1. Television Conventions

2. Agenda
Definition of Genre & Brainstorming Activity about Genres /Reality TV shows
Definition of a Convention Video Parodying News Conventions
Chart of Conventions and Reality TV example
13 Secrets Reality TV Show Producers Won’t Tell You
Reality TV Stars Blaming the Edit

3. Genres
“Genre is based upon the idea that individual media messages can usefully and meaningfully be categorized into discernible groups according to structural elements. A genre is a type, kind, or class of messages that share distinctive and identifiable aesthetic, stylistic, substantive and/or ideological conventions”
Source: Critical Media Studies: An Introduction, by Brian L. Ott, Robert L. Mack

4. Brainstorming Activity
Task: Think (2 minutes), Pair (2 minutes), Share (2 minutes)- Brainstorm different television genres on your mind web (on the following page) and think of example television shows for each genre.

5. Genres of Television Shows
Sports Programmes
Sitcom (Situational Comedy)
Kids/Children's TV programmes
Drama
Makeover Show
Game Show
Talk Show
News Show
Reality TV
Source:

6. Conventions
“The formula for a genre is based on certain familiar narrative conventions or common features that make it relatively easy for audiences to follow”.
“Genre conventions prompt viewers to enjoy a program in a certain way. Conventions include program: formats (how long is the show, is it live or pre-recorded), subgenres (Drama – genre, Workplace Drama – subgenre) , general characteristics (setting, topics, props, tone, etc), character types (age, gender, sex, class, ethnicity, stock characters, etc.) and types of plots (story line, conflicts, crises, resolutions).
“The television audience not only recognizes conventions but also comes to expect them in particular genres”.
“Audience also recognize, however, when conventions are flouted”.
Source: Critical Media Studies: An Introduction, by Brian L. Ott, Robert L. Mack

7. How to Report the News – Charlie Brooker
Q) What are the conventions of a news report according to Charlier Brooker?
A) shot of a significant location, punctuating every other sentence, hand gestures, facts, obligatory shots, human interest, silhouette of representing the average family, animated chart, whimsical shot and summary, and clever word play

8. Reality Television
With your partner, brainstorm examples of reality television shows
Jersey Shore, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, Dance Moms, Survivorman, Hell’s Kitchen, Amazing Race, 19 Kids and Counting, Say Yes to the Dress
Is reality television real?
How does all media
are constructions
apply to this genre?

9. Reality TV is actually not, well … real.
“True, there’s no script, but we have writers who craft plot lines, twisting and tweaking footage to create conflict and shape a story. Oh, and we redo things all the time. On Biggest Loser, the contestants have to walk up to the scale about five times so the producer can capture all the angles on camera.”

10.
"It's like those books in school where you can choose the ending. Exactly. They can edit it any way they want. They could do another five seasons with totally different storylines just based on the footage they have." — Jon Gosselin, Jon & Kate Plus 8’
"They'd put a camera on me when I got wind that my dog was in a coma, and they'd make it (seem) like it was about hair and makeup." — Paula Abdul, Hey Paula