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Explore the distinctions between tabloid and serious TV current affairs programs, from definitions to audience demographics, content, visual and aural techniques, and language usage. Understand the purposes, ratings, and specific techniques employed in each category.
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Language Study Current Affairs TV
Comparison b/n Tabloid and Serious TV current affairs programs • Definitions of each • Purpose • Demographic/audience/ratings • Content • Visual Techniques • Aural (sound) techniques • Language • Appeals to….
Tabloid - Definition • ‘Tabloid’ – originally refers to newspapers (size of the paper) with common features • Pictorial • Less educated readership – emotive stories, more dramatised • Primary focus is entertainment and high ratings
Serious - Definition • Higher educated audience – more complex stories • More sophisticated language • Less emotive techniques • Longer stories • More complex socio-political stories
Purpose • Serious – non-commercial • Investigation – done over time/carefully • Balanced reportage • Tabloid – commercial TV – make money • Increase Cut Rate for Ads • Increase/maintain ratings • Sustain emotional base - entertainment
Demographic • Specific Audience – target market • Signified by a number of factors • Age • Gender • Socio-economic status • Education
Ratings • % share of viewing audience • Two measures – • absolute (total viewers) • Comparative to opposition program Measured very accurately to the minute Types of stories that rate well are repeated
Cut Rate • The amount a TV station can charge per advertisment • Higher the ratings – the higher the cutrate • Targetting a specific audience eg motor sport
Tabloid Techniques - Content • Emotional Base – essential • Conflict and Drama • Heroes and Villains (Victims and Bullies) • Often artificial • Reinforcing of cultural stereotypes • Government/Business as ‘baddies’ • Working battler as ‘victim’ • Sexual content (Bras/lingerie!!)
Tabloid TechniquesDeath Knocks • Someone has died tragically • Reporter gets 1st and exclusive access to story • Emotional hook – grief
Chequebook Journalism • Paying large sums of money for: • Exclusivity • Controversy • Stories of survival • Revelations about public figures • Goes against Journalist code of ethics
Cultural/social stereotypes • Reinforced by Tabloid programs • Appeals to deep-seated prejudices – race, gender, age • Appeals to tabloid demographic (older – white low/middle class Australians) • Consistently a ratings winner
Tabloid Techniques - Visuals • Slow motion • Walk-ups • Selective editing • Interviews
Tabloid Techniques - Aural • Emotional music – reinforces core emotional hook of the segment • Dramativc • Auralscape is often subliminal • Necessity of listening careful
Language • Tabloid language – emotive. Linked to the emotional hook • Easy to understand (demographic appeal) • Exaggerated • Reinforces stereotypes • Reinforces hero/villain status • Deserving of close examination • Plenty of Appeals to……
Appeals to….. • Fear – eg foreigners/terrorists, financial ripoffs, not fitting in to norm etc • Love • Voyeurism – eg celebrity gossip, Youtube violence • Sexuality • Others…..?
Does it matter?? • Tabloid programs as entertainment • Serious programs – limited appeal • Nothing much has changed in 30 years.