Lifestyle TVLESSON OBJECTIVE: TO EXAMINE AND UNDERSTAND THE FEATURES OF REALITY TV SHOWS

Audience Profiling We have already looked at how the nature of a target audience member is arbitrary e.g. everyone approaches texts differently.

However, in order to successfully produce and create a piece of media, the market research needs to focus on demographic and psychographic profiling.

Socio-economic Grading A – Higher managerial, administrative, professional eg: chief executive, surgeon, university professor etc.

B – Intermediate managerial, admin, prof.eg: bank manager*, teacher, civil servants etc

C1 – Supervisory, clerical, junior management eg. sales person, bank clerk, retail manager.

C2 – Skilled manual workers eg: electrician, carpenter, builder etc.

D – Semi-skilled/Unskilled manual worker eg: factory worker, refuse collector etc.

E – Casual labourers, pensioners, unemployed or on benefits.

Think of a show that is suited to each demographic …

What is the problem with doing this?

Demographic Profiling Defines the audience in terms of:

Age

Gender

Class

Economic status (Socio-economic gradings)

Geographical area (Post codes)

Religion

Race/nationality

Psychographic Profiling Audiences categorised in terms of their:

Needs and motivation

Desires and Interests

Beliefs and Attitudes

Marketers/Advertisers now attempt to create ideologies/personalities for their products that mirror the target consumer

Typical Features of Lifestyle TV. * Presenter – Well known, identifiable character. Often eccentric or distinctive

* Topic – Culturally interesting/relevant

* Narrative – Fluid, non-competitive, emotional

* Structure – Problem – Exploration – Resolution

* Appeal – “normal” people used

* Pre-watershed unless exploring a controversial issue e.g. Katie Piper’s extraordinary births

Kirstie Allsop:

* How does Kirstie Allsop create a good lifestyle TV

persona?

* Who do you think form the audience for this type of show?

* Why are these types of show popular with the current social demographic?

What lifestyle programmes focus on housing?

* Homes under the hammer

* Grand Design

* Escape to the Country

* DIY SOS

* 60 Second Makeover

Why do you think that so many lifestyle programmes revolve around the home?

Fashionhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21lPr1kenYY

FoodWhat is the purpose of a TV show about food?

Why are they a fairly recent idea?

Family and Relationships

Culture and Religion

Lifestyle vs Reality TV Write a table explaining some of the differences between reality TV shows and Lifestyle TV. Focus on:

* Filming techniques

* Settings and location (mise-en-scene)

* Characters/presenters

* Structure and narrative

Research Task http://www.channel4.com/programmes/categories/lifestyle

Go to the channel 4 lifestyle programme web site. Watch and review one of the lifestyle programmes, based on the lifestyle features that have been.