Long Form TV Drama

Exam

Long answer - 30marks - 60 mins
Apply a theory - 10 marks - 25 min

40 marks total
85 Minuits total

Institutional context 

- US Network broadcasters must satisfy their advertisers and hold market share. They are also controlled by federal regulation. There are more rules and restrictions

- Launched in the 1970's HBO was the first US national subscription cable TV channel, These subscription based channels had a lot more freedom than network broadcasters

The trouble with UK tv drama?

- UK Broadcasters have failed to meet the challenge of the US cable channels move to long form, with their risk taking content and style

- BBC and ITV 90s> relied on genre based, formula drama. Heritage and crime drama are prime examples.

- Sky co-opted success of US long form with sky Atlantic

Chasing the ABC1 Audience 

- It is believed people with more money have a higher intelligence, So they are targeted with Large  character development and more in-depth story lines

Changing platforms 

- Content viewing via a TV still dominates in the UK

- 3/4 of households have a PVR or personal video recorder uptake but it has plateaued

- Use of timeshift has increased

- Growth of SVOD or Subscription Video On Demand web based channels such as Netflix, Amazon instant video and Now TV is considerable.

- Netflix dominates with 24% of UK market and 5 million subscribers along with a 10% growth in 2015-2016

Audience 

- Rise of binge watching started with DVD in the late 90s/early c2. Partially due to syndication problems in the UK

-  A move from 'Water cooler' tv to 'Shared universe' fandom

- US long form drama often uses easter eggs and mid season breaks to generate fan intensity and maintain a media platform

- Audiences love LFTVD because...

High quality drama
Multiple episodes
Attracts the bests directors and writters