I haven't suggested depriving anyone of their Saturday evening tat, simply argued against your suggestion regarding its social achievments and attributes. Society is no better or worse off thanks to the presence of X Factor, or any of the other talent shows.
Society is better off thanks to the presence of high-rating TV shows
Professor John Corner talks about the significance of mass audience television in encouraging social and cultural cohesion in his 1999 book, 'Critical Ideas in Television Studies'. (Link) Dr Christine Daymon references the book numerous times throughout her 2003 paper, 'The Future Role Of Television: A Scenario Analysis Study of British TV', in which she predicted that
fragmentation of formerly mass audiences across a range of channels and platforms, many of which feature diverse, niche interests,
as well as the prevalence of personalised time-shift viewing and increasing use of television within the context of IT, means that
the ‘cultural density’ of television (Corner 1999, 122) as an element of national life is diminished, as is its role in highlighting and strengthening the national cultural heritage.
(Link)
The audience has not only expanded in quantity but in social base, too. Whereas previously, it was always assumed that the X Factor, and shows like it, primarily appealed to teenage girls voting for a new celebrity heartthrob, a major new piece of research seen exclusively by the Observer shows that the programme is increasingly crossing social, class and gender divides. According to the survey of 3,514 people conducted by the research and strategy agency Brand Driver, it is actually male viewers who are more likely to vote – with 20% of men aged 18-34 voting multiple times for the same contestant.
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The survey found that almost a third of viewers stated that they watched the X Factor and felt "part of a community".
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45% of viewers cry at contestants' stories, while 39% are left feeling that "anything is possible" after watching.
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"I don't think it's any coincidence that our love affair with the X Factor is so potent right now, more than ever before, as Britain endures a period of relative austerity," [Tim Julian, the chief executive of Brand Driver] continues. "Although the X Factor is a thoroughly modern phenomenon, the show occupies the same social and emotional territory in consumers' lives as the silver screen did for cinemagoers during the depression of the 1920s."
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The most popular contestants almost always have a backstory of personal triumph over adversity which enables us to feel that we are helping them succeed, that we are giving them a break even if no one else will.
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And perhaps this is why Boyle, who grew up in a council house and was bullied as a child for her learning difficulties, or Alexandra Burke who came from an impoverished background, have proved such enduring figures.
"We like the idea that we can help someone like that make something out of nothing," says Gladeana McMahon, a psychotherapist who co-wrote the UK's
Ethical Guidelines for Reality Television.
"It makes us feel: if they can do it, so can I. It's uplifting. Part of us wants them to be successful and is urging them on."
It certainly seems that we are just as motivated to vote for positive reasons as negative ones – the Brand Driver study found that, among lesbian, gay and bisexual viewers of the X Factor, nearly 80% think that the programme has helped people come out as homosexual and the same number believe it has promoted the tolerance and acceptance of gay people generally.
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It also allows us the chance to participate in human relationships, both in terms of a shared audience experience (half of viewers say they watch the X Factor as an opportunity to spend time together as a family) and because we can influence what happens to a particular contestant we like.
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The Brand Driver study found that a third of all X Factor viewers have a degree and a further 40% are postgraduates. The majority are affluent professionals – the household income of a regular viewer is around £3,000 a year more than a non-viewer, while 40% describe themselves as professionals or in management.
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"All popular entertainment is dismissed by snobs," says [Peter Bazalgette, the former creative director of production company Endemol]. "It's the same attitude as they have towards food or sex – if you enjoy it, it must be bad for you. It's a kink in the Anglo-Saxon character, a Calvinist throwback."
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"There's an assumption among the middle classes that: 'I can see through this stuff because I'm intelligent and educated, but the proles can't'," says Dominic Sandbrook. "It's incredibly patronising. A lot of people watch it slightly tongue-in-cheek. They can see the joins, but it doesn't matter."
like u have classic comedy on itv 3 on the buses ,rising damp etc but where are the new kinda comedies eh bbc are having new like reggie perrin etc
You have a point. The only really noteworthy comedy success ITV has had in the last few years is Benidorm. But note that Reggie Perrin is a remake of an old series, so not exactly 'new' in every sense of the word...!
Bring back TV Eye, World In Action, Weekend World.
Fewer shows of the "I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here type"
Put the regions back as they were, so the former HTV West region gets its own dedicated broadcast from Bristol and the former Westward region gets its dedicated broadcast from Plymouth, etc. etc.
Bring back non-news regional programmes (two a week at a dedicted primetime slot).
Fewer X-Factor type shows.
Bring back TV Eye, World In Action, Weekend World.
Fewer shows of the "I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here type"
Put the regions back as they were, so the former HTV West region gets its own dedicated broadcast from Bristol and the former Westward region gets its dedicated broadcast from Plymouth, etc. etc.
Bring back non-news regional programmes (two a week at a dedicted primetime slot).
Fewer X-Factor type shows.
that will never happen, there only two X factor type show on ITV, Xfactor and BGT. Playout and dedicated broadcast from 14 sperate office is waste of money these days
