Magazine Show Comparison The One Show and Top Gear 113MC – Introduction To Practical Broadcast Media - Task One By Adam Davies

The Magazine Shows The two texts I have chosen to compare are general magazine show ‘The One Show’ and specialist magazine show ‘Top Gear’.

Background The One Show First aired in Christine Bleakley and (was) Adrian Chiles. Currently Matt Allwright. Filmed at BBC Media Village, White City, London. Shown on BBC London at 7pm on weekdays. Running time: 30 min. (approx.) Top Gear First aired is Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. Filmed at Dunsford Park, Guildford, Surrey, England. Shown on BBC2 weekly and Channel Dave throughout the week (repeats). Running time: 60 min. (approx.)

Content The One Show Current affairs/news. Public issues/health. General interest. Food (demonstration). Wildlife. Interview with celebrity (usually promoting something). Less content. Top Gear Motorsport news. Car reviews/tests/races. Celebrity interview (often promoting something) followed by their timed lap of the race track. Competition/games involving the three presenters. Jokes/similes/metaphors. More content, but twice as long as the one show, therefore expected.

Presentation The One Show Male and female partnership. Informal. Lighthearted. Spontaneous. Informative. Specialist reporters ( Dom Littlewood, Gyles Brandreth and Jay Rayner). Male and female audience. Live broadcast. Top Gear Three male presenters, each with their own persona. Informal. Informative. Chatty/argumentative with each other (for audience amusement/attention). Humorous (jokes/similes/metaphors). Primarily male intended audience. Recorded weeks in advance.

The Look The One Show Red colour scheme, relating to the style of BBC1. When there is a discussion between the presenters and experts from outside the show, they sit at opposite ends of the sofa. Modern lounge area, with a green sofa split in the centre. Half for the presenters, half for the guests. Large TV in the studio and coffee table (domestic). Top Gear The studio is an aircraft hanger on an airfield. Leather sofa in the middle with plasma screen televisions. Audience is positioned in a circle around presenters. Titles are simple, have remained the same for years. Time for change? The VTs however are filmed differently and appear more modern.

Sound/Music The One Show The theme of the show is presumably produced in house and is a trumpet orientated theme with choral singing. The VT items frequently use instrumental versions of popular songs as a bed. Pop culture. Jazzy instrumental. Top Gear Since the original 1977 series of Top Gear the theme has been Jessica by the Allman Brothers. Within the last few years however, cover versions have been made and used as the theme. Stock production music is used for VT items. Old rock instrumental.

Audience The One Show Families. No studio audience. Studio is too small for this to be possible. Audience can interact my /telephone. Top Gear Primarily male. Motorsport lovers. Studio audience positioned around presenters. Direct audience interaction. Face to face. Read out s. Allows audience to shout out. Informality/unpredictable.

What do I like and why? Like the informality of both. Chatty/spontaneous. Setting of Top Gear. Different. Inventive. Like the contrast of characters in The One Show. Christine is young and lively, whereas Adrian seems dull yet hilarious. The two together attract a large and varied audience. Top Gear allows a sense of male banter. The One Show is live. Offers more interactivity.

References ntertainment/tv_and_radio/article ece ntertainment/tv_and_radio/article ece

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