TV: Assessment

TV: Assessment

Question 2
To what extent do your television close-study products reflect the responsibilities and remit of public-service broadcasting? [25 marks]

Public service broadcasting bears the responsibility to provide a varied range of programmes in the fields of information, culture, education and entertainment. Alongside this, they also are obliged to provide a reliable and trustworthy news service. Public Service broadcasters are also required to celebrate social diversity but also facilitate social cohesion. 

Deutschland 83, broadcasted on channel 4 and Capital, broadcasted on BBC1 are two great television dramas that focus on very serious, very real problems that have faced or are currently facing society. Although the two shows are vastly different, in terms of the basic objective for the creations of the shows, they have a plethora of similar aspects and great qualities. 

Capital (2015) produced by Matt Strevens for Kudos Film & Television Company, is a state of the nation TV drama, set in South London. The storyline follows the lives of families that are affected by gentrification and the housing market. This narrative provides viewers with deeper knowledge as to what is happening in their very own country. Capital successfully captures the struggles and social issues that face the country and present it in a way that is both insightful and entertaining. Many cultures are represented in this TV drama through characters such as Quintina, an immigrant looking for asylum, and the Kamal family, a Pakistani family that owns the local corner shop. The inclusivity of different ethnicities provides viewers with the audience pleasure of personal identity as they can relate to specific aspects to these characters' lives. Capital incorporates certain scenes with the intent of adding a comedic effect. This heightens the level of amusement provided to the audience which, in turn, offers viewers other audience pleasures such as entertainment and diversion. Focussing on the channel that Capital was broadcasted on, the BBC meets up to the expectation of providing a ‘reliable and trustworthy’ news service. BBC News was founded in 1922 and has, ever since,  been providing the UK with accurate news, daily. 

Deutschland 83 (2015)  produced by UFA fiction, is a spy drama that presents the key events that took place in 1983 during the cold war. Similar to Capital, Deutschland is based on real events and real lives. It introduces viewers to new knowledge about life in Germany in 1983. The german culture and lifestyle are represented vastly through the show, both east and west Germany are equally represented and depicted. This offers german viewers the audience pleasure of personal identity as they may be able to relate to some of the cultures that is being shown. However, unlike Capital, Deutschland 83 does not explore and embrace other cultures aside from german. This is excusable, nonetheless, as it is a show surrounding the events in Germany. Similarly to Capital certain scenes of dialogue or characters are purposely put in place to act as comic relief. This offers audiences the pleasure of entertainment and diversion. The tense scenes accompanied by comedy creates amusement for audiences. Correspondingly to the BBC, Channel 4 provides the UK with news services. Channel 4 News was founded in 1982 and delivers information on weather and current events.

Both Channel 4 and the BBC have requirements that are expected from public service broadcasters. it is undoubtedly clear that both Television broadcasters have successfully reached up to the expectations provided to them, this is seen through their exemplary work on the shows that I have mentioned previously. Both Deutschland 83 and Capital entertain, inform and represent different cultures in their own way. Although the narrative and the plot of the two shows are vastly different, the two shows that I have mentioned are very successful in portraying social issues that were present at the time that the shows were set in. The realism seen within the two shows is commendable. With both of the Television dramas being insightful, representative, politically correct and compelling; they give both channel 4 and the BBC a great representation and reputation.  

In conclusion, I certainly believe that Deutschland 83 and Capital reflect the responsibilities and remit of public-service broadcasting. They satisfy all requirements set out for them and accomplish this in a very intelligent way. “Inform, entertain and educate” are the three foundation requirements expected of public broadcasting services. These two shows depict how channel 4 and the BBC have taken these requirements and exceeded past them.