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