Section A Institutions: QI and THE IT CROWD

You should be prepared to analyse and discuss the following, as appropriate to the channels/stations and texts studied:

 

Institutional contexts: QI

  

Institutional contexts need only be discussed insofar as they illuminate the institutions’ choice of texts; they should not be studied independently of QI.

  

The media channels ethos and histories and Targeting audiences QI is shown on both BBC 2 and Dave. Dave used to be UKTV but re-branded as Dave because 'everybody knows a bloke called Dave'. It addresses mainstream adult audiences, primarily male. It is 'the home of witty banter' and also factual programmes. 

 

Dave is only screening QI on Friday nights at 23:05, Tuesday nights at 20:00- on going hourly throughout the night (repeat). Episodes are shown on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays as well. Currently, it hosts programmes like Dara O'Briain 's School of Hard Sums, Mock The Week, Have I Got News For You and QI (our text). 

 

BBC is a PSB channel with a public service remit to entertain, inform and educate. It is a good fit with QI which offers factual information about a wide range of subjects such as history, science, culture, nature, food and so on. Currently QI is on series H screened on Thursday nights at 22:00 and Friday nights at 23:05 p.m.

 

'BBC Two’s remit is to be a mixed-genre channel appealing to a broad adult audience with programmes of depth and substance. It should carry the greatest amount and range of knowledge building programming of any BBC television channel, complemented by distinctive comedy, drama and arts programming.'
— BBC Two remit

 

 

 

Institutional contexts: THE IT CROWD

 

C4 hosts The IT Crowd , currently shown on 4OD Offering texts on demand, previously on Friday evenings 10.30 p.m. 4OD is for younger audiences; they prefer online content. IT Crowd is shown on Channel 4. The brand identity of this channel is to provide TV for people who don't have enough of it. It's the fourth channel ever on British terrestrial TV. Channel four's ethos is very similar to the BBC as they both inform, educate and entertain. Also due to the fact that the IT Crowd is not as popular it means that they can get away with taking risks. As such, they broadcast the show about an stereotypical geeky IT department. However it is very humorous and the jokes are very obvious. The IT Crowd's target audience is targeted at everyone.

IT CROWD

I read the script from the episode called ‘Yesterdays Jam’ from the IT Crowd.

How are the characters constructed?

Jen: Jen is a friendly young woman who describes herself as a ‘people’s person’ and is capable of making many friends easily. She is constructed a woman who is completely illiterate in the area of computers and technology.  Jen does not come across completely as a stereo-typical ‘blonde’ woman even though she lacks skill in the job she has been hired in. She is rather intelligent however she does behold some characteristics seen as stereotypical of a woman.

Roy: Roy is pictured as the character who fails at all romantic gestures in life. He sits at his desk answering the phone in the same tone of voice that suggests he does not want to be here. He fails in aspects of love due to his inability to be able to hold on to a girlfriend. Although he is rude to customers over the phone he comes across as a nice man.

Moss: Moss is a stereotypical geek. He often confuses his customers by addressing them in articulate manners and with complex uses of I.T terms. He overly helps customers which can come across as comedic. He is romantically awkward which the audience find pleasurable. Viewers enjoy watching him suffer in comedic romantic scenes.

In what way are Roy and Moss 'standard nerds'?

Roy and Moss are standard nerds due to their stereotypical articulate language that they use to address people. They confuse customers with the I.T terms they use. They’re standard nerds due to their inability to realise why customers cannot understand the terms they use. This makes the scenes rather comical. Roy and Moss also both fail in aspects of love, Moss awkwardness and inability to understand romantic gestures tied in with Roy’s inability to hold on to a long term relationship make the pair amusing to watch. These aspects are common in a standard nerd.

What is comic about Jen's appointment as IT Manager?

The comical factor to Jens appointment as IT manager is that she had no knowledge on the subject and does not understand the superior words that Roy and Moss use to address matters. This is comical because she has been appointed the highest state of the division even though she has no experience and is completely illiterate in this area.

QI AUDIENCE PLEASURES

LINK TO CLIP HERE

• In this clip the audience gains pleasure from watching the celebrities eat spicy food. The reactions the celebrities produce is very comedic and provides for good entertainment.
• Another comedic moment is when Stephen Fry does not actually inform the other celebrities that the food does contain a large amount of chillies, therefore making the celebrities reactions all the more enjoyable.
• Furthermore as Stephen informs the panellists of how this food came into making and how it is produced for the food market, the comedic commentary from the panellists provides an entertaining show.
• Lastly when one of the celebrities proceeds to claim he has superpowers after consuming this spicy product, the audience gains pleasure out of his comments and jokes.