Peep Show is Channel 4's longest-running sitcom. The edgy, taboo humor of Peep Show pushes boundaries and fits well with Channel 4's young, risk-taking brand identity. Though the show doesn't attract especially high viewership, around 1.2 million on average, its audience is consistent. Peep Show airs on Sunday nights at 10pm, placing it in a post-watershed timeslot where more risqué content is allowed. Channel 4 has used Peep Show to zone, or place, new comedies after it in hopes of them inheriting Peep Show's young adult fanbase, though this strategy has not always proven successful.

1. PEEP SHOW

2. Peep Show
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzsy-haNy1E
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPdVYVIlccA
• How would you describe the humour?
• How does the show fit with channel 4’s ethos?
• Same TA as channel 4?

3. Peep show target audience
• Young(ish) adults
• From range of social backgrounds
• So, useful for channel 4!
• The humour:
• Quite edgy (pushes boundaries)
• Taboo
• Fits in with Channel 4’s ETHOS and identity as a young, risk-taking, bold
broadcaster

4. More peep show stuff
• Channel 4’s longest running sitcom*
• Won lots of awards
• Inc BAFTA for best sitcom in 2006
• Audience figures
• Not especially high but are CONSISTENT
• Avg 1.2 million
• DVD sales are strong

5. Series 8 Peep show scheduling
• Channel 4
• Sundays
• 10pm
• Previous series: Fri, 10pm
• After 9pm is called the WATERSHED
• After this time, broadcasters have more freedom to show:
• Bad language
• Violence
• More risqué content etc
• However, there are still rules to follow
• Changeover from pre 9pm to post 9pm can’t be abrupt
• PEEP SHOW IS A POST WATERSHED PROGRAMME

6. Series 8 scheduling cont.
• Sunday, 10pm
• Scheduling at this time offered an alternative to the news on BBC1 and ‘I’m a celebrity,
get me out of here!’ on ITV
• The episode ‘Jeremy therapised’ was watched by 1.1 million when first broadcast
• Represented as 5% audience share
• It was up against comedy sketch show ‘Harry & Paul’ on BBC2 and won!
• ‘Harry & Paul’ has 800,000 views, audience share of 3.4%

7. More peep show scheduling
• Channel 4 used Peep Show to try to get a watch a programme called
Kookyville
• A new, innovative comedy sketch show
• This is called ZONING (when a channel will place a show near a successful ones to get
views)
• Was scheduled straight after Peep show
• Schedulers were hoping that Kookyville would INHERIT the Peep Show audience of
young adult fans of innovative comedy
• IT FAILED
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yu_wl0ByQIw

8. Checklist for revision
• Channel it’s on
• Day/Time it’s on
• Relationship and details connected with Watershed
• Who is the TA?
• How does the show fit in with the remit/ethos?
• How many audiences/viewers? Details of the viewers?
• How much audience share?
• It’s competition (shows on at same time)? (Also, what channels are they
and what time?)
• Zoning: What is Kookyville and what are the details about this you could
discuss?

9. QUIZ?

10. 4A exam questions

11. You will definitely fill this box in!

12. Example answers
(peep show only)