The Big Top - channel research

The Big Top - channel research - service remits

To get an idea of where our channel should go if it were aired, this meant we knew what to include in our show and how we should film it.

BBC1- (1)"BBC One's remit is to be the BBC's most popular mixed-genre television service across the UK, offering a wide range of high-quality programmes. It should be the BBC's primary outlet for major UK and international events and it should reflect the whole of the UK in its output. A very high proportion of its programmes should be original productions."

BBC2- (2)"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 2 is the channel we would want to broadcast on. "The Big Top" would have documentary style VTs that would aim to educate the general public about the skills and life in a circus. 

It would fit well with either an adult only audience or preferably we would aim for it to be aired pre-water shed allowing for family viewing.

BBC3- (3)"The remit of BBC Three is to bring younger audiences to high quality public service broadcasting through a mixed-genre schedule of innovative UK content featuring new UK talent. The channel should use the full range of digital platforms to deliver its content and to build an interactive relationship with its audience. The channel’s target audience is 16-34 year olds."

BBC3 would be good for our show as it's known for showing innovative and controversial content. BBC3 has a history for circus shows. 
The issue with this channel is that because it is now solely online we would be much less likely to hit our target demographic audience.
 

CBBC- (4)"The remit of CBBC is to provide a wide range of high quality, distinctive content for 6-12 year olds, including drama, entertainment, comedy, animation, news and factual. The great majority of this content should be produced in the UK. CBBC should provide a stimulating, creative and enjoyable environment that is also safe and trusted. The service should have a particular focus on informal learning, with an emphasis on encouraging participation."

Our show would work well for child audience's. 
Due to the historical nature of the circus being a family attraction it's more likely to appeal to the CBBC audience, their audience is 6-12 year olds who would be more then likely watching with their family.
 

Channel 4- (5) "To champion unheard voices...To innovate and take bold creative risks...To inspire change in the way we lead our lives...To stand up for diversity across the UK"

The show could air on either Channel 4 or one of it's sister channels. The show would use people who would stereotypically be seen as social outcasts. It's a show that hasn't been seen before and champions creativity through different outlets.

E4- (6) "It requires Channel 4 to be innovative, to inspire change, to nurture talent and to offer a platform for alternative views....requires us to not just provide Education content for 14–19-year-olds, but to provide content with an editorial tone that is educational in programmes from other genres, including Factual. "

ITV- (7) "Factual at ITV is popular, entertaining and of high quality. The centre ground is everything. Novelty and overly clever conceits should be avoided. Focusing on the familiar and appealing to sentiment is critical. The obvious, re-appraised sometimes through the eyes of a famous name, and made really well is how our audience likes to enjoy their factual-based television."

This research helped inform myself and Zak on which channel we should put our show. We went with BBC 2 because the multi platform streaming that is on offer from resources like BBC IPlayer it can research a variety of audience demographics. 

However it is at risk of not hitting it's prime audience which would be children.

After our pitch we were told that the show should air on CBBC to hit the target audience of children rather then families.

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(1) BBC1 service remit - "www.bbc.co.uk/corporate2/insidethebbc/howwework/accountability/statements2010/television/bbcone"

(2) BBC2 service remit - "www.bbc.co.uk/corporate2/insidethebbc/howwework/accountability/statements2010/television/bbctwo"

(3) BBC3 remit - "downloads.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/regulatory_framework/service_licences/tv/2013/bbc_three.pdf"

(4) CBBC remit - "downloads.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/assets/files/pdf/regulatory_framework/service_licences/tv/2013/cbbc.pdf"

(5) Channel 4 remit - "www.channel4.com/corporate/about-4/what-we-do/channel-4s-remit"

(6) E4 remit - "www.channel4.com/corporate/about-4/what-we-do/our-remit"

(7) ITV Factual entertainment commissioning - "www.itv.com/commissioning/factual"