Theories

Audience effects is one that theory that i'll link to my study. To consider the way the show is structured for the audience and how it may be manipulative.
http://www.stevewlb.zen.co.uk/College/Booklets/audiences.htm

Hyperdermic syringe theory- this will be used as a way of finding out the ways the show injects ideas into the audience on their ideologies. As many stereotypes and representations are made about people, some passive audiences may take in the ideas and believe everything they hear.
http://www.rouncefield.homestead.com/files/as_media_mod1_audiences_ql.htm

http://www.theory.org.uk/ctr-rol6.htm#bio
Discusses the hedgemony in the media and representations of ethnic minorities in the media.

Comments this Week

Blogs that I've commented on this week are:

Roohdip: http://www.roohdipbghs.blogspot.com/
Anita: http://www.anitapuni.blogspot.com/
Iena: http://www.ienadua.blogspot.com/
Kristina: http://www.kristinasstripes.blogspot.com/
Shabaaz: http://shabaazghs.blogspot.com/

Bush:http://www.mediamacguffin.blogspot.com/

Roohdip:http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=17694735&postID=112983645965986871

Anita: http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=17647964&postID=112983754274547413

Iena: http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=17579090&postID=113019704243335704

Kristina: http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=17841662&postID=112962347539791878

Shabaaz:http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=17615397&postID=112878008457962997

Values and Ideologies

'Little Britain' is a show that very much entertains, however the show's values and ideologies are very much based on the creators and producers own beliefs about British society. The show is actually a way of letting the creators, David Walliams and Matt Lucas, express their views to the public through these means of communication. From the representations of the different characters, the audience is able to see what the average prson thinks about about certain people and groups as a way of communicating and identifying with the audience even if they are coming from a stereotypical point of viw, it's giving the audience what they expect.

The sketches of these portrayed characters and stereotypes all have hidden values and beliefs about them from the creators point of view more than likely. E.g. the 'fat fighters' sketches include a lot of offensive comments from the leading lady Margery (Matt Lucas) including "you fat bastard" or "ow, they're like tits aren't they". All quite funny if its not aimed at you as the viewer but for some viewers who may suffer with weight problems I'm sure does nothing for their self- motivation. The beliefs of the sketch if we consider these factors is that the makers assume that over weight people have only themselves to blame and reinforces that belief in what they say, how it's said and even the narrator Tom Baker has his pop. The sketch makes it ok to laugh at the obese but then again they make it ok to laugh at may different groups of people, which in turn makes it a bit easier for viewers to take in knowing that their particular group isn't the butt of all the jokes, but that everyone is being made fun of.

Genre

As a comedy genre, 'Little Britain' has the affect to attract people to watch because you'll usually find that the audience of the show being more C1 to D2 are working class that want to relax and switch off when they get home from a hard days work. Comedies are the best method for this as it doesn't invlove any heavy thinking and provides entertainment to brighten up their day. Being a comedy show also provides a protective layer to the controversial sketches that stereotype and could be seen as offensive, but as a comedy this is still debatable as they're suppose to be making fun, but does that give it a devine right to do so without criticism?

The show follows many generic conventions of a comedy sketch show by the structure of coming back to certain stories to finish it off after other sketches in between. Other comedy sketch shows include :

• The Lenny Henry Show
• The Sketch Show
• Harry Enfield and Friends
• 2D TV
• Allister McGauin's Big Impressions

Wider context

Political issues:

Many issues have been debated since this show started. Not only on the shows context but the more important case of the representations of our society. Where they make many stereotypes known, they also include sketches that question political issues with sketches involving the 'prime minister', obesety, homosexuality, anti-social behaviour and our school systems along with many more. All of these that involve real problems in Britain are used as material on the show and really sum up these politics into one easy to digest sketch that tells the story in a nutshell.

The text provides the audience with many issues, but the way it deals with moral panics in the show create less of a panic on the audience and let them look through the media speculation they see in newspapers and on the news and show audiences how rediculous it all sounds once the characters sum it up into the panic that it's certainly not. They tend to belittle some of the main concerns in the country like immigration and make a joke out of it to show how we're worrying about some things for no reason, but also to put some understandings of the problems we have to show and get people to expand their knowledge abit to the issues.

Historical context:

The programme has the ability to show audiences how times have changed not only in comedy, but the reflections of society's changes and how much more open issues are for everyones' concern. Cultural diversity, historical events, televisions development over time and the historical elements of the show that are parodyed in the show to create new sketches.

'Little Britain' has set a new era in not only the sketch comedy scene but the comedy scene in general. Sketch shows in the past like 'The Two Ronnies' or 'Tommy Cooper' would've never dreamed of having such debatable material and I think it sets a new trend in the comedy game and takes some of its influence from black comedy ( making fun out of real life events and situations) and with great success with the new series viewing on BBC1 as well shows that success.

Social context:

considering the multiculturalism in the United Kingdom, we are seeing the resulting awareness on issues and debates considering our societies across Britain through this programme, however the way these issues are made deliberately as humourous may take away the importance of their meanings regardless of the producer's intensions. I think the show may be made in this way to gain audience's attention to these issues by entertaining them and manipulating their minds into the stereotypes the show has taken advantage of.

Comments to others:

Harbinder : http://www.harbz.blogspot.com/

http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=17554214&postID=112922815662474083

Pardeep :http://www.gorjgalsstudy.blogspot.com/

http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=17759745&postID=112955476066495383

Manjot :http://mediamj.blogspot.com/http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=17651854&postID=112957452813153767

Russell :http://thachoclatefactory.blogspot.com/http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=17714207&postID=112903734833410870

Steven :http://angelicrequiem.blogspot.com/http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=17713471&postID=112920623676240609

Audience

The humour of the programme can only be understood provided it's audience is able to connect to the jokes that gives the show its success and the reason the show is able to use these stereotypes without offending. Targeting a younger audience is the reason for their lack of criticism as these generations seem to be more understanding in this age and be able to appreciate the comedy stylings of today's comedians.

Criticism mainly only comes when pople who are not being targeted tune in to find people being made fun of in basic and cause uproar at what is esssencially meant to be a joke isn't it?

The pleasures of this kind of text for audiences is that almost voyeuristic feeling that they know they shouldn't being watching it and laughing at these negative stereotypes but they do. It also gives the pleasure of relife that there's others know share your views on this type of people or group, but it's not really something you'd profer to say out loud as times have changed considerably into a multi-ethnic, mutlicultural society etc.

Representation

The show deals with many issues and creates comedy with a message.

• Representations of: homosexuals, transvestites, teenagers, the disabled and obese people.
• Representations of the instituation (BBC) as a former serious and formal broadcaster are being challenged with a programme like this.

Much of my study will be dedicated to representations of the show from the characters, to the media language, used to the institution. This big part of my essay may be able to answer some questions about why the humour of certain stereotypes can be found to be humourous, without being offensive.

Institution

The BBC is the distributer of 'Little Britain', more specifically BBC Three. Probably the most watched institution in the UK as the Public Service Broadcaster, however BBC Three narrows it down to a younger audience that is mainly viewing for entertainment purposes.

In recent months however, the trend of 'Little Britain' has been hopping from channel to channel, going from BBC Three, to Two, to One, pulling in bigger audiences all the time, possibly as a way of finding out where the best place is for larger audiences as the show gets more and more popular.

Considering the status of the BBC as a PSB, we must ask the question; does the institution influence or shape the production and its content? If this is a factor, can the way the audience thinks be manipulated into a minority view from one institution and their views on the people of Britain?

Media language

• Concentrating on costumes in 'Little Britain' is vital as they're so relevant to the characters and the way they're represented e.g. the gay character Daffyd and his tight, leather outfits creates the stereotype etc.
• The music in the background when going into another scene sometimes contrasts the show's title being about Britain by playing classical music to which people normally stereotype Britain for our sophisticated culture and Royal family.
• Mise en scene in general is being looked upon as well as it increases the stereotypes of people being represented and groups to where they're coming from etc.
• The voiceover from Tom Baker that even through very funny, it may cause issues and debates on how this nation really fels about certain situations.
• The cinematography is quite ordinary in terms of it being a sketch show. The typical shots that you'd expect to see you see; close ups, medium shots, long shots, none at any particular angle to suggest anything special and this could reflct on the show's representations of Britain. By not going all out to get really GREAT shots could show the producers as showing working class Britain to be very ordinary and nothing special about us.

'Little Bitain' and stereotypes

For my project i'm going to discuss the effects of humour on audiences considering representations and context, focusing specifically on 'Little Britain'. By looking at many elements the programme has to offer and the types of people who watch the programme, i want to know why more media speculation and criticism of the programme hasn't been looked upon more. Also, does the fact the show is a sketch, comedy show, does that change its impact on the audience?

Considering the raw contents of the show, it raises many issues and debates concentrated on the different cultural and social groups in society today. Using stereotypes to get the message across but in a humourous way can this be done.

The stereotypes that i'll be concentrating on in this project are varied and ranging due to the amount of groups and people being stereotyped:

• Homosexuals
• Disabled
• Teenagers
• Obese people
  
  links:
  
  www.davidwalliams.com/littlebritainwhatis.htm This site is a fan base that follows the characters that David Walliams plays in the show and gives us updates about the new shows they'll be doing.
  
  www.bbc.co.uk/television
  This is the BBC website, specifically on programmes that they show.
  
  www.petertatchell.net
  This is where i got one of my theories from on homosexuals to do some research for the gay character Daffyd.
  
  www.findarticles.com
  This site shows the different theorists and essays that can be used to refer to.