a) What is a soap opera? List as many programmes as you can which you consider to be soap operas. What features do they have in common? Is it possible to identify subgenres of soap opera?
When you have done this, compare your notes with the following information from the BBC's guide to Life, The Universe and Everything
Examine and analyse an evening’s TV schedule - either using a magazine, newspaper, or websites such as tvguide.co.uk , onthebox.com or the radio times . Identify what soaps are on and when. Check BARB to get soap viewing figures for the major terrestrial channels, and find out how many of the top ten programmes are soaps.
- What do these figures tell us about soap audiences? What impact does scheduling have on audiences?How does scheduling help broadcasters target an audience who will appreciate the programme?
Choose a social group which is represented in soap operas (i.e. young people, old people, men, women, disabled people, ethnic minorities etc), and examine how that particular group is represented in two different soaps.
4. Create Your Own Soap Opera
Design and plan a new soap opera and pitch your idea to the rest of the class. There will be a prize for the winning pitch; 10 marks will be awarded for each of the following categories:
- Media Forms and Conventions: how closely does your idea follow established generic conventions of character, plot, and setting? Go into detail about who the characters are, their relationships and conflicts with each other. Find pictures, design a logo or title sequence, and maybe even compose the opening music.
- Media Audiences and Institutions: who is your core audience and how do you intend to target them? When is your soap scheduled to be broadcast? What time/day? How can you use the internet to reach your audience?
- Media Representations and Ideology: what vision of Britian are you trying to portray in this soap? Are you setting out to challenge and subvert established social prejudices or are you going to rely on safe conservative stereotypes?
