Weekly News

Bosses told to bring back Christmas traditions to workplace.

This article from BBC News gives a representation of religion and can also be seen as an issue. This is due to the fact that religion isn't an agreed upon institution, people have differences in beliefs which usually leads to conflict. Which explains the reason why bosses such as the ones mentioned in the article and very cautious of offending workers of different religions. David Isaac, the chairman of the equality and human rights commission (EHRC) said that laws have been misinterpreted as employers became over-sensitive of other faiths and called for a "common sense" approach. "Lots of employers have now become really worried about doing something g discriminatory regarding their Muslim or Jewish staff. 

This article is interesting as it points out to readers that everyone should be accepting of other faiths and religion. And it's also hinting to the fact that Britain is a Christian country (although some might disagree with this in the modern society we live in) and therefore its traditions shouldn't be pushed aside. Dame Louise Casey said recently that Christmas traditions needed to be defended to stop social division. Which leads to the idea that religion is a source of social cohesion as it teaches us right from wrong and benefits people by giving them the strength to fight the exclusion or marginalisation they face by society. 

My Relationship With Music

Music is a form of escapism for me. I didn't take an interest in it until I started secondary school. Possibly because that's when I started using public transport by myself more regularly meaning music acted as a form of entertainment during my journeys home - as it still does. 
My friends and I tend to like the same sort of music, so when we get together if often plays as background noise.

I fund music has great control over my mood, especially certain songs as they have the power to help you remember memories and take you back to how you were feeling at that moment. The majority of the music I listen to will put me in a better mood. I'd say music has a big impact on my life since I listen to it everyday and go out clubbing etc.
I wouldn't say I have a specific taste in music. If you were to go through my iPod I think it'd be surprising to see such a wide range of music, ranging from Rock, Pop, Dubstep, Grime, Garage etc.

Songs

ABBA - Take A Chance On Me

T2 - Heartbroken

Music Industry - "Amy"

"Amy" (2015) is a documentary/biography on the life and death of British singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse, Directed by Asif Kapadia. It won 1 Oscar and had another 48 wins and 38 nominations, according to IMDb.
According to David Joseph (CEO of Universal Music UK), "It's a very complicated and tender movie. It tackles lots of things about family and media, fame, addiction, but most importantly, it captures the very heart of what she was about, which is an amazing person and a true musical genius."

However, the movie was heavily criticised by Amy's father, Mitch. He stated the film is "misleading" and "contains some basic untruths". This is likely to be due to the fact that the movie presents him as a villain. Even though we don't know if this was the directors original intentions, Amy herself sang "And id my daddy thinks I'm fine" in one of her most popular songs 'Rehab', which won 3 Grammy Awards in 2008. This shows us that Amy's father didn't give his daughter the help and support she desperately needed when she first started experiencing problems with drugs. Although Mitch did note that the movie contains "superb" and "beautiful" footage of his daughter. 
The movie allows the audience to feel as if they knew Amy due to the wide variety of archival footage which clearly explains Amy's story in great detail. It even includes personal footage which was recorded during her journey which gives a great insight into her personality and helps the audience relate to her as we don't usually see celebrities as ordinary people. The finished product shows her from a positive perspective rather than what the media might have portrayed her as which is a mostly troubled drug addict, who was criticised and largely bullied by the media. The movie focuses on showing us 'the girl behind the name' and therefore reveals a lot of information which the media took advantage of and thus ruined her.
Showing the media from this perspective reveals a lot about the negative effects of being famous and actually makes you feel sorry for the people behind the cameras. This highlights how corrupt and constructed the media industry is.

Weekly News

British children among the least active in the world, with exercise 'stripped out' of modern lives

Research comparing 38 countries all around the world placed England, Scotland and Wales among the worst for physical activity. Experts found these results alarming as it showed that movement was being "stripped out" of modern lifestyles, with children weaned on screen-time and starved of outdoor activity.

Latest figures show childhood obesity has reached record levels; with 1 in 10 children being obese when they start primary school.

Researchers said the typical modern lifestyle of spending a day in front of a computer, followed by an evening slumped in front of the television was proving fatal. Which is why they're calling for radical changes to be made in government policies. 

Seeing news like this isn't surprising. Especially as you see parents taking their children out for dinner to McDonalds or KFC, or feeding them ready-meals and frozen foods which aren't good for you in the slightest. I think this shows that parents lack knowledge on healthy diets and can't be bothered to cook something healthier for their children. Therefore I believe it isn't the child's fault if they're over weight. Additionally, as technology advances more and more children find amusement in that rather than going outside or taking part in physical activities.

Coursework Proposal

For my coursework last year I did a DVD cover and poster. This year I'm going to create a magazine cover and articles which will highlight how women are represented in magazine's and consist of clear magazine conventions. However, I think I'm not going to follow the hyper sexual images of women, instead I will create a magazine cover which focuses on the pure success of women. But I will still use things such as make-up and refer to "tips" for women so that it sticks to my research.

Weekly News

First ever Remembrance service held for fallen war horses

The first ever memorial service held to honour horses who had fallen during the First World War and every other battle since then, took place at the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Riding Stables in Plymouth on Sunday. "Eight million horses and countless mules and donkeys died in the First World War" as "they were used to transport ammunition and supplies", this wasn't just due to shellfire alone but also to the terrible conditions they were forced to live in.

A horse called Rocky wore a garland made of poppies and led a parade of five other horses from the stables where Royal Navy Lieutenants and young members of the RNRM Junior Saddle Club attended.

There was also a minute's silence and wreaths were laid down in the 

Being an animal lover, I was very happy to see news like this. I feel as this is the first time I've seen news like this and therefore strongly believe that it should be a more publicised event as well as an annually one.

Since it's the month of remembrance, I think it's important to remember everything from the men and women to the animals, all who helped and fought in the wars and battles; as every single one of them made a difference.

http://metro.co.uk/2016/11/12/first-ever-remembrance-service-held-for-fallen-war-horses-6254514/

Weekly News

Priest blames gays for earthquakes

Father Giovanni Cavalcoli believes that people in central Italy have suffered 'divine punishment' as a result of same-sex civil unions being allowed. The legislation allowing this in Italy only took effect last month, making it the last country in Western Europe to legally recognise same-sex relationships. This could suggest why the priest has such an unusual belief.

He made these comments on a radio station called Radio Maria, on the 30th of October, the day central Italy was struck by a 6.6-magnitude quake (the most powerful to hit the country in 36 years).

However Archbishop Angelo Becciu, number two in the Vatican's powerful Secretariat of State, said Cavalcoli's views are "offensive to believers and disgraceful for non-believers". He also asked for forgiveness from the earthquakes victims and reminded them of the "solidarity and support" of Pope Francis.

Seeing news like this might remind the audience of the somewhat old fashioned views of the Roman Catholic Church and other religions, and therefore creating a negative response towards religion. This is because a lot of people don't have a problem with homosexuality.

On the other hand, the Archbishops response implies that the church no longer holds such strong views against same-sex relationships, not to the extent where they'd be blamed for earthquakes anyway. This is likely to have been said so that there isn't any stigma held against the church by the public. Additionally to this the fact that he reminded society that Pope Francis offers them "support and solidarity" might encourage the people who were affected by the earthquake to turn to religion for a feeling of support and safety.

http://metro.co.uk/2016/11/06/priest-blames-gays-for-earthquakes-6239077/

The Great British Bake Off

Great British Bake Off

Produced by: Love Productions

Broadcasted on: BBC (moving to Channel 4)

TEXT

Genre:

Baking – the TV show is primarily about baking, it is also a game show as it consists of 12 contestants who go head to head to win at the end of the show.

Narrative:

Bakers attempt three challenges each week trying to impress the judges enough to go through to the next round and eventually are crowned Britain's best amateur baker.

Representation:

o   Middle class – the presenters are all celebrities, meaning they’re middle class.

o   Lower class – Paul Hollywood was born into a lower class background, this could be inspiring to lower class audiences as it might encourage them to try harder to pursue a successful career.

o   Men – baking may stereotypically be known as a feminine occupation, however this show makes it clear that it’s for both genders, as men are as successful as females in it.

AUDIENCE

Appeal and targeting:

They target the audience through the large amounts of advertising. The fact that it’s been running since 2010 means it has a large fan base who follow it. The fact that it is the great BRITISH bake off might appeal more to the English population.

Uses and gratification:

o   Information – people who enjoy baking might watch the show for tips and ideas or to generally receive more knowledge on baking.

o   Entertainment – for some it might offer an escape from their everyday life and possibly relieve stress.

o   Social interaction – because it’s such a popular show some may start watching it to be able to join in with peoples discussions about the show. Over 10 million people follow the show.

Other literal responses:

o   Preferred response – the audience love the show, watch it every week, encourage others to watch it, might also watch ‘an extra slice’.

o   Oppositional response – some people may dislike the fact that the show is taking over newspapers, TV and social media. They may not find baking interesting.

o   Negotiated response – some may like the baking concept of the show, but not like the presenters or contestants.

INDUSTRY

Marketing:

o   Merchandise – the great British beak off is clearly very popular as they have merchandise for all the fans of the show.

o   Press coverage – after every new episode, there are articles released about it in Britain’s top newspapers.

Importance for the BBC:

In 2014, the telegraph released an article titled, “BBC's Bake Off draws greater audience than World Cup final”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/great-british-bake-off/11150740/More-tune-into-Great-British-Bake-Off-than-World-Cup-final.html

This shows that the show was important for the BBC as it was giving outstanding numbers of viewers.

10.4 million people were watching this year’s first episode, becoming the most-watched series opener in the show’s history.

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-08-25/the-great-british-bake-off-2016-opening-episode-draws-record-breaking-audience

However, the BBC has recently lost the contract to broadcast The Great British Bake Off, which will now be shown on Channel 4. This is due to a falling out between Love Productions and the BBC. Channel 4 offered more money for the show (supposedly £25 million).

“The BBC earlier said it hoped Love Productions would change its mind and that Bake Off was a "quintessentially BBC programme".” – this shows that the BBC is aware of how important the show was for them.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-37344292

Gogglebox

Gogglebox

Produced by: Studio Lambert

Format distributor: All3Media International

Broadcasted on: Channel 4 at 9pm on Fridays (watershed)

TEXT

Genre: Reality-TV

• Channel 4 groups the text under the genre of documentary, but there is plenty of evidence of hybridity e.g. TV Review show.
• Mainly seems to use aspects of the following documentary sub-­genres: observational documentary, fly on the wall and reality television.

·         Contains signifiers of a television review show.

Narrative:

Some of Britain's most opinionated and avid TV viewers comment freely on the best and worst television shows of the past week, from the comfort of their sofas.

o   There is no plot, but a narrative is constructed for the audience through a range of techniques.

o   One device is the deliberate selection of the voiceover narrator (Caroline Aherne). The ‘narrative’ arises from the situation: sitting in the living room talking about what they are watching.

o   The narrative structure of the show is created through the use of montage: a selection of shots edited together selected to create the impression that the groups are watching at the same time. Same structure is repeated each episode.

o   It is possible to argue that the participants are constructed as characters through the selection and use of mise en scene.

Representation:

o   National Identity - provides a representation of ‘contemporary’ Britain that shows we are united by the shared pleasure we receive from watching television (preferred reading). Oppositional readings might be that it presents a highly mediated, partial, over-­‐simplified representation that reflects ideological assumptions about identity. For example, the balance of age, gender, ethnicity and relationship types could be seen as unrealistic because it is too constructed. A negotiated reading might be that the show provides some insight into how Britain is changing: sitting in front of the television is a valid selection for providing insight into our behaviour. TV continues to have a big impact on British culture, but the ritual of sitting in front of the television has changed over the past 20 years with the growth of technologies. This is suggested partly through such denotations as participants using their smart phone whilst watching.

o   Gender & Ethnicity – channel 4 openly select a range of contributors partly based on these factors; this is deliberate, and the preferred reading might be that it serves to offer a snapshot of modern Britain.

AUDIENCE

Started off with roughly 732,000 viewers yet by the time the second series landed in September 2013 the audience had grown to 1.3 million viewers, with the fifth series' début netting 3.3 million viewers in February 2015.

Appeal and targeting:

It is constructed to appeal to the British audiences primarily through the selection and construction of the show.

Encourages viewers to join in the conversation using the #Gogglebox and features a feed on the website.

There have been spin-off versions with celebrities, this is done to attract a wider audience.

Uses and gratification:

Social interaction – as gogglebox has such a large audience, people watch it to be able to talk about it with their friends and colleagues.

Surveillance – since the show is about what’s been on the TV in the past week, people watch it to get a quicker overview on what’s been happening.

INDUSTRY

Marketing: There has been a lot of press coverage on the show, which is likely to have generated more viewers.

Importance for Channel 4:

The show is highlighted as one of Channel 4’s main success stories and part of the channel’s attempt to mix documentary and comedy.

Scheduling

Scheduling is the decisions made by channels regarding where to place programmes in terms of what day and what time. It consists of analysing ratings and demographics in order to successfully organise the TV schedule. The aim of the schedule is to secure the highest ratings for the channel and the show/programme. It needs to be planned carefully to attract the largest audience possible.
Broadcasters want to attract as many viewers as they can for the media texts they produce and transmit. For commercial stations this helps attract more advertising revenue which helps fund new content. Scheduling choices are therefore an important factor in securing audiences for content.
There are a range of techniques used to keep the audience watching the same channel:

• Inheritance - scheduling a new programme after a popular programme in the hope it inherits some of its audience.
• Hammocking - scheduling a programme in between two popular programmes so that it can receive potential viewers from both.
• Pre-echo - scheduling a less popular programme before a popular one in hope of catching viewers who may watch it earlier.
• Stripping - broadcasting a programme at the same time every day/week to ensure that the audience becomes familiar with the scheduling time and know when to watch it.
• Zoning - where programmes with a similar genre are broadcasted one after the other with the assumption that the fans of the genre will stay with that channel.
• Offensive scheduling - this is where a channel is confident that their programme will gain higher ratings than another programme on a rival channel. Therefore, they broadcast it at the same time in order to lure the 'live' audience.
• Defensive scheduling - when a channel is aware that a programme on a rival channel will receive higher audience figures so they may decide to schedule a programme of minority appeal at this time.

It could be argued that scheduling isn't as important as it used to be simply because of the advanced technology that is widely available. For example, online (including via pirated downloads), online channels such as BBC iPlayer and All 4. This is due to peoples busy lifestyles where they don't have time to watch TV and are likely to watch it on catch up through their laptop, phone or tablet.

Brief History of The Television - Timeline

1831 - The era of electronic inventions: Scientists began working with electronics to make life better. However they knew very little about electricity and how it worked.
1862 - A still picture in transferred: Abbe Giovanna Caselli invented the Pantelegraph. It could transfer an image through wires.
1873 - The transfer of pictures to signals.
1876 - George Carey dreams of a machine that people would use to view pictures.
1880 - Invention of the photophone.
1884 - Paul Nipkow figured out how to send multiple pictures through wires.
1900 - The first "television" was seen at the World Fair in Paris.
1924 - The moving picture is developed by John Baird.
1925 - Television is tested publically.
1928 - First TV station is born "W3XK" owned by Charles Jenkins.
1937 - The first major television network was CBS.
1950 - Colour TV is released to the public.
1956 - Wireless remote.
1969 - The whole world saw Neil Armstrong step onto the moon through their television sets.
1972 - Home Box Office (HBO) became the first pay-tv network in the USA.
1995 to 1997 - DVD.
1997 - The flat screen takes over.
1998 - 2000 - HDTV.
2006 - The UK switch-off of all analogue terrestrial TV broadcasts is scheduled to begin in 2008. And a UK Terrestrial replacement (Freeview) enables analogue television sets to receive programmes.
2010 - 3D TV.