Class: Audience and Industry

 Audience

1) What were the viewing figures for Class and why do you think it did so badly?

The class viewing figures went from 1.8 million down to 0.6 million. This could be because of the fact of the hours they were scheduled or that there was to much sexual content, violence and bad language scenes.

2) What audience psychographic groups might particularly enjoy Class?

Groups that would enjoy class would be the people who are Dr. Who fans or an audience that enjoy watching Sci-Fi or Fantasy.

3) What audience pleasures are offered by Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? Apply Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory to the episode. Make sure you provide specific examples from the episode to support your ideas.

Personal Identity: The main characters are School students which teenagers can relate to. We see                                          ourselves  like that.

Personal Relationship: We create a personal relationship with the characters and we feel for them.

 Diversion (Escapism): We get diverted from the real life world to the Class world and The Shadow Kin                                          planet.

Surveillance (Information / Facts): We learn about the Travel of Space and Aliens.

4) Thinking of the 3 Vs audience pleasures (Visceral, Vicarious and Voyeuristic pleasures), which of these can be applied to Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart?

Visceral: When the swords appear in Aprils hand gives a feeling of thrill.

Vicarious: We experience meeting aliens through the characters. 

Voyeuristic: We see Ram And April and Parent and child conflict.

5) How did fans in the 'Whoniverse' (also known as 'Whovians') react to Class? Watch the fan reaction video (and read the YouTube comments) embedded above or check the comments in the extension articles below to help with this.

The fans agreed with the review. They thought that the format of Class was wrong and that the relationship of April and Ram was too Fast.  

Industries

1) What was the objective of BBC3 when it was launched?

BBC3 objective was to innovative programmes to a target audience of viewers between  

16-34-year-old.

 2) Why did BBC3 go online-only in February 2016? 

BBC went online in February due to 16-34-year-old not watching live TV.

3) How does Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart meet the BBC's mission statement to 'inform, educate and entertain'?

Co-owner of a lonely heart meets the remit as they entertain teenagers by making the show related to a teenager lifestyle.

 4) How did the distribution of Class contribute to the failure of the show with audiences?

 

Class was shown late at night when most people are most likely sleeping and now days most teenagers watch online TV.

5) What advertising and marketing was used to try and promote Class to an audience? Why do you think this wasn't very successful?

They had lots of online videos with the cast and workers of Class, fan art and fiction.

It wasn't successful because it was criticised for not making more of its link to Doctor Who.

Comparison: An Unearthly Child and Co-owner of a Lonely Heart  

1) How are the technical conventions different between 1963 Doctor Who and 2016 Class (e.g. camerawork, editing, sound and mise-en-scene)?

The camera work in Doctor Who was shaky because they done it by hand compare to Class where it is much more steadily done because of stands and tracks. The sound is more realistic in class compare to Doctor Who.

2) What similarities and differences are there between An Unearthly Child and Co-owner of a Lonely Heart in terms of the science-fiction genre?

In an unearthly child, the design/layout of the TARDIS is like a spaces ship (alien like). 

E.g. the design pattern on the wall of the TARDIS is like small lights which give a feeling of Sci-Fi. 

Whilst in Co-owner of a lonely heart there is the futuristic weapon that Ms. Quill has and there is the blue orb which gives a felling of Sci-Fi.

3) What similarities and differences are there between An Unearthly Child and Co-owner of a Lonely Heart in terms of how they meet the BBC's remit to inform, educate and entertain?

In an unearthly child they meet the remit of educate and entertain whilst in Co-owner of a lonely heart they only entertain. An unearthly child educates about science, history, space and time travel and it is entertaining for the audience. In Co-owner of a lonely heart there is only entertainment for the audience as it is aimed at 16-34 year-old. 

4) How are representations of people, places and groups similar or different in the two shows?

In an unearthly child the representations of women are put as inferior towards men. This can be seen in when Barbara and Ian are in the junkyard and the doctor keeps looking at Barbara ignorantly and keeps talking to Ian "Young man..." Whilst in Co-owner of a lonely heart the women are superior. This can be seen when April is looking down and shouting at her farther then threatens to attack her. In Dr. who there is not that much diversity, there is only white middle-upper class actors/actresses. Whilst in Class there are BAME and white actors/actresses from all backgrounds and classes.  

5) What similarities and differences can you find in terms of the audience pleasures for An Unearthly Child and Co-owner of a Lonely Heart?

Both Dr. Who and Class have forms of diversion and entertainment as it fills their time in, it is relaxing and is full of enjoyment for the audience.