as a
storyline used by the producers of the show. This is good for our soap because it is about a
kidnapping.

3. What is the most common type of character used in
Soap Operas?
These verbal codes denote some of the individuals replies by my participants about what the
most common type of characters are used in Soaps. A character that comes up a lot in my results
is a ‘strong dominant female character’, in line with Rebecca Feasey’s (2007) ideology
surrounding the genre, which represents defeating the stereotype.

4. What age range watch Soap Operas the most?
This establishes what age ranges the participants believe watch soaps.
It gives us an idea of what target market we are looking to appeal to, and what age
range we are aiming to attract more viewers from.

5. What do you normally associate with Soap Operas?
The participants answers are varied in this question about what soap operas associate
with. Mainly the feedback is linked with conflict, relationships and based in the
community. This is good because our soap focuses on these elements a lot.

6. What gender watches Soap Operas the most?
These participants have expressed their views of which gender watch soap operas and
unanimously the decision is females. This connotes that there is a stereotype there that
women watch soap operas and also represents the need to appeal to a male audience as well.
I will be able to do this by including a storyline predominantly around a male character and
increasing the number of male characters in the soap opera itself, although still attempting to
appeal to a female audience at the same time.

7. What Social Class watch Soap Operas?
The individuals answering this question thought the working class watched soaps the
most because they can maybe ‘personally identify’ (Katz) with the working class
community they live in through the show. This is through the location and the
characters being from a working class community a lot of the time.

8. Why do you think this class like Soap Operas?
The question is a follow up of the previous question but this time the participants have
to give a reason. The two most popular answers were that viewers can feel a sense of
escapism when they come home from work to watch the show, and the working class
can relate to the situation.

9. Do you enjoy Soap Operas?
This answer from the participants is interesting because on the overall scale
thy don’t like to watch soap operas. This reinforces the need to schedule our
soap opera during primetime hours and making sure that our trailer manages
to hook in this group of people who have previously not enjoyed the genre.