Bibliography

Joanne Morreale. (2005). Reality TV, CLCWeb Volume 7 Issue 2 Article 5. Faking It, and the Transformation of Personal Identity. Volume 7, June, pp 2-7.

Larkin E. n.d. Dramality is more boring than reality.[Internet]. The Beaver. Available from: http://thebeaveronline.co.uk/2012/03/11/dramality-is-more-boring-than-reality/ [Accessed 11 December 2012].

Raeside J. (2011). A Different Kind of Reality TV. [Internet]. The Guardian. Available from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2011/jun/01/reality-tv-only-way-essex [Accessed 11 December 2012].

(2011). Bafta Introduces New ‘Constructed Reality’ Award. [Internet]. BBC News Entertainment & Arts. Available from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15652404 [Accessed 11 December 2012]

McGuinness R. (2012). TOWIE, Geordie Shore and Desperate Scousewives Create ‘Role Model Deficit’ for Girls. [Internet]. Metro. Available from: http://metro.co.uk/2012/05/11/the-only-way-is-essex-geordie-shore-and-desperate-scousewives-creating-role-model-deficit-for-girls-say-girl-guides-422131/ [Accessed 11 December 2012]

Howard A. Reality Televsion: Creating a World Where No One is Real, Shocking Statstics. [Internet]. Available from: http://anhoward.wordpress.com/the-effect-reality-tv-is-having-on-us-shocking-statistics/ [Accessed 11 December 2012]

Hill A. (2005). Reality Tv: Audiences and popular factual television. Psychology Press.

Bernadett Casy, Neil Casey, Ben Calvert, Liam French (ur.) in Justin Lewis: Television studies: the key concepts Routledge, London (2002)

BIGNELL J. (2013). An Introduction to Television Studies, 3rd Edition. London : Routledge, 2013

Evans, J. Hesmondhalgh, D. (ed.) (2005). The Open University, Maidenhead.

Textual Analysis | The Only Way is Essex

Before the characters begin speaking; a subtitle to show the person’s name shows up. This allows the audience to identify with the person and in turn will allow the audience to get to know them. There are multiple cameras used to get different shots - a wide shot to establish the people and the setting of the scene; and two cameras facing the people talking to highlight that its them speaking. Furthermore, these cameras zoom into the persons face more to show a certain reaction such as her sadness. Additionally, the face that this shot is prolonged on her face emphasises her sadness and makes the audience feel more sympathy for her. Lastly, the scenes look staged which reinforces the genre of structured reality. Firstly, they’re positioned at a table in a way that the camera will easily see them and to get a decent shot of the character. Additionally, it is also convenient how the character Lydia comes into the scene just as the other girls are talking about her and her situation. This infers how the producers may have told them to say certain things at certain time and shows how the show is loosely scripted.






In this clip there is a wide shot which established what characters are in the shot, but also to show that they are equal in the shot and are all central to its narrative. There is a very slow and slight pan which makes the audience focus on them. Like the other clip, one of the multiple cameras shoots close ups of their faces and zooms in further when their emotions get more intense. This conveys their reactions and emotions such as anger, confusion, defensiveness and questioning. From the setting; the audience get a sense that the scene is slightly planned as they are at an event and although they aren’t getting along they have coincidentally met there. Additionally, the fact that the confrontation is at her engagement party creates more of a spectacle for the audience. Near the end of the scene at 2:30, the scene looks split. Their divided exit highlights the conflict that was in the scene. The costume in the scene is quote extravagant and dressy, this is conveying where they are – at a party. Additionally, Lucy’s large jewellery connotes wealth. The lighting of the scene is unnatural as they are outside at night but the scene is still well lit. This connotes how the scene has been manipulated for a better outcome which reinforces the genre of the show – structure reality. Lastly, the fact that right at the end, subtitles are put up to emphasise what he’s saying as it was said quite quiet. This shows how it was taken in one shot as they didn’t re-shoot it.

 

1500 Words Quotes

CLCWeb Volume 7 Issue 2 (June 2005) Article 5

Joanne Morreale,

"Reality TV, Faking It, and the Transformation of Personal Identity"

·         “personal identity through performance”

·         “the contents and performance of the show intensify the link between consumer culture”

·         “the fabrication of identity by teaching that fulfillment comes from becoming, rather than having, a commodity shape our identities”

·         “viewers see less than an hour's worth of footage. The highly contrived result is filtered, packaged and marketed as "reality."”

“the blurring of boundaries between real life and entertainment”

·         “criticism of reality television viewers as passive voyeurs, however, we find more insightful perspective  on the phenomenon in Boorstin’s (1961) conclusion that life has become stagecraft—a blending of reality and mass mediated experience that evokes life as a movie in which people play themselves (Gabler 1998).”

·         “Depicts common people engaging in and common tasks, giving viewers the chance to compare and contrast their own lives with those of the show’s “protagonist.”

·         “Grayson and Shulman’s perspective sharply contrasts postmodern views of hyper reality in which simulation is substituted for genuine experience, and perhaps even preferred (Baudrillard 1983).”

"To put it simply, we are social animals, to borrow the title of David Brooks’s 2011 book. And as long as we are still fascinated by other humans and there is a profit to be made, programmes like Made in Chelsea will exist, and people will watch them."
http://thebeaveronline.co.uk/2012/03/11/dramality-is-more-boring-than-reality/

"There are so many reality TV shows in the States and if you're going to avoid them, then you might as well avoid television,"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2011/jun/01/reality-tv-only-way-essex

"Bafta is not "dumbing down" with its recognition of reality shows, which he said could be "genuinely intelligent and thought-provoking TV"."http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15652404

Message from Girlguiding UK :

·         ‘Towie generation’ is exposed to such a narrow field of women in the public eye that they are harming their futures.”

·         It believes shows such as Geordie Shore and Skins are creating a ‘role model deficit’.

·         11 to 21-year-old females think there aren’t enough female role models.

·         Girlguiding UK said the lives of celebrities are ‘hugely influential’ on girls’ behaviour and that, for some, programmes such as Geordie Shore and The Only Way Is Essex are ‘a blueprint of how their lives should look’.

·         ‘I don’t think reality TV shows are something that are inspirational for girls and young women. - Midge Coombs
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/898816-towie-geordie-shore-and-desperate-scousewives-create-role-model-deficit-for-girls#ixzz2ClsZxU6y

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15652404

“the award had been introduced to reflect "how television production and viewing is changing".”

“Reality and constructed factual programming has… been hugely influential”

Americans spend 1/3 of their free time watching television and of that 67% are reality shows

It costs $7 dollars to produce a 10-day reality show

Reality TV episodes have increased to 57% of all television shows that can be found on your screens

http://anhoward.wordpress.com/the-effect-reality-tv-is-having-on-us-shocking-statistics/

“is this strange blend of fact and drama the future of entertainment TV?”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2011/jun/01/reality-tv-only-way-essex

“why is a huge audience buying into something so obviously artificial?”

“The Only Way is Essex was not the first structured reality show to hit British screens but it's certainly had the biggest impact – it has attracted a peak audience of 1.5 million.”

"There are so many reality TV shows in the States and if you're going to avoid them, then you might as well avoid television” – Little

"alienation effect". (Brecht described this as "stripping an event of its self-evident, familiar, obvious quality and creating a sense of astonishment and curiosity about [it]".)

ANETTE HILL: Reality Tv: Audiences and popular factual television 2005

“Popular series… in the UK have attracted up to and over 50% of the market share” pg 2

“One of the reasons the reality genre has been so powerful in the television market is that it appeals to younger adults in particular” pg 5

“Reality programming provides a cheap alternative to drama” pg 6

            Reality TV cost as little as £114,000 per hour / Hour long drama £875,000

“Economically attractive to local stations and networks”

“reality programming is so popular it has changed the economics of the television industry”

“The popularity of reality tv has led to a dangerous blurring of boundries between fact and fiction… as a result reality TV has had a negative effect on modern society” – Nick Clarke pg 7

“In essence, this may aswell be network crack: reality TV is fast, cheap and totally addictive… the shows are weapons of mass desctruction… causing us to be dumber, fatter and more disengaged from ourselves and society” - A critic pg 7

“Docu-soaps became the ‘motor of peaktime’ during the mid to late 1990’s” pg 27

“It’s the technique of a soap opera brought into documentaries” – Biddiscomb 1998 pg 27

“The rise of reality tv came at a time when networks were looking for a quick fix solution to economic problems within the cultural industries” pg 39

“these hybrid formats focus on telling stories about real people and real events in an entertaining style” pg 39

“reality programming is an extraordinary success story, an example of televisions ability to cannibalise itself in order to survive in a commercially uncertain media environment”

“reality programmes are part of the landscape of the evening schedule, bridging the divide between traditional factual television and traditional fictional television” pg 51

“many popular factual formats also contain other storytelling techniques, such as strong characterisation, and/or serial narratives in order to attract repeat viewers” pg 52

“At the heart if the debate about the reality of reality TV is a paradox the more entertaining a factual programme is, the less real it appears to viewers” pg 57

“the ‘Criteria of truthfulness’” – Ellis 2002 “Is associated with their belief that the more people act up in front of cameras, the less real a programme appears to be” pg 62

“audiences may be uncomfortable watching ordinary people on television  because the participants in the show have been ‘coerced into making a fool of themselves, and their presence or image on screen has been manipulated by technicians, producers and bullying presenters” pg 70

“another topic is that of ‘Voyeur Vision’. Voyeurism, or peeping Tom syndrome, links with the other two topics of harm and ‘dumbing down’ as voyeurism implies watching reality Tv is a form of socially deviant behaviour”. Pg 84

“The stigmatisation of reality TV as trash TV in the popular press impacts on viewers, who attempt to manage the impressions of other people…” pg 86

“If reality TV is mindless entertainment … and its role the dumbing down of television.” Pg 86

“One of the pleasures offered by the new reality formats is the knowledge that what is being offered for consumption in manifestly “staged reality”” – Kilborn 2003 pg 175

“The more people perform in front of camera, the less ‘real’ the programme is” pg 176

“We live in a presentational culture in which appearance is reality” – Roger Silverstone 1999 pg 176

“The success of the performance, in everyday life as on the bounded space of stage and screen, depends on the judgements and acceptance of an audience” Silverstone 1999 pg 176

“Viewers may, at one level, treat the unfolding drama as having a degree of credibility… at another level, however, they are sufficiently media literate as to be aware that everything played out before them has been contrived to meet their perceived entertainment needs”  - Kilborn 2003 pg 176

“Reality can be staged, but the staging has to be clearly marked by programme makers for audiences” pg 177

Bernadette Casey, Neil Casey, Ben Calvert, Liam French and Justin Lewis: Television Studies: The Key Concepts 2002

“Reality television is generally thought to have emerged in the late 1980’s in America and very quickly established itself within mainstream popular programming by the mid 1990’s” pg 196

“intimate revelations of the first person accounts are the driving force behind the narrative structure of these programmes” pg 196

“reality TV is the perfect form for the times in which we live, in that it provides a cultural space where contemporary anxieties are played out within a dramatic structure and in an entertaining format.” – Dovey 2000 pg 197

People have criticised “television producers for pandering to the lowest common denominator in parading the less pleasant side of contemporary life as voyeuristic spectacle” pg 197

JONATHAN BIGNELL: An Inroduction to Television Studies, 3rd Edition 2013

“reality TV loses the authenticity… and develops instead towards spectacle and performance” pg 137

Should TOWIE be described as a “documentary or drama” pg 138

“Producers who work on the programme have the task of looking for dramatic storylines that will anchor the everyday interactions between the participants” pg 138

“What is at stake… in TOWIE in the context if reality TV’s interest in character, is emotional realism. Rather than documenting and observing, or investigating people in sociological or political terms the series focusses on expression of emotion” pg 138

“Performances in scenes that have been planned by professional storyline producers are very likely to include moments of inauthenticity from at least some of the characters.” Pg 139

“the question of authenticity was intended to be part of the pleasure for viewers in the series” – Tony Wood (creative director of Lime Pictures) pg 139

“by mixing the ingredients from drama and documentary genres, recent factual television formats have found a prominent place in the television schedule” pg 139

Review of Sarah's Critical Investigation

I think Sarah has got a good start to her research , I can tell she has really thought about her critical investigation and has an interesting hypothesis to research.
She has a good source of academic research , but I think she needs to add more quotes.

Learner Response : Do you think you have enough evidence to prove your hypothesis?
I could find some statistics on how the amount of reality tv has increased and the proportion of people that watch it. I would also talk about the impact it's had on society such as the negative effects the sterotypes that the genre has created (for example the impact on socio-economic class). 

Critical Investigation Proposal

Working title

The Only Way is Reality: Why is the popularity of "dramality" television increasing and is this leading to the "dumbing down" of televison?
Angle
Why is it so popular?  How is the rise of reality and format television impacting the audience?

Is the increase in reality television degrading British television audiences?

Linked production piece
An opening sequence of a reality TV show (probably based in school)

Research plan (media texts and academic texts)

Media texts
The Only Way is Essex

Made in Chelsea

Geordie Shore
(Desparate Scousewives and The Valleys- why are these not as popular?)

TV documentaries
The Reality of Reality [TV Documentary Series] (2003) Gail Mancuso

Academic texts
Institute of Ideas: Reality TV: How Real is Real? (Debating Matters) 2002

Mark Andrejevic: Reality TV: The Work of Being Watched (Critical Media Studies) (Critical Media Studies: Institutions, Politics and Culture) 2003

Anita Biressi: Reality TV: Realism and Revalation 2005

CLCWeb Volume 7 Issue 2 (June 2005) Article 5

Joanne Morreale,

"Reality TV, Faking It, and the Transformation of Personal Identity"

http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1262&context=clcweb

RANDALL L. ROSE, STACY L. WOOD*: Paradox and the Consumption of Authenticity through Reality Television

http://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=mark_facpub

Understanding Reality TelevisionReality TV – Audiences and Popular Factual Television
Reality TV – Realism and Revelation

Su Holmes and Deborah Jermyn (eds), Understanding Reality Television. Abingdon/New York: Routledge, 2004, 302 pp.

Annette Hill, Reality TV – Audiences and Popular Factual Television. Abingdon/New York: Routledge, 2005, 231 pp.

Anita Biressi and Heather Nunn, Reality TV – Realism and Revelation. London: Wallflower Press, 2005, 183 pp.

http://screen.oxfordjournals.org/content/47/1/133.full

TOWIE, Geordie Shore and Desperate Scousewives create role model deficit http://www.metro.co.uk/news/898816-towie-geordie-shore-and-desperate-scousewives-create-role-model-deficit-for-girls

GWENDOLYNNE REID: The Rhetoric of Reality Television – A Narrative Analysis of the Structure of Illusion

Has TV been dumbed down?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/1622209.stm

Entertainment comments: Is reality TV contributing to dumbing down of America?

http://www.pennlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2011/09/reality_television_america_dumb.html

Reality TV By The Numbers [Infographic]
http://screenrant.com/reality-tv-statistics-infographic-aco-149257/

in 2000, 70% of the population (4 - 65+) has gone on record in having watched reality television occasionally or on a regular basis.
http://www.jobmonkey.com/realitytv/reality-tv-statistics.html

Dramality is more boring than reality
"To put it simply, we are social animals, to borrow the title of David Brooks’s 2011 book. And as long as we are still fascinated by other humans and there is a profit to be made, programmes like Made in Chelsea will exist, and people will watch them."
http://thebeaveronline.co.uk/2012/03/11/dramality-is-more-boring-than-reality/

A Different Kind of Reality TV (The Guardian)"There are so many reality TV shows in the States and if you're going to avoid them, then you might as well avoid television,"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2011/jun/01/reality-tv-only-way-essex

Statistics:http://anhoward.wordpress.com/the-effect-reality-tv-is-having-on-us-shocking-statistics/

Bafta introduces new 'constructed reality' award"Bafta is not "dumbing down" with its recognition of reality shows, which he said could be "genuinely intelligent and thought-provoking TV"."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-15652404

Critical Investigation Post

My presentation was

My first thoughts for my critical investigation are to explore an issue surrounding The Only Way is Essex. I would probably explore representation, including; class issues and the socio-economic aspect of the. On one hand people say that the show is badly representative of the Essex population whereas the oppositional reading would be that they’re quite successful in life as they live in quite an affluent and wealthy area. Another issue I could explore is the rise of constructed reality/“dramaility” TV.

Possible ideas for my linked production piece are to do a documentary that explores these issues, or a “mockumentary”. If I was to do print media – I could create an article that puts quite an academic twist on something that it seen as so superficial and looked down on.

Research - Critical Investigation Project

Which assessment objectives are examined in MEST 4?

AO1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of media concepts, contexts and critical debates

AO3 Demonstrate the ability to plan and construct media products using appropriate technical

and creative skills

AO4 Demonstrate the ability to undertake, apply and present appropriate research

How recent s a ‘contemporary’ text according to AQA?

Its within five years preceding the commencement of the study of the A2 units

How long should the critical investigation be?

A report of approximately 2000 words or equivalent material presented in some other format.

Can the critical investigation be carried out in groups?

Has to be individual

In what part of the assignment are you required to record evidence of secondary research?

In the critical investigation

What is the maximum length for a moving image production?

No longer than 5 minutes

What is the minimum requirement for a print production per individual?

Should be at least three pages

What is the maximum production group size?

No more than four

What is the highest level awarded in the Level Descriptors?

Level 4

Ten keywords from the level 4 descriptors:

The Critical Investigation:

·         Fluent

·         Analytical

·         Critical perspective

·         Contextual sources

·         Sophisticated research

·         Detailed bibliography

·         Sophisticated knowledge

·         Critical debates

·         Very good understanding

·         Independent research skills

The Linked Production

·         Creative

·         Aesthetically successful

·         High production values

·         Highly competent use of technology

·         Significant understanding

·         Relevant institutional and genre codes

·         Appropriate technically

·         Contemporary media landscape

·         Integrity

·         Professional standards

Summer Research Powerpoint

Summer Reasearch Project | The Only Way is Essex

ITEM 2
ITEM 3 ITEM 4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGDe21vmoAE

Series 2 trailer ITEM 1

Media Representations

Characters/cast members from the “reality” TV series “The Only Way is Essex” (TOWIE) are represented in these tv adverts. In all of these adverts from across all the series’ there has been, a common theme is glamour, vanity/narcissism with elements of celebrity status or wealth. They are being represented by the ITV2 institution – whos primary target audience is teenagers/young adults aged 15-25 – and the TOWIE producers.

They are being represented in a glamorous way to entice and attract an audience. The representation is not fair and accurate as it infers that everyone in Essex lives glamorous and lavish lifestyles. Additionally it also presents an incorrect representation that people from Essex are quite dumb or uneducated.

Media Languages and Form

The denotative levels of meaning are that there are men and women who are quite young – between 20 to 30 years old, they are in a studio recording a promo for the show. The connotative levels of meaning are that they are not that intelligent as they keep saying “erm...” or not really paying attention to the questions being asked (series 4 promo). Other connotations, in the series 3 promo, are that they are quite wealthy as they walk into a club and treated as VIPs, this is also reinforced by the use of references to James Bond films at the beginning of the trailer. Additionally a sense of drama can be connoted by when the girl – Lucy – says “What about us two weeks ago?”

The significance of the connotations is to create a sense of idealism, that their lives are perfect – apart from the drama – with their wealth, looks, social life, etc. This would attract audiences to watch for the purpose of escapism.

The non verbal structures of meaning are that the males are quite confident due to their facial expressions – them staring right down into the camera and winking or smirking and square on and close to the camera (series 6 and 4 trailer). The females come across as vain and worried about their appearance as they also touch or fix their hair briefly, this is also the case with some of the males too. Lastly their clothing is very over the top – not something you’d wear everyday – more like evening wear and additionally, the females are wearing a lot of makeup. This reinforces the theme of glamour, status and wealth.

The significance of the mise en scene is that their costume is quite over the top, with them looking dressed to perfection, although they are supposed to be normal people, they are dressed like celebrities. The lighting in the series 4 and 6 promo, it is very high key, therefore we know it’s being filmed in a studio. Likewise, in the other two, although it’s meant to come across as “real” the high and low key lighting is exaggerated to make the scenario seem idealistic to the setting. The audio is mainly them speaking to the viewers in the series 4-6 promo along with music in the background. The makeup is quite perfect and gives them an airbrushed flawless look which connotes vanity. The props used in the series 2 and 3 promos signify wealth; this includes their cars, champagne, etc. Lastly the settings in the first two promos are more realistic that the other two as they are on location which also reinforces their social, wealthy lifestyles. The other two promos are set in a studio which infers to the viewers the show isn’t fully real life.

The soundtrack or background music is different for each of the promos. For item 1 they have used a dance track which gives a party/clubbing feel with infers their lifestyle. For item 2 they use orchestral music which creates a prestigious feel for the characters inferring their status. The other two trailers, quite up beat music is used to give it a modern and youthful feel which is relatable to its target audience.

Narrative

The audience are positioned as omniscient to the narrative as they see it from the outside looking into it, additionally, they are not addressed. Heroes and villains are created as the producers have selected those people on purpose depending on their characteristics and looks. They know that if they bring a new ‘good looking’ male in the cast, it will cause tensions and rifts among the female members. This will therefore create the villains (“backstabbers”/ “innocent ones”).

The role of such features such as music set the tone for what’s going to/or happening in that particular scene. For example if it was slow orchestral music, the audience know it is going to be an emotional kind of scene. The editing also sometime creates a sense of enigma as sometimes a crucial part of information will be edited out to keep the audience guessing but will then be revealed at a later time.

The major themes of the narrative are glamour, drama, relationships and conflicts. This creates quite superficial values and ideologies, although these types of things are apparent in most peoples lives, it deviates from the more important issues concerning society.

Genre

This media text belongs to a hybrid genre of ‘constructed reality’ or ‘dramality’ television. The major generic conventions in this text are that it is their real lives and that the dialogue of what the ‘characters’/people say is unscripted. However, the fact that these people were selected specifically for the type of people they are gives an aspect of it being constructed, additionally, they are put into or encouraged into their situations by the producers of the show for the purpose of creating some kind of drama. This show has also been likened to the soap opera genre due to the constructed situations they get into. The generic themes of this text are glamour, drama, relationships and conflicts.

The characters are generically determined to a moderate extent – they are their own person and have not been scripted to say anything in particular and take their own course of action. However, the producers put them into certain specific situations, for example a place they might bump into someone they dislike, to cause them to create their own drama (conflict or conversation).

The audiences generic expectations can be seen as fulfilling as people who know of the Essex county know that it is quite a wealthy area consisting of the more wealthy and successful working class – whereas another wealthy area such as Chelsea contains more aristocratic and middle class people, born into wealth. This text explores their social lives and comfortable lifestyle they live in. However, it could also be deemed as cheating the text as the show gives off a stereotype that people from Essex are quite superficial and not very intelligent – not everyone is Essex is the same as them or has a similar lifestyle.

The text does conform to the characteristics of the genre as it has both unstructured and structured elements, additionally, the scenarios they get into are quite flexible as they might have a serious tone or light hearted/humorous tone.

Media Institutions

The institutional source of the text is from ITV2, Lime Pictures. The fact that it’s shown on ITV2 has shaped and influenced it to be something that appeals to their target audience. It contains more mature themes as well as slang to relate to their audience. Additionally they don’t censor out swear words unless they are majorly offensive or bad. The cast are also quite young so the audience are able to relate to them easier. The source is a commercial institution, the difference this makes it that it has sponsors from certain product brands (eg. surf washing powder). This has no direct impact on the text but the adverts in between make an impact on the viewers as it influences them to buy or become aware of certain products that have some sort of link with the programme. However it is also public service therefore can not be bias to a particular brand.

ITV2 is a branch off of, and under the institution ITV.

The text has been distributed during nights when their audience will be available – Sunday and Wednesday night at 10:00.

Media Values and Ideology

There aren’t any major values in this text as it isn’t very deep and is mainly created for sole entertainment purposes. The ideology this text portrays is a theme of narcissism and wealth – and that this is they way people should lead their lifestyles. And not caring about much else in life. It also rids of the usual ideology that portrays people as clever – the cast members don’t seem to mind being portrayed as dumb – as it is mainly for entertainment. The assumptions that underpin this text are that people from Essex are unintelligent, only care about the way they look and are always in the centre of drama or confrontations – these aren’t particularly positive assumptions.

The criteria that was used for selecting the content presented was that the type of people they selected for the cast wouldn’t be afraid to speak their mind or to instigate as this would create the drama element in the show. Additionally these people wouldn’t particularly mind being portrayed in a negative way.

Media Audiences

The text is addressed a target audience of age range 16 to 25, primarily females and secondary males  with the socio class D/E - teenagers/young adults.

The assumptions about the audiences characteristics that are implicit within the text are that they are quite superficial and like to watch something easy to watch just for entertainment, not for knowledge.

The assumptions about the audience that are implicit in the texts’ scheduling or positioning is that they are more mature but not old as it shown on nights at 10:00pm on Sunday and Wednesday – so on school nights – ideally shown at this time, after the watershed, to avoid them watching.

Due to the fact that the show has had six series in total and considering the fact that many of the main cast members have left the show to participate in something else, we can infer that the demand and rating for the show are still successful; therefore, the size of the audience, can be assumed, that it’s moderately large. Additionally, the fact that there are many repeats of the show throughout different points in the day reinforces the size if the audience. (These repeats are censored of certain parts are inappropriate.

The probable audience readings of this text are that they are not very intelligent which therefore makes it more entertaining and funny, “drama” and gossip is a factor in society that cant be avoided, they live materialistic and superficial lifestyles. The possible audience readings are that; although there is a disclaimer at the begging of the show stating “some bits are purely set up for your entertainment” some people may think that the show is fully set up and has no real elements to it, it could be said that it isn’t representative of the Essex population as the cast members are almost all white/English ethnicities.

The audience pleasures are mainly entertainment as there are rarely any deep social issues discussed and it neither being educational. The uses and gratifications in this text – Blumler and Katz’ theory – first and foremost; entertainment – audience may use this show as a form of escapism or relaxation – it could be also said that integration and social identity as well as personal identity are also the uses and gratifications in this text.

I, as an audience member read and evaluate the text mainly in a light-hearted and light entertainment manner. My age, gender and background has influenced my reading and evaluation of the text as this programme is mainly aimed at females which make it more acceptable for me to watch. Secondly, many of my peers watch this program and the themes are relatable for people around my age range. My background also affects my reading as I have relations in Essex and know that not all people are the way there are allowing me to take it light-heartedly.