B322 EXAM PRACTICE: Institutions

Media Key Concepts for Exam Unit B322
Institution

You should be prepared to analyse and discuss the following, as appropriate to the channels/stations and texts studied:

Institutional contexts:

•                  The media channels‘/stations’ brand identities

 •                  The media channels’/stations’ ethos and histories (only relevant if they affect programmes)

 •                  Regulatory (eg Public Service Broadcasting) requirements

 •                  The media channels’/stations’ target audiences.

Institutional contexts need only be discussed insofar as they illuminate the institutions’ choice of texts; they should not be studied independently of The InBetweeners and QI.

Contexts of transmission:

•                  Targeting audiences

•                  Placement between texts

•                  Scheduling (eg stripping schedules)

•                  Competition between institutions

•                  Repeating texts on related channels/stations

•                  Releasing in different formats

•                  Offering texts on demand.

You will not be expected to produce generalized essays about scheduling, but explanations of how and why the institutions have transmitted the texts you are studying in specific time slots.
SO, FOR OUR TEXTS:

•  The media channels’/stations’ ethos and histories AND Targeting audiences QI is shown on both BBC 2 and Dave. Dave used to be UKTV but re-branded as Dave because 'everybody knows a bloke called Dave'. It addresses mainstream adult audiences, primarily male. It is 'the home of witty banter' and also factual programmes. Currently, it hosts programmes like Dara O'Briain 's School of Hard Sums, Mock The Week, Have I Got News For You and QI (our text). BBC is a PSB channel with a public service remit to entertain, inform and educate. It is a good fit with QI which offers factual information about a wide range of subjects such as history, science, culture, nature, food and so on. Currently QI is on series H screened on Friday nights at 10 p.m.It started on...(see above). C4 hosts The IT Crowd , currently shown on 4OD Offering texts on demand, previously on Friday evenings 10.30 p.m. 4OD is for younger audiences; they prefer online content.
• Releasing in different formats InBetweeners the movie as well as DVDs, IT Crowd and InBetweeners on demand