The document contains information about assignments that are due, including coursework, posters, evaluations, and homework. It discusses which students need to submit which assignments and provides instructions for the homework assignment, which involves analyzing two TV comedy programs in terms of their scheduling and how they provide different audience pleasures. The document contains sample questions and criteria that could be used to evaluate the homework.

1. Think of a TV comedy programme
you watched recently.
What was funny about it? Why?

2. Coursework to be handed in today
Posters needed from:
• Mia
• Lloyd
• Ollie (one more
poster)
• Gareth
• Harry
• Daniel
• Jay
• Kharis
• Drew
Poster evaluations
needed from
everyone other
than:
• Sam B
• Louis
• Matthew M
• Fraser
After School Detentions for work not
received – until the work is received.
Music Video
evaluations needed
from:
• Dominic
• Fin
• Adam
• Patrick
• Gareth
• Harry
• Daniel
• Kharis

4. For Homework…
because we’ve
finished Question 4a
4(a) Pick two TV comedies. Discuss why they were scheduled:
 On the channels that chose them
 On the days and times they were transmitted (15 marks)
Case study 1: You need to demonstrate clear understanding of your chosen comedy programme.
Programme title: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………….…
Channel(s): ………………………………………………………………… Day:…………………………………………………….…Time……….…………
Channel brand/ethos/identity? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
How does the programme fit the institution of channel(s)?……………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Why is the programme scheduled at the allocated time? You should mention primetime or regulatory
requirements (e.g. PSB or Commercial Broadcaster) in terms of the watershed and limitations on content………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
How is your programme scheduled? What programmes are either side of it? Identify scheduling techniques e.g.:
blocking, stripping, stacking tentpoling or hammocking. ……………………………………………….………….…………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
How does this time slot attract the target audience for the text, Who are they? Consider Demographics (age),
socio-economics (education/employment) and Young and Rubicam (interests/personality)…………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Is it a mass or niche audience? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…
Is the text scheduled on mass audience or niche audience channel? Try to explain the nature of those niche
audiences. Make reference to viewing figures so use these to illustrate institutional context.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Scheduling history: How many series has it run for? Times and channels for each of these. If these are varied you
need to explain why. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Level 4 (12-15 marks)
Precise and accurate use of terminology
Shows detailed knowledge of TV channels and scheduling with understanding of how programmes reflect institutional
contexts
Thorough understanding of how channels use scheduling to reach audiences
Ideas expressed clearly and fluently in well structured sentences with few, if any, errors of spelling, punctuation and
grammar.
Level 3 (9-11 marks)
Some accurate use of terminology
Shows sound knowledge of TV channels and scheduling with some understanding of how programmes reflect institutional
contexts
Sound understanding of how channels use scheduling to reach audiences
Ideas expressed with some clarity and fluency; errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar do not obscure meaning.
Complete the hand-out (both
sides – one for different
comedies).
You will be expected to research
the scheduling and channel info
for your chosen comedies.
Remember they must be from
contrasting channels e.g. BBC1
AND E4 OR Channel 4 AND BBC3
DUE Monday 12th March

5. Audience pleasures
• ‘Audience pleasures’ = a term to explain what
and why we enjoy TV programmes.

6. What pleasures does an audience get
from watching comedy shows
There are a range of audience pleasures. Such as:
• Familiarity
• Character identification
• Narrative resolution
• Identification with themes
• Comedy entertainment
• Escapism **Links to the Uses and Gratifications
Theory and Dyer’s Utopia Theory**
You will refer to these in your exam – alongside
examples from your chosen comedies.

7. Familiarity
• For long running series -
meeting the same people
regularly, we know their
personalities and can
predict their behaviour –
like family and friends.
We also enjoy the
stereotypical characters
and expected locations),

8. Character Identification
• Identifying with characters or situations that occur.

9. Narrative Resolution
• The satisfaction of the story ending and all
loose ends tied up. This applies to each
episode as well as to the entire series.

10. Identification
with Themes
• Work, family,
relationships,
getting on in life etc

11. Comedy Entertainment
• “It’s funny”.
Only to be used as
a last resort… if
your mind goes
blank in the exam.

12. Escapism
• To escape our
ordinary (often
monotonous/
repetitive) lives.

13. Uses and Gratifications Theory:
• The idea that media audiences make active
choices about what to consume in order to
meet certain needs. This is about what the
audience does with the media product.
• We choose what we consume, and how it will
affect us.

14. BLUMLER AND KATZ’S USES AND
GRATIFICATIONS THEORY
Uses &
Gratifications
Information
(Surveillance)
The media is full of
information which we can
use
Personal
Identity
We can get a sense of
ourselves and our peer
group from the media. We
may identify with particular
‘characters’, who we see as
having similar life
experiences
Social
interaction
(Personal relationships)
Films, the news or last night's
television programmes are
common topics of
discussion; we use the media
to feed this social interaction.
We also connect with the
chatracters.
Entertainment
(Diversion)
The text provides pleasure for
the audience, this is often
characterised as being
'escapist'.

15. Richard Dyer’s
Entertainment and Utopia theory
• “Utopia” is an imaginary ideal world
• Richard Dyer argues that “entertainment offers the
image of ‘something better’ to set against the
realities of day-to-day existence.”
• This is the idea of “escapism”
• Inside the world of a sitcom the fictional world can
be “better” than in the reality of day-to-day
existence

16. Richard Dyer’s
Entertainment and Utopia theory
Real World Problem
• Exhaustion
• Dreariness
• Boredom
• Fragmentation/Loneliness
• Scarcity/poverty
Entertainment World Utopian
Solution
• Energy
• Intensity
• Excitement
• Community/companionship
• Abundance/wealth

17. Schadenfreude
Schadenfreude is pleasure derived from the misfortunes of
others. (Pronunciation: Sha-den-froi-deh)
For example: Have you ever watched You’ve Been Framed and
laughed at the clips (even though some of the situations have got
to hurt)?
Schadenfreude is everywhere (even off the TV screen) – start
noticing.

18. Question 4b
2014: Discuss how two programmes offer different
audience pleasures. Give at least one detail from
each programme
2015: Explain how the audience pleasures offered by
two comedy programmes are different or similar
Give at least one example from each programme
2016: Explain how one comedy programme offers a
range of pleasures, not just making the audience
laugh. Give detailed examples from the programme

19. Instructions
• This question wants you to explain why
audiences enjoy watching comedy programs
• We are going to have a look at a couple of
comedies today to identify the different
audience pleasures.

20. TV comedies
• Audiences will enjoy TV comedies because they are
familiar. TV comedies follow a conventional formula,
so the audience chose to watch an episode for
entertainment which will last for 24-30 minutes
providing them with escapism. They don’t need to
have seen the previous episode and they don’t have to
watch the next one. In sitcoms this is because the
narrative is circular and there is always a return to
equilibrium at the end of each episode, creating a
narrative resolution. Sitcoms may also feature
characters or themes which the audience may be able
to feel some identification with.

21. Watch
• As you watch, think about the audience
pleasures for The Big Bang Theory
• Familiarity
• Escapism
• Character identification
• Narrative resolution
• Identification ith themes
• Comedy entertainment
• Uses and gratifications?
• Familiarity
• Escapism
• Character identification
• Narrative resolution
• Identification with themes
• Comedy entertainment
• Schadenfreude
• Uses and Gratifications

22. Discuss with your partner…
• What audience pleasures could you identify
and which examples could you apply it to?
• Now list 3 different audience pleasures linked
to examples from the clip. Explain how they
rely on this pleasure.

23. W§atch
• As you watch, think about the audience
pleasures for Michael McIntyre’s Comedy
Roadshow
• Familiarity
• Escapism
• Character identification
• Narrative resolution
• Identification with themes
• Comedy entertainment
• Schadenfreude
• Uses and Gratifications

24. Discuss with your partner…
• What audience pleasures could you identify
and which examples could you apply it to?
• Now list 3 different audience pleasures linked
to examples from the clip. Explain how they
rely on this pleasure.