This section is about exploring media industries and audiences. Use all of these resources to make a revision guide in your books.
Firstly, learn about The Archers here:
and here:
http://resource.download.wjec.co.uk.s3.amazonaws.com/vtc/2016-17/16-17_1-26/The-archers.pdf
Industries:
Here is a link to the BBC Bitesize section for GCSE Media Studies. It is useful to go through the Radio tab as it has information about industries:
The exam board says:
"In order to develop awareness, learners should consider one complete episode of The Archers and selected key pages from The Archers website, including the homepage and at least one other page."
The episode you listened to was from 3rd April 2016: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b075mmqr
You can hear some clips here.
The full episode can be heard here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LreifWt6zos
It is useful to know more story lines than the Helen & Rob one!!
Here is the homepage: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qpgr Can I suggest you look at the character page, especially the character of Helen Archer.
A history of the archers is available but you may need to look this up at home (it is a Facebook page):
The Archers is regulated, like all radio, by Ofcom (Office for Communication). You can see their Code here:
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-demand/broadcast-codes/broadcast-code
Broadcasters need to follow the code or audiences can complain.
There were complaints about the violence in a very famous episode when Helen Archer attacks her partner, Rob Titchener, following relentless domestic abuse. Read about it here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/KVL2b9gBzsJ8xfKzSGQrCj/helen-and-rob-the-full-story
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KNOW ABOUT THIS STORYLINE!
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/03/outcry-over-archers-stabbing/
Audiences:
This article discusses the audience of The Archers in great detail, citing academic research as evidence. Use this (especially the 7th paragraph) to outline the audience:
It is useful to use this article to consider how social media has helped increase the audience and the gratification of the audiences over time.
Here is a link to The Archers on Twitter:
Here is a link to some fan sites:
http://dumteedum.com/
How do they compare to Swifties? đ
Audiences famously reacted positively following the Helen Archer story line:
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/feb/04/justgiving-page-archers-helen-raises-thousands-domestic-violence-charity
Fun Things:
Exam Questions:
Which radio station broadcasts The Archers? [1]
Identify one audience for The Archers. [1]
Explain two ways in which The Archers is aimed at the audience you have identified. [4]
Explain why audiences listen to The Archers. Refer to the Uses and Gratifications theory in your response. [12]
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