An Open Investigation into Current Affairs Panel Shows

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0307 Bradley Fletcher

54105 North Devon College

AQA A2 English Language 4111

Component Language A: Language Investigation

Title: An Open Investigation into Current Affairs Panel Shows

Completed on 15th February 2008

Abstract

        For my investigation I will be a study on the features used in Current Affair Panel Shows and what makes them humorous to their audience. I will be analysing humour theory, the conventions used for their genre, features of discourse and how each comedian’s idiolect effects their comic style.

Introduction

        In this study, to gather enough data to make accurate conclusions I will have to research several different shows. With this in mind, I have chosen to investigate 8 out of 10 cats, Mock the Week and Have I Got News for You. I believe this is an good cross section since these are three shows that differ slightly in specific conventions but still lie under the same genre.

Methodology

To come to any meaningful conclusions at the end of my investigation it was imperative that I made full use of sources available. For this reason I decided to transcribe a cross section of the existing current affairs shows so that I would have a broad perspective on the conventions practised and the effect on their audience.

Analysis

Genre

        A current affair is a term used to describe the broadcasted discussion of events with political or social interest and importance. There can be several different sub-contexts for a current affair but their main purpose is to provide an in-depth and sometimes controversial analysis of events as they happen. Their informative conventions are usually manifested through examples of persuasive language, with different perspectives being used to provide a different audience interpretation.

        Current affair panel shows are an extension of these principles but with one big difference. They use current affairs as a point at which to base their dialogue, but then transform it into something humorous. Through doing this they entertain the audience. This gives an interesting overlap of the three fundamental purposes in the study of English Language, to entertain, to persuade and to inform. Although the persuasion elements of these shows are hard to notice, they do occasionally hint towards a political subtext.

        The genre creates a unique context in which the use of language plays a huge part. The use of humorous devices, as well as being topical, relies on a shared understanding with the audience. The use of current, well publicised events allows the comedians to develop content from something with relevance and then, instead of perhaps providing a point of view, provide a way in which to approach the subject with some hilarity.

        The conventions of television and their content bring into account some other genre considerations. The show, although appearing to be spontaneous at certain points, is actually loosely scripted and often seen to have been cut from a longer show. This is very noticeable in transcript A, where the presenter clearly has moved inexplicably during a gap within the discourse. Whether this is because there was a mistake in the shooting of the show or that content was edited out for the audience’s benefit is uncertain. Cutting content like this is common in television; it is often done with current affair shows to provide an audience with the best content in the time allocated.

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Study of the Uses and Gratifications model clearly states that when it comes to most media texts an audience will make decisions on what they want to see based on their own needs. The audience that watch this show would most likely be looking to it as a source of ‘infotainment’. Where they can be informed of current affairs but in a light hearted way. With this in consideration, we can start to get an idea of how the genre is successful, the format itself is not particularly important, however the content and how it is presented satirically is its ...

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