1. Channel 4 Documentaries- enlightening
or exploitive?
By Freya Bath, Gemma Bamber, Natalie Selby and Emily
Anderson.
2. The Undateables
The Undateables is a reality
documentary aired on Channel
4. The unusual series is about
people with life challenging
disabilities; often considered
‘undateable’, attempting to find
love.
“Channel 4 has
obviously got bored
with promoting
underage sex and
general nonsense
(mini pops, teen big
brother, skins...the list
goes on) so they've
gone for an old classic
- the freak show.”
“Awesome, engaging,
emotional show with
some of the most
interesting people to
be on TV in years.”
This series risks
accusations of being an
exploitative ‘freak show’.
However we’re shown real
people overcome troubles,
torments and victories in
regards to finding love.
The Undateables Trailer
3. Royal marines
commando
Royal marines commando is a
programme about men aged
between 16-32 years olds training
to get there green beret and
become part of the royal marines
commando. The documentary is showing
the most arduous basic military training
in the world.
The series was filmed to give an insight
into the living quarters and exercise
programme they do whilst training at
Lympstone, Devon.
The guardian- Royal Marines Commando
School review – is spotlessness really so
important in the theatre of war?
Telegraph- Royal Marines Commando School,
review: 'remarkably intimate'
Metro- Royal Marines Commando School was
compelling and taught us some interesting
life lessons
Royal Marines Commando School Trailer
4. Britain’s Fattest Man
This is Paul Mason. A victim of Channel 4’s exploiting
documentaries. He was branded by Channel 4 as ‘Britain’s
Fattest Man’ and was pinpointed in the program as an
attempt to decrease Britain’s obesity level.
The program follows the story of forty-nine year old, Paul
and a gastric band to reduce his weight from 70 stone.
The program explains how Paul’s care alone costs social
services £2000 a week and he explains how his benefits will
be cut which infuriates the audience. The Guardian described
the program as a ‘freak show’ and an attempt to gain views,
which it did successfully. I do feel sympathy for him when he
talks about his mother abandoning him and the stress he has,
and the thought of the operation failing makes him suicidal.
A true point is also made when he states that the NHS fund
help for drug and alcohol addictions.
Britian's Fattest Man
5. Benefits Street
Benefits Street is a Channel 4 documentary in which the lives of people on James Turner
Street, Birmingham, are followed on camera. The show was first aired on January 6th 2014,
and ran for a total of five episodes. It attracted the highest number of views any show has
had since 2012. It appealed to a large audience due to the subject of the program, as
people cheating benefits have been popular topic areas for news in the past few years.
Media Coverage
As well as attracting views,
Benefits Street drew a lot of
attention from the media,
becoming front page news for
many magazines and
newspapers. The show was
extremely controversial and
Channel 4 received 400
complaints, and Ofcom received
a further 300 after the first
episode alone. Many people
argue that presenting poverty as
entertainment is wrong, and
Channel 4 have been accused
of making ‘poverty porn’.
However, Channel 4 have
reasoned that the reaction
created from the program
proves how important making
the show was.
Enlightening or Exploitive?
Is the show enlightening or exploitive? I think it’s both. The residents of
James Turner Street have claimed that they were misled by the producers of
the program. Therefore, in a way, their lives have been exploited. Also, the
show has a negative affect on people who are on benefits and use them
innocently and outside people judge the residents of Birmingham based on
the show. Since the show was aired, there have been a lot of recorded
incidents in which people on benefits have been beaten up or injured by a
member of public.
Benifit Street Clip
However, the show is enlightening in a way that shows the rest of the
country how people living in ‘poverty’ cheat the system and commit crime in
order to live. People need to be more aware of it happening and the reaction
to the program proves that a lot of people were offended about how they live.
