Life On Mars - Industry (Derived from Mrs Fisher and other sources - aka my brain 🙂)
General notes
● Produced by Kudos Films - this is a subsidiary of global conglomerate Endemol
● Gives quality and reputation - for Life on Mars
● Made by Kudos for BBC
● BBC is vertically integrated (BBC Worldwide and BBC Studios - combined three
things sales, production and distribution) - reduces risk (according to the legend
Hesmondhalgh)
● The BBC do outsource production - could mean that they get “kudos” - kudo
meaning literally ‘praise and honour’
● Simple easy stuff: BBC is of course a PSB (PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTER) - this
means its funded by license fees from the public through taxes
● Remit - BBC have remit to do 3 things: INFORM, EDUCATE, ENTERTAIN, by being
a PSB - this means that they don’t have to produce content to appeals to a mass
audience - but Life on Mars IS a MAINSTREAM PROGRAMME
● PSBs - provide impartial news, champion national unity by offering INCLUSIVE
CONTENT rather than EXCLUSIVE, and serve under-served audiences
● Because the BBC operates as a PSB - it means that financially/economically risks can
be taken - for example producing films/TV shows that are more niche, as they don’t
have pressure from advertisers.
● Another part of the Remit - BBC want to produce films that showcase regional
diversity: Reflected in Life on Mars - filmed in Manchester? (I think)
● Scheduling - 9pm (post water-shed - indicating that show may not be suitable for
younger viewers, i.e. children)
● Because 9pm onward is post-watershed (this means that more mature themes can
be weaved into Life On Mars, such as swearing/violence/sexism/offensive themes
etc)
● Life on Mars - ‘sqaushed’ between EastEnders, and the BBC News at 10pm, so pretty
important times for the scheduling - could mean increased audience as EE and News @
10 are quite popular times.
MARKETING MATERIALS
● Been established that LOM is mainstream - this means that marketing materials would
be made
● DVDs, Trailers, posters, soundtrack - THESE ARE ALL MARKETING MATERIALS
● Example: “Back in The Nick Of Time” was a print ad featuring Sam Tyler and Gene
Hunt, they were with a 1973 FORD CORTINA - and BBC ‘globe’ feature - made retro,
and could create nostalgic feelings for older audiences.
● Posters - deliberately made ‘retro’ ‘nostalgic’ to target audiences, with the media
language techniques definitely chosen to have an effect - that effect is to make them
look old-fashioned/traditional to get audiences interested.
● Used “testimonials” on the DVD covers, to target specific audiences in different
countries.
● E.g. Life On Mars - had ratings from USA Weekly targeting American audiences
General notes
● Produced by Kudos Films - this is a subsidiary of global conglomerate Endemol
● Gives quality and reputation - for Life on Mars
● Made by Kudos for BBC
● BBC is vertically integrated (BBC Worldwide and BBC Studios - combined three
things sales, production and distribution) - reduces risk (according to the legend
Hesmondhalgh)
● The BBC do outsource production - could mean that they get “kudos” - kudo
meaning literally ‘praise and honour’
● Simple easy stuff: BBC is of course a PSB (PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTER) - this
means its funded by license fees from the public through taxes
● Remit - BBC have remit to do 3 things: INFORM, EDUCATE, ENTERTAIN, by being
a PSB - this means that they don’t have to produce content to appeals to a mass
audience - but Life on Mars IS a MAINSTREAM PROGRAMME
● PSBs - provide impartial news, champion national unity by offering INCLUSIVE
CONTENT rather than EXCLUSIVE, and serve under-served audiences
● Because the BBC operates as a PSB - it means that financially/economically risks can
be taken - for example producing films/TV shows that are more niche, as they don’t
have pressure from advertisers.
● Another part of the Remit - BBC want to produce films that showcase regional
diversity: Reflected in Life on Mars - filmed in Manchester? (I think)
● Scheduling - 9pm (post water-shed - indicating that show may not be suitable for
younger viewers, i.e. children)
● Because 9pm onward is post-watershed (this means that more mature themes can
be weaved into Life On Mars, such as swearing/violence/sexism/offensive themes
etc)
● Life on Mars - ‘sqaushed’ between EastEnders, and the BBC News at 10pm, so pretty
important times for the scheduling - could mean increased audience as EE and News @
10 are quite popular times.
MARKETING MATERIALS
● Been established that LOM is mainstream - this means that marketing materials would
be made
● DVDs, Trailers, posters, soundtrack - THESE ARE ALL MARKETING MATERIALS
● Example: “Back in The Nick Of Time” was a print ad featuring Sam Tyler and Gene
Hunt, they were with a 1973 FORD CORTINA - and BBC ‘globe’ feature - made retro,
and could create nostalgic feelings for older audiences.
● Posters - deliberately made ‘retro’ ‘nostalgic’ to target audiences, with the media
language techniques definitely chosen to have an effect - that effect is to make them
look old-fashioned/traditional to get audiences interested.
● Used “testimonials” on the DVD covers, to target specific audiences in different
countries.
● E.g. Life On Mars - had ratings from USA Weekly targeting American audiences
