BBC and the audience.

1. Rating Wars
When two different TV channels are competing due to their programmes trying to attract the
most audience’s views, this is known as a rating war. An example of rival channels are BBC
and ITV. This is as the BBC would make their money by TV licence fees, meanwhile, ITV
would get their money by showing lots of adverts during the programmes.
The competition between the two are also the programmes. BBC would broadcast the show
‘Strictly Come Dancing’ while ITV would broadcast the ‘X-Factor’. Years ago, both shows
were broadcasted at the same time, and ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ was gaining more views by
the public and tend to be very popular than the ‘X-Factor’. Due to these circumstances, ITV
decided to broadcast ‘X-Factor’ an hour later so that they won’t lose their audience. BBC
would telecast ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ at 7pm to 8pm whereas ITV would telecast ‘X-Factor’
at 8pm to 9:50pm.
In order for advertisers to get to know what channel has the most views so that they can
decide where they would want to telecast their adverts, rating wars are very important. This
is because in order for a mass audience to get to know of their products/adverts and get
more money, they have to choose the channel with the most views. This is also as the more
money the advertisers make, the more chances they get close to becoming commercial
broadcasters.

2. In 2014, BBC and ITV had rating wars after 10 peaceful years as they had a schedule clash
during the football World Cup. As both channels had rights to telecast the football matches,
they had to reschedule the soap programmes.
There was a rumour that the BBC claimed ITV had unnecessary, aggressive scheduling that
was deliberate so that they can create a clash by extending coronation street street at the
same time of eastenders. However, commercial broadcasters had disagreed with this and
said that the shows was forced to fit around the World Cup matches.
Prime time is the time when there are a majority of people watching television and that is on
saturdays from 7-9 pm mostly.
Broadcasters audience research board (Barb for short), is a website that is responsible for
delivering the TV audience measurement system. Yearly, £7 billion is invested in millions of
productions and distributions of TV programmes which is guided and accounted for by Barb.
Who is watching?, What are they watching?, when are they watching? And which screen are
they watching on? Are the 4 questions Barb conduct and research on. Barb company
interview a 1000 people in a household with a survey which helps them to create an
accurate estimation on viewing data.
Technologies
Since the development of the the internet and smartphones technologies (modern
technologies), it has become a threat to television channels and the video industry (films,
programmes). This is because the internet allows the audience to visit online streaming
services such as Amazon prime and Netflix where the audience can watch mostly any films
and/or programmes in the comfort of their bedrooms. However, in order to access R-rated
and/or NC-17 (18+) content, you would have to create an account on these sites in order to
verify your age.

3. The audience are also accessible to on demand services which means they can watch
anything they like to, wherever and whenever they want. For example, anyone can watch a
television show such as ‘Black Mirror’ on the train, on their way to work or wherever they are
going. On demand services are accessible on any media platform (device) such as a laptop,
smartphone, tablet even skybox, etc.
On the other hand, technology can be a very negative thing as it causes an issue amongst
the film and TV industry. This is as people can create piracy of TV shows, programmes and
films. This is when a person makes a copy of those productions and posts them online,
accessible to the public for them to watch for free mostly at home or anywhere. For example,
throughout 2014 to 2017, a famous television series, Game of Thrones has been pirated.
Another negativity of the internet to the industry is that the industry would lose their audience
as they would start to watch these productions online rather on their TV screens at home.
This also affects the video industry as it would affect the sales of Blue-rays and DVD
players.
On the other hand, the advantage of technology is that the audience are able to fill their
desires by choosing what they would like to watch rather than following a schedule on TV.
This is due to smartphones available in the palm of their hands and being able to watch
whatever, whenever they wish. The power of the internet also allows grants the audience
freedom of choice to decide what they like to watch.
Technology such as the internet, however, also benefits the TV and Film industry by allowing
them to give online streaming sites such as Netflix and Amazon Prime a licence so that the
industry can gain some profit. For example, Amazon Prime will contain television shows
such as Eastenders to be streamed online, profiting the BBC. Also the Channel will create
an application where the audience can watch or read the news or other shows.

4. Social media sites also assist promoting TV shows/programmes as they would help talk
about the shows so that it becomes the new ‘gossip’ amongst the public, encouraging
people want to watch the production people are talking about. This makes social media sites
being used to allow the audience to interact with the TV channels.
Watershed
Watershed is a time when programmes which may be unsuitable for children are
broadcasted. It is an important duty of Watershed given by Ofcom which is to protect
children from harmful material that would be showed on TV and radio as well.
Broadcasters have to follow this certain and specific rule from the broadcasting code that set
standards for TV and radio. This rule is strict for which broadcasters should know what
should and shouldn't be shown on TV before 9pm.
Watershed begins from 9pm till 5:30 am. This is as the time period that TV channels can
show unsuitable (18+) content for children as its mainly targeted for adult audiences.
However, TV channels are still unable to show full unsuitable material as Ofcom would see
over what the channels show so channels cant show harmful and offensive content.
The types of unsuitable content is; sexual to violence, graphic or distressing imagery and
swearing. However, if the broadcaster break the rules of Watershed, Ofcom since 2003, take
over the actions on over 300 occasions where the broadcasters have organised to show
unsuitable content during the day when children are around.
Watershed has helped parents protect their children from material which may be harmful for
them. Twice every year, Ofcom asks parents of the general public what they think about
standard TV. 93% of the public know of the Watershed and 74% agree that 9pm is the right
time for Watershed to begin. Just from asking, the figures have increased by 2%. This can,
however, be an issue to the TV and video industry as adults would want to watch shows and
films that have violence (action) and swearing in it as its in some form of comedy.
Ofcom
Ofcom is a communication regulator in the UK where they have to regulate the service of not
just TV and radio but video on demand, fixed line telecom, mobile and postal as well and
also the airwave for the wireless devices to operate. The main legal duty of Ofcom is to

5. provide a wide range of electronic communication service in the UK as well as a wide range
of high quality television and radio programmes that are provided which appeals for the
range of interests. Another duty is to provide a variety of organisations that the audience
watch and listen to via on demand services for TV and radio services, protected from
harmful content.
In further addition, Ofcom is the regulator to make sure that the audiences of TV and radio
programmes are being treated fairly. A universal postal service that is provided around the
UK, which means delivery prices and collection service across the country and radio
spectrum is used in a more effective method six times a week.
BBC licence fees, complaints about a BBC programme, post offices, newspapers and
magazines, TV and radio content on adverts, debates between the audiences/viewers and
telecoms provider and the cost of insurance for mobile phone services and ringtones are
things that Ofcom do not regulate nor take responsibilities for.
Audience effect theories:Encoding/Decoding
Stuart Hall’s audience theory of encoding and decoding is based on when a producer of a
show/programme/film embeds a message within the production in order for the audience to
be able to understand that specific message and will be able to show their reaction towards
the producer. There are three main readings of the audience towards the given message.
The audience either choose between:
1. Preferred reading.
2. Oppositional reading.
3. Negotiated reading.
Preferred reading is when the audience agrees with the message the producer is trying to
portray within the production. Oppositional reading is when the audience disagrees with the
producers message where as negotiated reading is when the audience are neutral with the
message.
Hall’s theory, however, creates an issue amongst the TV and Film industry. This is because
as the producer portrays his/her message, some members of the audience may be
oppositional readers whereas most would be preferred readers. These oppositional readers
would then create debates amongst the two (producer and preferred readers) until the
producer agrees with their opinion.
Programmes/shows/films that try to portray real life situations are examples of the Encoding
and Decoding theory. For example, The BBC programme, Famous, Rich and Homeless
which is about 4 volunteers (famous people) who will spend a week on the streets homeless,
sharing their views and opinions on homelessness.

6. Audience Effect Theories:Users & Gratification
Blumler and Katz cames up with an audience theory in 1974 known as ‘Users and
Gratification Theory’. They believed that the audience have 4 needs they must be filfilled for
their desires when it comes to the audience consuming media text. Those four needs are:
1. Diversion
2. Personal Identity
3. Personal Relationships
4. Surveillance.
Diversion allows the audience to escape reality and when consuming media text. Personal
Identity allows the audience to try and identify themselves within a group of characters
portrayed on screen which allows them to find themselves reflected within a text. Personal
Relationships is when the audience consume media for their emotional needs, other
interactions as well as interchange for family life. Lastly, Surveillance allows the audience to
have the need of information (research) about their geography and social world.
An example of the theory being used nowadays is that people tend to identify themselves
using Personal Identity in media texts such as TV soap operas. Teenagers, for example
would be watching Eastenders and would think they can relate to characters like Louise
Mitchell, who is a teenage girl.
Even when some members of the audience watch programmes about the world’s geography
and/or history on channels like BBC Planet Earth this creates surveillance amongst the

7. audience as they are intrigued on finding more information about the world and its
environmental issues.
An example of Diversion is when the audience relieve themselves from boredom. This is
done mostly by TV shows such as ITV’s ‘I’m A Celeb Get Me Out of Here’. This is as the
audience are allowed to see something different as celebs go through challenges including
innsects, reptiles and more.
An example of Uses and Gratification theories for the audience to be able fulfill their
emotional and personal needs is done by personal relationships, by watching a TV
programmes or film. Stanely Cohen has cone up with a theory called Moral Panic (1972).
This theory is when a message is given to the society via a media platform that will be able
to create hate and fear to the audience, which allows the audience to be easily controlled.
Cohen advices from his book ‘Folk Devils and Moral Panic’ that the Moral Panic will occur
when a condition, person and a group of people that arises to be established as a threat to
societies interests and values. Cohen also believes that the media has played a big role of
implementing the moral panic.

9. Bibliography
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/ratings-war
https://www.barb.co.uk/
https://www.barb.co.uk/viewing-data/weekly-viewing-summary/