TV Comedy - 4a

Write your own response to question 4a.

Complete the cloze exercise below and then write a response in your own style. Ensure that you get the times, dates and channels correct when first broadcast.

‘Peter Kay’s Car Share’ was initially broadcast on BBC iPlayer between 24th - 28th April 2015. It was premiered on ------------------ at ---------as it was believed by the producers that the target audience aged ---------- would be at home at this time before school / college / work on a------------. (remember that Car Share was on BBC iPlayer first and then moved to BBC1).

‘Celebrity Juice was first broadcast on a ------------------------ as it was believed the target audience would have ------------------------------------. (refer to audience commitments the next day)

‘Peter Kay’s Car Share’ and ‘Celebrity Juice’s’ target audience are contrasting as ‘PKCS’ audience fall into the ------------- demographic category as they are more likely to empathise with the narrative of the sitcom (explain) while ‘’CJ’s’ audience falls into the ------------------ category as the audience are likely to be ------------------------- and find comedy in the ---------------------- of the programme as they are more probable to keep up with current ---------------------.

Both programmes proved to be a success on their niche audience channels and in the case of PKCS  then switched to ---------  a mass audience channel as it ranges over a wide demographic with programmes for all such as -------------------------------. Celebrity Juice stayed on------- (give channel and reason).

Both programmes were aired after 9 pm as part of the ‘watershed’, conveying that they both contain adult humour for a specific audience.

The answer gives time, day and channel for both Peter Kay's Car Share and Celebrity Juice. This fits the level 2 descriptors. Any plausible scheduling is rewarded, as examiners cannot be sure which scheduling decision the candidates have studied and with long-running programmes there may have been many different forms of scheduling. 

Some accurate explanation of why the programmes were scheduled in this way – such as a discussion of the watershed – should raise it into level 3. The answer achieves this with a discussion of why specific nights were chosen, their original scheduling on niche channels and a move to a mass channel, and a mention of the watershed.

To reach a level 4 your answer needs to explain why the channels chose to schedule these programmes and be definite about the time and the days both programmes were broadcast. You also need to link audience demographic to the channel in a clear fashion. Also try to include information about who scheduled and produced the shows and any useful references to the mission/ purpose and vision of both channels.