OCR GCSE Media Studies

Question 4a: TV Comedy Scheduling

15 marks | 15 minutes

 

What is a typical question 4a question?

You will either be asked about one programme or both programmes; so the question will be very similar to one of the following:

• Discuss in detail how and why one comedy programme was scheduled on one or more channels. State the day, time and channel of each programme.

OR

• Compare how and why two programmes were scheduled on different channels. State the day, time and channel of each programme.

 

What should I revise?

• See right for useful resources and links - the top button links to an EXTREMELY useful document

• Also look at any notes you have, including handouts on channel ethos of E4 and BBC1 (as well as Channel 4 and the BBC more generally)

 

How should I revise:

• Once you've looked at your notes - especially the document found by clicking on the top button (key scheduling info) - practise writing out answers in response to the two versions of the question (see top of this page)

 

Key tips:

• DO state your scheduling at the beginning (OCR have said that this year’s answer booklet will contain a table into which you can enter the scheduling info of day, time and channel). You must be specicifc: i.e. BBC1, not just BBC.

• DO pay attention to the question wording: sometimes you have to write about one programme, sometimes both, sometimes compare

  • If asked to compare, try and focus on the differences:

    • If it asks HOW and WHY, cover both: the HOW is the facts; the WHY is the explanation/analysis of those facts

• DO try and be balanced with how much you write about each of the three scheduling elements (day, time, channel)

  • Some of you struggle to write about the day, but you can link the choice of day to the specific broadcasting strategies. E.g. Wednesday allows BB1 to stack Outnumbered as part of a block of comedy programmes...

• DO use broadcasting terms - stacking, hammocking...

• DO write about how the programme fits the channel as part of the scheduling:

  • The Inbetweeners suits E4’s brand ethos of providing fresh British broadcasting as well as meeting Channel 4’s wider aim of innovation... go on to give a detail about the show that proves this

  • Ounumbered fits the BBC’s ‘educate, inform and entertain’ and their role as a PSB meaning that they promote British programmes and cultural reflection... go on to give a detail about the show that proves this

• DON'T write about audience demographics (ABC1 etc) unless absolutely confident when using these terms

• DON'T generalise; e.g. “The Inbetweeners is for young people” or “Outumbered must be for old people because it’s boring” or “ntion channel ethos – but feel free to boil it down, e.g. the BBC’s ‘educate, inform and entertain’ and their role as a PSB meaning that they promote British programmes and cultural reflection

• PLEASE, DON'T generalise. Avoid writing things like "it’s on at 10 which is when teenagers like watching telly" - ugh!