This weeks reading and discussion was Gina Giotta’s ‘Sounding Live: An Institutional History of the Television Laugh Track’, focusing on the history of the laugh track in television. Audiences react differently to the laugh track. In early television laugh tracks were effective as without collective laughter audiences sometimes found television and radio unfunny. However some audiences can find the laugh track annoying more so in contemporary audiences who are aware of the canned laughter.

I found it really interesting also that sometimes when you are watching a sitcom without the laugh track the comedy can sometimes be lost and can come across as awkward. but, there are television sitcoms that don’t use a laugh track at all, such as Modern Family, and are still able to create a sense of liveness.  These sitcoms use techniques such as breaking the fourth wall, shaky camera or voice-over narration which works in similar ways to the laugh track and maintains a sense of connection between screen and audience. Giotta (2017) describes laugh track free comedies as “respecting the intellect of the prestige viewer”, as without it audiences can make their own interpretation without it being hindered. There are also certain genres however, that do require a live audience. Including game shows, talk shows or sports commentary as these are very viewer orientated and allow the audiences to become involved and be active participants in the show.

The advantages of having a live audience is what Giotta quotes as “laughter breeding laughter”. Audiences at home may feel more comfortable in joining in with the laughter than doing so alone and it provides viewers with a sense of familiarity. The laugh track helps the studios to reach the audiences from any location. It can invite audiences to feel as though they are a part of public life and encourage feelings of sociability and participation (Giotta 2017). Going back to Bourden article audiences will “suspend their disbelief” as to believe they are viewing it live even if it is pre-recorded as they feel as though they are experiencing it alongside them. This idea of the importance of liveness to home audiences supports Giotta’s (2017) statement that “audience laughter and applause cultivated a valuable sense of liveness that radiated positively toward both the performer and the home viewer.”

This concept of the laugh track is important in understanding the broader topic of live television and what that means. Especially, in regards to shared viewing among audiences and how it can enhance or detract from audiences experiences of the program. These ideas are useful when considering the upcoming assessments where we will be required to film in front of a live audience and their reactions can have an effect on the show that we are producing, it will also be useful to further question how we could interact with the audiences to greater enhance the experience also.

[1] Bourdon, J 2000. “Live television is still alive: On television as an unfulfilled promise” Media, Culture & Society, vol.22, no.5, pp. 531-556.

[2] Giotta, G 2017. “Sounding Live: An Institutional History of the Television Laugh Track” Journal of Communication Inquiry, vol. 41, no.4, pp.331-348