TV Advertising on Dave

For our exam, we need to know why Taskmaster is a god fit for the comedy channel Dave. 
We looked on Dave's information for advertisers, which outlined Dave's brand:

TV Advertising on Dave

Dave offers television advertisers an expansive audience base of generally younger adults, many of whom are professionals tuning into the later time slots. The daytime slot is also particularly popular amongst students, whilst, overall, the channel holds more appeal to male viewers.

Dave, known as ‘The Home of Witty Banter’, specialises in British comedy and general entertainment, such as Mock the Week, QI XL and Top Gear, with much of its content emanating from terrestrial television archives. Brands such as Love Film, Match.com, Google, William Hill and Heineken are regular TV advertisers on the channel.

What does the Taskmaster website say about the show that clearly makes it fit the channel? It is skewed to a male audience as...
 
Greg Davies is the Taskmaster. With the help of his ever-loyal assistant Alex Horne he will set out to test the wiles, wit and wisdom of five hyper-competitive, and sometimes unimpressed, stand-up comedians Roisin Conaty (Man Down), Tim Key (Mid Morning Matters With Alan Partridge), Romesh Ranganathan (Mock The Week), Frank Skinner (Room 101) and Josh Widdicombe (The Last Leg).

Expect arguments. Expect both cheating AND arguments.  

As the Taskmaster Greg Davies will set a series of stupefying tasks to test our comedians. From eating a watermelon as fast as possible to painting a picture of a horse while riding a horse, they will be tested to the absolute limits of absurdity.

As the Taskmaster's devoted associate, Alex Horne is on hand to keep track of the scores and coax the contenders to show their creativity, conniving side and competitiveness. Rivalry will be encouraged, dodgy tactics rewarded and bribes obviously accepted in what is set to be the most dogged, hard-fought, and ridiculous comedy game show on television.

QI analysis

QI

• for the episode you watched, state the series (this will be a letter), channel, day and time of broadcast

I watched the comedy sketch quiz show QI. It is an on-going series which was led by comedian Steven fry but is now hosted by sandy Toskiv. It is a quiz show that awards points to guests who answer the most interesting answer. The show is broadcasted on the BBC and is shown after 9pm.

• state the genre of the programme

This programme is a comedy/ quiz show which involves a host and guest celebrities.

• state the names of the host and panellists

The host is a comedian called Sandy Toskiv’s. She is so well fit for the hosts’ role not only because she can make someone laugh, but because she is genuinely intellectual. She can make witty and informative statements which entertain and inform. The guest celebrities that appeared in the episode was Alan Davis (who is always on the show), Matt Lucas (comedian), josh Wickam and Susan Coleman.

• As the host, how does Sandy Toskiv relate to the other panellists? Consider if the term 'genial' applies.

She relates to the other guests because they are all celebrities who are well known for their comical personalities and work. This means they can all play off each other’s wit through their knowledge of audiences humour. Each one of them have studied and experienced first-hand what pleases a live audiences and so know the type of jokes that will make a positive impression and promote the show.

• What is 'quite interesting' about the extract that you watched?

Verbal humour is important: ‘quite interesting’ facts are more important in order to entertain than getting the right answer; for example, the episode we watched they taught us about the Santa’s in Iceland. They told us about the names of Santa in Iceland and how there are several. Some had very unfortunate names like “window peeper” where Alan Davis makes a joke about how it would be more of gift for Santa rather than the child.

Verbal humour important: ‘quite interesting’ facts more important to entertain than to get the right answer,

• What makes you laugh in the episode?

What made me laugh was the ongoing gags about Susan’s neighbour being able to control her TV. Also the slapstick side of the episode was when they played the game “Moretti are you there” which involves being blindfolded and hitting each other with rolled up newspaper. This contrast between intellectual and slapstick comedy works very well as I get to see the two types by the same people.

• How is Sandy Toskiv’s erudition (the extent of his knowledge) shown?

Answers designed to expose myths:  things you always thought were true; laugh yourself clever. She asks questions to that make us thing that we know the answers. However when we find out the obvious answer is wrong, we are intrigued to find out the right answer. For example when Susan asked about what is the name given to a person who helps you with the education of your children. We all assumed of course that it is a nanny. Nanny is actually wrong. But, the correct answer is opear. Then we find out some background information to where the name originates from and only the quiz master knows.

• Are the audience passive consumers or active participants?

They are a passive consumers. This is because they are simply observers and do not interact with the show itself. Although they laugh at the jokes, there is no interaction with the panellists.

• What is the role of Alan Davies and how does he contribute to audience pleasures?

Alan Davies is a comedian, film actor and TV actor, therefore a familiar face even for teenage audiences (Angus Thongs and Perfect Snogging, Jonathan Creek). He fulfils the role of ‘the bloke next door’, the common man, the Everyman, who "rushes headlong like a puppy into the wall of ignorance." Alan fills the role of the common man, he is an archetype. When we see him he is always the one to lose or to get the wrong answer. Alan is seen as the king’s jester who is there simply to entertain people. Weather that’s with slapstick or with witty conversations. For example when he always gets the most embarrassing or a very stupid buzzer.

• How far does the programme fulfil its Public Service Broadcasting remit to inform, to educate and to entertain?

It definitely ticks all the boxes. It informs by asking us intellectual questions which we are curious to find out about. It educates us by telling us things we didn’t know along with making us more interested in the show and in the comedians who display this information. And it certainly entertain with all types of comedy coming into play like slapstick and witty Banta. This comedy is not only at the expense of other people but also at the facts and questions that we learn about from the host which comes together neatly to form what we know as IQ.

• How is the audience positioned: as omniscient or powerless?

There are two audiences, the live studio audience and the ones at home. The host is very intellectual and knows everything we don’t. This makes us feel less than her, however we can relate to the panellists because they are in the same situation as us which is the unknown.

channel four used to have a perspective icon in their indent that was different each time and entertained the viewer. now it doesn't even involve their logo any-more. this is channel four trying to create a new identity with the type of video that they include with their indent (which is mainly crystals)
this is a hyperlink for the channel 4 ident
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWvUJATjJDE
The BBC indent contains lots of colour which catches the eye of viewers. it involves many different bring core colours such as red, blue, green and yellow. each colour is on a raincoat which is being worn by a cyclists. these cyclists go in a circle formation around the logo BBC ONE which instantly draws our attention to the logo
this is a hyperlink for a BBC1 indent
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2QN8ff-a9o
Dave has a very "witty" indent as it is a bit strange and off the wall. this indent is intended to make the audience laugh and have some comedic value. If the audience finds it amusing then it will remain in their minds along with the channel dave
this is a hyperlink for Dave indent
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHkk9KuesDY
the E4 indent is weird wacky and unwilling likeable. I personally watch quite a lot of E4 and know not of their indents. there very different and bizarre but in a way that you like and want to get more of.
this is a hyperlink for E4 ident
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=951VQ_I2fpo

Miranda Analasis

Miranda is mainstream family viewing, aimed at a target audience who would relate to middle class life. Miranda is a TV sitcom: socially inept Miranda always gets into awkward situations when working in her joke shop with best friend Stevie, being hounded by her pushy mother, and especially when she is around her crush Gary.

A comprehensive review of all four BBC TV channels by the governing trust (July 2014) found that BBC 1 could feel “middle class in focus and target audience" with Miranda cited as an example. They also found that the BBC is falling out of favour with younger people and BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic viewers). The average age of BBC1 viewers is 59, compared with 56 in 2010/11. However, the character of Miranda is also quite like a big child as she is unmarried, always making a fool of herself and getting into trouble with her mother, so I think that audiences such as middle aged women from 25-35 years old could relate to her. Audiences also relate to her relationship with her best friend Stevie because this is a 'friendship' which involves constant witty banta being exchanged between the two. they constantly compete with each other to try to show who is the most attractive or desirable.

Miranda offers the pleasures of the sitcom genre, such as characters that are recognizable that the audience can relate to, who are stereotypes. Miranda's mother, for example, is a stiff, posh and very formal woman. she displays this by always wearing a blazer along with a nice dress and some pleasant jewellery. you can also tell by her accent.
Miranda's mother makes us laugh because of how different she is from her daughter. we see two completely different people who are forced to come into regular contact with each other due to them, being mother and daughter. these two extremes in personality clash and create some very funny situations and dialogue.
Miranda's group of girl friends are stereotypes. For example, you have the two good looking, nice friendly and socially respectable people who are friends with a less attractive and more awkward person (Miranda) who they take the mickey out of  in a jokey way.
Her girl friends often make us laugh at Miranda, such as in the episode when her friends say "Hello Queen Kong"
However, in many ways, Miranda is an anti-stereotype because she does not fit the mould of so many of her friends and people telling her who she should be when she simply wants to stay who she is. 

There are many points of recognition for middle class audiences in the ways in which the sitcom addresses audience’s lifestyles, concerns, hopes, such as Miranda's conflict with her mother as when Miranda wanted to attend a social event and her mother (at first reaction) said not to go and to pretend that they weren't related. this is because she knew Miranda would make a fool of herself and embarrass her mother.
Another narrative strand that makes audiences relate to her is her troubled love life. To explain: Miranda wants to find a husband. throughout all the series its about her finding a suitable husband by any means necessary. however we also see a hint at a relationship forming between Gary (the bar tender) and Miranda.

Each episode also features predictable running gags such as everyone knowing Miranda for losing her clothing in public and humiliating herself.
Miranda always manages to lose her clothing, such as in the episode when she attempts to slip through the gates of a park and decides that is she has no top on she would be able to fit through. of course she is wrong and ends up getting stuck with only her bra on.
Stevie and Miranda always compete for boyfriends, such as the episode when a man leaves their wallet in the shop and they buy dogs and go to self defence classes in order to get him to like them more.
Miranda always embarrasses her friends socially, such as when she socially laughs when everyone in a group does (not listening tot he conversation) and accidentally laughs when they say "its such a shame that he had to pass away".

The sitcom addresses audience’s lifestyles, concerns, hopes about relationships. Miranda always fails to explain her true feelings for Gary, such as when she tries to tell gary not to go to Hong Kong but gets too shy and pretends to tell him a funny joke; "the horse just galloped away"
She competes with, quarrels and makes up with Stevie, for example, they give up on a man and Miranda compliments her that she still has the "allure"
She gets scolded by her mother, such as in the episode when her mother tells her how to act at social events. this advice is used by Miranda back onto her mother when she tries to talk about her dads sexual relationship.

In most sitcoms, the audience is passive consumer but this show is filmed before a live studio audience. In addition, Miranda establishes a relationship with her audience by breaking the fourth wall. She confides in us, the audience her feelings, saying:  "Keep it to yourself but...."

For Blumler and Katz, audiences use media to gratify needs (the uses and gratifications model of audience behaviour). Miranda offers the pleasure of entertainment, escapism and diversion by making us laugh. In particular, both slapstick humour and verbal humour entertain us. Examples of these include when Miranda constantly pushed stevie to the floor as she is so small, Miranda offers us a in site into her own misfortune which distracts us from our own along with showing us what her life is like and how we can relate to all the troubles she is going through.


Audiences also like to relate to the characters in programmes;  I have shown that Miranda offers many points of recognition in its characters. It s also important that Miranda is a likeable character who does not hold grudges. For example, when she complimented stevie in a nice way and then set herself up for the same kind of compliment but does not receive one, she simply shrugs it off and makes a joke out of it.
Audiences pick programmes with actors that they know and like. It is also significant that Miranda Hart is a well-known and has access to lots of publicity. for example she went on the Graham Norton show to promote her new season or Miranda

Audiences tend to favour programmes that support their values and their sense of their own identity. Part of our sense of self is informed by making judgements about all sorts of people and things. This is also true of judgements we make about TV and film characters, and celebrities. The shows we watch, the stars we like can be an expression of our identities. One aspect of this type of gratification is known as value reinforcement. This is where we choose television programmes or newspapers that have similar beliefs to those we hold. Therefore, equally important is the upbeat, comic atmosphere of the show. Despite  set-backs such as not everyone being as big boned and comically able as her Miranda bounces back, for example, she accommodates  this and sometimes projects other relateable situations onto other characters so it is easier to relate.


Finally, audiences like to know what is going on in the world (surveillance). This relates to Maslow’s need for security. By keeping up to date with news about local and international events we feel we have the knowledge to avoid or deal with dangers. In a sitcom, the characters face all sorts of situations that we can experience vicariously, some of which are challenging, such as confronting a secret crush, dealing with very stubborn and mean people or simply knowing how to not get hurt by people who take the piss out of your figure and personality.

In conclusion Miranda teaches us many morels along with lessons which we can put into practice in our every day lives. these morels and lessons we can experience first hand with her as she tells us hows she's feeling about it and how she concurs it. we can observe, relate and use everything that Miranda does and that is why it was such a popular TV program, well that and being laugh out load funny of course.