SUPERHUMAN audience

Question 1

what does superhuman show which MAXIMISES AUDIENCES (HES)?

Answer 1

DIVERSE RANGE disabilties, gender, races- RELATABLE to large audience, including MINORITIES
(PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION- U&G)

Question 2

What age does superhuman appeal to?

Answer 2

Channel four typically has 16-34 DEMOGRAPHIC
athletes are in 30S MAX
(PI- U&G)

Question 3

Example of diverse reps in superhuman

Answer 3

Dress code BONNET on KADEENA COX- challenges UNDERREPRESENTATION of natural hair
Challenges HEGEMONIC ORTHODOXY of white hairstyles- appeals to black audience (SPECIALISED)

Question 4

How does the focus on ‘HUMAN’ rather than ‘SUPER’ appeal to different audiences?

Answer 4

REALATEABLE and ACCESIBLE to a WIDE AUDIENCE

Helps disabled people be seen (PI- U&G) outside of stereotypes (HUNT) such as pitiable, burden, supercripple, asexual, object of curiosity
e.g. “MIGHT AS WELL QUIT IF U HAVENT GOT IT” audio code- challenges pitiable stereotype (HUNT)

Attracts audience interested in stories of human DETERMINATION; could draw in NEW AUDIENCE (max audiences- Hes) for the paralympics who potentially weren’t that interested in sport, buy are in themes of determination and commitment.

Question 5

Shows WIDE RANGE SPORTS that paralympics offer e.g.
Track
Wheelchair basketball
Cycling

Answer 5

Attracts MASS AUDIENCE of those interested in SPORTS/ OLYMPICS

Question 6

How does the advert appeal to audiences through HUMOUR?

Answer 6

“Mr puke bucket”
Integrated cartoon scenes
“To be a paralympian there’s got to be something wrong with you”

Question 7

How does the UPBEAT SOUNDTRACK appeal to audiences?

Answer 7

INTERTEXTUAL REFERENCE to BUGSY MALONE- recognised by older audience/ GEN X; contributing to wide audience appeal
CONNOTATTIONS of struggle and determination paying off

JUXTAPOSED by DIEGETIC AUDIO CODES of athletes struggles e.g. baby crying, woman in childbirth

Question 8

how does superhuman appeal to a NICHE, MARGINALISED audience?

Answer 8

challenges mis-reps and under-reps of various social and cultural groups
e.g. challenges HUNT’S DISABILITY STEREOTYPES in multiple ways

Question 9

what Y&R group is appealed to by superhuman?
why?

Answer 9

MAINSTREAMERS- CHANNEL 4 is a mainstream broadcaster which appeals to a mass audience in the UK, which aims to present/ CULTIVATE (GERBNER) PROGRESSIVE ideologies to a wide audience, and “CREATE CHANGE” in dominant ideological perspectives (which are created due to INEQUALITIES OF POWER- HALL)

mainstreamers appealed to by humanisation of the Paralympians by focusing on RELATABLE STRUGGLES (PI-U&G) e.g.
* Ali Jawad’s perseverance in his sport despite Crohns disease- relatable, appeals to specialised audience
* not just sport related problems; also personal/ family issues

fast- paced + use of JUMP CUTS + engaging soundtrack catches audiences ATTENTION (AIDA) e.g.
* ELLIE SIMMONDS swimming sequence
* ALI JAWAD’S training montage
variety of shots + pace maintains INTEREST (AIDA) e.g.
EXTREME WIDE SHOT of bike crash, and SLOW MOTION ANIMATED scenes, and fast- paces montages; increases AUDIENCE’S LONGEVITY + keeps audience ENTERTAINED (U&G)

Question 10

what kind of ideologies does channel 4 present?

Answer 10

LEFT WING LIBERALISM- PROGRESSIVE audience

Question 11

what type of broadcaster is channel 4?

Answer 11

MAINSTREAM BROADCASTER which attracts a mass UK audience

Question 12

what age demographic does channel 4 typically attract?

Answer 12

16-34

Question 13

what does channel 4’s MISSION STATEMENT state?

Answer 13

“our purpose”: “to create change through entertainment”

“day to day roles”

“impact… on society, on viewers, on British culture”

“our vision”: “represent unheard voices” “representing whole of the UK” “voices from diverse communities”

Question 14

what kind of ROLE MODELS (GAUNTLETT) are constructed?

Answer 14

TRIUMPH-OVER-ADVERSITY ROLE MODELS (GAUNTLETT) which audience may admire/ IDENTIFY with (U&G)

Question 15

what fragments of audiences could superhuman appeal to?

Answer 15

channel 4 viewers- 16-34

fans of sport

those who desire to see more INCLUSIVE REPS of social groups (may be a member- U&G) from a channel whose REMIT states that is ‘appeals to the interests of a CULTURALLY DIVERSE SOCIETY’

Question 16

how does PERSONALISATION appeal to audiences?

Answer 16

‘day-to-day’ struggles/ overcoming disability (triumph-over-adversity role models- Gauntlett)
PI (U&G) through INDIVIDUAL NARRATIVES

Question 17

how do some TECHNICAL CODES appeal to audiences?

Answer 17

CUs- some uncomfortable e.g. popping of blister, and potentially unfamiliar activities such as attaching a prosthetic blade (holds attention- AIDA), sense of INTIMACY may connect audience to athletes, may appeal to audiences seeking INFORMATION (U&G) about life as a member of the disabled community

Question 18

what is superhuman’s UNIQUE SELLING POINT?

Answer 18

shows athletes stories REALISTICALLY and AUTHENICALLY; encourages audiences to consider own MISCONCEPTIONS/ STEREOTYPES (HUNT, HALL) of disability, therefore appealing to a PROGRESSIVE AUDIENCE by seeking to CHANGE DOMINANT HEGEMONIC IDEOLOGIES such as ‘PITIABLE’ or ‘BURDEN’, therefore reflecting CHANNEL 4’S MISSION STATEMENT to ‘create change through entertainment’ and ‘represent unheard voices… from diverse communities’

Question 19

how many people did C4’s Paralympic footage reach?

Answer 19

20 MILLION (1/3 UK’s population)

Question 20

how many viewers did the Paralympic games attract in 2020?

Answer 20

2.6 MILLION (biggest C4 weekly share of TV viewing since 2016)

Question 21

what audience will align with C4’s ideologies?
how does C4 encourages audiences to accept their PREFERRED READING (HALL)?
what is the preferred reading?

Answer 21

REGULAR AUDIENCES familiar with PROGRESSIVE ideologies/ PROGRESSIVE approach

upbeat soundtrack, use of PERSONALISATION, POSITIVE REPS of event + athletes as both ‘SUPER’ + ‘HUMAN’
(encourages audience to accept ideologies + dominant reading of C4)

preferred audience that audience should invest in the ATHLETE’S NARRATIVES and watch the Paralympic games (ACTION- AIDA)
also, that it CHALLENGES HUNT’S STEREOTYPES e.g. SYM CODE MEDALS connotes success (challenges ‘pitiable’), and training independently (challenges ‘burden’)

Question 22

what are potential NEGOTIATED READINGS of superhuman?

Answer 22

may appreciate C4’s position, but not have an interest in the sporting aspect

despite inclusion of day-to-day struggles, may still be perceived as REINFORCING SUPERCRIPPLE STEREOTYPE (HUNT) e.g.
* all WORLD- CLASS athletes
* HYPERBOLIC AUDIO CODES strapping up tape alludes to preparing for battle + has heroic connotations

Question 23

what are potential OPPOSITIONAL READINGS of superhuman?

Answer 23

people OUTSIDE of typical C4 audience may not be aligned with C4’s ideologies of giving ‘unheard voices’ from under-represented minorities visibility
(may be OLDER, NOT REGULAR VIEWERS, NOT SPORTS FANS)

‘TO BE A PARALYMPIAN, THERES GOT TO BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU’
- POLYSEMIC M.O.A.
- could be perceived as REINFORCING ‘PATHETIC’/ ‘OBJECT OF CURIOSITY’ stereotypes (HUNT)

audiences may appreciate the sports coverage, but not the progressive angle on ideologies surrounding the disabled community

Question 24

how could superhuman REINFORCE GERBNER’S CULTIVATION THEORY?

Answer 24

regular C4 viewers may have become used to conventions of this Paralympic sub-genre of advertising, which RAISES AWARENESS about the MIS- and UNDER- REP of the disabled community to a MASS AUDIENCE across the UK, therefore ACCEPTING this PROGRESSIVE/ PLURALISTIC worldview as the NORM

Question 25

how could superhuman CHALLENGE GERBNER'S CULTIVATION THEORY?

Answer 25

the advert presents CHALLENGING IDEOLOGIES which SUBVERT the STEREOTYPES surrounding disability- audiences may view adverts repeatedly throughout campaign (e.g. superhuman) to raise awareness, and question their assumptions/ the DOMINANT IDEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES in society + be more open to PLURALSTIC REPS in adverts like superhuman which challenge HEGEMONIC ideologies + reps

Question 26

what does channel 4 aim to function as?

Answer 26

an BRAND LEADER and ultimately 'create change' of stereotypical dominant ideologies + audience's perspectives

Question 27

how does superhuman encourage PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION (U&G) in the audience

Answer 27

by including elements of 'REALITY' (DYER) that they relate to/ identify with

Question 28

how can superhuman be linked to DYER'S UTOPIAN THEORY?

Answer 28

EXHAUSTION: multiple examples of the athletes pushing themselves to the limit e.g. * ALI JAWAD training sequence * KYLIE GRIMES childbirth scene/ audio codes * 'Mr puke bucket'- connotes repeated visits, pushing themselves too far physically DREARINESS: morning routine sequences e.g. * cold lighting/ colour codes, tired body language/ gesture codes, familiar 'getting up' sequences (PRO code eating breakfast, KADEENA COX alarm clock scene) FRAGMENTATION: the athletes are incredibly ISOLATED in the advert e.g. * each narrative strand features an athlete training alone (challenges 'burden' stereotype- Hunt) * also highlights PHYSICAL TOLL on athlete; EXTREME CUs of bruises + blisters * and emotional toll on athletes; JODY LUNDY demonstrates this- missed daughters birthday