1) Introduction to TV Drama
2) Capital: Case study
3) Capital: Marxism and Hegemony
4) Capital: Applying Marxism
5) Deutschland 83: Case study
6) Deutschland 83: Close-textual analysis notes
7) Deutschland 83: Postmodernism
8) Industries: The rise of foreign-language TV dramas
9) Industries: The impact of new/digital media on television
10) TV: 750-word exam question
Wednesday 24 April 2019
TV: Exam question
“Realism is a vital component of television drama”. To what extent does an analysis of your television close-study products support this view? [25 marks]
870 words
Undoubtedly, both Capital and Deutschland 83 offer realism as
a huge aspect. Capital, being a state of the nation drama makes sure and has to
bring issues in the real world to the show making it one of the main focuses.
In Capitals case it reflects on the financial crash in London and also others
like immigration, doing this intrigues British audiences as if they are
watching this they most probably have gone through the financial crash time
period and would like to see how a TV company like BBC interpret it. In the
same way, Deutschland 83 focuses on the historical event, The Cold War from an
Eastern perspective showing the conflict between East and West Germany. From
this you can get a strong sense of Realism as audiences who lived through it
will remember the time very clearly and may also feel a sense of nostalgia when
watching the show.
In addition, Capital has a wide range of characters all with
different personalities, class, ethnicity and views as Capital focuses on
social and cultural context. For example the middle classed in Capital are
viewed as the elite and obsessed with any and everything money related as we
see with the bankers family. They are shown to be selfish and take things for
granted, money being one of the major aspects as we see he gets a great sum of
money as a bonus but he doesn’t appreciate the gesture and wants even more
money whereas someone lower classed than him would gladly accept the money as
it’s not easy to come by especially when living in London. This shows a sense
of realism as in reality the middle class are often viewed as quite snobbish
and thinking they are better than most people, therefore wanting large sums of
income to fuel their ego even more.
Issues like immigration are also touched upon in Capital when following
the story of Quentina who fled from Zimbabwe to London and now works illegally.
This offers realism as in the show we see her constantly being oppressed by
other characters because of her background, and is also not met with many
opportunities and has to fend for herself, which is very common in not just
London but other countries too for immigrants. The fact that she works so hard,
not relying on other people and still not getting any recognition or any
support shows the harsh reality many immigrants face when they come to England
in hopes of finding a better life.
Although, many argue that Capital has a left-wing bias as
they portray the upper classed in such a negative manner making them look bad
therefore the sense of Realism in Capital may not all be so authentic. When
compared to how the working and lower classed people who are presented as kind
hearted and hardworking the middle and upper classed are out shined as they are
just shown to be a stain on society because of the way they are shown to go about
life and whatnot.
In continuation, there is a strong sense of realism
throughout the entirety of the whole show as the main focus is about the
conflict between East and West Germany, therefore allowing audiences to educate
themselves on what actually occurred in real life from another perspective they
wouldn’t have got from anywhere else offering realism to them. Audience members
who may have lived in Germany through this time period will feel nostalgic as
the settings will be very recognisable to them and will be able to recall them,
e.g. the way the houses looked and the supermarket which we see in episode 1
when Martin runs through it. Also whilst running through the supermarket music
can be heard playing which was relevant to that time period and therefore could
also offer realism as older audiences will recognise it easily. Another way the
show offers realism is how they include clips from real life into the show like
Ronald Reagans Evil Empire speech which older audiences will recognise and
start to feel nostalgic when remembering all that happened. This is how
Deutschland 83 draws in audiences as they include things that they know people
will be attracted towards and then keep on giving them more of the same thing
to make them feel like it’s not just a TV programme but also reality.
At the same time, many
argue that the representations of East and West Germany are inappropriately
portrayed to make them look worse than they actually are taking away the
realism that the show has. It is also said that because some locations are top
secret the production team had to come up with what they thought certain
locations were actually like instead of actually having the info from real life
which further takes away the aspect of realism of the show. Although as a whole
Deutschland 83 is very accurate in what it does which makes it as successful as
it is. The same goes for Capital as it offers such realistic features people
enjoy it as they can relate to certain aspects and feel comfortable when
watching it as they have a wider knowledge about the topic than people outside
of London.
870 words
Wednesday 10 April 2019
TV: The impact of new/digital media on television
Go to our Media Magazine archive and read the article on Netflix and the Cultural Industries(MM63 - page 45). Create a blogpost called 'The impact of new/digital media on TV' and answer the following questions:
1) What does the 'industry' concept in A Level Media Studies refer to?
The industry concepts refers to the companies that create and distribute media texts, the standard practices of media production as well as the regulatory and legal frameworks in which the companies operate.
2) What does David Hesmondhalgh argue with regards to how the creative industries have changed since the 1980s?
Hesmondhalgh argues that since the 1980s there's been a significant shift in cultural production. He covers wide range of topics in his book and some of his main points are: Cultural industries have moved closer to the centre of economic action, There has been an increase in media corporations owning companies in different sectors of the industry, Globalisation has meant media texts can circulate more easily across borders reducing North American dominance, Deregulation has reduced public ownership and Nice audiences are increasingly targeted.
3) Choose the three most significant points Hesmondhalgh makes regarding the changing cultural industries. Why are these the most significant in your view?
Digitisation's first major impact was on the music industry with the creation of CD's in the early 1980's, it was the growth of home computing and the creation of the World Wide Wed, which then led to increased technological convergence; digitisation of media meant every media could be accessed on computers which eventually led to tech companies being able to compete directly with media companies and even become media companies.
5) How are technology companies challenging traditional broadcasters in the TV industry?
Digitisation and the ability to distribute texts via the internet meant that technology companies could challenge traditional broadcasters. E.g. Amazon now produces its own 'television' programmes from broadcasters schedules with on-demand viewing. Netflix came to the realisation that it needed to create its own online subscription service, therefore places like Blockbuster went bust after broadband connections facilitated video streaming.
6) What budgets will Netflix, Amazon and Apple spend on original programming next year according to the article?
Next year Netflix plans to spend $8bn on original material; Amazon's budget is estimated at $4.5bn. Apple has recently joined with a $1bn spend.
7) How many countries are Netflix and Amazon available in?
In 2016 Netflix simultaneously launched its service in 130 new countries, bringing its total to 190 and Amazon opened in 200. Going global means they have to pay the license to broadcast individual shows in different countries.
8) The global nature of modern television means producers are having to consider international audiences when creating content. What example from Netflix does the article use to explain this?
The monster in Stranger Things the Demagorgon after a Dungeons and Dragons demon prince. To ensure that connection transcended language barriers, Netflix's team dug into old D&D materials to nail down how various cultures translated Demagorgon was renamed in some parts of the world based on what the demon prince was called. They also use the actors that regularly voice particular performers in foreign language versions.
9) Do you think technology companies such as Google, Facebook and Amazon will increase their interest in the television industry?
I believe so as the world is becoming so technologically focused it would be hard for these companies to not keep up with these changes and profit from them. For example, in 2017 Facebook launched Watch, which hosted original reality TV programming. However Google can still do fine as they have YouTube which is popular all around the world and is taking over regular TV as younger generations enjoy watching their favourite YouTuber these days instead of their 'favourite channel'.
10) How do changes in technology influence the creation of TV dramas such as Capital or Deutschland 83? How?
Deutschland 83 and Capital include different aspects to appeal to a wider audience. For example Capital features a selection of characters from different cultures which appeals to audiences all around the world and Deutschland 83 being a foreign language drama means it highlights the global nature of television as a whole across the world.
1) What does the 'industry' concept in A Level Media Studies refer to?
The industry concepts refers to the companies that create and distribute media texts, the standard practices of media production as well as the regulatory and legal frameworks in which the companies operate.
2) What does David Hesmondhalgh argue with regards to how the creative industries have changed since the 1980s?
Hesmondhalgh argues that since the 1980s there's been a significant shift in cultural production. He covers wide range of topics in his book and some of his main points are: Cultural industries have moved closer to the centre of economic action, There has been an increase in media corporations owning companies in different sectors of the industry, Globalisation has meant media texts can circulate more easily across borders reducing North American dominance, Deregulation has reduced public ownership and Nice audiences are increasingly targeted.
3) Choose the three most significant points Hesmondhalgh makes regarding the changing cultural industries. Why are these the most significant in your view?
- Digitisation has allowed the technology sector to compete directly with traditional media companies- This shows how far technology has come, it has gotten to the point where even media companies who have been around for ages are having to fight for their spot because of the uprising of technology in media.
- Globalisation has meant media texts can circulate more easily across borders reducing North America dominance
- There has been an increase in media corporations owning companies in different sectors of the industry
Digitisation's first major impact was on the music industry with the creation of CD's in the early 1980's, it was the growth of home computing and the creation of the World Wide Wed, which then led to increased technological convergence; digitisation of media meant every media could be accessed on computers which eventually led to tech companies being able to compete directly with media companies and even become media companies.
5) How are technology companies challenging traditional broadcasters in the TV industry?
Digitisation and the ability to distribute texts via the internet meant that technology companies could challenge traditional broadcasters. E.g. Amazon now produces its own 'television' programmes from broadcasters schedules with on-demand viewing. Netflix came to the realisation that it needed to create its own online subscription service, therefore places like Blockbuster went bust after broadband connections facilitated video streaming.
6) What budgets will Netflix, Amazon and Apple spend on original programming next year according to the article?
Next year Netflix plans to spend $8bn on original material; Amazon's budget is estimated at $4.5bn. Apple has recently joined with a $1bn spend.
7) How many countries are Netflix and Amazon available in?
In 2016 Netflix simultaneously launched its service in 130 new countries, bringing its total to 190 and Amazon opened in 200. Going global means they have to pay the license to broadcast individual shows in different countries.
8) The global nature of modern television means producers are having to consider international audiences when creating content. What example from Netflix does the article use to explain this?
The monster in Stranger Things the Demagorgon after a Dungeons and Dragons demon prince. To ensure that connection transcended language barriers, Netflix's team dug into old D&D materials to nail down how various cultures translated Demagorgon was renamed in some parts of the world based on what the demon prince was called. They also use the actors that regularly voice particular performers in foreign language versions.
9) Do you think technology companies such as Google, Facebook and Amazon will increase their interest in the television industry?
I believe so as the world is becoming so technologically focused it would be hard for these companies to not keep up with these changes and profit from them. For example, in 2017 Facebook launched Watch, which hosted original reality TV programming. However Google can still do fine as they have YouTube which is popular all around the world and is taking over regular TV as younger generations enjoy watching their favourite YouTuber these days instead of their 'favourite channel'.
10) How do changes in technology influence the creation of TV dramas such as Capital or Deutschland 83? How?
Deutschland 83 and Capital include different aspects to appeal to a wider audience. For example Capital features a selection of characters from different cultures which appeals to audiences all around the world and Deutschland 83 being a foreign language drama means it highlights the global nature of television as a whole across the world.
Wednesday 3 April 2019
The rise of foreign-language TV: Blog tasks
1) What does the article suggest regarding the traditional audience for foreign-language subtitled media?
It suggests that fifteen years ago if you'd mentioned to a colleague that you were highly interested in a subtitled European drama you would been declared as pretentious, dull and a little bit odd
2) What does Walter Iuzzolino suggest is the key appeal of his 'Walter Presents' shows?
Iuzzolino states 'You develop a love for the distant world because while you're watching, you're in Sweden,'. He also says 'If you see something amazing set in Argentina, then Argentina itself, the houses, the people, what they wear, what their voices sound like, the language, is one of the biggest appeals. There is a huge pleasure in that.
3) The article makes an interesting claim for the popularity of subtitles in the multi-screen age. What does it suggest?
There may be something else in foreign TV's new popularity, too. It may sound prosaic but when we're frequently distracted from our TV-viewing by Twitter feeds and a pinging WhatsApp, subtitles are a welcome enforcement for us to focus. 'When you read subtitles, you have to be glued to the screen' says Deeks that concentration gives a particular intensity to the viewing experience. You just can't multitask when you're watching a foreign-language drama'.
4) What are the other audiences pleasures of foreign TV drama suggested by the article?
It suggests foreign dramas offer an insight into the lives of those who are from different ethnicities allowing audiences to become more diverse as they become more educated on different cultures.
Now look at the bonus article - on Sherlock and how viewers are steering their favourite shows.
5) What examples are provided of how TV companies are increasingly using audiences to inform the production process?
The team at Sherlock Holmes recognise their huge Asian fanbase and therefore include a clue in a special episode that only Chinese speakers will be able to decipher. Amazon now responds directly to potential fans with its 'pilots season', in which online viewers watch and rate six new shows, the most positively experienced dramas going to full series. This process led to the Golden Globe and Emmy-winning Transparent.
Film School Rejects: The foreign TV dramas you're missing out on
Now read this Film School Rejects feature on the foreign TV dramas you're missing out on. This contains some particularly useful background on Deutschland 83's reception internationally. If the website is blocked, you can access the article text here. Answer the following questions:
1) What does the article tell us about Deutschland 83's release schedule?
It premiered on AMC Network's Sundance TV in June 2015, the show was the first German-language TV series to premiere on a US network. The fact that Germany's commercial RTL channel received Deutschland 83 five months after the US both signifies the series global appeal as well as foreshadows where the German crime thriller was to find its audience.
2) The article contains important statistics on viewing figures in different countries. What were the German viewing figures for the first and last episode? What were Channel's 4's viewing figures for Deutschland 83?
Whilst Deutschland 83 received significantly fewer viewers in the US than Germany with its US premiere garnering 0.066 million viewers compared to Germany's 3.19 million, the series proved more successful in the US than its homeland. Most German audiences didn't like the show at all. The German premiere did have 3.19 million viewers but each new episode saw that figure drop and by the series conclusion the figures had fallen down to 1.63 million- it's lowest figure.
3) Who are the two production and distribution companies behind Deutschland 83 and what did they announce in October?
After a period of uncertainty surrounding its renewal, SundanceTV and FremantleMedia finally announced in October that there will be a second series called Deutschland 86.
4) What does the article suggest was the driving force behind the series being renewed for a new season (and possibly two new seasons)?
What its lackluster response in Germany, its apparent the US critical reception and UK's record-breaking viewership have a role to play in renewing the show.
5) How does Walter Iuzzolino use social media to engage audiences in new international TV dramas? How does he suggest this has changed the reception of foreign productions in the UK?
Walter frequently posts on his Facebook page and engages with his viewers over on Twitter as it's impossible not to become engrossed in the experience.
IndieWire: The rise of international television
Now look at this IndieWire feature on the rise of international television. If the website is blocked, you can access the text from the article here. Answer the questions below:
1) What does the article suggest regarding the difference between TV and film?
The article suggests, TV tends to feel more culturally specific and tailored to domestic tastes as it gets piped into your home and for many people serves as audiovisual wallpaper in the background while their attention is mainly focused elsewhere, something that is impossible when you have to rely on subtitles just to understand and enjoy the action.
2) What cultural differences are highlighted in the article - for example in turning 'Prisoners of War' into 'Homeland' when remade in the US?
On making 'Prisoners of War' into 'Homeland' for instance, creator Gideon Raff noted that the original series focused on the experiences of and the idea of POWs, which he called an 'open wound in Israeli society. 'The Returned' which had attracted significant critical praise in its run here feels unmistakably Gallic in its rhythms and its characters in addition to its language.
3) Why do you think Deutschland 83 was able to rise above these cultural differences to be successful in the US and UK? Did this inadvertently make the drama fail in Germany?
I believe Deutschland 83 was able to rise above these cultural differences because the differences were not as drastic in comparison to other dramas cultural differences. Also, Deutschland 83 was quite Americanised making it easier for US audiences to understand a German drama a lot better.
4) What does the article suggest about subtitling?
People's perception of subtitles films, let alone subtitled TV shows is that they're really hard work-somewhat obscure,agreed Sundance Channel President Sarah Barnett. 'What we loved about this piece was that the genre nature of it to us outweighed the signification of the subtitled TV show. The quality of the work and the ability for it to really engage would be there regardless of the subtitles'. Finally, while there was resistance expressed on Twitter regarding the format, it wasn't a major backlash and there was initially a surprise.
5) What does Sopranos actor Steven Van Zandt suggest is the appeal in foreign television drama?
Van Sandt explains that people love to learn about how other people live as it is what people gravitated toward. The fact that the guy speaks English brings the American audience into the show and you start to live the show and Norway the way the character does and after a few minutes you forget about the subtitles.
The Guardian: How tech is changing television
Finally, read this Guardian feature on how tech is changing television. This has some particularly useful aspects from an industry perspective - how TV is made, the different formats of TV drama and more. Answer the following questions:
1) What are the traditional lengths for TV drama and what dictated these programme formats?
The three most frequent lengths of TV and radio programming - referred to on commissioning forms as 60, 30, 15 - arose from a grid schedule designed around hours and half-hours in order to make programmes easy to find. And within that schedule, BBC and ITV crime dramas - say, Line of Duty and Broadchurch have distinctly different rhythms because licence fee funding permits a 59 minute uninterrupted episode, while advertising on a commercial network mandates a script of 46 minutes that is broken three or four times for ads.
2) How have streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime changed the way TV drama narratives are constructed?
With streaming networks releasing all of the episodes in one block and many viewers of mainstream TV shows now waiting until all the episodes can be watched as a box set producers of TV fiction have had to rethink, especially as streaming services such as Netflix have created a platform that allow people to binge watch the entire series whenever they want to.
3) Why has the rise in streaming led to more complex storylines and an increase in cliffhangers?
More complex storylines keep the audience hooked in as they are engaged every episode wanting to know what will happen and the audiences also pay a lot more attention to the show. With a thriller for terrestrial TV you tend to have a recap at the start of each episode but with streaming video on demand you can get straight on with the story.
4) How have the "economics of production" kept TV drama largely sticking to the 45- or 60-minute episode format?
TV dramas largely stick to these 45 or 60 minute episode format so they can maximise the use of the time given and minimise all costs associated with the production of each episode.
5) How has "permanent 24/7 connectivity" changed both the production and consumption of TV drama?
Permanent 24/7 connectivity has radically altered viewer responses. Live-tweeting by audiences has usefully demonstrated criticism but the downside of this new media interaction has been in giving the old media a stick with which to beat broadcasters. Live tweeting allows audiences to connect and interact better.
There is a fair amount of work here - the questions are not too challenging but there is plenty to read. However, this will prepare you brilliantly for the extended essay question in Media Paper 2 - particularly if the question focuses on industry or audience.
It suggests that fifteen years ago if you'd mentioned to a colleague that you were highly interested in a subtitled European drama you would been declared as pretentious, dull and a little bit odd
2) What does Walter Iuzzolino suggest is the key appeal of his 'Walter Presents' shows?
Iuzzolino states 'You develop a love for the distant world because while you're watching, you're in Sweden,'. He also says 'If you see something amazing set in Argentina, then Argentina itself, the houses, the people, what they wear, what their voices sound like, the language, is one of the biggest appeals. There is a huge pleasure in that.
3) The article makes an interesting claim for the popularity of subtitles in the multi-screen age. What does it suggest?
There may be something else in foreign TV's new popularity, too. It may sound prosaic but when we're frequently distracted from our TV-viewing by Twitter feeds and a pinging WhatsApp, subtitles are a welcome enforcement for us to focus. 'When you read subtitles, you have to be glued to the screen' says Deeks that concentration gives a particular intensity to the viewing experience. You just can't multitask when you're watching a foreign-language drama'.
4) What are the other audiences pleasures of foreign TV drama suggested by the article?
It suggests foreign dramas offer an insight into the lives of those who are from different ethnicities allowing audiences to become more diverse as they become more educated on different cultures.
Now look at the bonus article - on Sherlock and how viewers are steering their favourite shows.
5) What examples are provided of how TV companies are increasingly using audiences to inform the production process?
The team at Sherlock Holmes recognise their huge Asian fanbase and therefore include a clue in a special episode that only Chinese speakers will be able to decipher. Amazon now responds directly to potential fans with its 'pilots season', in which online viewers watch and rate six new shows, the most positively experienced dramas going to full series. This process led to the Golden Globe and Emmy-winning Transparent.
Film School Rejects: The foreign TV dramas you're missing out on
Now read this Film School Rejects feature on the foreign TV dramas you're missing out on. This contains some particularly useful background on Deutschland 83's reception internationally. If the website is blocked, you can access the article text here. Answer the following questions:
1) What does the article tell us about Deutschland 83's release schedule?
It premiered on AMC Network's Sundance TV in June 2015, the show was the first German-language TV series to premiere on a US network. The fact that Germany's commercial RTL channel received Deutschland 83 five months after the US both signifies the series global appeal as well as foreshadows where the German crime thriller was to find its audience.
2) The article contains important statistics on viewing figures in different countries. What were the German viewing figures for the first and last episode? What were Channel's 4's viewing figures for Deutschland 83?
Whilst Deutschland 83 received significantly fewer viewers in the US than Germany with its US premiere garnering 0.066 million viewers compared to Germany's 3.19 million, the series proved more successful in the US than its homeland. Most German audiences didn't like the show at all. The German premiere did have 3.19 million viewers but each new episode saw that figure drop and by the series conclusion the figures had fallen down to 1.63 million- it's lowest figure.
3) Who are the two production and distribution companies behind Deutschland 83 and what did they announce in October?
After a period of uncertainty surrounding its renewal, SundanceTV and FremantleMedia finally announced in October that there will be a second series called Deutschland 86.
4) What does the article suggest was the driving force behind the series being renewed for a new season (and possibly two new seasons)?
What its lackluster response in Germany, its apparent the US critical reception and UK's record-breaking viewership have a role to play in renewing the show.
5) How does Walter Iuzzolino use social media to engage audiences in new international TV dramas? How does he suggest this has changed the reception of foreign productions in the UK?
Walter frequently posts on his Facebook page and engages with his viewers over on Twitter as it's impossible not to become engrossed in the experience.
IndieWire: The rise of international television
Now look at this IndieWire feature on the rise of international television. If the website is blocked, you can access the text from the article here. Answer the questions below:
1) What does the article suggest regarding the difference between TV and film?
The article suggests, TV tends to feel more culturally specific and tailored to domestic tastes as it gets piped into your home and for many people serves as audiovisual wallpaper in the background while their attention is mainly focused elsewhere, something that is impossible when you have to rely on subtitles just to understand and enjoy the action.
2) What cultural differences are highlighted in the article - for example in turning 'Prisoners of War' into 'Homeland' when remade in the US?
On making 'Prisoners of War' into 'Homeland' for instance, creator Gideon Raff noted that the original series focused on the experiences of and the idea of POWs, which he called an 'open wound in Israeli society. 'The Returned' which had attracted significant critical praise in its run here feels unmistakably Gallic in its rhythms and its characters in addition to its language.
3) Why do you think Deutschland 83 was able to rise above these cultural differences to be successful in the US and UK? Did this inadvertently make the drama fail in Germany?
I believe Deutschland 83 was able to rise above these cultural differences because the differences were not as drastic in comparison to other dramas cultural differences. Also, Deutschland 83 was quite Americanised making it easier for US audiences to understand a German drama a lot better.
4) What does the article suggest about subtitling?
People's perception of subtitles films, let alone subtitled TV shows is that they're really hard work-somewhat obscure,agreed Sundance Channel President Sarah Barnett. 'What we loved about this piece was that the genre nature of it to us outweighed the signification of the subtitled TV show. The quality of the work and the ability for it to really engage would be there regardless of the subtitles'. Finally, while there was resistance expressed on Twitter regarding the format, it wasn't a major backlash and there was initially a surprise.
5) What does Sopranos actor Steven Van Zandt suggest is the appeal in foreign television drama?
Van Sandt explains that people love to learn about how other people live as it is what people gravitated toward. The fact that the guy speaks English brings the American audience into the show and you start to live the show and Norway the way the character does and after a few minutes you forget about the subtitles.
The Guardian: How tech is changing television
Finally, read this Guardian feature on how tech is changing television. This has some particularly useful aspects from an industry perspective - how TV is made, the different formats of TV drama and more. Answer the following questions:
1) What are the traditional lengths for TV drama and what dictated these programme formats?
The three most frequent lengths of TV and radio programming - referred to on commissioning forms as 60, 30, 15 - arose from a grid schedule designed around hours and half-hours in order to make programmes easy to find. And within that schedule, BBC and ITV crime dramas - say, Line of Duty and Broadchurch have distinctly different rhythms because licence fee funding permits a 59 minute uninterrupted episode, while advertising on a commercial network mandates a script of 46 minutes that is broken three or four times for ads.
2) How have streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime changed the way TV drama narratives are constructed?
With streaming networks releasing all of the episodes in one block and many viewers of mainstream TV shows now waiting until all the episodes can be watched as a box set producers of TV fiction have had to rethink, especially as streaming services such as Netflix have created a platform that allow people to binge watch the entire series whenever they want to.
3) Why has the rise in streaming led to more complex storylines and an increase in cliffhangers?
More complex storylines keep the audience hooked in as they are engaged every episode wanting to know what will happen and the audiences also pay a lot more attention to the show. With a thriller for terrestrial TV you tend to have a recap at the start of each episode but with streaming video on demand you can get straight on with the story.
4) How have the "economics of production" kept TV drama largely sticking to the 45- or 60-minute episode format?
TV dramas largely stick to these 45 or 60 minute episode format so they can maximise the use of the time given and minimise all costs associated with the production of each episode.
5) How has "permanent 24/7 connectivity" changed both the production and consumption of TV drama?
Permanent 24/7 connectivity has radically altered viewer responses. Live-tweeting by audiences has usefully demonstrated criticism but the downside of this new media interaction has been in giving the old media a stick with which to beat broadcasters. Live tweeting allows audiences to connect and interact better.
There is a fair amount of work here - the questions are not too challenging but there is plenty to read. However, this will prepare you brilliantly for the extended essay question in Media Paper 2 - particularly if the question focuses on industry or audience.
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