Doctor Who: Audience and Industry Blog Tasks
Doctor WHO Audience and Industry Blog Tasks
Audience
1) Who is the target audience for Doctor Who? Do you think it has changed since 1963?
In 1963, the target audience was primarily young teenagers whereas today it targets a multi-generational audience as it still remains as a family show.
2) What audience pleasures are offered by Doctor Who - An Unearthly Child? Apply Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory to the episode. Make sure you provide specific examples from the episode to support your ideas.
1) Who is the target audience for Doctor Who? Do you think it has changed since 1963?
In 1963, the target audience was primarily young teenagers whereas today it targets a multi-generational audience as it still remains as a family show.
2) What audience pleasures are offered by Doctor Who - An Unearthly Child? Apply Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory to the episode. Make sure you provide specific examples from the episode to support your ideas.
Personal Identity: Susan can be identified to the younger audience with her struggle to fit in at schoolPersonal Relationships: The Doctor's relationship with Susan which involves secrecy provides situations where viewers can analyseDiversion (Escapism): The TARDIS and other dimensions provide an escape from the everyday lifeSurveillance (Information / Facts): Historical events and science
3) What additional Uses and Gratifications would this episode provide to a modern 2020s audience?
It offers nostalgia and education to the modern audience
4) Thinking of the 3 Vs audience pleasures (Visceral, Vicarious and Voyeuristic pleasures), which of these can be applied to An Unearthly Child?
Visceral Pleasure: The revealing of the TARDIS being bigger on the inside can cause the viewers to have a reaction
5) What kind of online fan culture does Doctor Who have? Give examples.
It has built an active fanbase as it's been a series that has been around for decades. People buy merchandise and have active discussions and YouTube channels dedicated to Doctor Who with analysis of the trailers & episodes as well as predictions.
Industries
1) What was the television industry like in 1963? How many channels were there?
There were only two TV channels in the UK with black & white programming and being technologically less advanced than today.
2) How does An Unearthly Child reflect the level of technology in the TV industry in 1963?
The Black and white filming, basic sets for filming, basic special effects, heavy immobile clunky cameras and very limited technology.
3) Why is Doctor Who such an important franchise for the BBC?
It's the face of the BBC, important financially, lasted decades and has a global audience.
4) What other programmes/spin-offs are part of the wider Doctor Who franchise?
- K9
- Sarah Jane Adventures
- Torchwood
- Class
5) Why does the Doctor Who franchise have so much merchandise available? Give examples.
It is due to the long standing popularity and engaged fan base, they even sell household items like mugs, posters etc which are Doctor Who themed which can hook anyone in, if they enjoy Doctor Who.
Grade 8/9 extension tasks and reading
Read this press statement from Disney+ regarding Doctor Who and their agreement with the BBC. What does this tell you about the global television industry?
Grade 8/9 extension tasks and reading
Read this press statement from Disney+ regarding Doctor Who and their agreement with the BBC. What does this tell you about the global television industry?
Read this Guardian article about Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies and the possible end of the BBC. What does he say about it?
Read this New Statesman feature on Doctor Who as a global phenomenon. What does it suggest about Doctor Who fandom, British identity and the importance of the brand to the BBC?
Read this Guardian feature on the representations of race and ethnicity in Doctor Who over the last 55 years. How has the programme changed in its representations of race and how does this fit the BBC's remit to inform, educate and entertain?
Read this Guardian feature on the representations of race and ethnicity in Doctor Who over the last 55 years. How has the programme changed in its representations of race and how does this fit the BBC's remit to inform, educate and entertain?
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