The document analyzes the target demographics of several Channel 4 documentaries. It notes that One Born Every Minute targets young adult parents-to-be but has strong language and airs late, limiting its audience. Big Fat Gypsy Weddings targets family audiences by airing at 9pm and portraying families, but focuses on a low socioeconomic culture that may not be relatable to many. Country House Rescue targets high socioeconomic older adults by featuring upper-class homeowners and airing in the afternoon. The conclusion determines the best time of 9pm on Thursdays to reach a working class and flexible audience to discuss sexism in media.

1. Cultural Codes
Analysing the target demographics of
Channel 4’s documentaries
Courtney O’Donnell

2. One Born Every Minute
• Engages with male and female young adults – adults, as “The intimate footage
gives parents-to-be (or anyone thinking of having children) a unique inside view of
what it is really like when life begins.” (Channel 4 website)
• Strong language warning – not suitable for families, teens and children.
• Airs at 12am-1am on weekdays (Wednesday/Thursday) – not accessible for C1 or
C2D working people, however is likely to be viewed online and on demand, as
ABC1 adults (mostly women) are high VoD consumers.
• Cultural representation of all socio-economic classes and regions: accessible to
everybody.

3. Big Fat Gypsy Weddings
• Targets at family audiences due to
the representation of this through
the characters.
• Airs at 9pm on Tuesdays, targeted
at BC1 and C2D working people as
shown in the evening. Not
targeted at young families/
children, as it is shown after 9pm,
when content becomes more
violent and explicit.
• Cultural representation of a very
low socio-economic class and
isolated region/ culture which is
not very accessible or relatable to
the upper-working classes;
however is intriguing to these
audiences due to the contrast and
expository documentary genre.

4. Country House Rescue
• Targeted at high socio-economic, older adult demographics of men and women by
representing upper-class, older home and estate owners, and advising them
through their narrative.
• Airs during the afternoon on Tuesdays, making it accessible to AB upper-classes
who don’t work, reaching its target audience.

5. Conclusion
From this analysis of cultural codes and how to reach a target
audience through scheduling, I will air my documentary at 9pm
on Thursday. This will allow me to reach my lower class BC1 and
C2D working class audience demographic by following their
sleep and work schedule, alongside my flexible AB demographic;
as sexism within the media relates to all socio-economic
audiences.
Furthermore, I can target at my 17-35 year old audience by
showing my documentary at the late evening, and can discuss
the controversial and political issue of sexism which presents a
sexual nature without effecting young children at the
appropriate time of 9pm; preventing issues of censorship.

6. Conclusion
From this analysis of cultural codes and how to reach a target
audience through scheduling, I will air my documentary at 9pm
on Thursday. This will allow me to reach my lower class BC1 and
C2D working class audience demographic by following their
sleep and work schedule, alongside my flexible AB demographic;
as sexism within the media relates to all socio-economic
audiences.
Furthermore, I can target at my 17-35 year old audience by
showing my documentary at the late evening, and can discuss
the controversial and political issue of sexism which presents a
sexual nature without effecting young children at the
appropriate time of 9pm; preventing issues of censorship.