This document discusses TV scheduling and target audiences. It is broken into several questions: 1. TV programming is broken into segments by time of day, each targeting different audiences. Popular genres are reality TV, soaps, dramas and game shows. 2. The major channels - BBC1, BBC2, ITV, C4, C5 - each target different audiences based on age and interests. Examples of typical programs are given for each channel. 3. Channel 5 imports most of its shows from other countries due to lower budgets. Schedulers use techniques like inheritance, pre-echo and hammocking to retain audiences across multiple channels.

1. TV SCHEDULING
Question1: The scheduleforeach day can be broken down into clear segments.How would you
categorisethese segmentsand who arethetarget audience?
TIME
5am-9am 9am-4pm 4pm-7pm 7pm-11pm 12am-5am
NAME
BreakfastTV Daytime TV Family TV Prime TV NightTV
AUDIENCE
Working
people
Elderly,
Unemployed,
House wives,
Students
Everyone,
Family
Adults
Students
Elderly
Students
Question2: Whatwould you say the mostpopulargenreson television are?
REALITY TV
SOAPS
DRAMAS
GAMESHOWS

2. Question3: who is the targetaudienceof each terrestrial channel?Give examplesof scheduled
programmesto supportyourviews.
 BBC 1-BBC1 is a majorterrestrial channel.It is for everybody,fromsmalltoddlersto elderly
people.There is a large rangeof programmeswhich areshown throughouttheday. An
exampleof a TV program on BBCviewablefor all agesis DoctorWho. Doctor Who is
something thatboth elderly and young peoplecan enjoy to watch.
 BBC 2- BBC 2 is broad butdemanding audience,ithasa slightly older audienceas the
programmesaremoreeducational.A clear programme for intellectual people is Mastermind which
is a regular show on BBC TWO.
 ITV- For everybody, all ages and genders. Suitable for family viewing, X Factor which is a family
friendly programme enjoyed by all ages.
 Channel 4 - Mainly broadcasts to around the age range 16-50. This includes mostly young adults and
middle aged adults. Gogglebox is a clear example of this as it is enjoyable to watch for younger
generation up to a certain age. Elderly people may not find the programme comical.
 Channel 5- Channel 5 is a family channel, Gadget Show is a recurring programme on channel 5 and
suitable for all ages.
Question3: Which channelshaveimported programmesin theschedulesand why do you thinkthat
mightbe?
Channel5 mainly importsprogrammesfromothercountrieslike,Australia and America.Don’tearn
enough to makeown programmesso by otherprogrammeswhich havebeen proved to bepopularin
othercountries.
Question4: whatdo you understand by theterm‘the watershed’and wheredoesthisoccurin the
schedules?
There are strict rules aboutwhatcan be shown on TV beforethe 9pm watershed.Timeafterthen
programmeswithadultcontentsmay bebroadcasted (sex,violence,horror,stronglanguage).
BBC 1 and ITV1 competeagainsteach other.Competewith two big programsmeaning they don’t
play them bothatthe sametime; Coronation Streetand EastEnders.If they are played at thesame
time the viewer’sget angry,causing theviewersto makecomplaints.Itis too risky becausethereis a
50/50 chanceof which programmethey’regoing to watch.
ChannelLoyalty- In 1984 therewas only 4 channelsso there wasminority tv meaning thatthe
specific channelsare specific fora certain audience.Schedulebig channelsoneafter anotherbecause
the audiencestayed loyalto thatchannel.Didn’tchannelsurf as they didn’thavea remote,had to
get up to changethechanneland press thebuttonson the TV. This wasall down to laziness.

3. Channelloyaltyno longerexists because thereis 200+ channels,now becomeeven morelazier and
do not haveto moveto changethe channelso during the advertsweswitch to other channels,like
the channeland forgetto other programmes.Thismeansthattheschedulershaveto workharderto
keep an audience.3 differenttechniquesare used,they are:
 Inheritance- Scheduling a new programmeaftera popularprogrammein thehopeit will
inherit someof theaudiencefromthe popularprogram.Forexample:on the23/09/14 Holby
city is followed by new programme“thedriver”,hoping peoplewill watch.
 Pre- echo- Scheduling a programmebeforea popularprogramme,peopletunein justbefore
popularprogrammestart.So they catch theend of other/new programme,likeit then tune
into watch it nextweek. Forexample:24/09/14 a new programmecalled celebrity squaresis
aired justbeforea popularprogramme,Scottand Bailey.In hopepeoplewill catch the end.
 Hammocking- Hammockingiswhen anew programme isscheduledbetweentwobig
programmes,hopingthatthe audience willkeeptunedwhilstwaitingforthe nextbig
programme.Forexample: 13/10/14 A new programme calledGothamisbeingscheduled
betweentwobigprogrammes,police inspectorsandunderthe dome.