MAGAZINE SHOWCOMPARISON

Kayleigh Gleeson

VS

Magazine Shows

I began to research some Magazine Shows to decide on which to compare, some of these were:

My Choices

I decided to go with two choices that i thought were different in topics, presentation and audience. I decided on Paul O’Grady Show, which is an entertainment magazine show.I also decided on Blue Peter which is a children’s magazine show.

I chose these because, as previously stated they are both different, but i believe similar in so many ways. I also chose them because i have watched both these programmes many of times. Blue Peter as a kid, Paul O’Grady as a teenager.

ContentPaul O’Grady Celebrity Guests, usually 2 Per

Show. Most of the time promoting a new film, book or TV programme.

Games, usually including the Celebrities.

News and Gossip from the world of fame, told in Paul’s unique way.

Letters from Viewers at home. Competitions and Filmed Reports. Using the public in his show,

dance groups, specialist hobbies, events.

VT’s, not many. Usually Clips from TV shows or Films

Blue Peter Guests, children’s celebrities, people who would be of interest to the children audience

Cooking/Making food in the Blue Peter kitchen.

Filmed reports.

Many VT’s out of the studio

Viewer Contributions, Letters, Photos, Competitions.

Child Contributors

Item Ideas, Paul O’Grady

Celebrity Interviews- This is an interview with Russell Brand who is promoting his new autobiography. This is a regular Item on the show. Celebrities often do interviews when they have something to promote.

Paul often does tasks and stuff to do with normal everyday activities or peoples unusual hobbies. In this clip he tries to get in the festive season with some wine tasting.

Item Ideas, Blue Peter

Blue Peter will usually get interviews with Celebrities children find interesting and enticing. This is an interview with Miley Cyrus, who plays Hannah Montana and is also a huge teen singing sensation.

Animals are used regularly on the show, both in VT’s and on live broadcast. Whilst watching the show something could always go wrong. This video shows how.

Content ComparisonLooking at the two programmes i find it obvious to see that both of their main

purposes are entertainment for their audience. Both programmes are fun to watch and have much humour slotted in. With Paul O’Grady this is obvious because he is a comedian and a born performer, his comedy is unscripted. With Blue Peter the comedy is scripted for children, is has been specially selected as correct for their age group and is presented by presenters in a way in which the children understand and find funny.

They are both very similar in content, the only difference is they are aimed at different age groups so are different in presentation.

I found that Blue Peter uses more VT’s than Paul O’Grady, Paul O’Grady is more studio based with occasional VT’s. Where as Blue Peter relies a lot upon them. I believe this is to keep their audience interested, as children will lose concentration after a while.

Both programmes include their viewers and audience quite a bit, using competetions and games. They both also allow their audiences to write letters into the show. This lets the audience voice their own opinions and once again this is to keep the audience entertained.

Neither Programmes deal with really serious issues within the news, although Blue Peter does have a ‘Blue Peter News’, the is news that children would find interesting.

The Presentation/Set DesignIn terms of clothing Paul O’Grady always wears a suit, sometimes with a tie, i

believe this is because he is aiming for a higher aged audience, but also a varied audience from over a certain age, so a suit is always the safe way to go.

The Paul O’Grady set is very homely, with a dresser behind him with photo’s and figurines and more on it. A sofa seat for the guests to sit one, with a coffee table in front and plants around the set for the homely feel and to feel comfortable.

The Presenters on Blue Peter are always in more casual daytime clothes. This is to make it seems like they are comfortable and at home in the studio, which is of course how they want their audience to feel.

The Blue Peter set is not as cluttered or homely but still has the feeling of being somewhere comfortable set is always in bright colours to attract their young audience.

Overall the sets and costumes on both are different on accordance with their target audience and the target audience taste and the programme type.

Presenters skillsPaul O’Grady always welcomes his audience and begins with

the latest news. He then injects jokes and comedy into all his sections whether they are interviews or just speaking.

The Blue Peter Presenters also use humour to entertain their audience but do so in a more tactical way.

Paul falls off his chair. This is funny if it happens to anyone, but the way in which Paul gets up and just carries on with the show laughing at himself shows he is a professional as well a comedian.

Sound/MusicThe Blue Peter theme tune has changed throughout the

years, it has upgraded with every decade passed. It is a widely known tune, from the elderly down to the youngest generation of the day.

Blue Peter-1950’s: “Through the years” Present

Era

Sound/Music Cont...Paul O’Grady-

Paul O’Grady, being an up to date show, has always had a good theme tune. It has changed except for the change over from ITV to Channel 4. The music/tune has always been used throughout the show when introducing guests. It is a catchy jingle that will stick in your head, with makes it hard to forget. The tune suits a family audience.

Sound/Music ComparisonBecause of the age difference between the programmes its

hard to compare. As Blue Peter has had many theme tunes and Paul O’Grady only 2/3. They both have catchy jingles that you can’t get out of your head for ages afterwards. Both are quite standardised to the programmes that they are made for.

The sounds throughout the shows are usual the theme tune replaying although Blue Peter does use other music. This music is always upbeat and happy to keep with the mood of the programme, and in most cases fast paced.

Why I like them?Paul O’Grady:I like this programme because

Paul is himself and not following a complete script, I like the flexibility of the programme and the way in which it entices all age ranges to watch it. When people are sending in letter you get kids from the age of 4/5ish all the way up to the elderly. This is because it is enjoyable for everyone,

WINNER

Blue Peter:I like Blue Peter because it teaches young people as well as entertaining them. There is always something to learn and the presenters are friendly.I don’t know whether it because I'm getting a little older but I find that it’s got a bit boring now. They don’t make things quite as fun as they used to be.

Overall Comparison Throughout this whole task i have felt the word audience come

up many times, and it has made me realise just how down to the audience everything the show is. From the sets in both, the presenters in both they are all tailored to fit the audience.

I found major similarities in these programmes, but after a while began to think that it would be the similarities you’d find in most entertainment magazine shows. Like, for example, you’d find the same in specialist magazine shows.

The shows themselves are very audience included, they both like to make you feel included.

I think both are well structured, and reach their target audiences.