Core Screening – The Bachelor
The Bachelor (Australia) produced by Shine Australia, premiered on Network Ten on the 8th September 2013, and is hosted by Osher Gunsberg. The series revolves around a single bachelor and a selection of romantic interests, which could include a potential partner for the bachelor. The conflicts in the series, both internal and external, stem from the elimination-style format of the show. The ethics in which the show is conducted and produced draws controversy for the trivialisation of romantic relationships through the competitive nature and lack of privacy the contestants and bachelor possess during and after the conclusion of the season.
The presence of stereotypes in the selection of competitors is also a topic of scrutiny: primarily slim, young and mainly blonde contestants, all of whom are conquering the love of a man. Brain Lowry describes the effects of stereotyping, as “a less-settling prospect is that less- educated audiences are also tuning in, and perhaps drawing unflattering conclusions based on narrow stereotypes”. Contestants can usually be subject to damaging portrayal, as footage as been edited to render a ‘bitchy’ or ‘malicious’ demeanour in the pursuit of drama and increased viewer ratings.
In the 2013 series of the Bachelor, Blake Garvey proposed to winning contestant Sam Frost. One could argue to say that the heightened ratings of the show and the recording in front of crew of the show created a pressured environment, where Sam Frost, for the sake of the show was somewhat forced to agree to the engagement. On the completion of the show the couple almost instantaneously broke up and Sam Frost spoke out about the humiliation she felt having said yes to a proposal that never went ahead.
The employment of interviews with the contestants seeks to further delve into their personal views and emotions regarding the events of The Bachelor as it progresses to heighten the amount of drama conveyed to the audience that perhaps would not have been divulged if in the company of other contestants. When edited for the screening, these interviews have the potential to change the circumstance or context of an event, that could change the meaning or even twist the integrity of the show into something more dishonourable for these of ratings.
In Lee-Anne Magidson’s case study; ‘The representation of gender in The Bachelor and The Bachelorette’, she concluded her study noting that in a global context, “The audience does not always realise that even though they are watching what is known as ‘reality’ television, the content is anything but real”. Her case study explores the ability for viewers to become absorbed in a delusion that isn’t natural. She also discusses the element of fairy tales in the bachelor, stating that “creating the myth that this fantasy could be a reality in the minds of the avid viewers.” This exemplifies how the viewers are positioned to believe that they have a chance at this unrealistic love, causing them to search for impossible relationships or end realistic ones.
In an article called ‘Project brainwash’, written by Chelsea Bengier, she explains that “One hour of reality TV consists of 100 or more takes, meaning the audience sees less than one percent of what [is] actually filmed.” The fact that one hour of a romantic reality TV show has 100 or more takes, exemplifies how unreachable the world they’re trying to display, actually is, simply because in the real world, people only have one chance at saying the right thing to the person they like. Therefore when people begin to desire the impossible kind of relationship, they will only find it in one place, the TV.
The Man-eater, Jennifer Pozner presents ‘Project Brainwash’ at MU, viewed 22 October 2015, < http://www.themaneater.com/stories/2012/3/20/jennifer-pozner-presents-project-brainwash-mu/ >
Wikipedia, The Bachelor (Australian TV series), viewed 22 October 2015, < https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bachelor_(Australian_TV_series) >
Ten Play, The Bachelor, viewed 22 October 2015, < http://tenplay.com.au/channel-ten/the-bachelor/about >
Key Course Concept – Globalisation in Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is an American fantasy drama television series created for HBO by showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss. It is an adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire, George R. R. Martin’s series of fantasy novels, the first of which is titled A Game of Thrones. It premiered on HBO in the United States on April 17, 2011. The series completed airing its fifth season on June 14, 2015, and has been renewed for a sixth season. It has received widespread acclaim by critics, particularly for its acting, complex characters, story, scope and production values. Broadcasters carrying Game of Thrones include Showcase in Australia, HBO Canada, Super Écran and Showcase in Canada, SoHo and Prime in New Zealand, and Sky Atlantic in the United Kingdom and Ireland.Game of Thrones has attracted record numbers of viewers on HBO and obtained an exceptionally broad and active international fan base.
In Game of Thrones, renown for its controversial expression of characters and its intricate following of politics and law, is a perfect fantasy reflection of the inner workings of globalisation in our own society. Globalisation is the process of international integration arising from the shifting of world views, products, ideas, and other aspects of culture. In a world dominated by institutions in history in contemporary times – organised hierarchies, tradition, and ideologies – the leading family in power was and is often the most important institution in the development of individuals and culture. For the elite, the family unit has been the core institution through which power is accumulated, preserved and spread, as the prime goal is multi-generational and far reaching. Any period in human history where empires and imperialism were common features of society whether from ancient Egypt, Rome, China, European and Japanese empires, an institution that with few exceptions can be found: a family dynasty.
Game of Thrones is not far from the reality of our culture and society. In the world of constant shifting globalisation, families cooperate, compete, and plot against and with each other or themselves. As Andrew Gavin Marshal states , “[Families of power] keep the politics of dynastic power from being understood or contemplated by the masses. We are distracted with sports, entertainment, ‘royal weddings’, a fear of foreigners and terrorism, and are blinded and manipulated by a deeply embedded propaganda system” as reflected in Game of Thrones, with numerous instances of jousting, jesting, the Red and Purple wedding, assassination attempts, and a deceptive monarchy, just to name a few crucial plot points. Our own society’s celebrity culture celebrates conventions and irrelevance: we tune in to the latest celebrity disaster, which dominates the media.
Today, it is the industrial, financial and corporate dynasties that have risen to unparalleled positions of authority in the age of globalisation. And yet, while some of their names are familiar to the ears of many, they are frequently thought of as relics of past centuries rather than business giants of today, or their names are altogether unfamiliar, due to their high positions and incredible influence within our societies. We see power – typically – in terms of those who hold political office: prime ministers and presidents who we elect, as is consistent with our belief that we live in democracies. We see competing factions of political parties vying for office, with us – the people – as the final words as to who gets to hold power.
A clear comparison can be drawn from our own historical records to Game of Thrones, and its these complexities in politics and institutionalised power that we can grasp the intricate notions of Game of Thrones own world. If anything, the audience should aim to become more aware of the messages and thematic devices in the series, as the plot of Game of Thrones is a reflection of our own conglomerates and cooperations, and perhaps serves as a cautionary tale or a lesson to the masses.
Andrew Gavin Marshal, Globalization’s ‘Game of Thrones’, Part 1: Dynastic Power in the Modern World, viewed 25 October 2015, <http://andrewgavinmarshall.com/2014/05/07/globalizations-game-of-thrones-part-1-dynastic-power-in-the-modern-world >
Reflection
Throughout my use of a time dairy to record my TV viewing habits, I found that my patterns were not typical of traditional viewing habits, in terms of platform and scheduling. As explored throughout this course, the notions of shifting media in terms of its distribution and methods of consumption were blatantly clear in by own life.
The global TV culture or imagined cultures and communities is a prominent theme surrounding the shows I watch, with the expectation to be fully informed and up to date with the plot being synonymous with being a dedicated fan. Additionally, the threat of spoilers is an influencing factor that drives the desire to watch as soon as possible, with the show’s communities driving discussion that is almost unavoidable with today’s far reaching social media. This is particularly evident in Australian audiences of international programs, where the delayed release of episodes can be marred by spoilers by international audiences well before they screen locally. The Sydney Morning Herald found that “Australia also has the highest ratio of pirates to non-pirates among Game of Thrones viewers in the world. Of all Australian viewers during the first three days of the new season’s availability, 32 per cent were pirates. The rate in the US was 8 per cent.” This shows the clear concern for consumption over the illegality of torrenting, and further exemplifies the consumer culture that cult or fandom followings that people like myself are apart of and our use of various viewing methods, communication, and production of global content.
In general, my viewing habits seemed to be strict scheduling at my own discretion, making use of pre-programmed recording and torrenting. I watched House and Bones essentially daily via Foxtel’s recording program, which meant I watched it on my family television. While quite a leap from traditional TV viewing, my patterns were reminiscent of sitting down and dedicating my own personal time to the show at the same time every day, albeit usually 2 hours after the airing. This is also reflected in my torrenting of Hannibal, where I use torrenting as a method of access to the show as close to it’s airing time as possible. The need to consume the programs as soon as possible is the key idea that drives my viewing habits, rather than taking advantage of the more flexible methods of viewing that would suit my daily life better. The use of Foxtel allows me to skip over ads, but still interrupts the overall flow of the show and can be quite disruptive. Conversely, the presence of the ads allows me time to get up and perform other short tasks in the meantime. The option to fast-forward provides an accelerated viewing experience, more like torrented programs, but with the same comfort and familiarity that a TV offers.
Sydney Morning Herald, Game of Thrones piracy hits new high, a third of Australian viewers not paying, viewed 26 October, < http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/digital-life-news/game-of-thrones-piracy-hits-new-high-a-third-of-australian-viewers-not-paying-20150423-1mrfd2.html >
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